The New Hampshire Confession of Faith

Article 13

"Of a Gospel Church"

William L. Brown
Pastor, Carmichael Baptist Church

In the following study we will be looking at the basic definition, nature and constituting of a New Testament church. Our primary source or document of study is the Word of God and specifically the King James Version. Our secondary source and format for study is the New Hampshire Confession of Faith written in 1833 by J. Newton Brown and popularized by James Madison Pendleton in his "Baptist Church Manual" first printed and published in 1867. For reference purposes and to show the similarities and agreement with and continuity among them we have also included the First London Baptist Confession printed in 1644 as well as the edited and reprinted version with an Appendix by Benjamin Cox in 1646. We will also include quotes from other historical documents to show a consistent doctrinal belief among many Baptists through their writings for over 400 years as to what constitutes a Gospel church. Through this study you should be better able to discern the view of the old London Baptists, the original Landmark position and the ecclesiology of Carmichael Baptist Church.

Every member of one of the Lord’s churches should become acquainted with their heritage and their responsibility to collectively stand for the faith once delivered unto the saints. One part of "that faith" is to understand the nature of a gospel church through a diligent and thorough study of God’s Word. The Bible is our only rule of faith and practice and it is to the Word of God we must go when we desire facts about the institution he founded, empowered, edifies, and perpetuates. It is when we have diligently applied ourselves to rightly dividing the word of God that we will not find ourselves holding a doctrinal view that is in conflict with the revealed word of God and which always leads to conflict with God’s divine and glorious purpose.

There are various concepts or perceptions of "a gospel church." Some may see it as an ornate building housing a center of social change. Others may have the perception that "a gospel church" is an organization of priests and bishops or a distinct ecclesiastical hierarchy with form and function and the occasional pomp and circumstance. While still another’s see a church is more simple and refined. One believes a church is singing, praying, and lifting your hands or heart to the Lord with others doing the same. Maybe a cultural upbringing has taught someone that a "gospel church" is a place of quiet meditation, soul searching, or a place of exuberance and proclamation. There are others who hold no such views but see the church as simply a synonym for the family of God. In other words when you are saved, you become a member of "The Church." This latter view is the more widely held view by most Christians or Protestants. Whatever your perceptions are lets at least give this article a quick read and unbiased consideration and at least understand what our old Baptists believed a "gospel church" to be according to their study of God’s word. You are within your God given right to reject or accept the following study.

Please open your Bible to Matthew chapter four and read verses eighteen through twenty-two. Once you have read through our lesson text read the following old Articles of Faith. Please note that as you read these articles they are not expressive of the commonly held Protestant view of a "universal invisible church" or the Roman Catholic view of the "universal visible church."

Article 13 – Of a Gospel Church, New Hampshire Confession of Faith - 1833

"We believe that a visible Church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by his laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by his Word; that its only scriptural officers are Bishops, or Pastors, and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus."

Article XXXIII – First London Confession of Faith -1644

"That Christ has here on earth a spiritual Kingdom, which is the Church, which He has purchased and redeemed to Himself, as a particular inheritance: which Church, as it is visible to us, is a company of visible saints, called and separated from the world, by the Word and the Spirit of God, to the visible profession of the faith of the Gospel, being baptized into the faith, and joined to the Lord, and each other, by mutual agreement, in the practical enjoyment of the ordinances, commanded by Christ their head and King."

Article XXXIII – First London Confession of Faith - 1646

"Jesus Christ hath here on earth a [manifestation of His] spiritual kingdom, which is His Church, whom He hath purchased and redeemed to Himself as a peculiar inheritance; which Church is a company of visible saints, called and separated from the world by the word and Spirit of God, to the visible profession of faith of the gospel, being baptized into that faith, and joined to the Lord, and each other, by mutual agreement in the practical enjoyment of the ordinances commanded by Christ their head and king."

Number Seventeen – Appendix to the 1646 First London Baptist Confession – Benjamin Cox

"Believers baptized ought to agree and join together in a constant profession of the same doctrine of the Gospel, and in professed obedience thereunto, and also in fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers, Acts 2:42. And a company of baptized believers so agreeing and joining together, are a Church or Congregation of Christ, Acts 2:47."

In our lesson text I see the most obvious and simple example of the biblical definition of a "gospel church" and it is consistent with the three articles and appendix above. In the text we see they are believers, they are scripturally baptized, they are called out, they have a commission to follow Christ and become fishers of men. I will deal with and prove each of these points through out our study. Though it is not called a church in this passage it fits the definition before us quite well. In a short time they will grow, they will sit and learn, be given order and the ordinances. And much later they will be empowered and perpetuated as well as persecuted.

Directly from Article thirteen of the New Hampshire Confession of Faith I offer the following as a possible outline on the observations of the paragraph of article thirteen on A Visible Gospel Church. I will follow a slightly altered version in this lesson. After reading it over and over again I began to see how much was compacted into this succinct and resolute paragraph. As always I find the old writers draw me further into the word of God and less into themselves.

