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The church at Antioch in Acts 13 set the N.T. example and proved that God's churches are capable of fulfilling the
command of our Lord. Here we see Paul and Barnabas proving their gifts in the church and their call being confirmed
in the in the church. They were then ordained in the church, sent out of the church, and were accountable to and
reported to the Antioch church. Personally, I know that a scriptural N.T. Baptist is capable of performing all the
administrative duties, overseeing the missionary's doctrine and practice (Since when did Christ give authority to a
mission agency to discipline a man?), and fulfilling all the necessary functions to place and keep a man on the
field. Scriptural, Independent Baptists should be more zealous than any of the others because they understand that
the imperative of reaching the world with the Gospel is their purpose for existence. Furthermore, true Independent
Baptists are convicted that...
VI. Salvation Is By Grace Through Repentance And
Faith
True, New Testament Independent Baptists have faithfully proclaimed the message that John the Baptist preached,
that Jesus Christ preached, that Peter preached, that Paul preached, and all other faithful brethren since then
have preached and that is, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).
Jesus said in Luke 24:47 "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all
nations..." Salvation without repentance is damnation! Today, there are many preaching a false gospel without
making people face the guilt and condemnation of their sin;
consequently, if a man is never faced with his sin and the reality that he is lost (by his own understanding), he
can never be saved. The Scriptures are clear on promoting house to house evangelism but it condemns "easy
believism". Salvation decisions without repentance give people false hope and make them twofold the child of hell.
"If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:9). Lastly,
true N.T. Independent Baptists adhere to and hold that...
VII. The Table Of The Lord Is Restricted To Members
Only
The church was given two ordinances by Jesus Christ--baptism and the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:2). Jesus instituted
the ordinance of the Lord's Supper on the night before His crucifixion. This is His ordinance and His table;
therefore, we must invite the participants according to the Lord's orders. The scriptural qualifications to observe
the Lord's Supper are:
1) one must be saved (1 Cor. 10:21)
2) one must be scripturally baptized (Acts 2:41-47)
3) one must be a member of the church observing the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:18)
4) one must have an orderly walk void of offense toward God and man ( 1 Cor. 11:27-31)
Scriptural observance of the Lord's Supper is inseparably connected with efficient church discipline; hence, only
members of that particular Baptist church should participate in observing the Lord's Supper in the church which has
the authority to discipline them. Restricting the Lord's table to members only will bring God's blessing and avoid
the sure judgment of God ( 1 Cor. 11:30).
May God help you to have more than a name and reputation, but to know the reality of being a true, New Testament,
Independent Baptist. "For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth" ( 2 Cor.
10:18).
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