Difference Between Methodist and Baptist | Difference Between [PDF]

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Difference Between Methodist and Baptist • Categorized under Miscellaneous,Religion | Difference Between Methodist and Baptist Methodist vs Baptist

Methodists and Baptists are both Christian faiths that have a lot of similarities but in many ways, also have different views and doctrines.

Both Methodist and Baptist believe in God, the Bible and the works and teaching of Jesus who they accept as  Christ, the savior of humanity. In essence, they both believe in baptism and communion as fundamental sacraments but it is also where their differences lie. Methodists allow the baptism of infants, youth, and adults. They are not discriminating about individuals’ age and mental maturity. They also allow different forms of baptism methods as they perform them with immersion, sprinkling, and pouring. For Methodists, communion is welcome to all. Baptists, on the other hand, perform baptism only to confessing youth and adults. Baptism of infants is not practiced since they believe that it should only be administered

to individuals who are capable of understanding the true meaning of the rite and also capable of understanding faith. Baptists also perform baptism strictly by immersion. They practice closed communion where the table is only open for baptized church members. In terms of governance, the Methodists have bishops where they have an Episcopal organization. Bishops assign pastors to various congregations. However before the bishop takes that action, a consultation with the congregation takes place. Methodist congregations are also linked to one another. Baptists are more independent in terms of governance per congregation. They choose their own pastors.

Baptists maintain the doctrine of the ‘perseverance of saints’ where an expression of ‘once saved, always saved’ prevails. Baptists teach that once one is saved, that

person cannot fall from grace which is completely in conflict with Methodists views. Methodists believe that it is the person’s choice to be saved and one can fall from grace by not following God therefore losing salvation. Based on observation, Baptists tend to be stricter and largely fundamentalists. Their sole basis for faith is the Bible and they consider it infallible. Methodists are more loose and broader in their beliefs. Some can be fundamentalists while some are liberals. They consider their faith based on the Bible, reason, tradition, and personal experience. Summary: 1. Methodists baptize infants while Baptists only baptizes adults and the youth capable of understanding faith. 2. Methodists perform baptism with immersion, sprinkling, and pouring while Baptists do their baptisms only with immersion. 3. Methodists practice open communion in which the rite is open to all while Baptists carry out closed communions. 4. Methodists have a system of Episcopal Hierarchy of governance while Baptists have congregational independence. 5. Methodists give the bishops the authority to assign pastors to congregations while with Baptists, the congregation choose its own pastor. 6. Methodists believe that it is the person’s choosing to be saved while Baptists maintain that once a person saved, the person is always saved and cannot fall from grace. 7. Methodists are generally less fundamental while Baptists are primarily fundamentalists. 287

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125 Comments 1. james August 1, 2010 • 12:48 am I just want to split the hairs with #6. While Baptists believe that “once saved, always saved” they can fall from grace. The “once saved” thing is the admission that “we/I” are sinners and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The whole realizing that that the only way to eternal salvation is Jesus. It doesn’t mean we won’t ever screw up again. It means that we know we will, and that we will be forgiven if asked. That is the distinction. At the “first admittance” we “KNOW” we are screwed up and will screw up again and that our Lord and Savior forgives us. He knows all…soooooo………….if he forgives me once, knowing all….he forgives it all, and there you go. The trick is to live a Christian life. Which neither Methodists or Baptists can do…cause we all screw up. Reply Heather September 12, 2010 • 4:58 pm Amen James! We all fall short of the glory of God. If we could do it perfect just by deciding day by day, there would have been no need for Jesus to die for our sins. Reply mindy August 5, 2012 • 1:26 pm I agree with both statements. Reply joe January 12, 2013 • 1:27 pm I agree with all three statements. Reply Arun Babu August 30, 2017 • 8:47 pm I agree with all four comments Betty Benedict Thompson June 8, 2014 • 9:35 pm Baptist come in many different forms. There are Primitave Baptist, Free will Baptist and too many to list. The beliefs mentioned here are our Southern and Northern Baptist . They used to be joined but now are Seperate. As far as once saved always saved this means that you are saved one time, just like u are borned one time. You can fall from grace however you can go in prayer and be forgiven, you don’t have to be born again. As the old Baptist saying goes,”just stay fessed(confessed)up. Reply Gina February 17, 2011 • 5:21 pm So we all should be Baptist – at least long enough to be saved and then it doesn’t matter what we do or how we live cause we’ll all be saved!!! Awesome!!! Sign me up! Sorry folks, but there’s scripture that conflicts with that: “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire”” (II Peter 2:20-22). “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:4-6). . “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Even good old common sense should make you question the idea of “once saved, always saved” but for those who have been fed this lie in an attempt to make everyone happy in our anything-goes world, please consider the scripture above. Reply STEVEN MEEKINS March 21, 2011 • 10:52 pm I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, AND YET FEEL THAT WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU RECEIVE, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT OF CHRIST WILL CONVICT US OF SIN AND LEAD US TO CONFESS WHICH IS PUT UNDER THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OF SIN AND REMOVE IT FAR FROM US.HENCE, HOLY SPIRIT FILLED,HOLY SPIRIT LED, AND OUR FAITH, AND OUR LOVE AND OUR WALK WILL CHANGE FROM GLORY, TO GLORY. THANK YOU JESUS! GOD BLESS YOU AND GIVE YOU THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. Reply Christina O'Brien May 16, 2011 • 5:38 pm “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:4-6) Gina, you know this is saying that if you truly have tasted the goodness of God and then truly fall away, you will not be renewed