Historia ya Wabaptisti na Maendeleo ya Dhehebu — Sehemu ya 1: Wabaptisti ni Akina Nani? Utambulisho na "Sifa Bainifu za Kibaptisti"Baptist History and Denominational Development — Unit 1: Who Are the Baptists? Identity and the "Baptist Distinctives"

Mstari MkuuKey Verse

"Basi wale waliolipokea neno lake kwa furaha wakabatizwa; siku ile wakaongezeka watu wapata elfu tatu." (Matendo 2:41, SUV)"Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." (Acts 2:41, NKJV)

Malengo ya KujifunzaLearning Objectives

Utakapomaliza kipindi hiki, unapaswa kuweza:When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Kueleza ni kwa nini mchungaji Mbaptisti anapaswa kujua historia ya utamaduni wake mwenyewe.1. Explain why a Baptist pastor should know the history of his own tradition.

2. Kueleza jina "Mbaptisti" linatoka wapi na maana yake ni nini.2. Explain where the name "Baptist" comes from and what it means.

3. Kutaja sifa bainifu kumi za Kibaptisti zinazotumika katika fani hii ya masomo na kutoa andiko moja kwa kila moja.3. Name the ten Baptist distinctives used in this specialization and give a Scripture for each.

4. Kueleza yale ambayo Wabaptisti wanashirikiana na Wakristo wote wa kiinjili, na yale yanayowatofautisha.4. Describe what Baptists share with all evangelical Christians, and what makes them distinct.

5. Kueleza pingamizi kuu dhidi ya utambulisho wa Kibaptisti na jinsi Wabaptisti wanavyojibu.5. State the main objections to Baptist identity and explain how Baptists answer them.

Sauti ya Kozi HiiThe Voice of This Course

Kozi hii imeandikwa kutoka ndani ya utamaduni wa Kibaptisti, kwa ajili ya wanafunzi Wabaptisti. Ni ya kihafidhina kitheolojia. Inaposema "sisi," inamaanisha Wabaptisti wanaoshikilia kwamba Biblia ni Neno la Mungu lililopumuliwa na Mungu, lenye mamlaka na la kuaminika, na wanaomkiri Baba, Mwana na Roho Mtakatifu kuwa Mungu mmoja.This course is written from inside the Baptist tradition, for Baptist students. It is theologically conservative. When it says "we," it means Baptists who hold that the Bible is the inspired, authoritative and trustworthy Word of God, and who confess the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as one God.

Wakristo wengine, na wanahistoria wengi, wanaona baadhi ya mambo haya kwa namna tofauti. Kozi hii inaeleza mawazo yao kwa haki, kisha inatoa jibu la Kibaptisti. Hatuwadhihaki wale wasiokubaliana nasi. Wengi wao ni ndugu na dada zetu katika Kristo. Maandiko yasema, "Jaribuni mambo yote; mkamateni sana lililo jema" (1 Wathesalonike 5:21). Imani iliyojaribiwa ina nguvu zaidi kuliko ile ambayo haijawahi kuulizwa maswali.Other Christians, and many historians, see some of these matters differently. This course states their views fairly and then gives the Baptist answer. We do not mock those who disagree. Many of them are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Scripture says, "Test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). A faith that has been tested is stronger than one that has never been questioned.

Kozi hii pia inasema ukweli kuhusu kushindwa kwetu. Utamaduni unaoogopa historia ya kweli ni dhaifu. Utamaduni unaosema ukweli unaweza kushukuru pale panapostahili na kutubu pale inapobidi.This course also tells the truth about our failures. A tradition that fears honest history is weak. A tradition that tells the truth can give thanks where it should and repent where it must.

Kwa Nini Mchungaji Mbaptisti Anahitaji HistoriaWhy a Baptist Pastor Needs History

Washiriki wako watakuuliza maswali. Muumini mpya anauliza, "Kwa nini mnabatiza wale tu wanaoungama imani?" Jirani anasema, "Wabaptisti ni dini mpya iliyotoka nchi nyingine." Mgeni anauliza, "Kwa nini kanisa lenu linapiga kura kwa kila jambo?" Huwezi kujibu vizuri kama hujui desturi hizi zilikotoka.Your members will ask you questions. A new believer asks, "Why do you baptize only professing believers?" A neighbor says, "Baptists are a new religion that came from another country." A visitor asks, "Why does your church vote on everything?" You cannot answer well if you do not know where these practices came from.

