Why I
Am A Baptist John R.
Gilpin (1905-1974) There
is hardly a week that goes by that somebody doesn’t write me,
call me,
or talk to me personally to remind me of the “fact” that “There is
virtually no
difference between Baptists and everybody else in the world, and
therefore you
should not (so these individuals tell us) make any difference, nor in
any wise
at all emphasize the fact that we are Baptists.” I don’t agree with
that in any
sense of the word. I have
a very
definite conviction concerning church truth, and those convictions
beloved are
very dearly bought. I wasn’t a Baptist in the years gone by as a boy.
In fact I
am not a Baptist because my mother and father were Baptists before me.
I am not
a Baptist because of a Baptist upbringing. The fact of the matter is I
spent
most of my life as a young boy attending a Campbellite church. That’s
one
reason why that I have no use for Campbellism today; I know it from top
to
bottom, inside and outside. I have no use in this world for
Campbellism, and I
like to emphasize the truths that Baptists hold dear. I read in God’s
Word that
it says, “Sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to
every man that
asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”
(1 Peter 3:15) and tonight I want to
give you some reasons why I am a Baptist, and I give them to you with
“meekness
and fear.” I First
of all, I am
a Baptist because the first Baptist that this world ever knew anything
about came
from God. We read, “There was a man
sent from God, whose name was John” (John 1:6).
John came in obedience to God; God sent him. He then,
was a missionary, that is, one who has been sent. Thus the Scriptures
tell us
that John the Baptist came as a missionary from God. As you turn
through the
Word of God, you’ll find that the first Baptist was named John, that
is, John
the Baptist. His
birth, I might
say, was God appointed: he came from God, he originated not with man,
not of
himself. As I realize that this first Baptist came from God, I ask the
question: Why should I then not be a Baptist? What
other
religious leader
and founder on this side of the birth of Christ could show such a
commanding
record as that of John the Baptist? I say that the first Baptist the
world ever
saw came from God. Where
did the
first Greek Catholic come from, and what was his name? Where
did the
first Roman Catholic come from, and what was his name? Where
did the
first Lutheran come from, and what was his name? Where
did the
first Episcopalian come from, and what was his name? Where
did the
first Presbyterian come from and what was his name? Where
did the
first Methodist come from, and what was his name? Where
did the
first Campbellite come from, and what was his name? Now I
ask you these seven
questions, and not one of those seven questions can be answered with
the Bible.
You can turn through the Bible from one end to another and you’ll never
find a
Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Presbyterian,
Methodist
nor Campbellite in all the pages of the Word of God. Where did the
first
missionary Baptist come from? Beloved, that answer is found in the Word
of God,
the New Testament, and no place else. We
read, “In those days came John the Baptist” (Matthew
3:1). “There hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11). “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom
of heaven
suffereth violence” (Matthew 11:12). “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead” (Matthew 14:2). “Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger” (Matthew 14:8). “And they said, Some say that thou art John the
Baptist” (Matthew 16:14). “Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John
the
Baptist” (Matthew 17:13). “The head of John the Baptist” (Mark
6:24). “I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of
John the
Baptist” (Mark 6:25). “And they answered, John the Baptist” (Mark
8:28). “John Baptist hath sent us unto thee” (Luke
7:20). “John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine”
(Luke 7:33). “They answering said, John the Baptist” (Luke
9:19). Now
beloved, here
are thirteen times that you find the name Baptist in the New Testament.
I say
to you, the only name of any religious view today that is to be found
in the
New Testament is the name Baptist, and it occurs thirteen times in the
New
Testament. I might go further and say this, that the word “John”
(referring to
John the Baptist) occurs ninety-two times and the New Testament. In
view of the
fact that you cannot find the first Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic,
Lutheran,
Methodist Episcopalian, Presbyterian or Campbellite in the Bible, yet
you do
find the first Baptist in the Bible. And in view of the fact that you
find him
called a Baptist thirteen times, and in view the fact that you find him
mentioned
ninety two times in the New Testament in the name of John; in view of
these
facts I say to you I am a Baptist beloved, because the first Baptist
came from
God. II In the
second
place, I am a Baptist because the immersion of the first church was
likewise
from heaven. We read, “And John bare
record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove,
and it
abode upon him. {33} And I knew him not: but he that sent me to
baptize
with water …” (John 1:32-33) Not
only did the first Baptist come from God, but the immersion of the
first
Baptist likewise was from heaven. John the Baptist had authority to
baptize
given him directly from God the Father in heaven. Listen, “And
when He was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders
of the people came unto Him as He was teaching, and said, By what
authority
doest Thou these things? and who gave Thee this authority? {24} And
Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which
if ye
tell Me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these
things.