again to repentance. This passage says its clear that it is IMPOSSIBLE. If anything this scripture strengthens the idea that when Jesus saves you (He chose you, you didnt choose Him) NO ONE can pluck you from His Hand and as scripture states, Jesus knows those who are His and His sheep know His voice. People will know you are His by your fruit. Reply Nick November 24, 2013 • 10:45 pm But remember in Romans it says that with God nothing is impossible. Besides, the worship and different beliefs aren’t what make us safe from hell, our faith in God saves us, when We choose HIM. And if we don’t choose him, He chooses us; then what was the point of giving us free will to follow him? Reply Craig March 4, 2012 • 9:11 pm Gina, There’s a problem with your theological statement. First, you reference Hebrews. I’ve had friends reference this many times. The problem with Hebrews is that it basically says if you screw up ONCE…you can never go back to Christ. Does that really make sense? Also, Christ tells those who are going to hell “Depart from Me ye Accursed….I never knew you.” If he “NEVER” knew us, then he is a liar for those who were saved, then lost their salvations afterwards….because at one time HE DID know them. The bottom line is this for people who beleive you can lose your salvation. If you believe you can lose your salvation, then there is inherently a performance standard. Meaning, you have to “perform” at some level to keep it, whether its believing at a certain level of doing some “good” to achieve salvation. It’s inescapable. YOU HAVE TO PERFORM. God is very clear that only GRACE saves. Meaning, nothing you do is good enough. There’s no way around it. Can you always perform without making mistakes? All Adam and Eve did was eat an apple and sin prevailed. Can you live perfect after you salvation? I cannot….anytime you sin after salvation you LOSE your salavation, by you own standard. It’s not a graduated scale…its all or nothing. Reply John November 9, 2012 • 11:08 am Interesting perspective Tyler on what is obviously a BIG debate! While I don’t know if you are right or wrong, would be good for you to weigh with other passages like 1 Cor 15:2 and try to keep an open mind on issues like this. While it’s obviously a really important thing to think about, it’s not THE most important thing, is it? When positioning ourselves on these issues, I believe it helps, both us and the people we want to communicate with, to keep the essential in view. I look forward to your reply. God bless, John. Reply Gail June 3, 2015 • 5:16 pm Hebrews is also in the “Old Testiment “. Jesus remedied that when he died for all our sins, What would be the point in Jesus dying on the cross if it was for us all only to able to sin one time each per Christian, when we sin daily! Reply Yovonne September 3, 2015 • 9:19 am Hebrews is in the New Testament. It’s right before James. eric August 15, 2012 • 12:30 pm you are right in that alot of people use this as an excuse. the term was meant to contradict say the lutheran belief that if you sin you must repent for that specific sin right then or you can lose salvation. it was meant to be that if you are saved you cant lose it. where it gets of is when people use it as an excuse to sin and say oh well God forgives me and continue. the once saved always saved makes sense if you look at it like this. if youve truly been saved then yeah youre gonna slip up but you will be sorry for it and work at not doing it. so in sum its a confusing term thas been twisted but if youve truly been saved you wont use it as an excuse to sin. Reply Beth February 16, 2013 • 10:55 pm Agreed. The bottom line is that GOD/JESUS knows what is in our hearts, and our motives for our actions – regardless of our denomination. If you are truly His {or ever were}, it will not be in your heart to turn from Him without guilt/remorse. Therefore, when we fall or stray, our hearts/consciences will draw us back to Him. We will ALL screw up – REPEATEDLY. That’s why He died for His children in the first place. If salvation is an “excuse” to behave sinfully/inappropriately, then the salvation and acceptance of Jesus’ love and forgiveness was never real, and He knows that, despite what we may try to portray. I personally, have always struggled a great deal with “organized religion” and instead try to focus on my individual relationship with Christ. :/ Reply Deborah June 25, 2017 • 1:42 pm AMEN!!! Ward Gillett June 24, 2015 • 3:30 am First of all I would like to say that once you believe and put your trust in Jesus Christ you are saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Salvation is in a person Jesus Christ he paid our debt in full at Calvary when he shed his blood freely for you and I as well as all them that come unto him in faith. Verse 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. John 6:35-37 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me, and believed not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise. The verses you quoted out of Hebrews seem to say something that it is not saying. First of all who is the Book of Hebrews written to it is written to the Christian Jews. The writer of this Book was admonishing the Jewish believer to continue on in their faith. He was telling them that Christ is greater than the Prophets, greater than Moses, Greater than Angels, greater than the law, Greater than the temple sacrifices, and because of this all that they will ever need is in Christ, so his exhorting was not to give up hope. Now their was at this time those that did not believe they were like Simon the sorcerer in the Book of Acts. We have them in the church today they are false conversions they are the hypocrite merely professors not possessors. The trouble with the Hebrews was they were trusting in the law and sacrifices the old covenent. This Book was written before the fall of Rome therefore the Jews were still sacrificing animals which was all vanity. In this portion of scripture Hebrews 10:26-39 it is talking about the sacrifices had lost all efficacy they were useless and these Hebrews were still trusting in these sacrifices. The writer is admonishing them that because these sacrifices are obsolete it is Christ or Judgment there is no other way for salvation other than the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The problem that they the Hebrews were facing was they heard the truth preached about the efficacy of Jesus Christ sacrifice but they were holding to the old covenant which was dead, and not putting their faith in the new covenant which was in Christ Jesus. These verse have nothing to do with once saved always saved. But have to do with are you saved. We today have people in our congregations that have not trusted the Blood sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They