The First Baptist

Lesson from Matthew 3:1-17

Present day Baptists would do well to be more like the first Baptist. Notice some facts about true Baptist preaching from the first Baptist -- John.

John the Baptist preached repentance (v.2). This is a doctrine little emphasized today. Stress is put on belief with no mention of repentance, and belief is cleverly changed to a mere affirmation of the existence of Christ (which existence even the devils believe). Simply answering yes when asked “Do you believe in Jesus?” is not the same as believing to the saving of the soul. Repentance and belief are inseparable (Acts 20:21). A person must repent in order to believe (Matt. 21:32). Several things are involved in repentance. 
First, there must be recognition of sin which needs repentance. Then there must be a genuine sorrow for sin which causes an inward searching for God (II Cor. 7:10). Next there is turning from sin and turning to God (I Thess. 1:9). There is belief in one's heart that Jesus died for his sins and rose for his justification (Rom. 10:9-10). “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3)

John the Baptist preached the confession of sins (v. 6). No one has ever been saved who did not acknowledge being a sinner. Confession is an admission of guilt, which must be done in order to obtain mercy (Prov. 28:13; Rom. 10:9-10). The modern man doesn't want to hear about sin, much less confession. But even if you don't know you're a sinner, everyone else does!

John the Baptist preached baptism (v.6). John’s baptism was authorized by God (John 1:6,33; Matt. 21:25). He baptized by immersion, or plunging in water (v.6,16). He only baptized those who were believers (vs.6-9), and he only baptized adults. Those baptized by John went out to him and they confessed their sins
-- infants can do neither! John taught the importance of becoming a baptized disciple in order to be prepared to serve God (v.3).

John the Baptist required a credible profession of faith before he would baptize an individual (vs.7-8). Contemporary Baptist Churches are slacking on this requirement. Many will turn their heads the other way in order to add another name to the church roll. They are filling empty pews with empty people! Playing the numbers game is a very poor reason to make a person “twofold more the child of hell.” Shouldn't a church require evidence of salvation before receiving them? John the Baptist did.

John the Baptist pointed to the Coming Saviour (v.11). While the first Baptist announced Christ’s first coming, present—day Baptists should be proclaiming and looking for His second coming (Acts 1:11). The grandest day of all days will be “the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Lastly, John the Baptist preached Christ, not self (v.11;John 3:30). Jesus Christ should be the center of all preaching, all our church services, and all our lives. We owe our very existence to Him. Let Him increase, while we decrease. The church needs emphasis in an age in which she is roughly pushed aside, but let us always remember the old Baptist adage -- “Blood before water, Christ before the Church.”

The first Baptist preached and taught these important doctrines. If we are deserving of the name Baptist, then so should we!

Adapted from The Baptist Waymark, Vol. I, No. 4, September 1986