1. A Gospel Church is Visible (...a visible church…)

2. A Gospel Church is Christ’s (…a visible church of Christ...)

3. A Gospel Church Assembles (…is a congregation or assembly…)

4. A Gospel Church is Local (…is a congregation… not the…)

5. A Gospel Church is Baptized (…of baptized believers…)

6. A Gospel Church Believes (…of baptized believers…)

7. A Gospel Church is Union (…associated by covenant…)

8. A Gospel Church Agrees (…associated by covenant…) mutual agreement

9. A Gospel Church Obeys (…observing the ordinances of Christ…)

10. A Gospel Church is Regulated (…governed by his law…)

11. A Gospel Church is Empowered (…and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by his word…)

12. A Gospel Church is Ordered (…its only officers are bishops, or pastors and deacons…)

Christ did not invent a new word, nor did the writers of the New Testament when they used the word we have translated into our English language as "church" He chose a word that would allow him to communicate accurately and decidedly what the Apostles and early disciples needed to understand about his church or assembly. It was a word that had a distinct and definite meaning. J. P. Boyce, in writing about "ecclesia", the Greek word translated church, said "It is of the utmost importance, therefore, to doctrine what is its classical meaning, and what modifications of this word were effected by its use in the Septuagint." He made that statement to emphasize the fact that the word Christ used and that which was used in the New Testament had to have a distinct and definite meaning before they wrote it otherwise it "conveyed no idea to their readers or a wrong one." Look in your own English dictionary and see how many possible definitions there are for the word church. "Dictionary.Reference.Com" gives fifteen meanings to the English word Church; "Merriam-Webster Online" at least narrows it use down to five different meanings. Current English use and literature is no help at all at ascertaining a sound and proper definition. Our common and every day usage conflict with the Biblical definition. In contrast the above articles of faith and the Cox appendix, though worded differently, agree with one another and do not allow for more than one definition or meaning of the word.

The definition will show that a gospel church is to be defined just as we find it in our articles of faith. It is a visible congregation or assembly that has qualification and ownership or authorship. It is the Lord’s assembly, it was established by the Lord and it is being perpetuated by the Lord. It will help us greatly to first look at the original word that Christ and the Apostles used and find its distinct and definite meaning. How was it used then and what did it mean? It should carry the same definition today and mean the same thing to us today rather than allowing modern usage to determine its definition and meaning.

In classical Greek the word comes from two words "ek" and "Kailoo" or "out of" and "to call" and we have "the called out." That is the basic definition of the word. The historical and grammatical use of the word from the time in which it was used enlarges our understanding but narrows its concept and keeps us from following after faulty interpretative meanings.

In classical Greek the word ecclesia had direct application to a legal or lawful body "possessed with the rights of citizenship, for the transaction of public affairs". Liddell and Scott define ecclesia as "an assembly of citizens summoned by the crier, the legislative body." Thayer defines ecclesia as "an assembly of the people convened at the public place of council for the purpose of deliberating." In "A Manual of Ecclesiology" by E. H. Dana, pages 25 and 26, he writes "The ancient Greek people were organized into a number of city-states; that is, each large city and one smaller one, had its own separate government and governed also the territory lying around it.  The power of government was vested in certain qualified citizens resident in the city, who were called out for the legislative assemblies.  This matter of qualification for citizenship was quite important, for many residents of such a city had no place in the ekklesia.  It its bearing upon the New Testament idea of the church the important significance of the classical usage is that the term referred to a body of persons having definite qualifications. assembled to carry out certain organized aims on democratic principles.  To be more specific, there were in the classical usage of this term four elements pertinent to its New Testament meaning: The assembly was local; it was autonomous; it presupposed definite qualifications; It was conducted on democratic principles." B. H. Carroll, in his work of Ecclesia writes on page 47 in the appendix that "The object of Christ’s ecclesia, and terms of membership in it, were indeed different from those of the classic or Septuagint ecclesia.  But the word retains its ordinary meaning.  In determining this meaning we look to the common, literal usage.  If occasionally we find it used in a general or figurative way, these few instances must be construed in harmony with the common, literal signification." He goes on to write "This historical reading concerning the business assemblies of the several petty but independent, self-governing Greek states, with their lawful conference, their free speech, their decision by vote, whether of Spartans, Tracians, Syracuasans or Athenians, sounds much like the proceedings of particular and independent Baptist churches today."

Theodosia Ernest, written as a novel to teach church truth in 1856 by A. C. Dayton, on pages 71 and 72 wrote: "The Greek ekklesia consisted of certain individuals, who, when assembled and organized constituted an official body for the transaction of such business as might come before them.  It was not merely an assembly, but an official assembly, consisting of persons specifically qualified, and who had each his specific rights and duties as a member of the ekklesia"

Dr. A.T. Robertson in his "Greek Grammar in the Light of Historical Researches" on page 174 writes: "Originally ek-kleesia was a calling out of the people from their homes, but that usage soon passed away. It became the constitutional assembly of Athens."

