The Baptist Church Name
Some week ago I reviewed a pamphlet by a Mr. H. E. Waller. The title of the booklet was: "HAVE YOU REJECTED CHRIST AND ACCEPTED BAPTISM FOR SALVATION?" Mr. Waller is a Missionary Baptist of the Bogard-Landmark school. Since the review Mr. Waller is reviewing my review in the Missionary Baptist Searchlight. He is very positive that all "Campbellites" have baptism as their saviour.
It seems to me that he is inconsistent in this. If there be any such people, they of course must look to Campbell for salvation and name. Campbell would be the family title, its head and author. To illustrate: My father was John D. Curtis; he established his family; I was part of that family; and wore the family name of Curtis. If there be Campbellites, I am ignorant of their existence, and know definitely that I am not of that family.
I speak of a spiritual family. I am not indebted to Campbell for one single belief. But now back to the name "Baptist".
Baptists take two positions relative to the name "Baptist", 1. that it came from John the Baptist; 2., that it was derived from the act of immersion. The latter is true. Take either position and it remains true that he Baptist family derives its name from baptism, and inasmuch as, the father gives the name to the faintly, it necessarily follows that all Baptists are water begotten. No escaping this conclusion. No water, no baptism; no baptism, no Baptists. Therefore baptism gives to the denomination its family name, and must of necessity be their father.
A few years back I listened to L. D. Foreman, Pastor of the Antioch Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark., in his Sunday morning sermon. He stated that on that day at a certain place there would be established a scriptural Baptist church. This implied that Mr. Foreman thought that there were some unscriptural Baptist churches. I wrote him asking for one scriptural one — one that you could read about in the word of God. Here is his answer:
Mr. Geo. B. Curtis Harmony Road, Rt. 1 Clarksville, Ark.
Dear Brother Curtis:
In regard to your letter seeking information for the scripture that mentions a Baptist Church, please allow me this explanation. I note on the return address of your envelope that you are minister of the "Church of Christ". Since you would use no name that is unscriptural, certainly you know where the scripture is that says "Church of Christ". Now all you have to do is turn to the passage of scripture that says, "Church of Christ" and read the scripture just before it, and you will find there the "Baptist Church".
Thank you very kindly L. D. Foreman LDF/ap What Dr. Foreman is trying to say is, There is no scripture to support the name "Church of Christ". And by his explanation says, The name Baptist Church is also unscriptural. Thank you, Dr. Foreman for admitting what everybody but Baptists already know — that the name Baptist Church has no scriptural foundation. But the conclusion that there is no scriptural foundation for the term Church of Christ does not follow. Dr. Foreman said in effect: You find authority for the church of Christ, and in the verse above it I'll read about the Baptist Church. We shall proceed to try him.
"There is one body." (Eph.1 :4) Read above and below.
"Gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body." (Eph. 1: 22-23) Read above and below.
"And he is the head of the body, the church." (Col. 1:18)
"For his body's sake, which is the church." (Col. 1:24)
From these and other scriptures relative to the body of Christ, we are taught that the church is the body, or the body is the church. This is the body of Christ — the church of Christ. Any one denying that would deny the divinity of Christ. Yet no mention of the Baptist church.
"The churches of Christ salute you." (Rom. 16:16) Yes, I know the term is plural. But let's see you try having churches of Christ without having a church of Christ. Read verse 15 for the Baptist Church. Not there, Dr. Foreman.
"Feed the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood." (Acts 20:28, King James Translation.)
"Feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood." (Acts 20:28 American Revision.)
1. Christ was the one who shed the blood.
2. This blood bought the church.
3. The church belongs to the one who bought it.
4. Therefore, it is the church of Christ.
Read above and below and the Baptist church is not mentioned.
"Upon this rock I will build my church." (Matt. 16:18)
Theses words were spoken by Christ just before his crucifixion. John was already dead. So he could not have been talking about a church brought into existence when John was baptizing. Nor, could the Lord have been baptized into something that did not exist. Christ spoke of his church — the one that would belong to him, the church of Christ. No mention of the Baptist church above or below.
"He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled." (John 3:29)
Let's subject this scripture to a careful analysis:
1. This is the language of John the Baptist. 2. The bridegroom is Christ.
3. The church is the bride. (Baptists so teach.)
4. John is the friend of the bridegroom — the "Best Man".
5. The bridegroom — not the "Best Man" — has the bride.
6. The bride takes the name of the bridegroom.
7. The bride does not take the name of the Best Man.
8. According to Baptist usage of the word -Baptist they could not be in the family of Christ, but in the Best Man's family.
9. No room for a Baptist church here, either above or below.
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." (Eph. 3:15, 16.)
"But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (Hebrews 3:6)
"God of our Lord Jesus Christ (7.17) . . hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all thing to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Eph. 1:17, 22-23.)
1. The words house, household and family are used interchangeably in the Bible.
2. God's family in heaven is named of Christ.
3. God's family on earth is named of Christ.
5. Moses was faithful as a servant. (Hebrews 3:5)
6. Christ was faithful as a son.
7. This was his own house, or family.
8. All who are faithful to the end are in his family.
9. God elevated Christ to this place over the family of God.
10. This was done when Christ was raised from the dead. (V.20)
11. This head of the family of God will continue until all things are put under his feet. (Eph. 1:22; 1 Cor. 16:2428)
12. God's family name is that of Christ.
1. Baptist is not that name.
The term church of Christ denotes ownership. The church belongs to Christ. He bought and paid for it with his blood. Why rob him of his dearest possession and try to give it to John, or deny the family name to elevate the action of baptism? It is wrong. Many other arguments might be presented to show the ownership of the church, but these must suffice now.
Geo. B. Curtis.