Historia inatusaidia kwa njia nne.History helps us in four ways.

Kwanza, inatupa mizizi. Tunajifunza kwamba imani za Kibaptisti hazikubuniwa kwa ajili ya urahisi. Wanaume na wanawake walilipa kwa kifungo, faini, uhamisho na wakati mwingine kifo ili kuzishikilia.First, it gives us roots. We learn that Baptist convictions were not invented for convenience. Men and women paid with prison, fines, exile and sometimes death to hold them.

Pili, inatulinda dhidi ya kiburi. Hadithi yetu ina ujasiri, lakini pia ina magomvi na mgawanyiko. Hatuko bora kuliko Wakristo wengine. Sisi ni watu tunaoamini kwamba Bwana alilitaka kanisa lake liishi kwa namna fulani, na tunataka kutii.Second, it protects us from pride. Our story contains courage, but it also contains quarrels and division. We are not better than other Christians. We are people who believe that the Lord asked His church to live in a certain way, and we want to obey.

Tatu, inatulinda dhidi ya kutojali. Kanisa linalosahau kwa nini linaamini ubatizo wa waumini, uongozi wa kusanyiko na uhuru wa dini litayaacha polepole.Third, it protects us from carelessness. A church that forgets why it believes in believer's baptism, congregational government and religious liberty will slowly give them up.

Nne, inasaidia makanisa machanga. Katika nchi nyingi, zikiwemo Meksiko na nchi nyingine za Amerika ya Kilatini, pamoja na sehemu za Afrika na Asia, makanisa ya Kibaptisti yalianzishwa ndani ya karne mbili zilizopita, mara nyingi kwa msaada wa wamisionari. Majirani wanaweza kusema kwamba kuwa Mbaptisti ni imani ya kigeni. Mchungaji anayeijua hadithi nzima anaweza kujibu kwamba imani za Kibaptisti zinatoka katika Agano Jipya, na kwamba Wabaptisti sasa ni familia ya ulimwengu mzima yenye watu wa mataifa mengi.Fourth, it helps churches that are young. In many countries, including Mexico and other lands of Latin America, as well as parts of Africa and Asia, Baptist churches were started within the last two centuries, often with the help of missionaries. Neighbors may say that being Baptist is a foreign faith. A pastor who knows the whole story can answer that Baptist convictions come from the New Testament, and that Baptists are now a worldwide family of many peoples.

Jina Linatoka WapiWhere the Name Comes From

Neno "Mbaptisti" linatoka katika kitenzi cha Kigiriki baptizo, kinachomaanisha kutumbukiza au kuzamisha. Yohana Mbatizaji aliitwa kwa jina hili kwa sababu alibatiza katika Yordani (Mathayo 3:1).The word "Baptist" comes from the Greek verb baptizo, which means to dip or immerse. John the Baptist was called by this name because he baptized in the Jordan (Matthew 3:1).

Kama jina la kundi la makanisa, "Mbaptisti" lilitokea mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1600. Wanahistoria mara nyingi huonyesha kwamba lilianza kwa sehemu kama jina lililotumiwa na watu wa nje. Neno la zamani zaidi "Anabaptisti" lilimaanisha "mbatizaji mara ya pili." Wapinzani walilitumia kwa sababu waumini hawa waliwabatiza tena watu waliokuwa wamebatizwa wakiwa watoto wachanga. Wabaptisti walijibu kwamba hawakuwa wanabatiza mtu mara ya pili. Walishikilia kwamba ubatizo wa watoto wachanga si ubatizo wa kweli tangu mwanzo, kwa sababu Agano Jipya linaunganisha ubatizo na imani ya mtu binafsi. Hivyo walikuwa wanawabatiza waumini kwa mara ya kwanza. Wabaptisti wanabatiza watu wa umri wowote wanaoungama imani katika Kristo kwa dhati, wakiwemo watoto, na hawabatizi watoto wachanga ambao hawawezi bado kuungama imani.As the name of a group of churches, "Baptist" appeared in the early 1600s. Historians often note that it began partly as a label used by outsiders. The older word "Anabaptist" meant "rebaptizer." Opponents used it because these believers baptized again people who had been baptized as babies. Baptists answered that they were not rebaptizing anyone. They held that infant baptism is not true baptism in the first place, because the New Testament connects baptism with personal faith. So they were baptizing believers for the first time. Baptists baptize those of any age who credibly profess faith in Christ, including children, and they do not baptize infants who cannot yet profess faith.

