what do Baptists believe in?

Answer 1

Denominational Comparisons:
See the table of Christian denominational beliefs here:
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/charts/denominations_beliefs.htm

Christian Practices:
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/charts/denominations_practices.htm

Christian Statistics:
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/charts/denominations_stats.htm

Christian Ethics and Social Issues:
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/charts/denominations_ethics.htm

Christian Protestant and Catholicism Theologies:
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/charts/catholic_protestant.htm

Answer 2

Oh my goodness, you don't have many serious answers huh?
I'm a Southern Baptist, and can tell you that we believe that
1. Jesus was/is the Son of God.
2. Salvation can only come by accepting His gift of salvation.
3. Baptism is not absolutely necessary, but is a public symbol of our death to sin and our commitment to attempt to honor God in all that we do. (We all fall short of that, of course.)
4. Baptism is something than can only be done by people who have reached the age when they understand the commitment they're making. Infants and small children aren't completely in control of their actions, so they aren't able to make such a commitment. The age of accountability varies depending on the person, but usually falls somewhere between the ages of 8 and 13. Baptism is done by immersion in water, because that's the only way baptism was done in the Bible.
5. The Bible is the word of God. Not every word in the Bible was spoken by God Himself, but He made it possible for it all to be written down, which means that He wanted us to read it and learn it.

Baptists do tend to believe that we should set aside our sins in order to be closer to God. The sins Baptists usually frown upon are murder, rape, theft, chronic lying, sexual immorality (that includes an obsession with pornography, sex outside of marriage, homosexual sex, and adultery.) However, if a person chooses to turn away from that sin, the Baptists usually welcome them with open arms. At least that's been my experience, and I've been guilty of a number of those until Jesus's blood washed my guilt away.

No Baptists aren't perfect, and the true Christians amongst them don't even claim to be. They just know that God can rescue them from their sins and literally blot them out as if they never happened.

Baptists differ some on their beliefs, but most are basically the same.
Go to: http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/basicbeliefs.asp That tells it all about the Southern Baptists at least. Except not all of us believe that Sunday is the Lord's Day. Some do believe that the seventh day should be kept holy rather than the first day. We are also free to have differing beliefs on other topics, as long as they don't counteract with the basic beliefs about God, Jesus, salvation, the Bible's authority, baptism and the fact that we should do everything within our power to avoid sin.

Answer 3

A Gabbi is right on the money. Though there are some Baptist groups who believe you must also be baptised to be saved, this however is completely false because water baptism is a proclamation of your spiritual baptism.

I love how non-Baptists are answering this question. Please don't answer a question not directed by you!

Answer 4

Baptists believe in the teachings of the Bible as is, and in baptising after salvation and the lor'ds supper(the only ordinances given in the Bible) . Not baptising for salvation. It is believe that Jesus was a baptist, so it's not really a denomination, but the way things should have been all along

Answer 5

They believe in John, the Baptist, Could you not imagine that the name of their church is Baptist Church? so they took it from John, the Baptist.

The have misunderstood the true meaning of the world baptist. Baptist is the person who baptized another person. John , the baptist was called on that way because he was tasked by God to baptize, now a days he is called a baptizer.

Are Baptist Church baptizing? NO. May it is their Pastor who is baptizing but not all the members of the Baptist church.
jtm

Answer 6

The tithe. I was raised Southern Baptist and they believe mostly what other Christians believe except that you HAVE to tithe or you're the root of all evil and Satan himself will not have it so bad in Hell as you, and if you're not baptised by emersion, you are definitely going straight to Hell when you die; God's not even going to waste His time judging you. Yeah, good thing they don't believe in salvation by grace. Oh, wait a min....

Answer 7

Baptists are a sect of Christianity, although technically not Protestant since they didn't break off from the Roman Catholic Church. They formed out of the English Separatist movement of the late 16th/early 17th century that formed out of the Church of England.

Like most Christians they believe:
God -eternal, all-powerful, creator of the universe. One God in three persons -Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Trinity)
Jesus -Fully Divine and Fully Human, co-Eternal with the Father and the Spirit. Took on human flesh by being born of the Virgin Mary. Lived,taught and performed miracles. Died by crucifixion in order to pay the penalty for the sins of the whole world, rose from the dead on the third day, appeared to more than 500 of His followers, ascended to heaven 40 days later. Sits at the right hand of the Father and will return one day to judge all mankind.
The Bible is God's Word - He inspired men to write down everything that He wanted us to know about Himself and how to live. Most importantly, it tells us about Jesus and eternal life.
People- created by God, but tainted by the sin of Adam. Born with a sin nature that predisposes them to committing acts of disobedience against God. Their sin eternally separates them from God unless and only if they are rescued from spiritual death by Jesus Christ.
Salvation - people place their trust in Jesus, relying on His death to take the penalty for their sin. They are then "born again" into God's family by God's Spirit and are given eternal life. They continue their eternal life after their existence on this earth is done in the presence of God in heaven.

Baptists believe that after a person is saved (or born again, as the Bible calls it), they demonstrate their obedience to Jesus' command by being baptized in water. For nearly all Baptists, this means being immersed into water completely.
We also believe in remembering Christ's death by taking the Lord's Supper (or Communion).

Beyond these essential beliefs, there is quite a diversity in what Baptists believe and practice in the non-essentials. Each Baptist Church is independent meaning that there is no centralized (pope or archbishop) telling them what to believe or practice, they instead rely solely on the Bible and place a high value on every believer studying it for themselves.
The churches tend to be congregationally ruled, meaning the members select and elect their pastors and leaders themselves. Musical worship styles can vary from instrument -less old style hymns to black gospel to country to rock and roll. A Baptist church on one side of town may look and feel completely different than one a few miles away. We find that to be perfectly ok. We are unified by our bond in Christ, not by our conformity to some Baptist norm.

Note: to all you skeptics who find these beliefs so laughable, the question was not what YOU believe, but what do BAPTISTS believe?

Answer 8

Adult immersion baptism, otherwise the same as most Christians.

Answer 9

They believe you go to Heaven when you die, dancing is a no-no and you're not supposed to holler "Oh God, Oh God!" when you're in the throes of passion.

Answer 10

OK I actually know this one. They believe that if a woman wears a bikini she is commiting a sin. No lie. She is tempting men and that's a sin. What a joke.