WHAT IS A REFORMED BAPTIST CHURCH? Jim Savastio PREFACE This booklet was originally a sermon preached at The Reformed Baptist Church of Louisville, Kentucky on the opening of our church building in October of 1996.1 As such, it is sermonic in its form. It is also something of an apologetic for “the things most sure- ly believed among us.” As such, there are times when the tone of the message is polemical. Having been a pastor of this church since 1991, I am thankful that these things are embraced and practiced by God’s people here. 1. The sermon may be heard on-line or downloaded in MP3 format from www.sermonaudio.com. INTRODUCTION Reformed Baptists, who hold only a few articles of that Confession. While most Reformed Baptists hold to a biblical and Puritan view of What is a Reformed Baptist church? The elders and members of these the Lord’s Day Sabbath, there are some Reformed Baptists who reject churches have been asked time and again such questions as, “What do the doctrine. You will, furthermore, find Reformed Baptist churches you mean by Reformed Baptist?” and “What are you trying to reform?” who differ in regard to their understanding of the exact application of Many find themselves tongue tied in trying to answer such questions the regulative principle of worship (the conviction that the Bible alone quickly, succinctly, and easily. Some simply say, “We are what Baptists dictates the worship and life of the church). You will find differences in used to be!” This statement is certainly true. However, for most who is invited to the Lord’s table, differences in Bible translations, modern believers and unbelievers, that statement explains little. The hymnals, the structure of prayer meetings, and even spiritual gifts. The purpose of this little booklet is to seek to answer the question, “What is list could go on and on. a Reformed Baptist church?” in a way that is both brief and substantial. In answering the question, “What is a Reformed Baptist church?” three We must, therefore, explain the parameters of this study. Though things will be discussed: First, there is a need to address the difficulty of the term, “Reformed Baptist” is not copyrighted or patented (we the question. Secondly, a definition of the terms will be given. Thirdly, could perhaps wish it were to avoid confusion!), I must define what I the key distinctives of Reformed Baptist churches will be articulated. mean when I am using the term. The heart of this study will center around churches that adhere to the 1689 Confession in practice as well as in theory. What is confessed is what is lived out in the life of the congre- THE DIFFICULTY OF THE SUBJECT gation. It is not simply something that a pastor holds to, nor what is given on paper as the doctrinal statement of the church, but rather The answer to the question, “What is a Reformed Baptist church?” is that which is known, embraced, and practiced by the congregation. A difficult for two reasons. It is difficult to answer in the first place doctrinal and practical embrace of the Confession will settle before- because the terms Reformed and Baptist are often seen to be at hand such controverted issues as the so-called “law and grace debate,” odds with one another. Many theologians, from Reformed and the issue of the regulative principle, and the doctrine of the Lord’s Baptist camps, would say that such a title is a misnomer. They would Day. To adhere to the Confession, in practice as well as in theory, is say, “It is not possible to be both Reformed and baptistic! Though to have such doctrines clearly delineated and defended by the Word Baptists have been and can be Calvinistic they are not and cannot be of God. Reformed.” The reason for this charge is simple: Reformed theology is almost always associated with paedo-baptism (infant sprinkling). Many who are Reformed view this perspective as the sine qua non of A DEFINITION OF TERMS Reformed Theology. Two questions will be answered under this heading. What do we mean Secondly, the subject is difficult because there exists an ever by Reformed? and, What do we mean by Baptist? widening gulf between churches that call themselves Reformed Baptists. The term has not been copyrighted and, thus, there exists no What We Mean by “Reformed” definitive statement regarding who can lay claim to the title. No two We have taken the name “Reformed” purposefully. There are two Reformed Baptist churches walk in lock step. There are churches who reasons for this name. First of all, it helpfully explains our histori- call themselves Reformed Baptists who simply mean that they hold to cal and theological roots. There is a body of biblical, historic, and the so-called five points of Calvinism and to the immersion of believ- theological beliefs that is commonly referred to as, “The Reformed ers. There are Reformed Baptists who hold to the Second London Baptist Faith.” Such biblical truths as sola fide (justification by faith alone), Confession of Faith of 1689 and there are those who call themselves sola gratia (salvation by God’s grace alone), sola scriptura (the Bible -2- -3- alone is the basis for faith and practice), solo Christo (salvation by to the Bible. The vast majority of announcements from mainline Christ alone), and soli Deo gloria (the fact that God alone is to receive denominations concerning the reformation of the church in recent glory in the salvation of sinners) are the hallmarks of the Protestant days has been to move it away from its biblical and historical roots to and Reformed Faith. that which is man-centered and culturally pleasing. There is a refor- mation going on in our day! It is an attempt to change the nature of The Reformed Faith is perhaps best known for its understanding the church from the House of God to the House of Entertainment. that God is sovereign over all things in general and over the salvation Sinners are being coddled rather than convicted. God’s power and of sinners in particular. This understanding of God’s Word embraces majesty are things of a by-gone era! the fact that before the foundation of the world, God had chosen cer- tain sinners for salvation. Romans 8 and 9, as well as Ephesians 1 are Reformed Baptists are making it their aim and ambition to come but a sampling of the prominent texts which are foundational to this more and more in line with the Word of God. In this sense biblical conviction. The Reformed Faith teaches that in time Christ Reformed Baptists are not static churches. We do not claim to have came and died for the sins of the elect. It teaches that in conversion arrived. We want to go back again and again to the Scriptures. We the Holy Spirit works in harmony with the decree of the Father and do not want to do things because the Puritans did them or because the death of the Son by applying the work of redemption to the elect. other Reformed churches do them, we want to do what we do because we see it in our Bibles. “To the law and to the testimony” must be When we say that we are Reformed we are saying that we embrace, upon our banners! as biblical, that system of theology commonly called, “the doctrines of grace.” These doctrines speak of the total depravity of man, the uncon- As modern day reformers, Reformed Baptists are calling on all ditional nature of election, the limited or particular nature of the churches everywhere to repent from their man-centered ways, their atonement, the irresistibility of the effectual call, and the perseverance man-pleasing worship, and their shallow theology. We will, if need be, and preservation of the saints. In this “Reformed” tradition are the stand as a lone “voice in the wilderness” calling the church of Jesus great names of church history. John Calvin, John Knox, John Bunyan, Christ to its biblical beauty and uniqueness. We say, with no sense of John Newton, Matthew Henry, George Whitefield, Jonathan carnal pride, that much that goes on in the name of church growth Edwards, Adoniram Judson, William Carey, C. H. Spurgeon, A. W. and innovation is an insult to the Spirit of Grace and the Word of Pink and a host of others held tenaciously to the Reformed Faith. We God. It is our desire to see all churches have “zeal for God’s house” must underscore however, that we hold to these truths not because eat them up (John 2:13-17). Calvin and these other great men of church history held to them, but because Jesus and the apostles so clearly taught them. What We Mean by “Baptist” Out of this theological understanding came the great Reformed The name Baptist is a form of verbal shorthand for us to convey certain confessions and creeds of the church — The Synod of Dort, The Savoy truths. First of all we are stating the biblical truths concerning the Declaration, The Westminster Confession of Faith, The Heidelberg subjects and the mode of baptism. Catechism. Our own Second London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 is When we speak of the subjects of baptism, we refer, without apolo- deeply rooted in these historic Reformed Documents. (In most places gy, to the truth that baptism is for believers only. We, as Reformed it is a word for word copy of The Westminster Confession or The Savoy Baptists, owe a great debt to our Paedobaptist brethren.