Jina hilo linatukumbusha kwamba hadithi yetu ilianza na swali kuhusu ubatizo. Lakini Wabaptisti hawatambuliwi kwa ubatizo peke yake. Ni mojawapo ya imani kadhaa zinazokaa pamoja.The name reminds us that our story began with a question about baptism. But Baptists are not defined by baptism alone. It is one of several convictions that belong together.

Tunayoshirikiana Nayo na Wainjilisti WoteWhat We Share with All Evangelicals

Kabla hatujasema yale yanayotutofautisha, lazima tusema yale tuliyo nayo pamoja na wengine. Wabaptisti ni Wakristo kwanza. Tunamkiri Mungu mmoja katika nafsi tatu, uungu wa Yesu Kristo, kuzaliwa kwake na bikira, kifo chake cha upatanisho msalabani, ufufuo wake wa mwili na kurudi kwake siku zijazo. Tunafundisha kwamba wokovu ni kwa neema kwa njia ya imani: "Kwa maana mmeokolewa kwa neema, kwa njia ya imani; wala hii haikutokana nanyi; ni kipawa cha Mungu; wala si kwa matendo, mtu awaye yote asije akajisifu" (Waefeso 2:8-9).Before we speak of what is distinct, we must say what is common. Baptists are Christians first. We confess one God in three persons, the deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His atoning death on the cross, His bodily resurrection and His future return. We teach that salvation is by grace through faith: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Mwanahistoria Mwingereza David Bebbington aliwaeleza wainjilisti kwa alama nne: kupenda Biblia, kuutegemea msalaba wa Kristo, hitaji la kuongoka binafsi, na kazi hai kwa ajili ya injili. Wabaptisti wanalingana vizuri na maelezo haya. Wabaptisti wengi wamekuwa viongozi miongoni mwa wainjilisti, hasa katika kazi ya umisionari.The British historian David Bebbington described evangelicals by four marks: love of the Bible, trust in the cross of Christ, the need for personal conversion, and active work for the gospel. Baptists fit this description well. Many Baptists have been leaders among evangelicals, especially in missions.

Kwa hiyo sifa bainifu za Kibaptisti si zinazomfanya mtu kuwa Mkristo. Ni imani kuhusu jinsi Bwana anavyotaka kanisa lake liundwe, liongozwe na liishi. Mbaptisti anaweza kuwa na ushirika wa kweli na Mmethodisti, Mpresbiteri au muumini wa Kipentekoste katika injili, na bado akashikilia sifa bainifu zake kwa msimamo thabiti.So the Baptist distinctives are not what make a person a Christian. They are convictions about how the Lord wants His church to be formed, governed and lived out. A Baptist can have true fellowship with a Methodist, a Presbyterian or a Pentecostal believer in the gospel, and still hold his own distinctives with conviction.

Sifa Bainifu Kumi za KibaptistiThe Ten Baptist Distinctives

Hakuna orodha moja rasmi. Waandishi mbalimbali wa Kibaptisti huzieleza kwa maneno tofauti. Fani hii ya masomo inatumia kumi zifuatazo, ambazo zinafuata maungamo ya kihistoria ya Kibaptisti na Baptist Faith and Message (Imani na Ujumbe wa Kibaptisti).There is no single official list. Different Baptist writers phrase them differently. This specialization uses the following ten, which follow the historic Baptist confessions and the Baptist Faith and Message.

