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Article 19 – Baptism, Its Subjects, Method And Significance
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XIX. Baptism, its Subjects, Method and Significance. We believe that Baptism consists of the immersion in water of the whole persons of professed believers,[1] “ in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”[2] and sets forth our identity with Christ Jesus in His death and resurrection; the necessity of the new birth ere we can be vitally associated with the true church of the Lord Jesus; and the cleansing of sin by His precious blood.[3] ------------------------------- (1) Matt 3:6,16; Jn 3:23; Acts 8:36-38 (2)…
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Article 18 – The Two Ordinances
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XVIII. The Two Ordinances. We believe that Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only two symbolical ordinances enjoined in the Gospel; all other ritualistic forms and ceremonies being disallowed and forbidden by the Word of God. ------------------------------- Mal 3:7; Matt 5:19; 15:9; 28:20; Col 2:20-23, read verse 20, “are ye subject to (humanly devised and unscriptural) ordinances”? Annotations: Sacramentalists and Evangelicals. Note 1.—It is customary to divide Christendom into Protestant and Catholic. It were better to divide it into the Evangelical and the Sacramental sections. These are sharply distinguished by…
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Article 17 – Pastors And Deacons
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XVII. Pastors and Deacons. We believe that the officers of Christian churches are Pastors, (or Bishops,) and Deacons, and that the right of choosing these is vested in each individual Church as such. That a Pastor’s duties are spiritual, namely, to tend the flock of God; to administer the ordinances of His house; to expound the Word and preach the Gospel; instruct inquiring sinners; visit the sick; and generally to watch for the souls of those under his care as one “that must give an account.”[1] That Deacons are honorary servants…
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Article 16 – The Constitution Of The Church
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XVI. The Constitution of a Church. We believe that a Church is an independent and organised body of spiritual men and women[1] who have been baptised and are agreed upon the essential truths and ordinances of the Gospel,[2] and have voluntarily given themselves to the Lord and to each other, for their common benefit and the glory of God;[3] and that it is subject (in all spiritual matters) to no authority save that of the Lord as made known in His holy word.[4] ------------------------------- [1] Acts 15:41,42; 18:22; Rom 16:16; 1…
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Closed Communion
What is a Strict Baptist? These articles are about the historically, and more importantly, scripturally authentic church practice known as Closed Communion. The practice is also known as ‘Restricted Communion’, and it is from the word ‘restricted’ that ‘Strict Baptist’ churches take their title. Although the casual or unsaved visitor to a Strict Baptist church may indeed find the congregation rather stern, dull or strange at first meeting, the designation ‘strict’ has nothing to do with any such behaviour or dress code which might exist in such a church. Rather, it refers specifically and solely to the scripturally prescribed practice of restricting participation in the communion service to a specifically limited subset of the population. Neither does ‘Strict Baptist’ refer to a denomination, as does,…
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2 A Christian Church
A Christian Church is a company of regenerate persons, baptized on a profession of faith in Christ; united in covenant for worship, instruction, the observance of Christian ordinances, and for such service as the gospel requires; recognizing and accepting Christ as their supreme Lord and Lawgiver, and taking His Word as their only and sufficient rule of faith and practice in all matters of conscience and religion. I. Meaning of the Word. The word Church is of uncertain derivation: English, Church; Scottish, Kirk; Anglo-Saxon, Cyric; German, Kirche; Danish, Kyrke; Swedish, Kyrka; Russian, Zerkow. It is used as the equivalent, if not derived from the Hebrew Kahal; Latin, Curia and has usually been derived from the Greek Kuriakon—"belonging to the Lord." This is, however, disputed by…
