D. METHODISM

1. Origin of the Methodist Church.

   a. Began in England. c.1700

   b. A reaction to the Anglican church.

   c. John and Charles Wesley started the movement.

   d. Movement then brought to America.

   e. Two strong points of their movement.

   f. They (and still do) have always preached a social gospel.

2. Their Doctrine.

   a. Methodism is built on a Calvinistic foundation.

   b. Their effort to support infant baptism from the Bible.

   1) Acts 2:39 - “children”

   2) Heb.8:8-9 - “house” includes children.

3. . They believe that infants belong in the kingdom and can only enter by baptism.

   a. The “visible church” argument- OT circumcision is NT baptism.

   b. The “house” argument. (Num.12:7; Heb.3:5-6;1^st Tim.3:15).

c. The congregation argument (Psa. 22:22; Heb.2:12).

d. The “restoration of the fallen church” argument (Amos 9:11 and Acts 15:14,16).

e. The “graft” argument (Rom. 11:20-22).

f. Branches and sheep

g. 1^st Cor. 10.

1. A Refutation of Infant Baptism.

   a. See “Belief concerning baptism” under Lutheranism.

   b. Infants are not born guilty of sin.c. Faith is essential to salvation and must be preceded by hearing.

2. Mourner's Bench Conversion.

   a. No Bible Account of praying for unbelievers to be anointed by the Holy Spirit.

   b. Presupposes that God has not yet revealed a way of salvation that can be known.

   c. No failures of conversion in the NT.

   d. False belief that salvation may come by prayer alone.

   e. Every bench in the church building ought to be a mourner's bench.

   f. Need to inform the apostles about the mourner's bench.

   g. Makes feelings the assurance of salvation (see Matt. 7:21-22).

E. Baptist

1. Origin of the Baptist church.

   a. In Czechoslovakia in the 1600's.

   b. Known originally as Anabaptist

   c. Their distinguishing feature was opposition to infant baptism

2. Their Doctrine.

   a. Their View of the Establishment of the Church.

   1) The church existed in the days of John the Baptist (Mk.3:13; 1^st Cor. 12:28)

   2) A refutation of this!

   a) Future tense before Pentecost (Matt. 16:18, 19; Acts 2; Lk. 22;18; Mk. 9:1)

   b) Past tense after Pentecost (Acts 11:15; Rev.1:9; Col. 1:13; Heb. 12:28).

c) Fulfillment on Pentecost.

1) The day of power (Mk.9:1; Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:5)

2) The days the apostles exercised their “keys” (Mt. 16:18-19; Acts 2:36-38)

3) The “beginning” (Acts 11:15).

b. If they are correct in the Lord's church existed before Pentecost and before the crucifixion of Christ then the church was not under the blood of Christ, had no head, had no High Priest and was without the Holy Spirit.

2. Their System of Government

   1) Their Pastor is in charge with deacons under him.

   2) A Refutation:

   a) Elders ordained in every church (1^st Tim.3:1-10). Deacons are servants and not policy makers.

   b) Each NT congregation with Elders had more than one(see Titus 1:5)

3. Their Belief of Close Communion

   1) Some will not allow any Baptist (or anyone else) other than membership of that local congregation to observe communion with them.

   2) Refutation of this:

   a) 1^st Cor.11:29 says it is a self examination and not a congregational examination.

4. They believe in a “call” to preach.

   1) The Baptist ordain only those who say that God has given them a special direct call to preach.

   2) In Refutation:

   a) But having a license does not guarantee truth!

   b) We are “called by the Gospel.” 2^nd Thess. 2:14

   c. Our “call” is the responsibility of the Gospel that saved us.

5. Their Belief of Salvation by Faith Alone?

   a. The Baptist teach a Gnostic doctrine of being saved at the point of belief in Jesus as the Son of God (your physical matter is not important).

   b. But: The Bible teaches that we are saved through faith at the moment we are baptized.

6. The Baptist Doctrine Concerning Baptism.

   a. Hiscox's Manual of Baptist Doctrine, page 87, “Baptism may not be essential to salvation, but it is essential to obedience.” (Obedience is not essential to salvation).

7. But----notice....into is the key word!

   1) Baptized “into” Christ (Gal. 3:27; Rom.6:3)

   2) Baptized “into” the remission of sins (Acts 2:38;cf. Acts 3:19; 19; 19:1-6).

   3) Baptized “into” the church (1^st Cor. 12:13; Acts 2:47, 38, 41).

   4) Baptized “into” a new relationship with the Godhead. (Mt. 28:18-19)

8. Baptism is “in the name of Jesus Christ.”

9. Consequences of being baptized into Jesus Christ – Citizens, saved, redeemed, in Christ's body, enrolled in heaven.

10. But: Baptism to the Baptist is just to get into the Baptist Church.

a. One can, be saved outside the church (according to them)

b. To be baptized, need to have an experience (according to them).

c. Must be voted on before being baptized (according to them).

II. The Baptist Doctrine of Once Saved Always Saved!

1). Hiscox's Guide for Baptist Churches, page 176, quotes the Westminster Confession of Faith verbatim. "Those whom God has accepted can neither totally nor finally fall from grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end and be eternally saved seeing the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." Paragraph 2 " This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but on the immutability of the decree of the election."

2) A Study on This Teaching on the Impossibility of Falling from Grace.

a. Scriptures the Baptist use to buttress this doctrine.

1) Jn.10:27-28 - Christ's keeping His disciples is dependent on their following Him.

2) Rom. 8:35-39 - does not say a Christian cannot let his love grow cold or be deceived by Satan.

3) 1st John 3:9 - The child of God does not habitually practice sin.

4) Rom. 8:1 - there is now no condemnation for those "IN" Christ Jesus.

b. The Bible teaches that we can fall from grace.

1) Gal. 5:4

2) 1^st Cor. 10:11,12 – the falling Christians.

3) 2^nd Cor. 5: 9-10 – Christians will be judged.

4) Other verses that show that man can fall from grace and be lost are (2^nd Tim.2:18; 1^st Tim. 4:1; Heb.3:14; Rev. 3:5; Gal. 5:4; 1^st Cor. 11:29; Jas. 5: 19-20; 1^st Peter 2:11; Gal. 5:19; Rom. 11:20-23.

c. Concluding Remarks:

1) Rom. 8:1ff - we must remain in Christ by walking in the Word of the Spirit.

2) 1st John 1:6-10 - we must walk in the light of God's Word with a penitent attitude.

3) Can we so sin that we are separated from Christ?

a) Jn. 15:6 - If abide not in Christ we are "cast off."

b) Rom. 1:22 - God will "cut off" the unfaithful.

c) Gal. 5:4 - will be "severed" if we try to be saved another way.