I believe the classical usage of the word demands that we see ecclesia is not just an assembly but a certain type of assembly. It was not made up of everyone but only those who had been called out from the general population. In Matthew 4:18-22, Peter and Andrew along with James and John were not the only baptized believers in existence but they were the first to be called out by Christ himself from among those who were regenerate believers and had scriptural baptism. Christ’s ecclesia was like the Athenian ecclesia in that it had a more defined or narrowed meaning than a general or Jewish assembly.

No definition in the classical Greek ever gives a rendering of Ecclesia as a universal or invisible Ecclesia. The Ecclesia is always local and visible in nature. This is the Biblical concept of the nature of an assembly, congregation or church of Jesus Christ. The Ecclesia of that time was a governing assembly in the free city-state. It is the position of Baptists that only the Lord’s assemblies have the authority to conduct the business affairs of the kingdom. From its classical use we understand that it was a restrictive assembly and made not of all but only a few select citizens. This would show a consistency of the Baptist practice of only allowing members in good standing to participate in the business affairs of that particular assembly and that one assembly had no bearing, control, or demand upon any other separate and self-governing assembly.

Throughout the Bible the definition of the word Ecclesia does not change. There are differences as to its usage but even those verses share the same definition and we can see that in the following examples.

In Acts 7:38 we find Israel is called the church, assembly, or έκκλήσια in the wilderness. This certainly was a visible body, a called out body, an orderly body, and a governing body that did have order and ordained leaders which meet and carried out the commands of the Lord. But it is not the ecclesia the Lord built during his personal ministry.

In Acts 19:32 we find the έκκλήσια as the governing body of the city, not the “ochlos” or the multitude. It also was a visible body, called out, and concerned for their own orderliness or lawfulness (vs. 39) and later dismissed (vs. 41) by the clerk. The word Ecclesia retains the same meaning but its usage is not that of the Lord’s assembly but a government assembly.

Finally, in Acts 8:1 we have the έκκλήσια which was at Jerusalem, a singular visible ecclesia which Jesus built and was later scattered due to persecution except for the Apostles. In each of these previous verses the definition of the word does not change. The only difference is the use of the word which shows the type of ecclesia which is in view. The gospel church is the Lord’s church.

In I Corinthians 16:19 ("The churches of Asia Salute you") we have the plural form of έκκλήσια showing several churches in a particular region. The same is true in Acts 9:31; II Cor. 8:31; Gal. 1:2; Rev. 1:11; and 29 others verses. These churches do not make up the whole church for the whole church is only and always that particular church which is both local and visible. In I Corinthians 14:23 Paul, speaking to the church at Corinth, tells them "If therefore the whole church be come together into one place...." Defining the church as that body of all the regenerate believers would make no sense here or else where.

In Matthew 18:17 ("And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.") we have ecclesia used in a figurative or generic sense. It can only find fulfillment in the local visible governing body of the Lord. This is not an oddity and does not change the definition of the word; we use this form of expression every day. Take for example the way one might use the word phone. I talked on the phone for an hour last night. That act can only find actual fulfillment in the use of a literal phone that I can both see and touch. The nature and definition of the word is not changed by this type of use.

For sake of time and space I will only list, rather than comment on, the following verses where ecclesia is used in the local, generic, or the future sense. Even though their usage is different the definition remains the same. Following each verse is the category of use. The word will refer to a particular church (named and noted), the church as an institution (or generic use), or the church in glory (the General assembly, or future assembly).