1. Mamlaka ya Maandiko. Wabaptisti wanashikilia kwamba Biblia ndiyo mamlaka ya mwisho kwa imani na mwenendo. Inatosha, na Wabaptisti wahafidhina pia wanakiri kwamba haina kosa. "Maandiko yote yamevuviwa na Mungu, yafaa kwa mafundisho, na kwa kuonya, na kwa kurekebisha, na kwa kuadibu katika haki" (2 Timotheo 3:16). Lolote tunalofanya kanisani lazima lipatikane katika Biblia au litokane nayo.1. The authority of Scripture. Baptists hold that the Bible is the final authority for faith and practice. It is sufficient, and conservative Baptists also affirm that it is without error. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). Whatever we practice in church must be found in the Bible or follow from it.

2. Uanachama wa kanisa wa waliozaliwa upya. Kanisa linaundwa na watu waliozaliwa mara ya pili na ambao wameamini binafsi. Wao si washiriki kwa sababu ya familia, kuzaliwa au mahali wanapoishi tu. Matendo 2:41 inaonyesha mfano huu: wale waliolipokea neno wakabatizwa na kuongezwa.2. Regenerate church membership. The church is made up of people who have been born again and have personally believed. They are not members only because of family, birth or the place where they live. Acts 2:41 shows this pattern: those who received the word were baptized and were added.

3. Ubatizo wa waumini kwa kuzamishwa. Ubatizo ni kwa wale walioamini katika Kristo, na hufanywa kwa kuzamishwa majini. Unafuata agizo la Mathayo 28:19, "mkawabatize kwa jina la Baba, na la Mwana, na la Roho Mtakatifu." Unaonyesha kwa picha mazishi ya muumini pamoja na Kristo na kufufuka kwake kwa uzima mpya (Warumi 6:3-4). Ubatizo haumwokoi mtu. Unatangaza kwamba ameokolewa.3. Believer's baptism by immersion. Baptism is for those who have believed in Christ, and it is done by immersion in water. It follows the command of Matthew 28:19, "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." It pictures the believer's burial with Christ and rising to new life (Romans 6:3-4). Baptism does not save a person. It declares that he has been saved.

4. Meza ya Bwana kama agizo. Wabaptisti wanashika maagizo mawili, ubatizo na Meza ya Bwana, yote mawili yalitolewa na Kristo kwa ajili ya kanisa lake (1 Wakorintho 11:23-26). Wabaptisti wengi wanashikilia mtazamo wa ukumbusho: mkate na kikombe vinatukumbusha kifo cha Kristo na kutazamia kurudi kwake. Baadhi ya Wabaptisti wanaamini kwamba Kristo yupo kiroho kwa namna ya pekee. Hakuna Mbaptisti anayefundisha kwamba mkate na kikombe vinakuwa mwili na damu halisi ya Kristo.4. The Lord's Supper as an ordinance. Baptists observe two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper, both given by Christ for His church (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Most Baptists hold the memorial view: the bread and the cup remind us of Christ's death and look ahead to His return. Some Baptists believe Christ is spiritually present in a special way. No Baptist teaches that the bread and cup become the physical body and blood of Christ.

5. Uhuru wa kanisa la mahali na uongozi wa kusanyiko. Kila kanisa la mahali liko chini ya Kristo kama Kichwa chake na hujiongoza lenyewe. Washiriki hukutana pamoja na kuamua mambo muhimu, kama katika mfano wa Mathayo 18:17 na Matendo 15. Hakuna askofu, baraza wala mkutano mkuu unaotawala kanisa la Kibaptisti.5. Local church autonomy and congregational government. Each local church is under Christ as its Head and governs itself. Members meet together and decide important matters, as in the pattern of Matthew 18:17 and Acts 15. No bishop, council or convention rules over a Baptist church.

6. Ofisi mbili: mchungaji na shemasi. Agano Jipya linataja ofisi mbili katika kanisa la mahali (Wafilipi 1:1; 1 Timotheo 3). Mchungaji pia huitwa mzee au msimamizi. Shemasi analitumikia kanisa katika huduma za vitendo. Vyombo vingi vya Kibaptisti vya kihafidhina, vikiwemo vile vinavyokubali Baptist Faith and Message ya 2000, vinashikilia kwamba ofisi ya mchungaji ni ya wanaume. Baadhi ya vyombo vya Kibaptisti huwatawaza wanawake. Wabaptisti wote wanakiri kwamba wanawake wanalitumikia kanisa kwa upana katika kufundisha, umisionari, kuwajali wahitaji na huduma nyingine nyingi.6. Two offices: pastor and deacon. The New Testament names two offices in the local church (Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3). The pastor is also called elder or overseer. The deacon serves the church in practical ministry. Most conservative Baptist bodies, including those that adopt the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, hold that the office of pastor is for men. Some Baptist bodies do ordain women. All Baptists affirm that women serve the church widely in teaching, missions, care for the needy and many other ministries.

