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The Case For Independent BaptistChurches

INTRODUCTION

Who are independent Baptists? What is an independent Baptistchurch? When did they begin? What is the difference between anindependent Baptist church and other Baptist churches? These areall valid questions and deserve an answer, and that is the purpose of this book.All churches of the New Testament were Baptist churches and eachwas an independent Baptist church. Also, true New Testamentchurches have continued from New Testament times down to thepresent, and remained independent Baptist churches untilcomparatively recent times when organizations began to be formedcalled Associations, Conventions and Fellowships. Along with thesesuper-church organizations were formed Mission Boards andCommittees with Mission Directors and Secretaries, and other suchmission agencies, all of which are extra-Scriptural and not to be foundin the Bible. [For a full in-depth study of this subject, read my book"The Bible, The Baptists, and The Board System" available from TheChallenge Press, P. O. Box 5567, Little Rock, AR 72215.]In spite of the historical and Biblical evidence that New Testamentchurches were all independent Baptist churches and remained suchfor centuries, the advocates of the various organizations either claimor insinuate that independent Baptists are of recent origin. Oneorganization, the World Baptist Fellowship, not only claims that theyare composed of independent Baptist churches, but that their founder, Dr. J. Frank Norris, actually began

all

independent Baptistchurches. Dr. Earl K. Oldham, editor of the Arlington Baptist CollegeMedia writes in the November 18, 1977 issue:"I was privileged to sit at the feet of Dr. Norris as a student. I heardhim preach some of the greatest messages that mortal man couldpreach anointed by the Holy Spirit. Fundamentalists must admit that

had it not been for Dr

Norris

humanly speaking

there would not besuch a thing as independent Baptist

He was the only one whoseemed to have nerve enough to stand up against the powers thatbe.

He stood

and as a result others came out and independent Baptists became a reality

All of us who are independent Baptists

regardless of what fellowship we are in

owe our very existence to Dr

Norris

humanly speaking. We are what we are, and we have whatwe have because he dared to stand, and having done all to stand, hestood therefore."If Dr. Oldham were to mean that Dr. Norris was the founder of theWorld Baptist Fellowship and the Baptist Bible Fellowship [since theBBF is a split out of the WBF] there would be no argument, for it istrue that Dr. Norris is the founder of the World Baptist Fellowship, butthe statement "had it not been for Dr. Norris, there would not be sucha thing as independent Baptist," is completely false. There have beenindependent Baptists and independent Baptist churches long beforeDr. Norris came on the scene, and to make such a statement iscompletely dishonest.In the reading of this book, our readers will see that independentBaptists are Baptists who have remained faithful, true and loyal to theNew Testament pattern of church truth by remaining independent of all earthly entanglements, alliances, and organizations, and thatBaptist churches that have either joined or affiliated with the variousorganizations, are the ones who have departed from the principles for New Testament churches laid down in the New Testament.

Little Rock, ArkansasM. L. Moser, Jr.December 13, 1977

CHAPTER 1—CHRIST’S CHURCH

By Rosco Brong, DeanLexington Baptist College, Lexington, Kentucky

And I say also unto thee

that thou art Peter

and upon this rock I will build my church

;

and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it

(Matthew 16:18

Christ’s church was built upon Himself. "

That Rock was Christ

" (1Cor. 10:4). "In the Lord Jehovah is the Rock of ages" (Isa. 26:4,margin). "

Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid

which isJesus Christ

" (1

Cor. 3:11). "Now therefore ye are no more strangersand foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of thehousehold of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostlesand prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone"(Eph. 2:19-20 ).

Built Upon Christ

The word Peter means a stone.

It means a little stone

not a big rock

The Catholic church, which did not exist until hundreds of yearsafter Peter’s death, falsely claims to be built upon Peter,

and by that very claim denies it is Christ

’

s church

because the Bible teaches thatChrist’s church is built upon Himself.Peter never suggested that God’s people or God’s churches werebuilt upon Peter. He preached that men should turn to Christ. Heknew that Christ was not only the foundation but also the corner stone of His church:"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that yemay grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men,but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are builtup a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritualsacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it iscontained in the scripture,

Behold

I lay in Sion a chief corner stone

elect

precious

and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded

.Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them whichbe disobedient,

the stone which the builders disallowed

the same ismade the head of the corner

and a stone of stumbling

and a rock of offence

even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient:whereunto also they were appointed" (1 Pet. 2:2-8).

Built On Christ