1. Upon this rock I will build my church; (Matt. 16:18)  Generic 

2. Tell it unto the church: (Matt. 18:17) Generic

3. If he neglect to hear the church (Matt. 18:17) Generic

4. And the Lord added to the church daily (Acts 2:47) Local

5. And great fear came upon all the church (Acts 5:11) Local

6. A great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; (Acts 8:1) Local

7. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church (Acts 8:3) Local

8. Then had the churches rest (Acts 9:31)  Local

9. These things came unto the ears of the church (Acts 11:22) Local

10. They assembled themselves with the church, (Acts 11:26) Local

11. Stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. (Acts 12:1) Local

12. Prayer was made without ceasing of the church (Acts 12:5) Local

13. Now there were in the church (Acts 13:1)  Local

14. And when they had ordained them elders in every church (Acts 14:23) Local

15. And had gathered the church together, (Acts 14:27) Local

16. And being brought on their way by the church (Acts 15:3) Local

17. they were received of the church, (Acts 15:4)  Local

18. with the whole church, (Acts 15:22)  Local

19. Confirming the churches.  (Acts 15:41) Local

20. And so were the churches established in the faith, (Acts 16:5) Local

21. And gone up, and saluted the church, (Acts 18:22) Local

22. And called the elders of the church (Acts 20:17)  Local

23. Feed the church of God, (Acts 20:28)  Local

24. Which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: (Rom. 16:1) Local

25. But also all the churches of the Gentiles. (Rom. 16:4) Local

26. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. (Rom. 16:5) Local

27. The churches of Christ salute you. (Rom. 16:16) Local

28. Gaius mine host, and of the whole church (Rom. 16:23) Local

29. Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, (I Cor. 1:2) Local

30. As I teach every where in every church. (I Cor. 4:17) Local

31. Who are least esteemed in the church. (I Cor. 6:4) Local

32. And so ordain I in all churches (I Cor. 7:17)  Local

33. nor to the church of God (I Cor.10:32)  Local

34. We have no such custom, neither the churches of God. (I Cor. 11:16) Local

35. When ye come together in the church (I Cor. 11:18) Local

36. or despise ye the church of God,  (I Cor. 11: 22) Local

37. And God hath set some in the church (I Cor. 12:28) Local

38. But he that prophesieth edifieth the church. (I Cor. 14:4) Local

39. That the church may receive edifying. (I Cor. 14:5) Local

40. That ye may excel to the edifying of the church. (I Cor. 14:12) Local

41. Yet in the church I had rather speak five words (I Cor. 14:19) Local

42. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place,  (I Cor. 14:23) Local

43. let him keep silence in the church;  (I Cor. 14:28) Local

44. As in all churches of the saints. (I Cor. 14:33). Local

45. Let your women keep silence in the churches (I Cor. 14:34) Local

46. For it is a shame for women to speak in the church (I Cor. 14:35) Local

47. Because I persecuted the church of God. (I Cor. 15:9) Local

48. As I have given order to the churches of Galatia,  (I Cor. 16:1) Local

49. The churches of Asia salute you.  (I Cor. 16:19) Local

50. With the church that is in their house. (I Cor. 16:19) Local

51. Unto the church of God which is at Corinth,  (II Cor. 1:1) Local

52. Bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; (II Cor. 8:1) Local

53. Throughout all the churches (II Cor. 8:18)  Local

54. Who was also chosen of the churches (II Cor. 8:19) Local

55. The messengers of the churches (II Cor. 8:23) Local

56. Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches (II Cor. 8:24) Local