7. Ukuhani wa waumini wote. Kila muumini ana njia ya moja kwa moja kwa Mungu kupitia Kristo. "Bali ninyi ni jamii teule, ukuhani wa kifalme, taifa takatifu, watu wa milki ya Mungu, mpate kuzitangaza fadhili zake yeye aliyewaita mtoke gizani na kuingia katika nuru yake ya ajabu" (1 Petro 2:9). "Kwa maana Mungu ni mmoja, na Mjumbe kati ya Mungu na wanadamu ni mmoja, mwanadamu Kristo Yesu" (1 Timotheo 2:5). Hii haimaanishi kwamba kila muumini anasimama peke yake na hahitaji kanisa. Inamaanisha kwamba hakuna kuhani wa kibinadamu anayesimama kati ya mtu na Mungu.7. The priesthood of all believers. Every believer has direct access to God through Christ. "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). This does not mean that each believer stands alone and needs no church. It means that no human priest stands between a person and God.

8. Uhuru wa dhamiri na uhuru wa dini. Imani lazima iwe huru. "Basi kila mmoja wetu atatoa habari zake mwenyewe kwa Mungu" (Warumi 14:12). Hakuna serikali wala kanisa linaloweza kumlazimisha mtu kuamini, kwa sababu imani ya kulazimishwa si imani. Kwa hiyo Wabaptisti waliomba uhuru wa dhamiri, na waliuomba kwa ajili ya watu wote, si kwa ajili yao wenyewe tu.8. Soul liberty and religious liberty. Faith must be free. "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12). No government and no church can force a person to believe, because forced faith is not faith. Baptists therefore asked for freedom of conscience, and they asked for it for all people, not only for themselves.

9. Kutenganishwa kwa kanisa na dola. Kanisa na serikali vina kazi tofauti na havipaswi kudhibitiana. Yesu alisema, "Basi, mpeni Kaisari yaliyo ya Kaisari, na Mungu yaliyo ya Mungu" (Marko 12:17). Wabaptisti wamefundisha kwamba dola lisianzishe wala kuendesha kanisa, na kanisa lisitumie nguvu ya upanga. Hii haimaanishi chuki dhidi ya serikali, wala kwamba waumini wanapaswa kunyamaza katika maisha ya umma.9. Separation of church and state. The church and the government have different tasks and should not control each other. Jesus said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Mark 12:17). Baptists have taught that the state should not establish or run a church, and the church should not use the power of the sword. This does not mean hatred of government or that believers should be silent in public life.

10. Ushirikiano wa hiari kwa ajili ya umisionari. Makanisa ya mahali ni huru, lakini hayako peke yake. Yanajiunga kwa hiari katika vyama na mikutano mikuu ili kutuma wamisionari, kufundisha wachungaji na kusaidiana. Makanisa ya Paulo yalichanga sadaka kwa ajili ya waumini maskini wa Yerusalemu (2 Wakorintho 8 na 9). Ushirikiano ni kwa ridhaa, si kwa amri.10. Voluntary cooperation for missions. Local churches are free, but they are not alone. They join together by choice in associations and conventions to send missionaries, train pastors and help one another. Paul's churches shared an offering for the poor believers in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8 and 9). Cooperation is by consent, not command.

Maungamo: "Hakuna Imani ya Kanuni Ila Biblia"?Confessions: "No Creed but the Bible"?

Wabaptisti mara nyingi husema, "Hatuna imani ya kanuni ila Biblia." Hata hivyo Wabaptisti wameandika maungamo mengi ya imani. Mifano ni Maungamo ya Pili ya London (1689), Maungamo ya New Hampshire (1833), na Baptist Faith and Message (1925, iliyorekebishwa mwaka 1963 na 2000).Baptists often say, "We have no creed but the Bible." Yet Baptists have written many confessions of faith. Examples are the Second London Confession (1689), the New Hampshire Confession (1833), and the Baptist Faith and Message (1925, revised in 1963 and 2000).