sit through the preaching of the gospel but won’t repent won’t come to Jesus when the alter call is given. They are trusting in their works to get them to heaven they believe they are a good person and by their deed they will be rewarded. This is the same attitude the Hebrews had they were trusting in their works the sacrificial law to save them the deeds of the priests and blood sacrifice. They were still trusting in Moses. These were unbelieving Hebrews in the midst of believing Hebrews. The writer was encouraging the Believers to continue to grow in faith and practice and he was warning the unbelieving Hebrews that trusting in the old covenant was futile and because of them trusting in the old they were bound for Judgment because they didn’t believe in God’s report nor his gift. Reply Ericka July 18, 2015 • 9:17 pm Gina, I truly apologize to you for you have been misguided in ignorance… If you have read the ENTIRE scripture instead of just that small section you would have saw that that specific mindset of believing that one can not return to his God was recognized as “elementary teachings” in Hebrews 6:1… Then reading forward in Hebrews 6:9 it says “Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation”. Sooooo. It is saying that those thoughts/mindsets are of ignorance because of God’s grace. Thank you for the input though, it was great!!! Ericka. Reply Bob June 12, 2016 • 10:50 pm The difference between the two positions can be illustrated by answering the question, “What must I do to go to Heaven?” The typical Baptist would say, it’s repentant faith. Romans 10 says to believe in your heart. When you exercise genuine repentant faith, a change will take place in your life. You will be a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) with a desire to know and serve God. God changed my life when I was born again, 51 years ago. That is salvation by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). The good works of the Christian life come as a result of salvation (Eph. 2:10). The typical born again Methodist would say the same thing. However they would add that you must be living the Christian life at the time of your death, or you will not to to Heaven. They normally won’t admit it, but their system of belief teaches that you are saved by faith, but to get to Heaven you have to have faith plus works. Reply Steven January 18, 2017 • 8:33 am When Jesus Himself says, no one can pluck a believer out of His hands, then that’s it. What Jesus says is final. He is God. Paul is not God and Paul’s “opinions” are his opinions in some letters to the churches. Jesus said, whatever He heard from the Father he has made it known. The epistles have to be interpreted from the light of the gospel, not vice versa. NO offense intended to Paul or the epistles. Reply Lance February 6, 2017 • 8:03 pm in response to Gina, I have to ask what the Methodist understanding in Paul would be. Is he one of the great teachers and authors of the NT? If that is the case then he too had the problem we all have. I am referencing Romans 7:15-20 where he says he stumbles and does the things he knows are wrong and he teaches against, but cannot help himself. I think it all comes down to the heart of the person. If they have nagging feeling of wrong doing after asking forgiveness then yes they have an issue in their heart. However, if what you are doing is lingering in your brain and heart that you need to make an attempt as Paul talks about in these verses then you fall under the Romans 3:20 where all sin and fall short. It doesn’t say all sinned and fell short. It makes the reference to mine and your here and now. The present tense. I am glad I came across this site. I love having theological discussion. It is a great way to learn. I have had theologies that I thought I knew and understood until I began to study them in school. I quickly found out that just having it told to you is correct is not always the best. Gina, I’m not saying you are wrong and I am right by any means. I think we both are wrong in many parts of this issue and others. I don’t think anyone will fully understand what is 100% until the Perfect returns! When the Heavens are opened to us and our eyes are opened to God’s reality. All we do know without a doubt is that no one comes to the Father except through Jesus! Thanks for your time and I mean absolutely no ill will. Just a little more to look at for you as you did for me with your scripture references! Thanks again and God Bless! Reply Nina April 14, 2017 • 2:13 pm Using Hebrews 6 & Revelation 20, your final statement is a direct contrast. These scriptures clearly state it is impossible for one who has been saved to lose salvation, but they will suffer loss of rewards; as in the crown of life for dedication Reply Mike June 3, 2017 • 4:05 pm So by your logic, Paul, who claimed to be the chief of sinners, is in hell now? Reply Ron Payne August 1, 2017 • 12:03 am I’m glad my bible says , Grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby we are SEALED until the day of redemption. Reply Melanie August 17, 2017 • 11:43 pm I see the texts you mentioned above but not once does it say we need to be continually baptized. We are all human and fall short of grace. We all sin..even after being baptized. The difference is that we as Christian Baptists, once accepting JESUS into our hearts, know that we will ultimately sin again..even though we may try very hard not to. (Yes there are those who go a time without HIM but ultimately we are pulled back by JESUS.) Then once we have sinned we are to ask for JESUS’ forgiveness again.( this does not mean we go out and sin again for the love of it.) this just means we have fallen short..but JESUS already knew we would and he died for us anyway. Peter is telling us this in the Bible for that purpose…to maybe warn us of the guilt we would face…let me explain-to truly accept JESUS into our hearts and to have a relationship with HIM and to know how much he suffered on that cross..