57. I robbed other churches, taking wages of them,  (II Cor. 11:8) Local

58. The care of all the churches. (II Cor. 11:28)  Local

59. Wherein ye were inferior to other churches (II Cor. 12:13) Local

60. Unto the churches of Galatia: (Gal. 1:2)  Local

61. I persecuted the church of God,  (Gal. 1:13)  Local

62. unto the churches of Judaea  (Gal. 1:22)  Local

63. Head over all things to the church (Eph. 1:22). Generic

64. Might be known by the church (Eph. 3:10) Generic

65. Unto him be glory in the church (Eph. 3:21) Generic

66. Christ is the head of the church:  (Eph. 5:23) Generic

67. As the church is subject unto Christ,  (Eph. 5:24) Generic

68. Even as Christ also loved the church (Eph. 5:25) Generic

69. That he might present it to himself a glorious church (Eph. 5:7)  In Glory

70. Even as the Lord the church: (Eph. 5:29) Generic

71. But I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Eph. 5:32) Generic

72. Persecuting the church;  (Phil. 3:6) Local

73. No church communicated with me as concerning giving  (Phil. 4:15) Local

74. And he is the head of the body, the church: (Col. 1:18) Generic

75. Which is the church: (Col. 1:24) Generic

76. The church which is in his house. (Col. 4:15) Local

77. Also in the church of the Laodiceans;  (Col. 4:16) Local

78. Unto the church of the Thessalonians (I Thess. 1:1) Local

79. Became followers of the churches of God  (I Thess. 2:14) Local

80. Unto the church of the Thessalonians  (II Thess. 1:1) Local

81. Glory in you in the churches of God  (II Thess. 1:4) Local

82. Take care of the church of God? (I Tim. 3:5) Local

83. Which is the church of the living God, (I Tim. 3:15) Generic

84. And let not the church be charged;  (I Tim. 5:16) Local

85. To the church in thy house: (Phil. 2) Local

86. In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee (Heb. 2:12) Local

87. To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, (Heb. 12:23) In Glory

88. Let him call for the elders of the church; (Jas. 5:14) Local

89. The church that is at Babylon, (I Pet. 5:13)           Local

90. Thy charity before the church (III John 6) Local

91. I wrote unto the church: (III John 9) Local

92. And casteth them out of the church. (III John 10) Local

93. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: (Rev. 1:4) Local

94. Send it unto the seven churches (Rev. 1:11) Local

95. Angels of the seven churches: (Rev. 1:20) Local

96. The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches (Rev. 1:20) Local

97. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; (Rev. 2:1) Local

98. Hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; (Rev. 2:7) Local

99. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; (Rev. 2:8) Local

100. Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; (Rev. 2:11) Local

101. And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; (Rev. 2:12) Local

102. Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; (Rev. 2:17) Local

103. And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; (Rev. 2:18) Local

104. And all the churches shall know that I am he (Rev. 2:23) Local

105. Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; (Rev. 2:29) Local

106. And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; (Rev. 3:1) Local

107. Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; (Rev. 3:6) Local

108. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; (Rev. 3:7) Local

109. Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; (Rev. 3:13) Local

110. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; (Rev. 3:14) Local

111. Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; (Rev. 3:22) Local

112. To testify unto you these things in the churches. (Rev. 22:16) Local

I will not try and quote too many of the old English Baptist. There are many and those of the particular Baptist of the seventeenth century are in agreement with the following samples of a definition of a gospel church. I chose these because they are written by those associated with or are the London Baptists who wrote the First London Baptist Confession and following editions.

John Spilsbury in his debate with Bakewell, a Presbyterian, said in 1646 he was ignorant of any invisible church or house of God.

Edward Drapes in "Gospel Glory" written in 1649 wrote the following: "But to make things appear more plainly, I shall show you what the true Church of Christ is, to which every believer being baptized, ought to be added. It is a company of people called out and separated from the world by the word of the Gospel to believe in Christ, being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, walking together in mutual agreement in the visible profession of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ their Head and King."

Henry D’Anvers published in 1675 his "Treatise of Baptism" and wrote "By all which Scriptures is manifestly appeareth, that the New Testament Churches were formed only of Baptized Believers, wherein we neither fine one ignorant babe, nor one unbaptized person as a member."

Hansard Knolleys in his exposition of the book of Revelation, published in 1688 said "First, that each Church contained and comprehended, the whole number of them that believed in Jesus Christ, confessed the Faith of the Gospel, and walked in the Order and Ordinances of the Lord in one City and Suburbs thereof; and had the Denomination of that City, and was called the Church of God in that City"

Classical use, biblical use, and the historical use of ecclesia have a consistent agreement as to the definition of ecclesia. Our articles of faith are in agreement and our current belief and practice exhibit the same. Any definition not following this obvious meaning is of human invention. The gospel church of Christ is therefore not universal or invisible, it does not come in branches, it is not Israel and it is not a building or a denomination. A gospel church is not defined as all born again believers or to be used as a synonym for the family of God. A gospel church is real people, regenerated, scripturally baptized, called out by Christ himself, submitting to his sovereign will and purpose in a particular location. Look back at Matthew 4:18-22 and tell me what you see.

Next we look at defining "a congregation of baptized believers." Look again at article thirteen of the New Hampshire Confession of Faith. "We believe that a visible Church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel;" If, by scripture alone, you qualify what it is to be a baptized believer you immediately eliminate a vast majority of denominations. Many include infants who cannot believe and certainly cannot express their faith or submit voluntarily to the act of baptism. But the baptism of infants is just one aspect of disagreement among "ecclesiastical" bodies.

William Nevins wrote a book entitled "Alien Baptism and the Baptists." If you have even the smallest library of reference books, this book should be among them. It is a short concise history of Baptists from 200 AD to the 20^th century. There is a portion of the book that is very familiar to most Baptist in regards to the four essential elements of baptism. Many can quote them by heart. Others have preached, lectured or written the same four elements in some form. They have been worded or alliterated differently but you will identify them easily. If one of these four elements is lacking or defective, Baptists hold you do not have scriptural baptism. I won’t go into great detail on these points now because they are covered in the discussion on article fourteen.

The first essential ingredient is the proper subject of baptism. One must be born again. The visual expression of the new birth takes place in the act of belief and repentance. Both belief and repentance are duties but also defined as "inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God" Only those who have experienced and expressed the grace of God in regeneration should be baptized. In Matthew 3:1-8 you have the account of John the Baptist baptizing in the Jordon River. He baptized those who "confessed" or acknowledged their agreement with God. He refused to baptize those who did not express their belief and showed no proof of any repentance. Every New Testament passage shows men and woman capable of expressing their own faith and repentance by voice and by submitting to the act of public baptism. Agreement with this fact would necessarily eliminate the practice of the baptism of infants, baptism by proxy or baptismal regeneration.