Mpinzani anasema huu ni mgongano. Wabaptisti wanajibu kwamba kuna tofauti kati ya imani ya kanuni (creed) na maungamo (confession). Imani ya kanuni, kwa maana ambayo Wabaptisti waliiogopa, ni taarifa inayowekwa na kanisa au serikali kama kipimo kinachofunga dhamiri. Maungamo ni taarifa ya yale ambayo kundi la makanisa yanaamini, iliyoandikwa na makanisa huru na iliyo wazi kusahihishwa na Maandiko. Inasaidia kuwafundisha waumini wapya, kulinda dhidi ya makosa, na kuwaonyesha Wakristo wengine sisi ni nani. Maungamo ya Pili ya London yenyewe huanza na Maandiko Matakatifu kama kanuni ya imani. Kwa hiyo maungamo yanatumikia Biblia na hayaichukui nafasi yake.An objector says this is a contradiction. Baptists answer that there is a difference between a creed and a confession. A creed, in the sense Baptists feared, is a statement imposed by a church or government as a test that binds the conscience. A confession is a statement of what a group of churches believes, written by free churches and open to correction by Scripture. It helps teach new believers, guard against error, and show other Christians who we are. The Second London Confession itself begins with the Holy Scripture as the rule of faith. So the confessions serve the Bible and do not replace it.

Pingamizi na Majibu: Mijadala ya WanahistoriaObjections and Historians' Debates

Pingamizi la 1: Sifa bainifu za Kibaptisti zinawagawa Wakristo. Wengine wanasema kwamba kuweka kanuni kuhusu ubatizo au uongozi wa kanisa kunawatenganisha waumini wanaokubaliana kuhusu Kristo. Hili ni wasiwasi wa dhati. Wabaptisti wanajibu kwamba sifa bainifu ni mambo ya utii, si masharti ya wokovu. Hatusemi kwamba Wakristo wa mapokeo mengine wamepotea. Lakini Bwana alisema kuwafundisha watu wake "kushika yote niliyowaamuru ninyi" (Mathayo 28:20). Tukiamini kwamba aliamuru mfumo kwa ajili ya kanisa lake, hatuwezi kuuchukulia kuwa si muhimu. Tunaweza kushikilia imani zetu kwa uthabiti na bado kuwapenda na kufanya kazi pamoja na waumini wengine.Objection 1: Baptist distinctives divide Christians. Some say that making a rule about baptism or church government splits believers who agree on Christ. This is a sincere concern. Baptists answer that the distinctives are matters of obedience, not conditions of salvation. We do not say that Christians from other traditions are lost. But the Lord said to teach His people "to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20). If we believe He commanded a pattern for His church, we cannot treat it as unimportant. We can hold our convictions firmly and still love and work with other believers.

Pingamizi la 2: Kiini cha kuwa Mbaptisti ni uhuru au mafundisho? Wanahistoria hawakubaliani. Wengine, kama Walter Shurden, wanaeleza utambulisho wa Kibaptisti kama mkusanyiko wa uhuru: uhuru wa Biblia, wa nafsi, wa kanisa na wa dini. Wengine wanasisitiza kwamba Wabaptisti siku zote wamekuwa watu wa maungamo, wanaotambulika kwa imani za pamoja zilizoandikwa katika maungamo. Baadhi ya wanahistoria wanasema maelezo bora ni "wapinzani wa kiinjili" (evangelical dissenters) wanaoshikilia pia sifa bainifu hizi.Objection 2: What is the heart of being Baptist, freedom or doctrine? Historians disagree. Some, such as Walter Shurden, describe Baptist identity as a set of freedoms: freedom of the Bible, of the soul, of the church and of religion. Others stress that Baptists have always been a confessional people, defined by shared beliefs written in confessions. Some historians say the best description is "evangelical dissenters" who also hold these distinctives.

