Denomination

Q. A friend recently joined a Landmark Baptist church in another state. Does this demonation subscribe to Calvinism as to the security of the believer? (once saved, always saved) Are modern translations of the Bible recommended? Thank you. [Nancy Nowel]

A. This answer may seem like I'm going totally around the bush to get to your answer but bear with me. In the 1840's & 1850's the Landmarkers were all known as Missionary Baptists who had one belief and were of one mind and one accord for the most part. As a matter of fact the Landmark movement was first recognized at this time because of the desire of the Baptist people to preserve our ways of worship that at that time had stretched over 18 centuries. There was however two divisions that appeared when the movement gained steam.

1. Those who believed that "all" were totally lost and on a one way trip to hell unless they gave heed to the call of the Holy Spirit and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior which is the original belief: 2nd Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2. Those who believed that "only a select few" would receive Salvation through Gods Sovereign Grace because He choose (Predestined) them to be saved. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Because of this division & a few other disagreements there was a separation of fellowship. The Group #1 had held their beliefs were the original remained Missionary Baptists by association. Many of them formed the Southern Baptist Conference. Group #2 formed the American Baptist Association. Group #1 still believes that "All" can be saved. I myself am one of the original group (Group #1) and you can most likely tell this by reading the Parsons Corner! Group #2 still takes the Calvinistic view of predestination but both groups believe in the Eternal Security of our Salvation as a majority. That is to say, Once saved, always saved!

This is the kicker, Group #1 are the ones in a minority allowing other bible versions to be used in their churches and Group #2 holds tenaciously to the King James Version as you no doubt realize that I do too!

B.T.W. The associations I just mentioned are simply for the coordinating of funds to our missionaries and are not a governing body over the individual churches. By definition, it is impossible for a group to be a Baptist Congregation unless they are internally governed and totally independent with Jesus Christ "only" as their head!

[Timothy]

Q. Dear Pastor, Prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, where did the souls of those who died go? When I was a Catholic, I remember being told that the gates of Heaven were closed until the death and resurrection of Jesus; therefore, the souls of those who died went to sort of a "Limbo-like" place. Is this true according to the Bible? Also, I was told by a Catholic relative that even though Jesus died on the cross for our sins, he didn't really pay the full penalty for our sins. He simply opened the gates of heaven, so that now we can work our way to Heaven. I was told that through the sacraments (communion, penance, etc.), we can merit the graces necessary for salvation. What does the Bible say about all of this? How do I answer questions from Catholic relatives concerning this? [necessary for salvation]

A. Before the Death, Burial, & Resurrection they went to a place called Paradise. Paradise was the place of waiting. Torment on the other hand was the place where disobedient and lost souls waited for judgment. Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Paradise was the place to wait for the Saviors completed work. I've gone into depth on this question on the "Other" catagory page. After reading this answer you may want to scope out my answer however "Limbo" would be an improper description of Paradise. To be in Limbo means to be stuck, a better term would be the place of waiting!

As for Jesus not paying the full price, that is totally unscriptural! Below are some very simple ways to reason using the truth of the scriptures to answer such questions:

1. Isiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. This prophecy of the Savior says "and with his stripes we are healed." It doesn't say by His stripes we are still healing! Nor does it say that we are still needing healing!
2. 1st Corinthians 6:19: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. If we were still earning salvation after we accept Jesus as our Savior, how could the Holy Ghost dwell in us if we aren't santified and cleansed? Also notice that in verse 20 it say's "For ye are bought with a price:" not we are being bought!
3. John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. This is the Savior telling us that if He set's us free, we are definatly FREE!!! Not going to be free but already FREE!!!.
4. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. This one should help you to see that there is absolutly no way any sacrament or act or work can save you.

I hope this answers your questions. If not, please email me again and I will go deeper.

[Timothy]

Q. Having been raised Catholic before I got saved I always thought that those considering themselves to be Christian were either Catholic or Protestant. I go to a Southern Baptist church and folks there tell me that they are NOT Protestant because they have not protested anything. They are under the impression that Baptists have been around since the days of Christ. I thought the Reformation brought about these denominations as they broke away from Catholicism. But hey, I never opened a Bible until I was 24 years old. I was always told to read the book about the mass so what do I know. What are your thoughts on the origins of non Catholic denominations? [Kevin]

A. Kevin, what they are telling you is quite true to a point. We Baptists (Paulicans - Ana-baptists) have been around since the first century. The Baptists are actually the result of the preaching and evangelism of the apostles who wrote the New Testament. Mostly of the Apostle Paul but also of the other brethren who walked this earth with the Savior. Lets look at the directions that the apostles went in their evangelism and consider that their work in the Lord didn't just disappear when the Roman Catholic Church showed up on the scene.

