Q: Are Baptists Christians?
This year I have been building on a single theme for all my sermons. I am looking at the difference between faith and religion. As a result an awakening is happening in our congregation as people are coming to realize the difference between the two.
In a small group I was recently asked this question by a new member: “Are Baptists Christians?” At first I found the question humorous. Represented around the table were people from many different brands of Christian. Historically these groups have been in conflict with each other over religious rather than faith issues. We spend some time talking about the differences between groups and why there are so many denominations.
Yet this is a great question, I want to be able to answer it in this blog.
A: No, being Baptists does not make you a Christian, believing in Jesus Christ by faith makes you a Christian.
Let me be quick to say that I believe most Baptists are Christians and they come from a noble like of Christian history. What I am pointing out here is that just because you belong to a church group, or affiliate yourself with a certain group does not make you a Christian.
A ancient and famous Christian writer once described the Church being two churches. In his book “The City of God” he described the city you see and the city you don’t see. He made the distinction that the city you see with your eyes is not often the real city. It is the inner city, within the walls where people live and work that the real heart of the city can be found.
When we look at the Church from the outside, not everyone we see associated with the church is really saved or Christian no matter how they act, talk or look. Within that church are the true believers.
So a Christian is a person who does not associate themselves first with a denomination (that is the act of a religious person) but one who has faith in Jesus Christ before any church group, or theological variation: One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.
You may be one of those people who are struggling with the issue of faith and religion. You have been around religion your whole life and may not have seen much Christ like faith. I want you to know that is the one thing you are really seeking and to leave the religion behind. Find Christ and you will find others who are also faith filled.
The promise to you from God’s word is that if you will seek, you will find; if you ask, you will receive; and if you will knock, the door will be opened.
