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"Teaching God's Word to God's World"
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The Preacher And Charlie
George L. Faull
The preacher was calling on the home of a family that had left the Church of the Lord to attend a denominational Church. This conversation followed the preliminary talk:
Preacher: Well, Charlie, I just wanted to
call and see why you left the Church.
Charlie: Well, we just kind of was
disgusted with things at “your” church.
Preacher:
Can you give me some examples?
Charlie: Yes, the family had several dislikes. You know kids. My son likes the contemporary music at their
first service and my wife likes the choir at the traditional service. Me, I like the decorum and strict
rules they
have there.
Preacher: What church is it, Charlie that
you are attending?
Charlie: The Baptist Church at
Honkedoffville.
Preacher: Well, I’m sorry to hear that Charlie. Don’t mind you leaving the congregation where I preach, but
you could have found all that at one of the
other Churches in the area that hold to Biblical teaching.
Charlie: You mean another Church of
Christ?
Preacher: Yes, I do. Why would you leave a Church after the New
Testament order?
Charlie: I know what you’re getting
at, Preacher. You mean baptism.
Preacher: That would be only one of many
things, yes.
Charlie: I think maybe that you put
too much emphasis on baptism.
Preacher: What kind of Church did you say
you attended, Charlie?
Charlie: A Baptist Church.
Preacher: Your Church is named after the ordinance and you think WE put too much emphasis on the
ordinance? Seems kind of funny logic, to me Charlie.
Charlie: Well, we do baptize the right
way over there.
Preacher: And for what reason, Charlie?
Charlie: Well they think that when you
believe, you’re saved and then you should be baptized.
Preacher: Yes, I know. Jesus said it in a different order. He said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved.” The Baptist Church says, “He that believeth and is saved should be baptized. There is a
difference, isn’t there, Charlie?
Charlie: Well, I guess so, but I still
think you put too much emphasis on baptism.
Preacher: Charlie, do you believe you have
to be baptized to be saved?
Charlie: They say you’re baptized
because you’re already saved. You are
baptized to get into their Church.
Preacher: Oh, so you do have to be
baptized to get into the Baptist Church?
Charlie: Oh yeah. You can’t be a Baptist without being
baptized.
Preacher: I see. So in your book, it’s all right to tell people they can get into Heaven without being baptized
but not into the Church without being baptized? Sounds like it’s easier to get into Heaven than it is
to get into the Baptist Church.
Charlie:
Well, technically, I suppose
so Preacher.
Preacher: Don’t you remember what you were taught by Peter, “Then they that gladly received the Word were
baptized and there was added unto them about 3,000 souls.” And again, “the Lord added to the
church daily those that were being saved.” Acts 2:41, 47. So the saved automatically were added
to the Church.
Charlie:
Well, I still think there’s
too much emphasis on water.
Preacher: Now lets see here, your new Church names itself after the ordinance. Baptism is a condition in
order to join it. In the Bible, those who were baptized and those who were saved are said to be
added to the Church. Isn’t it pretty obvious those who received the word and were baptized are the
saved who were added to the Church and not those who received the word and were saved, were
baptized so they could get into the Church?
Charlie: I think that’s perhaps an unimportant distinction. As long as they have been under the water that’s
all that’s important. Pastor Tightship says you are hung up on
water.
Preacher: I’m surprised to hear you say that, Charlie in light of the fact that the Baptists insist on immersion
and
not sprinkling.
Charlie: What do you mean?
Preacher: You want to de-emphasize baptism. You think we’re putting too much emphasis on water. Your
preacher won’t let anyone into his Church who has not been immersed in water. It seems to me
though the Baptist Church thinks it’s important because they’ve put a lot of emphasis on water.
Water is necessary to get into the Baptist Church and being put under water can make you a
Baptist, but not a Christian. Being put under water can make you a Church member, but not
saved. Being put under water is necessary to be a Deacon or a Pastor. I think water is very
important to a
Baptist.
Charlie: Well, if you teach that baptism is essential to being a Christian, you’re saying you can work your
way
to Heaven.
Preacher: So, you think baptism is a work?
Charlie: Pastor Tightship says if you have to do anything to get to Heaven, you’re saying, you’re working
your way or
earning your way to Heaven.
Preacher: So Pastor Tightship says you
have to work your way or earn your way into the Baptist Church?
Charlie: What do you mean?
Preacher: Well, he says if you have to be immersed to get into Heaven it is working for or earning your
salvation. If that’s true, it follows if you have to be immersed to get into the Baptist Church you
have to work you way or earn your
way into the Baptist Church. Doesn’t
that follow, Charlie?