Jibu letu ni kwamba sehemu zote mbili ni za kweli na lazima zishikamane. Uhuru wa Kibaptisti siku zote umemaanisha uhuru wa kumtii Kristo chini ya Neno lake. Haujawahi kumaanisha uhuru kutoka kwa Biblia. Uhuru bila ukweli unapotea njia, na ukweli bila uhuru unakuwa kulazimisha. Vipindi vijavyo vitaonyesha kilichotokea Wabaptisti waliposahau hili, hasa katika karne ya ishirini (Kipindi cha 8).Our answer is that both parts are true and must be kept together. Baptist liberty has always meant freedom to obey Christ under His Word. It has never meant freedom from the Bible. Freedom without truth drifts, and truth without freedom becomes force. Later units will show what happened when Baptists forgot this, especially in the twentieth century (Unit 8).

Pingamizi la 3: Wabaptisti si kanisa moja. Wanatofautiana kuhusu wokovu, kwa hiyo "Mbaptisti" maana yake ni nini? Hii ni kweli. Wabaptisti kwa muda mrefu wamegawanyika kati ya Wabaptisti Wajumla (General Baptists), waliosisitiza kwamba Kristo alikufa kwa ajili ya watu wote, na Wabaptisti Maalum (Particular Baptists), waliosisitiza kwamba alikufa kwa ajili ya wateule wake. Leo mjadala huo mara nyingi huonekana kama Wabaptisti wa Jadi na Wabaptisti wa Kireformed. Wabaptisti wa Hiari Huru (Free Will Baptists) wanafundisha kwamba muumini anaweza kuanguka. Wabaptisti wengi wahafidhina leo, wakifuata Baptist Faith and Message ya 2000, wanafundisha wokovu kwa neema kwa njia ya imani, toleo huru la injili kwa wote, na usalama wa milele wa muumini. Kozi hii inaeleza mitazamo hii kwa haki, na Kozi ya 2 inaichunguza kwa undani. Kinachowaweka Wabaptisti pamoja ni seti ya pamoja ya sifa bainifu zilizo hapo juu, na zinatosha kufanya familia.Objection 3: Baptists are not one church. They disagree on salvation, so what does "Baptist" mean? This is true. Baptists have long been divided between General Baptists, who stressed that Christ died for all, and Particular Baptists, who stressed that He died for His elect. Today the discussion often appears as Traditional Baptists and Reformed Baptists. Free Will Baptists teach that a believer can fall away. Most conservative Baptists today, following the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, teach salvation by grace through faith, the free offer of the gospel to all, and the eternal security of the believer. This course presents these views fairly, and Course 2 studies them in detail. What holds Baptists together is the shared set of distinctives above, and they are enough to make a family.

Matumizi ya KichungajiPastoral Application

Mchungaji Daniel anahudumu katika kanisa dogo la Kibaptisti katika mji mmoja wa Amerika ya Kilatini. Marta, muumini mpya aliyekulia katika kanisa lingine, anamjia baada ya ibada. Shangazi yake alimwambia, "Wabaptisti ni dini ya kigeni yenye umri wa miaka mia moja tu." Marta anataka kubatizwa, lakini ana wasiwasi.Pastor Daniel serves a small Baptist church in a Latin American town. Marta, a new believer who grew up in another church, comes to him after a service. Her aunt told her, "Baptists are a foreign religion that is only a hundred years old." Marta wants to be baptized, but she is troubled.

Mchungaji Daniel anafanya mambo manne. Kwanza, anasikiliza na kuuliza hasa shangazi yake alisema nini, kwa sababu swali la kweli linaweza kuwa kuhusu familia au kuhusu kuhusika. Pili, anafungua Biblia pamoja naye. Anamwonyesha Matendo 2:41 na Mathayo 28:19, na kueleza kwamba ubatizo wa waumini na kanisa la waumini vinatoka katika Agano Jipya na si katika nchi yoyote. Tatu, ni mkweli kuhusu historia. Anasema Wabaptisti wana hadithi ya takriban miaka mia nne, kwamba mara nyingi waliteswa kwa sababu ya imani yao, na kwamba sasa wanapatikana karibu kila nchi. Nne, anasema kwa wema kuhusu shangazi yake na familia yake, na anaomba pamoja na Marta. Hashambulii kanisa la ndugu zake. Anamwalika Marta kumfuata Kristo katika ubatizo atakapokuwa tayari.Pastor Daniel does four things. First, he listens and asks what exactly her aunt said, because the real question may be about family or about belonging. Second, he opens the Bible with her. He shows her Acts 2:41 and Matthew 28:19, and explains that believer's baptism and a church of believers come from the New Testament and not from any country. Third, he is honest about history. He says Baptists have a story of about four hundred years, that they often suffered for their beliefs, and that they are now found in nearly every land. Fourth, he speaks kindly about her aunt and her family, and prays with Marta. He does not attack her relatives' church. He invites Marta to follow Christ in baptism when she is ready.