(WHEN JESUS DIED HE DIED THEN FOR OUR SINS NOW) …well, would you want to be the one who acknowledges that we put more of that hurt on HIM, after we gave our heart to HIM and then to go and sin again (causes more guilt on ones soul don’t ya think?) Reply Shaylee Sanchez September 2, 2017 • 11:00 pm Wow Gina, U taught me something, and I respect that.. everything U wrote.. I respect that. U showed me scripture in a different light. I know all to well, how people who live crooked lives, but live behind” well I was baptized, so now I can do whatever I want” it’s crazy . I DO NOT BELIEVE ” once saved always saved.” No one should teach that. They should be ashamed for doing it. Reply Liz October 12, 2017 • 4:18 am Absolutely not true. Yes, we will always screw up again after being saved, because we’re still in our flesh! But those who are saved will repent again. Some will come to know what righteousness is, act like they accept it, but God knows the heart, and if their heart is not with him, they will not stay! If you believe you can lose your salvation once you have really and truly believed, then you believe in salvation by faith PLUS works, because you’re saying you have the power to DO something to save yourself! Only God has that power! I’ve asked many people who exhibit a real heart for God if there is ANYTHING that could make them want to leave God’s saving race, and I have yet to find someone who agrees something could! If you truly recognize your need for a savior, and then accept the only one who CAN save you, I don’t believe there is ANYTHING thought could make someone who truly knows their creator personally, leave that creator for darkness. Those who can say “I WAS a Christian, and now I’m not”, well there isn’t a chance in hell they know the God I know!! Sorry!! Reply Rich February 24, 2012 • 2:01 pm To add to what you said and agree with what said thay we know we are sinners and that we are NOT perfect but by God’s grace we are saved. Its not based on what we do but on what we believe. We were screw up up and come to the Father and ask for forgive, it has to be genuin/real. There has to be true repentence and conviction in asking for forgiveness. You can’t live life getting high, getting drunk, etc. because thats what you want to do and then come ask God to forgive you. It doesnt work that way! You can’t fool God. He knows those who belong to Him and those that are living for themselves. Reply Patrick November 12, 2012 • 10:49 am but one’s faith can waiver, can it not? No one is saved by their actions alone, but by their faith. I have seen the faithful turn away in later years. Reply Kim February 13, 2013 • 11:17 pm When Jesus died on the cross he died and forgave us for ALL our sins. Past, Present and Future. It is 02/13/2013. I am 54 years old. If I live to be 60 then All the sins I commit between now and then Jesus has already forgiven me. There is only one sin Jesus didn’t forgive us for on the cross. It is the sin that sends a person to Hell. It is the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. One a person asks Jesus to forgive them of that sin a save them then Jesus does the same thing that he does with all sin He cast it as far as the east is from the west and forgets it. Psalm 103:12 That being said: How can a person who has asked Jesus to forgive them of rejecting him commit that sin again after he has already forgiven them and saved them? Jesus said. “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. John 5:24. We all will sin but if we have ask Jesus to save us then that is it. We are saved for eternity. Reply ck hill March 5, 2015 • 12:28 am Kim. Agreed and well said! Reply Mary Zula June 23, 2014 • 10:36 pm I agree totally with James. Reply bill January 23, 2015 • 1:28 pm Amen brother. Reply Amber August 14, 2015 • 10:00 pm I was raised Baptist as well, and upon reading that I was caught off guard because our pastor taught us that although we are saved doesn’t mean that if you go off track and begin to sin over and over again means if you die during that time (while you’re sinning and not repenting) you automatically go to heaven just because you were once saved! I was taught that if you sin again knowingly you must ask again for forgiveness (thus asking for God to save you again). You can’t just be saved and sin and think just because you were once saved it’s ok and you’re automatically forgiven without asking for his forgiveness and salvation again and expect to get to heaven. I think that’s a high misconception of Baptists. It said Baptist believe that once saved a person is always saved and cannot fall from grace, that’s simply untrue from my upbringing in the Baptist church, one CAN fall from grace but can also be saved again and repent his/her sins by asking Christ for forgiveness and to save him or her. Also the #3 “Baptists carry out closed communions” this was NOT the case in my church! We NEVER turned ANYONE away from the the church rather we were having communion or not, and if we were everybody in the church was allowed to participate!!!! Reply Mike June 3, 2017 • 4:15 pm There is no being “resaved”. You ask forgiveness of your Heavenly Father because of Who He is. We saved are His children by adoption. Our flesh will continue sinning and battling temptation but the repentant heart actively seeks God’s Will and favor. Reply Liz October 12, 2017 • 4:22 am We never turn anyone away from communion either, the pastor simply admonishes that anyone who partakes of the Lord’s supper should know in their heart that they have accepted Jesus as their savior, otherwise partaking in the communion is an insult to God and a sin. I was partaking long before I became a member, and I’ve seen many guests partaking (and without being grilled about their affiliation first!) Reply Debby October 1, 2015 • 9:50 am Jesus only died ONCE for us ALL so, why would there be a need to be saved over and over and over and over? When we KNOW we are doing wrong………..we confess our sins to the Lord and ask for forgiveness and yes, he forgives and also forgets. If YOU can’t forget then, satan now plays HIS role. Reply Holcomb August 5, 2016 • 2:11 am Well if you can undo what God did the moment he saved you then you have more power than him. If you can lose your salvation the devil would have to go through the blood to take it from you then he would be a saved devil. I don’t see how church of Christ pentecostal and all them make it every time a dirty thought enters their head and they gotta get saved again. News flash Spurgeon, Graham, Stanley and even you all have one thing in common. Human nature and because of this we are not perfect. If SELF keeps me in Jesus hands I am in trouble. All of us are. We don’t have a license to sin and not 1 baptist preacher teaches that we do, not even the free Willie’s. Reply John October 18, 2016 • 12:19 am I have heard a Baptist preacher say that once you are saved, no one, not even you, can do anything to cause you to lose your eternal salvation. The only thing that might happen, he said, is that if you are too bad, God might call you home early for being a bad example. So, I understand, a Baptist thinks that once he has the shakes, has “accepted Jesus,” and is “saved,” he can lie, cheat, steal, or do worse, and there is no jeopardy to his eternal salvation. It is no wonder that the medieval church tried to suppress these hooligans, since they are threat to the public safety and order. Reply Melanie August 18, 2017 • 12:09 am That preacher told you wrong and I’ve never heard that before. After your truly saved ..the