Baptist Distinctives

1. The Bible is inerrant and is the sole authority for faith and practice

2 Timothy 3:16-17

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. NKJV

2 Peter 1:20-21

20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,

21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke
as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. NKJV

2. Soul Competency or The Priesthood of all believers

1 Peter 2:9-10

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. NKJV

Revelation 1:5-6

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,
the firstborn from the dead,
and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJV

3. Believers baptism by immersion

Romans 6:4

4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
NKJV

Acts 8:35-39

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water.
What hinders me from being baptized?"

37 Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said,
"I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still.
And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. NKJV

4. Regenerate Church membership

Acts 2:38-41

38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 For the promise is to you and to your children,
and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."

41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. NKJV

5. The two ordinances are Baptism and the Lord's Supper A. Baptism is a outward witness of the salvation

God has worked within.

B. The Lord's Supper is a memorial meal representing the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

C. The elements of the Lord's Supper are not sacraments. D. Open and closed

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood.
This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. NKJV

6. The two Biblical offices of the church are Pastor and Deacons

1 Timothy 3:1-7

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;

3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

4 one who rules his own house well,
having his children in submission with all reverence

5(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);

6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside,
lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. NKJV

1 Timothy 3:8-13

Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,

9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

10 But let these also first be tested;
then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.

11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing

and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. NKJV

Acts 6:1-7

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.

3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;

4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude.
And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas,

a proselyte from Antioch,

6 whom they set before the apostles;
and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

7 Then the word of God spread,
and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. NKJV

7. Congregational Church government under the Leadership of the Pastor and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:4-5

4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,

5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. NKJV

1 Corinthians 12:12

For as the body is one and has many members,
but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
NKJV

8. The autonomy of the local church with voluntary cooperation with various entities or causes.

1 Corinthians 3:9

9 For we are labourers together with God: ... KJV

9. Salvation by grace alone through faith alone

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. NKJV

10. The separation of church and state

Matthew 22:21

And He said to them,
"Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
NKJV