• Bartholomew, evangelized east into India.
• Thomas, went north into Parthia.
• Peter into Babylon.
• Paul and Luke went west to Italy and Spain.
• Mark the Evangelist went to Alexandria.
• Philip into Phrygia.
• And the rest labored in all these area's of Asia, Africa, and Europe.

If you look into the Book of Revelation, you'll find Seven main church's that also didn't just disappear into thin air when the RCC showed up:

1. The church of Ephesus
2. The church in Smyrna
3. The church in Pergamos
4. The church in Thyatira
5. The church in Sardis
6. The church in Philadelphia
7. The church of the Laodiceans

Now consider the Roman Catholics who say that until they appeared there were no other church's but if this were true that would even eliminate the Church of Acts in Jerusalem, wouldn't it? The first true church group was that of those who would be called the Messianic and those who came out of their evangelism!

Just the same as the name "Christians" which was tagged on us by the people of Antioch  because we followed "Christ", the name Baptist was also tagged on us by the Roman Catholic Church because we stuck to the fact that Baptism was received only after Salvation. Ergo, "Baptists". Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

Below are a few historical quotes that you may find interesting and you may then make up your own mind about the Baptists!

• Froude, the English historian, says of these Ana-Baptist martyrs: "The details are all gone, their names are gone. Scarcely the facts seem worth mentioning. For them no Europe was agitated, no court was ordered in mourning, no papal hearts trembled with indignation. At their death the world looked on complacent, indifferent or exulting. Yet here, out of 25 poor men and women were found 14, who by no terror of stake or torture could be tempted to say they believed what they did not believe. History has for them no word of praise, yet they, too, were not giving their blood in vain. Their lives might have been as useless as the lives of most of us. In their death they assisted to pay the purchase of English freedom."
• (400 some odd years before the Reformation) In 1160 a company of Paulicians (Baptists) entered Oxford. Henry II ordered them to be branded on the forehead with hot irons, publicly whipped them through the streets of the city, to have their garments cut short at the girdles, and be turned into the open country. The villages were not to afford them any shelter or food and they perished a lingering death from cold and hunger." (Moore, Earlier and Later Nonconformity in Oxford, p. 12.)
• Cardinal Hosius (Catholic, 1524), President of the Council of Trent when the Catholic Church was themselves only 1200 years old: "Were it not that the ana-baptists have been grievously tormented and cut off with the knife during the past twelve hundred years, they would swarm in greater number than all the Reformers." (Hosius, Letters, Apud Opera, pp. 112, 113.)
• Sir Isaac Newton: "The Baptists are the only body of known Christians that have never symbolized with Rome."
• Edinburg Cyclopedia (Presbyterian): "It must have already occurred to our readers that the Baptists are the same sect of Christians that were formerly described as Ana-Baptists. Indeed this seems to have been their leading principle from the time of Tertullian to the present time." Tertullian was born just fifty years after the death of the Apostle John.

These are but a few things to get your mind thinking on the answer to your question but I leave you with one thought that is overlooked quite often by even the Baptist brethren. When you join a church body you are baptized into that body and identified as one of them. To become a Catholic you are Baptized into the Catholic Church. The same can be said of almost all of the Protestant church's. To become identified as a Baptist you receive Salvation and then become Baptized! Jesus wanted us to follow His example, didn't He? So with that thought in mind, who did Jesus go to to be Baptized? Wasn't it John the "BAPTIST"?

[Timothy]

Q. Why Are denominations so different? They all seem to worship differently. Is there one of them that is closest to the truth? [Anon]

A. It's true that there are many different ways of worship out there and sometimes its hard to decide whats right and whats wrong. Some denominations tell you that theirs is the only way to make it to heaven but let me please say that there "is" only one way to heaven and that is believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Not being a Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Episcapalian, Church of God, Church of Christ or any of the other religions will get you to heaven! Only Jesus!

There are some that would tell you that their priest only can allow you to get to eternal life. That if you don't confess your sins to him you can't be forgiven. Thats just not true. The bible says in 1st John:2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: [] Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 4:16: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. [] John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

There are also the ones that tell their members only what they want to hear and again the Bible tell us in 2nd Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

It is firmly my belief that we are in the last days because of what was told to the last church in Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Does the above description describe a church and an age! Think about it!

Timothy