HOLY SPIRIT resides in you and tries to guide you in the right direction. If someone truly knows CHRIST they wouldn’t go on a sinning spree. Reply donice October 23, 2016 • 9:00 am Yes, I agree with you about once saved always saved, otherwise we are living by works and the death of Jesus Christ was for nothing. People are confused with the word works. Man always falls short, we can’t make our way to heaven by what we do, only by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal savor. Our “fruits is our works” as a testimony of our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. If someone says they are a believer but do the works of evil you have to question if they are a true believer. That’s why God says we can judge the works of man to protect ourselves from the evil one”wolves” that seek out to tare down the testimony of Jesus Christ. This article is wrong about baptist believe baptism is only for teens and adults. I am a Baptist and was baptized at the age of 7 years old. We believe that it needs to be the persons choice to believe in Jesus Christ and to follow Him ,no one else can make that decision for him/her.. I understood who Jesus Christ was and that He died for me because he loves me as he also loves you and is calling you to come to HIM. All you need to do is ask Jesus to come into your heart and to forgive you of your sins and it is done, your His. See the miracle of God transforming your life. Reply Mike October 26, 2016 • 11:19 am I’ve been a baptist my whole entire. Listen up, the once saved always saved is how Calvinist believe and sadly there are “Baptist” Calvinists. Also don’t categorize all Baptist under how they believe about salvation. Once saved always saved is false doctrine.Unfortantly Many Americans “baptist” believe that. Others deny that they are Calvinist because they believe that way. But you got to face the truth, the first person to perpose this was John Calvin. John Calvin was a evil person he killed a lot people in who got in his way. His is most famous for the predestined salvation and the “once saved always saved” doctrine. I’m schocked how many Christian fall in to this trap. I can give verses after verses but all you might/will do is interpret the verese the way you see it. Reply Larry August 22, 2017 • 7:31 pm Sad! What you just said is, if a “saved” person commits a sin (thought, deed, omission, whatever) and postpones, forgets, gets side tracked, God is so lacking of mercy and His Grace is so ineffective, that the Blood of Christ shed on the Cross can’t help that person! you just said, God is such a tyrant, such an unreasonable Deity, He refuses to take account of the fact “All have sinned and fallen short”, that knowing this, God of Abraham will cast all of those that have professed a faith in His Son Jesus! It’s as though you are saying God sent His Son to die knowing it would do no good!! You need help, and good luck living up to that impossible standard, you, even you will need to admit you have committed acts and/or thoughts God considers sin and you did not and didn’t ask forgiveness for!! You’ve build a gallows in-which you yourself will be hung! don’t cast away God’s Mercy, Grace and Love for man. Don’t sell short the shed blood of Jesus and his sacrafice. I will not quote scripture to you, not because I don’t have them to support my position, but because I’d rather pray for you and ask you pray for yourself to God for understanding. I Love you, and do pray you have an answer from on High! Reply alan white January 12, 2017 • 3:57 pm I completely agree with with you because if screwing up once we’ve been saved would cause us to lose our salvation, that would mean that the blood of Jesus was not enough to sustain us and that it was all for nothing and if that was the case nobody would be saved because we are all sinners til death under the grace of God through the Blood of Jesus. Therefore, as Jesus said that no one can pluck you from His hand nor seperate you for his love. Reply 2. Chris December 3, 2010 • 12:27 pm I think that a huge error has been allowed to become “truth” among many Baptists as well as other denominations around the Once Saved Always saved idea. Do I believe that once you are saved that you always are?. … ABSOLUTELY!! The problem that I have witnessed is that a very crucial Biblical truth is and has been overlooked by far to many churches and that has to do with “good works” and “fruitfullness”. There are many people that have “asked for forgiveness of sin and asked for Jesus to come into their lives” but that is as far as it ever went. They may have “asked” but their asking was not done so with a truely “giving” heart. They held back something, they didn’t fully give of themselves and die to themselves because they have many “physical things and desires” that they never intended to give up. These are the poeple that come to church every Sunday, listen to a sermon and then leave and that is the full extent of their devotion and giving of themselves to Jesus Christ. I was that way for 20 years so I know that being like that is NOT salvation! When I truely gave my life to Jesus I FELT the indweling of the Holy Spirit and I still feel Him today. He lives in us and Jesus Christ OWNES us from that point on. He does not let go of His Children once He ownes us and lives within us and we likewise would NEVER have the slightest desire to turn from Him once we have Him living in us. Once you have salvation your live is new, changed and different. You SEEK in every way to spread the gospel and to love your neighbor. You cannot sit idle any longer because you are driven to serve! Nowhere is it Biblical that you can be “born again” then “die again” and then be “born again” and so on!!! It happens only ONCE and it lasts ALWAYS just as Jesus promised. Look around your church! Are the poeple serving their Lord or are they just sucking Him dry by being hypocrits listening and praising for 1 hour and then going about life in all of its fleshly ways. The lost fill our churches and they are clueless to their fate exept for those that just keep getting tugged at by God to get it right once and for all. Reply Jesse Martin December 28, 2010 • 2:36 pm Chris, well said. I once decided for Christ too, but never became born-again until I was about 30 a decade later. Although there is a little hypocrisy in everyone, there are far too man real hypocrites destined for hell in the churches. This is why Jesus addresses them specifically. Worst thing is, they don’t realize it. Part of their choice to have their road not Gods ended with them finding teachers who don’t call them out and convict them. Reply Tee February 21, 2011 • 10:20 pm Hi Gina, Sorry to deviate from the topic, but I’m curious as to your interpretation of Hebrews 6:4-6. I understand you