{25} The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?
And they
reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; He will
say
unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? {26} But if we shall
say, Of
men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. {27} And
they
answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And He said unto them,
Neither tell I
you by what authority I do these things” (Matthew
21:23-27). Now
brothers, here is a passage of Scripture that is worthy of our deepest
consideration. The question of religious authority was raised; the
question
came up as to John’s authority. Where did he get it? Did he get his
authority
from God, or did he get it from man? The crowd to whom Jesus was
speaking
refused to answer the question. They said, “If we say John got his
authority
from man, we are going to endanger our lives. If we say he got his
authority
from heaven then Jesus is going to say to us, Why then didn’t you
believe him?” Beloved,
the man who is called with authority from God to immerse had authority,
I say,
from God himself to immerse suitable subjects. That man, John the
Baptist, had
the authority to immerse directly from heaven itself. A lot of people
today say
that John’s baptism wasn’t Christian baptism. All I can say is this: If
Jesus
Christ went to John and was baptized, if it was good enough for the
Lord Jesus
Christ, it’s certainly good enough for me. The
twelve original apostles were all baptized by John the Baptist. If it
was good
enough for the apostles, then it’s good enough for me. The
church, that I shall show you presently, that was organized by the Lord
Jesus
Christ, was organized out of the material that was prepared by John the
Baptist
(John 1:35-37). If
Jesus used the material that John the Baptist had prepared by way of
baptism,
then I say that the baptism of John the Baptist ought to be good enough
for us.
In light of this I say to you beloved, John’s baptism is just as good
as gold
and diamonds. Any place you go in this world, gold and diamonds are
accepted
standards. The Lord Jesus Christ accepted the baptism of John the
Baptist (John 4:1-2). Whatever God himself
authorized from heaven is surely good enough for us today. I say to
you, I am a
Baptist, first of all, because the first Baptist that came into this
world came
from God. And in the second place, I am a Baptist because the immersion
of the
first Baptist was likewise from heaven. If God sent him down to baptize
then I am
not one bit ashamed of the fact that I am a Baptist. III And the
third place, I am a Baptist because a Baptist
baptized the Lord Jesus Christ. We read, “Then
cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
{14} But
John forbad Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest
Thou to
me? {15} And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be
so now:
for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered
Him” (Matthew 3:13-15). Jesus,
I say, was
immersed. He was baptized by John the Baptist, the first Baptist
preacher, the
first Baptist the world ever saw, a man who had authority from heaven
to
baptize. If the Lord Jesus Christ took baptism at the hands of a
Baptist, then
I certainly thank my God that back there, as a lad of sixteen, I
likewise was
baptized at the hands of a Baptist preacher who had authority from the
local
Baptist church to baptize me into the fellowship of that church. I come
to the
Word of God and I find that it says we are to follow the example of the
Lord
Jesus Christ. We read, “Because Christ
also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His
steps”
(1 Peter 2:21). Now if all men would
follow His steps there would be one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.
If all
men, I say, would follow in His steps we would never have had but one
church in
this world because Jesus went to a Baptist for His baptism. I say to
you I am a
Baptist because a Baptist baptized the Lord Jesus Christ and He set us
an
example. If He set us an example, then every one of us ought to go to a
Baptist
preacher with authority from the local Baptist church for baptism today. IV In the
fourth
place, I am a Baptist because Baptist immersion is the only kind of
baptism
where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit ever manifested
themselves at
one time. The subject (for baptism) was the Son. The Father spoke
audibly from
heaven, and the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove and lighted
upon
Him. All three persons of the Trinity were present at this Baptist
baptism. Listen:
“And Jesus, when He was baptized, went
up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto
Him, and
He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him:
{17} And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am
well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17).