Charlie: Well I don’t know. I’d have to think about that but we’ve
become Baptists, Preacher.
Preacher: Oh? You became a Baptist?
Have you baptized anyone, Charlie?
Charlie: Oh no. I never baptized no one.
Preacher: Charlie, a Baptist is someone who baptizes people. You know, like John the Baptist. You’re not a
Baptist
unless you baptize someone.
Charlie: Well that’s just what we’re called. It’s just kind of a way to identify ourselves. Our son is going to
be baptized.
Preacher: Are you going to baptize him,
Charlie?
Charlie: Oh, no. You have to be an ordained, licensed Preacher to baptize in the Baptist Church. It’s not
like “your Church” where I’ve seen fathers baptize their
children.
Preacher: Well, the fathers are baptizing
by the authority of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Charlie: Well, so does our Pastor.
Preacher: No, he doesn’t, Charlie. He baptizes by the authority of the Baptist denomination, not the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Charlie: No, we say it’s by the
authority of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Preacher: Well if that’s true, why don’t
you baptize your son?
Charlie: Well, I can’t.
Preacher: Why not?
Charlie: Well, I don’t have a license
and I’m not ordained so I can’t baptize him into the Baptist Church.
Preacher: Now think about what you
admitted, Charlie. Who gave Pastor
Tightship the authority to baptize?
Charlie: Well, the Baptist
denomination.
Preacher: Right. So your boy is being baptized by its authority not the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Your
boy will not be baptized into Christ and His Church. Only those they gave authority to baptize
will baptize him into the Baptist denomination.
Charlie: Well, that’s not what the
Pastor says when he baptizes him.
Preacher: Well it doesn’t matter what he says. The fact is, if he lost his license and ordination he could not
baptize anymore into the Baptist Church.
Charlie: You’re confusing me.
Preacher: Yes, I suppose I am but I’m trying to get you to think what you are doing. You’re encouraging
your son to be baptized into a denomionation instead of into Christ. You’ve taken your boy to a
Church that has told your son that he’s already saved and now will be baptized by a licensed
preacher. His license comes from a group of men instead of from the simple fact that he is
following the Great Commission that every believer is commanded to obey. You say we put an
emphasis on water but attend a Church that says that only licensed persons can immerse people in
water. Your Church makes baptism an ordinance of the Church instead of an ordinance of Christ.
One should not be baptized to fulfill the demand of the Church. One should be baptized to fulfill
the command of Christ. It’s Christ’s ordinance, not a denominational initiation rite. Baptism is
into Christ’s death for the
remission of sins.
Charlie: Well I really don’t see any reason to continue this conversation. If I know you, it would be about
weekly communion next. Those are the two differences that I can see
between the two Churches.
Preacher: Well, you don’t want forget the choirs, the contemporary music and your decorum and strict rules
of Pastor
Tightship. I mean those were the real
reasons you left, right?
Charlie: Yes, we’re happier here at
the Baptist Church.
Preacher: Well, I just want you to put it all in perspective. You’ve traded Biblical doctrine and practices,
which Jesus did command for things Jesus did not command. You’ve chosen a Church with a
name that does not give Preeminence to Christ for one that did. You’ve given the Bible plan of
salvation for a denominational one. You’ve chosen to let your son be baptized by a man licensed
by men instead of the authority of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. You’ve chosen to not
surround His table each week as His Holy Apostles instituted as proven by the Bible and History
for a hit-and-miss observance of it. You have chosen a one man Pastor system, over the Eldership
of the Church. You’ve chosen to be a part of a denomination with an earthly headquarters instead
of a locally autonomous Church as the Bible teaches. You’ve forsaken the responsibility and
privilege of baptizing those you’ve discipled
to Christ and given it over to hirelings.
I think, Charlie
that it is very sad that you’ve given up what God wants, for what you want.
Charlie: Well I just don’t see it that
way.
Preacher:
I know you don’t, Charlie and I
am very sorry I’ve failed you.
Charlie:
Well you haven’t failed, me
preacher. I just have different “wants”
than your Church offers.
Preacher: What was that you said,
Charlie? Different wants?
Charlie: Well, I mean….uh…
Preacher: See, you said it, Charlie. I don’t think you can fault the name of our Church because it gives Jesus
preeminence. Our polity is Biblical so is our message of salvation, for we preach Christ’s exact
demands.
Charlie, you’ve traded those scriptural things for what you want. I really encourage you to think
out the ramifications of what you’ve done and what you’ve traded for what you want. Goodnight
and we will come back another night. We love you and your family and we’re interested in your
eternal salvation.
Charlie: Goodnight Preacher. You are always welcome here in our home.
Preacher: Let me pray before I go.