believe in conditional security, but do you believe that one can lose salvation and then be regenerated again? In all serious, have you ever falled from grace and then returned? If so, how many times? Reply Lyn May 18, 2011 • 5:18 pm Asking forgiveness of sins seems like a waste of time considering the Trust that I have in the Word.. However I do believe that one should acknowledge his sin and confess it and God is faithful to forgive. JOhn 1vs9. There is a big difference really between confessing a sin and asking forgiveness. Christ paid the penalty for the sins of the world that day at Calvary for the forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation to God. Once and for all , sins committed in the past, present and even future sins..Is this a license to sin? Certainly not, but a believer has the priveledge of benefiting from the act or price that was paid. Asking the Lord to forgive me over and over for sins that I commit means that I dont trust that HE has forgiven me in the first place..HE chastises those He loves. When we sin we reap what we sow. And no chastening seems to be joyous in the present but grevious.. Nevertheless afterwards it yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness to those who are exercised by it.. My belief is that once someone is TRULY saved then he or she is always saved.. Because it is impossible to fail when you understand that His mercy does endure forever.. And sooner or later a believer will learn to be greatful and display gratitude in their ways because of what He has done and for what He is doing. His favor to mankind is irrevocable to those who believe. Meaning He cannot be unfaithful and take away our hope of eternal LIFE that He has given. So I will say this to encourage all who are reading and believe, please dont think that because you are in the grips of sin that the Love of God doesnt have the power to free you from it. It was an instant release that day at Calvary. Learn to be free as you practice anything that you have learned or heard or seen in Him. Search scripture to find out what His will is for your Life and experience the enthusiasm He gives as you do so. And grow to be strong in the Lord , a mature christian that will be able to effectually minister to a perishing world, this hope that we have.. And most importantly Study to show thyself approved, so that when the evil one presents himself with contradictions to the Word you will have the wisdom that will put him to flight.. Stand for the defense of the gospel and let no false doctrine steal your joy.. Peace and God bless you Reply Brandi March 2, 2013 • 2:45 pm Walk by Faith Not by Sight.. Is the best way to start this off.. Once you’re saved and have asked true forgiveness and repented for your wrongful sins you have a sense of “newness.” Feeling great, whole and so much better about life.. Though If you don’t change people, places, and things and you continue to live the same life you fall into being a Hypocrite. Therefor you fall from the grace of God.. But you cannot fall to far, For God is always just a prayer away.. He Forgives because that is holiness, he sets a path for us as humans to be holy like he is.. Most people walk by Sight and not by Faith soo they loose their way.. You can fall away from not renewing your mind, You can fall away by not changing your surroundings that caused the sin in the first place.. God made a sacrifice, Jesus made a sacrifice it shows that us as humans have to make a sacrifice to be holy like him and live a righteous life.. You can choose to walk away from God’s grace by doing wrong, however your conscious and gut will tell you it isn’t right.. Then it is still up to you on how your react to it.. IGNORE IT JESUS WILL STILL TRY TO TALK TO YOU AND GET YOU BACK TO THE RIGHT PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, BECAUSE ONCE YOU CLAIM HIM: HE CLAIMS YOU FOREVER.. DENY HIM AND HE WILL DENY YOU TO HIS FATHER UPON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT.. FOR GOD CANNOT LOOK ONTO ANYTHING THAT IS NOT HOLY, THEREFOR WE NEED TO BE COVERED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LORD TO REACH THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUS.. We can do things to become unholy to the lord.. Jesus ALWAYS forgive until you deny him.. Only then upon a change of life and a true pure repentance will you become covered in the blood again and guaranteed the eternal life he has waiting for us.. I SEEN A-LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE FORGOT TO MENTION THIS.. FOR THE FACT THAT JESUS WILL ALWAYS BE THERE UNTIL WE DENY HIM.. FOR HIS FATHER CANNOT LOOK ONTO ANYTHING UNHOLY.. THERE FOR BEING A HYPOCRITE WILL DENY US OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST AND THEREFORE LOOSE SALVATION.. On the debate of Once Forgiven Always Forgiven or IF the person is choosing to be saved is definitely debatable.. However you cannot expect to be forgiven and still live your same life expecting to have the eternal treasures the Lord has in store for us.. Hypocrites need constant repentance but a true follower a truly holy person has no need to repent.. But we should all ALWAYS have the desire to Thank him, Love him, and Show how faithful his love is.. Reply JUSTIN BARFIELD January 8, 2015 • 12:47 pm MY NAME IS JEFF Reply IlaClare April 29, 2017 • 8:30 pm Hello Jeff. Does Jeff stand for Jeffy, and if so, do you like apples? Reply Mark April 29, 2013 • 4:51 pm Gina simply referenced scripture and now so called “Christians” are debating scripture which is the word of God. “Once saved – always saved” contradicts many other scriptures and is a trick and lie of Satan delivered from the pulpit in God’s name by so-called pastors. As demonstrated right here in this forum it is held in higher regard than the bible itself. This doctrine will send many to hell because they choose the lie cause it sounds so nice. Salvation is a DAILY walk not a one time experience. The New Testament church is to be baptized in the Holy Ghost and fire with the sign of speaking in tongues which is also clear in the Bible which is also not taught in most denominations and the primary reason “Christians” do not have the power to live above Satan’s works and are left confused and looking for a way to explain why they cannot live what is in the Bible! Here is a good source for powerful, true preaching of God’s word: http://www.mtmww.com Reply GraceGRL July 13, 2015 • 3:08 pm You have it backwards. Walking daily with Jesus is the mark of a tie believer (the perseverance of the saints). Walking daily, in and of itself, is not what saves you. If you believe that, you believe salvation is not by Grace alone, but by the work you do each day. you are saying you have to save yourself! And no one walks a perfect walk, so