Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – The Waldenses – Baptist Peculiarity SIX (continued) – Part 16 in the Series

Thomas E Kresal Admin · 2 hrs March 4, 2020

Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – The Waldenses – Baptist Peculiarity SIX (continued) – Part 16 in the Series

But will it be said that there are some of God’s children in these churches which sprang from Catholicism? May we not commune with them? There are some of God’s children in old Rome herself; but they are commanded to “come out“of her. We are not to go into these human societies to get communion with them. The people of God are required to come out, and eat and drink at the Lord’s Table in his kingdom.

Most persons fail to distinguish between organizations and individuals. Many things may be true of organizations as such, which are not true of the individuals which compose those organizations. It is true, as an organization, that the Church of Rome is represented as the “Mother of Harlots” but this is not true of every individual member of the Catholic church. Individually, there are, in the Church of Rome, many virtuous, honorable, conscientious, high-toned, charitable men and women. And more: I am confident that there are some of God’s dear children in the Romish Babylon.

The same, and more, may be said of the churches which came from Catholicism; for the reformed churches are improvements on popery. The unchastity of these societies has regard to their false worship, in giving the honor to men that should be given to God alone. God, by the mouth of the prophet, pointed out the cities of Samaria and Jerusalem under the figures of two debased “harlots;” and yet, there were some virtuous people in those cities, even some of God’s prophets. Mixed or “open” communion involves the recognition of those organizations with whose members we commune.

The ancient witnessing Waldenses were what are now called “closed” communionists. They maintained, at fearful cost, the Bible teaching of restricted communion. They walked in this “narrow way.” They possessed the same peculiar characteristic feature which now calls down the frowns of the world on the Baptists.

NEXT – Peculiarity Seven

Presented by Thomas E. Kresal from: “Baptist Succession” by D.B. Ray, 1871 Edition, pg. 368-69