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Bible Views
This Christian
Internet site seeks to present articles, books, confessions, etc., that
reflect Bible views on both doctrinal and practical areas of
discipleship. These are written in a clear and simple style, supported
by abundant Scripture, so the Lord can use His Word to tell His own
story.
Let us explain about our
church background. Although we have connections to churches coming out
of the Swiss and Dutch state churches during the Reformation, we do not
wish to give the impression that this site is only denominational in
nature. We recognize that no denomination is fully faithful to the
Bible's teachings.
What is important is to
present strong, biblically oriented writings. Most of our articles are
written by people of Anabaptist persuasion. The important fact, however,
is that all of our contributing writers seek to be biblically based in
their writings.
These Bible-practicing Christians were tagged with the Anabaptist name
because they rebaptized those who had been baptized as infants or as
unbelievers by the state churches. This allowed the state to persecute
and put the Anabaptist believers to death under an A.D. 529 Roman law.
These disciples never used the term Anabaptist themselves,
and they objected to the term because of the criminal character
associated with it. They would have preferred to be called Brethren or
Bible Christians, but their enemies' derogatory nickname stuck. Later
some of them were called Mennonites after a prominent servant in this
restored church, Menno Simons. You may read more about them in our History page.
The
Anabaptists made major contributions to the Reformation, although some
of the central truths were ignored then, and even now. The following
gives a short overview of some of our insights in the Word.
Anabaptists believe:
· Jesus
Christ calls all to follow Him. He has secured redemption and bestows it
upon those who repent and believe, committing their lives to Him as Lord
and Saviour. This is possible only by God's free gift of grace, and by
the sanctifying and enabling power of the Holy Spirit, who is given to
all Christians.
· Jesus
Christ brought Truth into this world and enabled it to be recorded
through His apostles. God revealed Himself supremely in His Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ, and the inspired New Testament. The New Testament
today is God's final revelation, and is the source of doctrine and God's
commandments for godly living.
· Christ
calls all Christians to a life of discipleship, made possible only
through the grace of God creating a new birth in the believers. They
will follow the all
things of the New
Testament.
· Baptism
is for only repentant, born-again believers, and it symbolizes that they
have received the Holy Spirit and have made a commitment to live as
disciples of Christ. There is no biblical support for infant baptism or
baptism of unrepentant people.
· The
Church is the Body of Christ, and thus is made up of believers and
therefore is a disciplined church. It is separate from the world and the
control of the state. These truths stand in sharp contrast to the
Protestant Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church, etc.
This site represents the
conservative Anabaptist/Mennonites viewpoints. Sorry to say, some groups
who carry the Anabaptist or Mennonite name ignore many of the Biblical
based teachings found in our Articles.
To learn more of the
Biblical truths, spend time in reading the many Articles,Even
Unto
Death, The
Heroic Witness of the Sixteenth-Century Anabaptist, and Confessions found
on this site. While here learn about our Books.
They give a more readable format for study than the Internet. May the
Lord bless your Bible study and reading!
About your InternetServant
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your comments and orders. Send comments to theWebmaster.
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May God's
grace and peace be with you as you study His Word.
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