The second essential ingredient is the proper mode of baptism. Immersion or dipping is the only biblical method of the act carried out in the New Testament. Dipping into and removing from is the very definition of the word. Article fourteen states "Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer" which is in agreement with the transliterated word that comes from "baptiso" which is to immerse or plunge in and pull out. Volumes upon volumes have been written about the mode of baptism through the years. Alexander Carson, 1776-1844, was a noted Calvinistic Presbyterian. He researched the subject of baptism and came to the conclusion that immersion was the only biblical mode of baptism. He wrote a rather large volume (almost 500 pages) entitled "Baptism Its Mode and Subjects." His research is comprehensive and rich in his exposition of the usage of "baptizen" and concludes that no other mode can be accepted as scriptural except for immersion. The historical use of the word will not allow the changes made to its definition because of man’s modification of the ceremony any more than changing the definition of the word "church."

The third essential aspect is the proper design of baptism. It is, very simply put, a picture of the gospel we have already believed. It is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It signifies, or pictures that we have died with Christ to our old life of sin and have been raised to walk in newness of life. We do not believe the Bible teaches that the waters of baptism wash our sins away. We believe that is done by the precious blood of the Lamb of God. Baptism is our act of obedience to the command of God. It is in our obedience to the command of God to be baptized upon our profession of faith that we have the answer of a good conscience towards God and not the putting away of the filth of the flesh.

The fourth essential ingredient is a proper administrator. In each case of baptism in the New Testament you will find a particular administrator that has been commissioned. The first baptizer was "a man sent from God." John the Baptist was commissioned by God to immerse those who had expressed true faith and repentance. He was commissioned to prepare the way of the Lord. No where in Scripture do we find where John could perpetuate his divine commission. Christ was commissioned by his Father, submitted to the divinely commissioned baptizer, gathered his assembly and then commissioned them to preach and baptize. It is to the church, as an institution, that Christ gave his final commission in Matthew 28:18-20. Today the only body authorized or commissioned to administer the ordinance of baptism is the New Testament church. The church commissions qualified men to act on her behalf which is acting on the behalf of Christ. These points are important and if you look closely at how Baptist history is written, and who are those designated as our faithful fathers all four points are in common. This is how our perpetuity, our succession, or continuity (all of which are historically interchangeable words meaning the same thing in Baptist writings) is traced through the history and trail of blood and water. R. E. Pound, in writing about succession, wrote that "Henry D’Anvers may be considered the first Particular Baptist historian. In his work, first issued in 1673, he traced the history of the Particular Baptists by the history of baptism. The Pedobaptist government of England promptly banished D'Anvers to Holland were he died in exile." He did not trace his own history by investigating and validating votes issued by churches granting authority to another body of baptized believers. But by baptism and by who baptized, meaning by what authority did they baptize? Those who were baptizers were commissioned or church sent preachers of the gospel. More could and should be taught on this particular point but let the point stand as taught for the subject at hand.

In this portion of article thirteen we are told that these regenerate baptized believers are "associated" or joined together in a particular manner. They are associated connected or brought into relation by covenant or mutual agreement based on certain facts. Those facts are "the faith and fellowship of the gospel." The terms "faith and fellowship of the gospel" are a reflection of the belief that the particular assembly expressing these words has accepted Christ as Lord and that they are willingly and voluntarily choosing to be guided by him and his word, primarily using the New Covenant over the Old. Our mutual agreement is our common faith in the person and work of Christ and that the word of God is to be our only rule of faith and practice. Look again at our text in Matthew 4:18-22. They were a qualified material (professing Jesus as the Christ, immersed by John), and called out by the Lord from among his elect, in mutual agreement with others who are equally qualified and called by the Lord. At that point you have a gospel church according to our old articles of faith and the definition of the Greek word.

Over the last one-hundred and fifty years or so many Baptist church organizational meetings were structured to overtly emphasize and reflect this truth, but not out of necessity. C. D. Cole, in his book "Definitions of Doctrines" Vol. 3 writes specifically on the organization of a New Testament Church. He states "There is no account in the New Testament of any mode of procedure by which churches were organized. …It seems evident from the New Testament that Jesus gave no formal prescription for the organization of any church (Definitions of Doctrines, C. D. Cole, Vol. 3, and Chapter 2, The organization of the Church) While we have a recent historical format we can follow we must remember that to make it a hard and fast rule that goes beyond the directives of Scripture, or to add the traditions of men and introduce them as a law of Christ is to invade the liberty of conscience we have all been granted by the Word and leading of the Holy Spirit.

In the same chapter previously quoted, C. D. Cole further writes that "Baptist churches come into being today somewhat after this manner. A group of believers in a community wish to become a church. The members in conference will make this wish known to other churches, and these churches send messengers to counsel them in accomplishing their desire. For the sake of order and recognition these messengers will inquire into their belief, and if it is thought wise, the visitors endorse their articles of faith and recommend their constitution as an independent church. These visiting brethren do not organize the church. Since the church is to be self governing it must of necessity and logically be self constituted. And so those wishing to become a church enter into covenant to that effect; and another church is born. The help from the outside is for the sake of order and fellowship and is not absolutely essential." Ben M. Bogard, in his "Baptist-Way Book" writes … "the first step necessary in the organization of a new congregation or church is for as many as three baptized disciples to agree to meet statedly for worship, for mutual edification and united effort for the evangelization of the world." In the next paragraph he states "The agreement to meet regularly for worship is commonly called a ‘Church Covenant.’" "..When this covenant has been entered into the church is fully organized. The covenant is the organization."