no one would ever get saved. Can believing in “once saved, always saved” lead to complacency? Yes! but a true salvation will not. Can believing that you can lose your salvation lead to fear? Yes! And that leads to a works based faith…because you have to do the work to keep your salvation. A Christian should be doing good works because they love Jesus and want to live for Him, not because they think it is a requirement for salvation. Reply Ananas bananas March 15, 2015 • 5:39 am WELL SAID!!!.You are borne again, When you walk with Jesus and Holy Spirit dwells in you !!! When it happens you are ganged person, you don’t WANT to be the person you were once before. Yes, that’s true that we cant do anything and our work doesn’t save us. we are saved by HIS ALMIGHTY GRACE. But it doesn’t mean we can continue to live the way we lived before we have been saved. Truly saved person has a personal and unique encounter with Jesus!!!Do you really think you can meet him and stay the same after that? If you don’t feel that you are a new person and you don’t see this world with different eyes then you need to question if you are truly HIS!!!. Ask him and he will answer.Seek his face , pray and fast then he will let himself know Reply 3. Chuck March 19, 2011 • 6:08 am For god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life!!! Where does it say you arent saved if you sin??? If you are a true christian then you struggle everyday to be Christ like.or “Christian” if you sin you repent. If you continue to violate the terms you have made with god then you are not truly wanting forgiveness as you are truly not trying to be like Christ. Sure we are not perfect. Thats why Christ died, He loved us that much!!! If you truly love him and are saved you will do your best to ask your self in every situation “WWJD?” What would Jesus do… I love you all… Reply STEVEN MEEKINS March 21, 2011 • 11:03 pm WELL SAID CHUCK, I DON’T KNOW ANY WAY GOD COULD HAVE MADE IT CLEARER, OR EASIER. HE GAVE EVERY MAN A MEASURE OF FAITH TO BELIEVE AND RECEIVE. JESUS TOLD US HIS YOKE IS EASY.HE SENT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP US WITH THE TRUTH. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT EVERY ONE ELS, BUT I HAVE SCREWED UP MORE THAN ONCE SINCE I’VE BEEN SAVED. AND I THANK GOD FOR SETTING UP A SALVATION PLAN FOR A SINNER LIKE ME. THANK YOU JESUS! IT’S NOT OVER, IT’S AN EVERY DAY WALK! Reply 4. Ron Denton March 20, 2011 • 10:43 pm One correction about Baptists. Some Baptist churches believe that Communion is for ANY saved person not just ‘Church Members’. Reply Lyn May 18, 2011 • 5:56 pm A sacrament that teaches all Christians that we must all be partakers in Christs sufferings.. And if left open for discussion can introduce the message of the cross and the entire gospel…. Just like the sacrament of Baptism. Reply JUSTIN BARFIELD January 8, 2015 • 12:47 pm 21 Reply 5. STEVEN MEEKINS March 21, 2011 • 11:05 pm IF I CAN WITNESS ABOUT MY FAITH TO YOU,AND HELP IN ANYWAY TO SHARE GOD’S WORD,PLEASE CONTACT ME. GOD BLESS. Reply 6. Shane Long April 4, 2011 • 2:19 pm Yeah, could anybody tell me the difference between a Baptist and a Presbyterian or a Lutheran? Reply 7. Shane Long April 4, 2011 • 2:20 pm Just curious. Reply 8. Tristin June 23, 2011 • 6:04 pm Okay y’all, I’m 14 I was raised all my young life in a babtist church. But recently I have been going to a methodist church. But really, they are all the same. It doesn’t matter about the church what they do, we all worship jesus christ the true lord and savior right? Yes, I’m a teenager, I have done stuff that I shouldn’t have. I’m trying to make a relationship with christ. but I know I will never fully understand all of this until I’m older. But, the lord god is always there for us, weather we have turned our backs on him not worshiped him, or not tryed to be more like him every day. He is ALWAYS there. Always there to love and pull us back to him no matter what we have done. So even though I go to a methodist church I still believe “Once saved, ALWAYS saved”. I rest my case. Reply Amanda July 11, 2011 • 12:02 am Tristin i agree, i am only 15 and i have only been a believer for about 5 months now. i’ve been reading recently about the branches of Christianity and the differences between each one i am baptized in believer’s baptism, the conclusion i’ve come to is this when we’re saved the Holy Spirit is with us, i don’t think it ever leaves us. now we may run all the way out in left field, but we’re never unsaved. as far as out right rejecting God and closing your heart to him and turning away compleatly, i’m not sure. but what i do know is this, it’s not about the number of works any of us do, it’s about a personal relationship with God, and the only way we grow in that personal relationship is through a quiet time in prayer and bible study. so in conclusion i don’t think it matters, in the end, how you were baptized either full immersion, sprinkling, or pouring, and all those fine technical differences as long as at the end of the day you can lay your head down on your pilliow knowing you did your best that day to be the very best Christian you can be. Christianity isn’t just beliefs… it’s a lifestyle, if you’re not changed by God’s Word every time you read it or hear it… i’d be concerned Reply Connie October 30, 2011 • 12:08 pm To Amanda and Tristin…God bless you little angels…yall are on the right path and just reading what yall wrote touched my heart and soul . I was raised as a baptist , I know I havent always lived right but I know He is always with me. I am 41 and I just lost my 18 year old and her boyfriend in a car wreck on July 30th and It has been the hardest thing for me, I miss those kids more everyday..but thanks to God Im getting thru..and thats why Im on hear trying to find out the differences between baptist and methodist My 18 year old, Taylor was raised in church and I havent really went since the birth of my 6 year old even though my faith has always been there…but I need my 6 year old to learn and be raised in church and her dad suggested methodist..both sounds awesome most of same beliefs but I am a baptist so thats were Im staying …now to find the right church again for us… Reply 9. Jane August 21, 2011 • 12:20 am I am a christian… I believe in God the Father, in His son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I believe that our Father God loves us so much that he let His son who He loved more than any human, die for all humanity’s sins. I believe we are loved, “saved”, from conception, and we draw ourselves from our heavenly Father, as we can draw ourselves from earthly father. What do you think? Reply 10. Misty September 29, 2011 • 1:40 pm I had been raised in a strict Southern Baptist home. I ended up going to a Freewill Baptist