Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – B.H. Carroll – Distinctive Baptist – PART TWO Distinctive

Thomas E Kresal Admin · June 24, 2020

Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – B.H. Carroll – Distinctive Baptist – PART TWO Distinctives

Before coming to affirmative statements, allow me to clear away the brush obstructing a fair view by disclaiming as distinctive the only two doctrines which in the world’s estimation constitute the sum of our distinctive principles:

Immersion is Baptism: Immersion is not disclaimed as a Baptist doctrine, but it is disclaimed as a distinctive tenet. Think of it. For the first thirteen hundred years all Christendom held this belief. Even to-day other Christian denominations, aggregating nearly one hundred million people, believe and practice it as the only baptism. How, then, can it be our most distinguishing tenet? If, indeed, it be distinctive of our people, it is the least distinctive and the least important of all our principles. In this discussion it will not even be named as a distinctive principle.

Baptism is Essential to Salvation So far from being distinctive, this is not now and never has been a Baptist doctrine. More than all other people do they repudiate it. Indeed, on the contrary, the Baptists are the only people in the world who hold its exact opposite: Salvation is essential to baptism.

On these premises and disclaimers we may now announce in order the distinctive Baptist principles:

THE NEW TESTAMENT—THE LAW OF CHRISTIANITY

– To Be Continued

Presented by Thomas E. Kresal from: BAPTISTS And Their Doctrines Sermons on Distinctive Baptist Principles BY B. H. CARROLL, D.D. PRESIDENT, SOUTHWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, 1913 pg. 6-7