Cled E. Wallace
The editor of the Baptist Standard tells us what Baptists believe: “Baptists believe that every person on earth who has repented of sins committed and trusted Jesus Christ for pardon is a child of God, saved, a Christian and member of God’s family who will all at length be gathered in heaven.”
“Baptists believe” that many of the children of God are not in the family of God at all. Or else the family of God is something else besides the church. The church is “the house of God,” “the household of God” etc., but people can be Christians outside of it. We have here a “person” who “is a child of God, saved, a Christian and member of God’s family” who has never been baptized, does not belong to the church and “will at length be gathered in heaven” with the redeemed whether he ever obeys God or not. He may live a life of sin and shame but he will go to heaven anyway according to Baptist doctrine.
Peter was not a Baptist for he taught Christians that they must “give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure” by adding the Christian graces. Paul warned Christians that “if ye live after the flesh ye must die.” He also says that Christ is the Author of “eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Baptists teach that it is unnecessary to obey him in order to enjoy eternal salvation. The difference is glaring.
The Baptist Standard calls on “Baptists to emphasize this doctrine and let the world know that it is a vital part of our faith.” Very well, but while they are doing it let Christians “emphasize” the fact that it is no part of the “faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints” that a Christian can betray Christ and live after the flesh and at the same time maintain his prospects of heaven undimmed. “If ye live after the flesh ye must die.”
