Important Truths of Baptists An Appraisal of their beliefs in contrast with Catholics and Protestants Freedom from State-Mandated Religion

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An Appraisal of their beliefs in contrast with Catholics and Protestants
Freedom from State-Mandated Religion
A free church in a free state was the only settlement the Anabaptists would settle for in their beliefs. They were the recipients of oppression, persecution, and martyrdom by both of these groups.
The state-mandated church dictated what type of faith you would have. They sealed the religious fate of everyone through infant baptism, a pre-requisite for citizenship.
The hypocrisy of the state controlling religion raised its ugly head when Felix Manz drowned at the urging of Protestant reformer Ulrich Zwingli. Catholics in Austria and Germany burned Michael Sattler and Balthasar Hubmier at the stake.
Baptists chased and saw their worship services were forbidden.
This problem straightened out in the first amendment of our Constitution is still tenuous. Before the Constitution, provincial churches were favored, and Baptists were denied freedom in several established colonies.
Today we still have to remain vigilant because we are dealing with a biblical illiterate populace that does not understand or, in many cases, care about the struggle for religious liberty in our country, which the Baptists spearheaded. Many would insist this freedom only be allowed in church buildings. Communist Russia believed the same thing. We are free to practice our faith; no one should be able officially or unofficially restrict our beliefs and practices everywhere we go.
The state-enforced religion is the bane of Scriptural truth. But state heads often enforced false doctrine to protect the power-hungry state religion at the apex of controlling peoples’ consciences and freedoms. It was needful to execute state religion because their beliefs were indefensible. An open Bible would disprove many of these practices. Hence the suppression of the Bible creates a biblically illiterate citizenry.
Emer Canier reveals how this arrangement worked with the state religion protecting and enforcing false doctrine. He said, “The very reason for error’s defense and enforcement was that it was indefensible. No wonder it will take an oppressive state church partnership to uphold doctrines that would otherwise be indefensible.” You can’t defend false doctrine by the Bible, so rulers defended whatever the state religion taught and restricted biblical truth and Baptist beliefs.
Our faith was fought for through a long struggle. It grieves me when many do not appreciate our Baptist identity and walk away from it. How can we do so when our religious freedom is bought through blood and oppression? Think of that the next time one says it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you say we are Christian. God will reward those who keep His word and do not succumb to false religion supported by the state and used by the devil to bring many to Hell. May we remain true to God’s truth through Baptists and all we have stood for?