The Early Church and Baptists

“The Trail of Blood” was written in 1931 by Dr. James Milton Carroll, a Baptist Minister. It claims to trace an uninterrupted line from John the Baptist to modern-day Baptists. I submit that if there was a continuous line there would be absolutely no biblical significance to it, but evidence shows that no such direct line exists. As we criticize Catholics for claiming papal succession from Peter, so should Baptist Landmarkists also be criticized. One view is as extraneous as the next!
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First off, what is a Baptist? The definition of Baptist is: Member of a group of Protestant Christians who hold that only adult believers should be baptized and that it must be done by immersion. (Britannica Concise Encyclopedia). Although the Baptist denomination are Baptists so are many others! It would appear that a number of “denominations” believe as the definition defines: Baptists, Christians, Churches of Christ, and even some Mennonite Churches. The list doesn't end there.
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From the definition you can see that a “baptist” is totally defined by four conditions: 1) Protestant, 2) Christian, 3) adult baptism, and 4) baptism by immersion only. The branch of Baptists who claim direct succession are called “Landmark Baptists”. Their primary doctrinal difference is based on one verse: Proverbs (KJV) 22:28”Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” That one verse can mean about anything, but their emphasis is placed on their own particular belief. I could just as well say that we should worship only as do the Jews. One is as valid as the other! The belief is dangerous because their doctrine puts forth the exclusivity of the Baptist Church and invalidates any denomination not only Baptist, but their brand only.
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Many Baptists deny that they are “protestants”. They were not part of the reformation and do not have their origins in Catholicism. However, if you look at the majority of most modern Baptist Churches they originated with two groups, General Baptists and Particular Baptists. Both groups were derived from the Church of England (The Anglican Church). Few argue the historical evidence that Henry VIII removed the English Church from papal authority because he was excommunicated for divorce. General Baptists were formed in Amsterdam circa 1608 by John Smyth, an English Separatist. John Smyth believed in “separation” from the established church, the Anglican in this case! Although John Smyth was influenced by Anabaptists, that group were not truly baptists because they do not baptize by immersion.
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Baptists believe that to be a Christian an adult must be “born again”. The salvation experience was foreign to Catholics and even to the majority of Anglicans. Christianity was inherited and the infant baptism decided by the parents is what made an individual a “Christian”. “Infant” was the defining word. Whereas, the established churches performed infant baptism, early baptists believe that one has to make their own declaration of faith as an adult and be baptized in Jesus' name. That's where the term “Anabaptists” appears. It means “to be baptized again”, the first baptism having no efficacy.
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The last aspect in the definition of “baptist” is “by immersion only”. The opposing methods of baptism are by affusion (pouring) or aspersion (sprinkling). Anabaptists practice affusion and Catholics and many Anglican derived churches practice sprinkling. Some denominations practice all three and let the individual decide the mode. “Immersion” is deemed important as the correct way of baptism practiced by John the Baptist.
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Matthew 3:6 “And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” (In flowing water).
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Matthew 3:16 “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:” (Jesus came up out of the water).
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John 3:23 “And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.” (much water, again flowing water).
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Acts 8:38 “And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.” (down into the water).
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Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him (Jesus) by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (baptism likened to being buried).
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Colossians 2:12 “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” (Likened baptism into being buried).
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Although scripture is clear the “Didache” or “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles” (60-80 AD) describes baptism in running water as the best method of adult Baptism.
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Hence, baptism by immersion is the scriptural method of immersion and some even prefer that it be in natural running water such as a stream, lake or river. Others believe in one dip, some say three. Some believe that you are lowered backwards, others say forwards. That detail gets into Pharisee-ism!
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Now back to “The Trail of Blood”: Many of the religious groups identified as Baptists in that booklet were merely cults... heretical Catholics. There is no evidence that many of them practiced adult immersion. Being against Catholicism does not make you a “Baptist”; it makes you a “protestant”!
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We look at Catholics today and find that due to various councils and papal bulls over the ages they have deviated from New Testament Christianity. Protestants believe that many of the teachings of the Catholic Church are not only heresy, but damning: transubstantiation, Mary worship, the Rosary, Papal infallibility, the importance of artifacts and “signs”, infant baptism, purgatory, religious icons (idols), indulgences, lack of importance on the Bible, the acceptance of other gods as another way, and the lack of importance on believer's baptism or being “born again”. We don't condemn individual Catholics for their belief, but do point out that there are vast differences in what we believe and how we worship!
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Early Catholicism was “The Church of Christ”. It's all there was! Clement was a New Testament follower. He was the third Bishop of Rome, what Catholics many years later called “Pope”. The first Bishop of Rome was Peter (Cephas) meaning “the rock”.
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Jesus is the cornerstone of the Church. Psalm (NIV) 118:22 “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;”, Ephesians (NIV) 2:20 (God's People... the Church) ” built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.”
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These verses show that Christ was always meant to be the cornerstone on which the true church was built, but the prophets and apostles are the foundation. Yes, that includes Peter!
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Matthew (NIV) 16:18 “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.” (There are differences to whom Christ is referring in this verse, Peter or himself, but since Jesus named Peter “the rock”, personally I believe he was meaning Peter).
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Many protestants don't like this verse! It gives credence to Catholic claims. It rightfully should! The word “Catholic” means “universal”. They WERE the church at the time of our early church fathers. Their first bishop was Peter. The Catholic church is our antecedent. We came out of that early church and it's nothing to be ashamed of, let alone lie about. As Christians we must be honest! Only after the time of Constantine did the Catholic Church become corrupted by worldly and imperialistic influences.
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Was the Church built on Peter? It was in two ways. We can all trace our Christian lineage back to Peter, but more importantly, to that meek carpenter, Jesus. He was and is the “Cornerstone”. Likewise Jeremiah, Isaiah, John the Baptist, Paul, Andrew and Peter, as well as many others, are the foundation to of Christ's universal church! Secondly, the church was built on “the rock”. Peter, as well as other church fathers, are buried under St. Peter's Basilica, the home of the universal church. The claims of the church have withstood the skepticism of archeologists. It is near certain that the bones of Peter are under that building, but more importantly, many biblical verses indicate that Peter was the leader of the apostles. Check yourself.
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While we place no significance on succession because it's significance isn't scriptural, we need to recognize truth. It is also futile to claim our own Baptist succession when the claims are unfounded. In fact the evidence shows that our roots are in the early established church. We do need to be a “protector of the true faith” because the Catholic Denomination has failed us there. Presently, biblical truth lies on the shoulders of the Baptist Denominations and we are the new “defenders of the faith”! Rather than putting importance on Landmarkism, we need to put our trust in Christ. There is no other way and pride stands in the way of the Way!