Beloved, that’s Baptist baptism, that’s Baptist immersion. It is the
only time
where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit ever manifested
themselves at
the same time. Now I am a strong believer in the Triune God, and that
Triune
God was all there the day that a Baptist preformed baptism relative to
Jesus
Christ. I say Jesus was there in person to be baptized. He traveled
some 60
miles across the sandy soils of Palestine to come where John the
Baptist was by
the river Jordan to ask for baptism of this first Baptist preacher that
the
world ever saw. When Jesus was baptized, God the Father looked down
from heaven
and said, “This is my beloved Son in
whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
Now, why was He pleased? Among other things He was pleased with the
fact that
Jesus Christ had been immersed just then by the first Baptist preacher
the
world ever saw. He was pleased that Jesus Christ had been immersed by
the first
Baptist that had been sent into this world with authority to baptize.
The
Father said, I am well pleased; then after the Father had spoken, the
Holy
Spirit in the form of a dove came down and lighted upon the Lord Jesus
Christ
and put His stamp of approval upon both what the Father had said and
also the
baptism of Jesus Himself in the water. I ask then, why should not I
honor the
kind of baptism that the Three in One does honor? On
that day as a lad when I went down into the water and was baptized by a
Baptist
preacher, I honored that baptism that day; I honored it by my example.
And
since that time, as I have preached, I’ve honored that baptism that was
honored
with the presence of the Savior. Since that time, as I have written
with my
pen, I have always honored that same baptism. I say to you beloved,
Baptist
baptism is the only kind of baptism where the Father, the Son, and the
Holy
Spirit were ever present. I am a missionary Baptist because of it. V In the
fifth
place, I am a Baptist because the first Baptist church was organized by
the
Lord Jesus Christ himself. Jesus had had baptism at the hands of John
the
Baptist who was the first Baptist that this world had ever seen, having
been
sent from heaven and who had authority from heaven to baptize. Now, the
Lord
Jesus Christ took the material that John the Baptist had prepared and
provided,
and organized the church Himself (John 1:35-51, 4:1-2). Beloved,
listen: either Jesus Christ chose His bride or somebody else chose it.
What’s
more rational to you? Did Jesus Christ choose His bride or did He leave
it up
to somebody else? I ask you, would it be more rational and more
reasonable for
you to choose your bride or for somebody else to choose that bride for
you? I
think you know the answer. The Lord Jesus Christ, I say, chose His
blessed bride.
Listen; He said, “Have not I chosen you
twelve?” (John 6:70). Again, “Ye have
not chosen Me, but I have chosen
you” (John 15:16). And again, “But I
have chosen you out of the world”
(John 15:19). And
again, “I know whom I have chosen” (John
13:18). Beloved, I say to you the
Lord Jesus Christ chose His own bride, and the bride that Jesus Christ
chose
were the twelve men, the twelve apostles that had received Baptist
baptism at
the hands of John the Baptist the first Baptist the world ever saw; the
only
man that had authority direct from heaven to baptize. In view of that
fact I
say that the first Baptist church was organized by the Lord Jesus
Christ. VI In
the sixth place, I am a Baptist because Baptist preachers are the only
kind
that were ever ordained of Jesus Christ. Whenever you hear some of
these modern
heretics say that they have authority, or when some of the modern
heretics
preach and it sounds good as to what they have to say, just remember
this:
Baptist preachers are the only ones that were ever ordained of the Lord
Jesus
Christ. Listen, “Ye have not chosen Me,
but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring
forth
fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye
shall ask
of the Father in My name, He may give it you” (John 15:16). Notice He said, “I
chose you and I ordained you.”
I contend beloved that the only preachers that could ever say they were
ordained of God were Baptists, for Baptist preachers were the only ones
who
were ever ordained of the Lord Jesus Christ. If that be true (and
certainly it
is) the only other one thing that remains is that Baptist preachers
were the
only ones set apart and ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ, then we
certainly
ought to keep in line with that crowd that were started back there a
long time
ago. When
I was ordained nearly fifty years ago I remember very distinctly that
there was
a Methodist preacher there during the ordination. I suppose he lived
and died a
Methodist preacher, but he had been a friend of mine for a number of
years and
he attended the ordination services. Due to the fact that he had been a
friend,
the church that ordained me actually invited the man to sit in, not as
a part
of the council, but to sit in the council chamber when I was being
questioned.