If we look back at our text again in Matthew chapter four do you see a church yet? They were already believers who had expressed repentance and faith else John the Baptist would have rejected their petition for baptism as he had others. There was and had to be a mutual agreement between Peter and Andrew for them to leave their earthly duties and follow after Christ. The very nature of their actions speaks far louder than any words that may be penned and hung on a meeting house wall or read in a distinctive service. Their actions displayed an acceptance of his will over their own to follow Christ and become fishers of men. They believed he was the Messiah; they joined themselves to him and by doing so joined themselves to one another in such an agreement. They were a church as much then as at any time in the future. The remaining gospel narratives and Acts expose the ordinances, order, officers, commands, empowerment, spread and persecution of the church. But that first call was the beginning of a lawful assembly and it is the beginning of any lawful assembly if they are regenerate, scripturally baptized and called out by the Lord himself and joined to him and one another in gospel order. They had divine harmony or were in one accord as is stated as necessary in Matthew 18:19 and as the word "sumphoneo," or agree implies.

Going back in history we can see one of the old Landmarkers himself, J. M. Pendleton, D.D., in his "Baptist Church Manual" page 169, under the chapter heading "Forms, Minutes, Letters, Etc." has a form which is entitled: "Call for a Council of Recognition." He implies a mode of procedure for the organization of a church in the form of the letter asking others for help. While encouraging letters of approval is a great way to aid in this recognition they are not prescribed by the man who wrote the article from which the label "Landmark" was taken. This procedure is something that a majority of Baptist churches used and it looks like this:

Philadelphia, Aug. 10, 1867

To the ______ Baptist Church in _____

Dear Brethren:

  There is a company of brethren and sisters in the Lord who wish to become an independent church. You are therefore requested to send your pastor and two brethren to meet in council at _______ _______ at ___o'clock to take the matter into consideration, If the council approves the movement, said brethren and sisters will be glad to have the moral influence of its recognition. The following churches are invited to send messengers. _____, _____, _____, _____, _____.

Yours, truly,

_____ _____,

_____ _____,

_____ _____,

Committee

The above suggested format of a "Call for Council of Recognition" shows an agreement with C.D. Cole and Ben M. Bogard's concepts of organization by offering his form letter concerning this organization. I believe these men did not attempt to go beyond the directives of Scripture or to add the traditions of men as a law of Christ. There is a very strong and sad division among "Landmark" Baptists today in an argument as to how "Church Authority" is executed in the organization of new churches. Some today would object to the above manner of organization and might insist that they would not recognize a church organized in such a manner. That would not be a wise act and a denial of our very rich heritage. And it would not be in accordance with those who caused the name Landmark to be associated with certain practices among Baptists.

From the previous facts gathered there seems to be a clear agreement between the old Baptist writers, the articles of faith and the Scripture as to the nature and definition of a gospel church. We should go no further and allow for nothing less. To demand what some are demanding today in the form and function of an organizational service is to cut off their own history and dangerous to our Baptist heritage and future. But I need to add that to deny the need for a qualified material (being saved and scripturally baptized), the Lord's calling, and mutual agreement is equally dangerous and deadly. Recognizing what the nature of a New Testament church is and that it is at the heart of this raging controversy I would hope that this entire article might help some move toward a practice that is consistent with our doctrine.

The old Baptists authors were very particular with their wording during their early English days because of the various attacks upon them for being pelagians (armininans), free-willers, anarchists, or immoral Adamites. Though they greatly differed from their Protestant counterparts in ecclesiology they did not try to purposely offend or condemn but wrote to expose truth and find agreement where ever it might be. These were by no means timid men who sought to obscure their doctrine to find agreement for political or personal reasons. Instead, they wrote and declared that baptism was not tied to one particular church or to an officer of the church or to a specially sent one. Those points were meant to meet the challenge of the Roman Catholics, Pedobaptist State Minister, or the Seekers of their day. Instead they emphasized the spiritual and orderly qualifications of an administrator which is what we should be emphasizing today.

Buell H. Kazee in his chapter entitled "The Problem of Baptism in History" discusses order, organization, customs and climates in regard to establishing churches. His observation is that "Since the ordinances are doctrinal, when one finds a church that believes, obeys, and declares what they teach, one will likely find the right baptism." He goes on towards the conclusion of this same book under "The Test of Fellowship" and suggests there are four areas to test and then writes "It is understood that these principles could be worded differently and expressed in clearer language. The purpose in our statement is to give the minimum requirement for fellowship in a scriptural church." Please note now the continuation of his point in this paragraph. "As is evident, our concept of the test of fellowship in a scriptural church is not program, methods, organization and such unless the results of these contradict or break harmony with the gospel objectives of the doctrine." His test is in their faith and practice as prescribed on pages 116 and 117. As Baptists we need to put the tests back where they belong and respect the allowances divinely granted through scripture. What does a church believe and practice is the question that will not only supply us with the answers we need but keep us from demanding more than God's word demands, and more than we can prove.