MuhtasariSummary

Wabaptisti ni Wakristo wa kiinjili wanaoshirikiana na waumini wengine mafundisho makuu ya imani. Jina "Mbaptisti" linatoka katika neno la Kigiriki la kuzamisha na lilianza kwa sehemu kama jina kutoka kwa watu wa nje. Fani hii ya masomo inatumia sifa bainifu kumi: mamlaka ya Maandiko, uanachama wa kanisa wa waliozaliwa upya, ubatizo wa waumini kwa kuzamishwa, Meza ya Bwana kama agizo, uhuru wa kanisa la mahali pamoja na uongozi wa kusanyiko, ofisi mbili, ukuhani wa waumini wote, uhuru wa dhamiri na uhuru wa dini, kutenganishwa kwa kanisa na dola, na ushirikiano wa hiari kwa ajili ya umisionari. Wabaptisti wameandika maungamo yanayotumikia Biblia na hayaichukui nafasi yake. Wanahistoria wanajadili kama utambulisho wa Kibaptisti ni hasa uhuru au hasa mafundisho. Wabaptisti wanajibu kwamba uhuru siku zote umemaanisha uhuru chini ya Neno la Mungu. Wabaptisti wanatofautiana kuhusu wokovu, lakini wanashikilia sifa bainifu hizo kwa pamoja.Baptists are evangelical Christians who share the great doctrines of the faith with other believers. The name "Baptist" comes from the Greek word for immerse and began partly as a label from outsiders. This specialization uses ten distinctives: the authority of Scripture, regenerate church membership, believer's baptism by immersion, the Lord's Supper as an ordinance, local church autonomy with congregational government, two offices, the priesthood of all believers, soul liberty and religious liberty, separation of church and state, and voluntary cooperation for missions. Baptists have written confessions that serve the Bible and do not replace it. Historians debate whether Baptist identity is mainly freedom or mainly doctrine. Baptists answer that freedom has always meant freedom under the Word of God. Baptists differ among themselves on salvation, but they hold the distinctives in common.

Usomaji ZaidiFurther Reading

• H. Leon McBeth, The Baptist Heritage (Urithi wa Kibaptisti) (1987).• H. Leon McBeth, The Baptist Heritage (1987).

• Bill J. Leonard, Baptist Ways: A History (Njia za Kibaptisti: Historia) (2003).• Bill J. Leonard, Baptist Ways: A History (2003).

• David W. Bebbington, Baptists Through the Centuries (Wabaptisti Katika Karne Zote) (2010).• David W. Bebbington, Baptists Through the Centuries (2010).

• Chute, Finn na Haykin, The Baptist Story (Hadithi ya Wabaptisti) (2015).• Chute, Finn and Haykin, The Baptist Story (2015).

• Maungamo ya Pili ya London (1689) na Maungamo ya New Hampshire (1833), vyanzo vya msingi.• The Second London Confession (1689) and the New Hampshire Confession (1833), primary sources.

• The Baptist Faith and Message (Imani na Ujumbe wa Kibaptisti) (2000), Mkutano Mkuu wa Wabaptisti wa Kusini.• The Baptist Faith and Message (2000), Southern Baptist Convention.

• E. Y. Mullins, The Axioms of Religion (Kanuni za Dini) (1908), maelezo ya kawaida ya Kibaptisti ya sifa bainifu.• E. Y. Mullins, The Axioms of Religion (1908), a classic Baptist statement of the distinctives.

• J. M. Pendleton, Church Manual (Mwongozo wa Kanisa) (1867).• J. M. Pendleton, Church Manual (1867).

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