He was invited to sit there. I have often thought, as I look back upon
it, when
the Lord Jesus Christ ordained preachers He ordained only Baptist
preachers;
those that had been baptized by John the Baptist. And when I think
about this
Methodist man who sat (listening) on the council of my ordination, I’m
wondering if he ever caught the truth of the church that Jesus built?
Many
times I have thought of that experience and I said, how blind can a man
be? To
think that he sat in on my ordination, and listened to the questions
and my
answers, and heard me say specifically that Jesus Christ established
only a
Baptist church and none other, and that all preachers that we’re God
sent were
Baptist preachers, and yet he died a Methodist preacher. I am a Baptist
beloved
because the Lord Jesus Christ only ordained Baptist preachers. VII In
the seventh place, I am a Baptist beloved, because the Baptists were
the only
ones - and I repeat beloved - they were the only ones to whom the Lord
Jesus
Christ gave a commission. We read, “Go
ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 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 (age). Amen”
(Matthew 28:19-20). Now when was this commission given?
Now you say,
“It was given to the twelve as individuals.” If it was, then it died
when they
died. I contend beloved it was given to the twelve as a corporate
body, that
is, as the church that Jesus built. In other words, the commission was
given to
those preachers comprising the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptist
preachers are the only ones that the Lord Jesus Christ ever
commissioned, and
He commissioned them through His church. How
about these other folks (that are not Baptists) who go out and preach?
I say
beloved they are running without being sent. They are going without any
command. They’re traveling on their own. They have no authority and no
commission
back of them. I contend that there has never been a man - other than
those who
have gone out from Baptist churches that have a linkage, a succession
back to
the Lord Jesus Christ, - there has never been a man except that group
that can
say he has a commission from God. Beloved,
I am a Baptist and I want you to be a Baptist. I am so concerned about
the
future. When I think about our brethren over this country how they are
so
divided, and about the many problems as far as Baptists are concerned,
it is a
grief to me. I want, to the best of my ability, to help men and women
all over
the country see that Jesus was a Baptist who was baptized by the first
Baptist
the world ever saw. He started a Baptist church and He gave the
Baptists the
commission to evangelize the world. VIII In
the eighth place, I am a Baptist because Baptists are the only ones
that preach
the truth concerning salvation. I’m not talking about baptism. None of
the
religious groups or Protestants are right on baptism. I’m not talking
about the
Lord’s Supper; none of them are right on the Lord’s Supper. The only
people in
the world that preach the truth as to salvation are Baptists. How about
the
Campbellites? They tell you to be baptized and you meet the blood of
Jesus
Christ in the water; that’s just all foolishness. How about the
Methodists?
They tell you to come to an altar of prayer and pray through, and yet
beloved
you’ll never find an altar of prayer in all of the Word of God. How
about the
Romanists? They tell you to confess to the priests, and yet there’s not
one
thing said in the Word of God that would back this up. How about the
many
holiness groups? They say if you sin again you will be lost and have to
be
saved again; that’s just plumb foolishness. How about the Jews? They
say to
live a good life and be circumcised. Now beloved that doesn’t make
sense that a
man would be saved by being circumcised. These questions can all be
answered by
saying that not one of these so-called churches believe in salvation by
grace
alone; plus nothing, minus nothing. Baptists and Baptists alone believe
and
preach salvation by grace alone. I say to you again, study every
denomination
and you’ll find there’s only one that preaches salvation by grace and
by grace
alone, and that’s the missionary Baptists. Beloved, I am a Baptist
because of it. As I
think about
those of you listening this morning, I have a burning desire in my
heart to see
some of you saved, I have more than a burning desire to see you become
a child
of God. In addition to that, I have an exceeding desire to see you
become a Baptist.
I want to see you become a Baptist, the kind that Jesus started a few
thousand
years ago. Might it please God this morning to reach down and bless
your soul,
and may He take the few stammering words that I have spoken and use
these words
to be a blessing to you spiritually and to cause you to desire to be a
member
of the church that Jesus built. May God bless you. August
9, 1970
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