A gospel church is not a legislative body. In other words it does not make up the rules. Our rules have already been given to us in the New Testament. If it is not a rule, order or command given by God’s word we must not treat it as such. Something we may do may be a logical and rational expression of New Testament principles but must not be given or elevated to the position of an ordinance or law of a gospel church. Our article of faith states that the nature of a gospel church is one of "observing the ordinances of Christ" and "governed by his laws."

The first part of this phrase would be directly related to the only two ordinances recognized by Baptists which are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It is the particular local congregation that administers both ordinances. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are not considered "family of God" ordinances, but church ordinances. The phrase "governed by his laws" would be related to the commission to preach and teach as well as to discipline or to moderate difficulties between members or sister churches, among other regulatory practices. Our voluntarily joined assembly is to be governed by God’s directives contained in the word of God. Tradition, rational concepts, logic or reason must all give way to the express words of the New Testament. Missions, missionaries, ministries, music, methods, mediations, and management must all be guided by God’s word not pragmatic approaches to contemporary issues.

Christ is the head of his church as the head of a body. Therefore we are to be guided by our head through his word which is the New Testament. It is not the church’s discipline, the church’s supper, or the churches doctrine as to origin or establishment. These are given to the church as an institution and are to be carried out as instructed by our only and divine head, Jesus Christ. A gospel church is the Pillar and ground of the truth" therefore we are to declare the truth and live the truth as found in God’s word and commanded by our Head. How can we call an assembly a "gospel" church if their ministry, teaching, symbols, and discipline are not those commanded or recognized in the gospel of the New Testament?

All of this exposes the New Testament pattern and truth of church polity or government. If Christ is the head and Lord over his church there is no authority beyond its head and his inspired word. The local particular assembly is independent of all other bodies and self-governing.

When Christ began his visible gospel church he gave it orders and officers. The first officers set in the church were the Apostles. The church first had to exist for the Lord to set Apostles in it as officers. This would eliminate Pentecost as the beginning or establishment of a gospel church. The rule of the Apostles extended beyond one church but there were no successors to any of the Apostles. Rather than a successor, Matthias was appointed to replace Judas and that by recognition of a particular and pointed prophecy. James, the brother of John, was an Apostle but when he was murdered by Herod no successor was chosen. When the Apostles died the office died as well. There are no Apostles today.

The only recognized officers today are that of pastor and deacon. These officers are to function within the local assembly and are chosen by that local assembly where they are to function. Each New Testament word used to describe these officers adds to our better understanding of their purpose and function. The pastor is the under shepherd of our Great Shepherd of the sheep, and is to lead and feed the flock of God. The word bishop (Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 3:1-2; Titus 1:7) is the overseer, or one who has the oversight or leadership role in the assembly. The word elder (Acts 14:23, 20:27; I Peter 5:1; refers to the rank or being senior or older among the body. All three terms, pastor, bishop, and elder are synonyms emphasizing a practical aspect of the office we know today as pastor. The qualifications, claims and duties are stated as being defined in Timothy and Titus.

In a balanced study of these offices we find the pastor’s primary responsibilities are to give himself to prayer and the word in consideration of the spiritual concerns of the membership. The purpose of the office of deacon is to give freedom to the pastor to perform his primary functions by being responsible for the physical concerns and to serve "tables." To serve in this capacity is not diminishing the significance of their work but is defining the importance of their duties in God’s order of a gospel church.

I find the article of faith adopted by Carmichael Baptist Church in 1968, and published as article 13, a succinct and reliable expression of the New Testament principles and practices. Read it again and see what you think about it now.

Now look again at our lesson text in Matthew chapter four and verses eighteen through twenty-two:

Here we find men who had professed Jesus as the Messiah, they had been baptized by John the Baptist, they were called directly by Christ to follow him, and they were given the responsibility to submit to Christ’s design and will to make them fishers of men. They recognized their call and left all to follow him and joined themselves to others who did the very same.

Have you been born again? Do you profess to know Christ as your Lord and Savior? Have you been scripturally baptized? Then you are a fit candidate for membership in one of the Lord’s assemblies. Has the Lord called you to join yourself to a particular body? Are you willing to submit to His word and the order so clearly laid out for us? There are no perfect churches. They are full of regenerate sinners committed to the faith and fellowship of the gospel and struggling to observe and obey the commands of their Head, their Lord, their Savior, Jesus Christ. Test it by God’s word and then obey the leading of the Spirit.

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