I Am A Baptist Because Jesus Built A Baptist Church
by Dr. Gail Terrell
God prepared a Baptist preacher, John the Baptist, to teach and baptize believers. Jesus endorsed the message and baptism of this first Baptist.
Matthew 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,… 13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him… 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteous ness. Then he suffered him.
Jesus established His first church during the days of His personal ministry. Jesus promised that His kind of baptizing church would continue throughout history, referred to as Bap tist church perpetuity. Jesus commissioned and authorized His type of church to teach and baptize in His power. Since founded by Jesus, the Lord’s kind of Baptist churches have existed throughout all history.
Matthew 16:18 And I [Jesus]say also unto thee, That thou art Peter [petros, small rock], and upon this rock [petra, large rock] I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it… 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a moun tain where Jesus had appointed them… 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
Jesus baptized the first church in the Holy Spirit and publically displayed His approval of their worship and service on the Day of Pentecost.
This baptism and accompanying miracles was repeated to authenticate missions to the Gentiles.
Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost… 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
Acts2:16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John in deed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
The Lord’s first church was comprised of believers who had been taught and baptized by John the Baptist, a preacher sent from God. These first church members were the apostles who were Baptists in belief, practice, and baptism. Mathias, the replacement for Judas, was also Baptistic.
1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles…
Acts 1:22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be or dained to be a wit ness with us of his resurrection… 26 and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Baptism pictures the gospel of Christ as well as the death of the believer to sin and new life in Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:1 More over, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel… 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins accord ing to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day accord ing to the scriptures.
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection… 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Like wise reckon ye also your selves to be dead in deed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