church in my teen years. I do not believe that we are all saved from conception, in infancy we are innocent, no need to save us then. The first sin is committed when we learn right and wrong, but we are not accountable until we are old enough to understand FAITH. I also believe that we should be baptized in the same way that was good enough for Jesus, not just a trickle or a splash. I do not believe “once saved always saved”. I believe that once you place your faith in God, you become MORE accountable for sins. The first instance of being born again is the act (in the heart and in the congregation) of professing faith and asking for forgiveness. Then Baptism, then acknowledging your struggles with sin on an everyday basis in prayer and devotion. You have to acknowledge these things, you have to ask for forgiveness. There are times in our lives that we have walked so far away from God, after our initial baptism, that when we make our way back, the act of baptism is a cleansing rite. It in not necessary after the first time but I think mentally it helps us feel “cleaner”. Just because we were saved and baptized, does not mean that we are going to heaven, it isn’t a get out of jail free card. It means that we have opened our hearts to God, asked for forgiveness, and are attempting a closer walk with Him. I also do not think that it matters what church you go to. I am sure that even in a Methodist church, a person can request a creek baptism if they so felt it was necessary. I am not aware of any church in the christian faith that does not preach from the Bible (excluding Mormon) so it is not blasphemy to worship in a Methodist church if you are Baptist, it is all about your personal convictions. Not only in is it about what we feel in our hearts, its about our personal relationship with God and our devotion to our own understanding of the Bible. Some Christians are lazy and never read the Word, until they are told to Sunday morning. They only hear their preachers interpretation of it, yes God does speak through our pastors, but not always. I think alot of Southern Baptists fall under this category, not all, but alot. For some reason Southern Baptist preachers are the be all end all in the congregation, if the preacher is against having a TV in the home than, the whole church backs him on this, or if he demonizes a teen mom, then the rest of the congregation shuns her. I have seen it happen more than once. Methodist churches are more liberal, in my experience, in their views of other people. They accept the sinners, not the sin, whereas Baptists seem to only want Christians only to fill their pews, in my experience. I do not want to offend anyone, these are my own personal views and experiences. Reply Frett January 21, 2012 • 10:48 am Thank you, Misty! That is a pretty well-thought out statement of your beliefs. Bravo! Just a small point of correction: Mormons do preach from the Bible–they also preach from the Book of Mormon. “…In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” 2 Corinthians 13:1 Reply 11. David January 7, 2012 • 11:41 am So because the thief on the cross never “bore” fruit then Jesus lied in saying the thief would be with Him in paradise? Curious perfection and work a Methodist believes in a truly “Saved” person. Reply Steph August 28, 2014 • 1:04 pm That’s a good word, Brother. Reply 12. Roger January 18, 2012 • 12:12 pm Its not what church you go to, or what denomination the church is that matters. It is your heart. If you truly have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior the Holy Spirit will convict you of EVERY sin you commit. There are scriptures that support both sides of the “saved always” discussion. God must get a laugh at us immortals trying to know everything and if we don’t, then its not true. Remember that Jesus kept telling the disciples “but I tell you….” There is so much that we just do not understand because we focus on the small stuff and keep our eyes on ourselves. Worrying more about our relationship with Him and daily trying to grow more “Christ-like” will make this question disappear. Reply 13. Tony February 1, 2012 • 11:30 am The sign of true acceptance and love for Christ is knowledge and obedience (John 14:21). If we say we have accepted Christ, but continue living according to the world’s standards, then John in 1 John clearly says we are not saved. We decieve ourselves. Thinking you can loose your salvation will lead you to an unbiblical works based line of reasoning, or compete loss of all hope altogether. Did you accept Christ, but fall away and now living according to the world, but is there a part of you that knows it is wrong? That is a sign that when you accepted Christ before that it was a real acceptance. Repent now, ask for forgiveness, and share your testimony with others. Did you accept Christ, but fall away and are now living according to the world, with no conviction in your heart. You are not saved. You did not truly accept Christ. Repent now, ask for forgiveness, and share your testimony with others. Reply Adelissa June 16, 2012 • 4:16 pm Thank you, Tony. I was questioning my salvation and the salvation of some family members (although no one knows their heart but God) after a bad patch with a lot of things happening to me including depression where I just couldn’t pray and read my bible. What you said made sense, at least in my case. I feel tremendous guilt that I am not as close to Jesus as I should be, and that I never measure up, and often take back control of my life without meaning to, and then I realize what I am doing and confess and the process repeats. I know the fact that it bothers me means I was and am saved. It is a journey, some of us run, some barely crawl but it is the general direction your life is going that shows the fruit of your salvation. I know without a doubt I would be willing to die for my faith. It is dying to myself and my desires on a daily basis that is so challenging. I would never brag of my “license to sin” or take it for granted. I think that is the difference between truly being saved and saying okay I prayed the prayer, I am going to heaven, cross that off the to do list, and going on with life with never a backward glance. I am thankful his Grace is sufficient. I ask God to help me continue to live for him daily, but I do fail. I am a child of God saved by grace and I know He will never leave me nor forsake me. AMEN. Reply 14. Brandi February 13, 2012 • 12:34 am Thank you ALL for your posts. God bless Reply 15. Winston March 11, 2012 • 9:16 pm please stop!just live with Christ until the Second Coming! Reply 16. anthony bell March 14, 2012 • 7:48 pm Our salvation is not and never will be in our possession so we cannot lose it. Moreover the blood of Christ washes our sins ( Christains) read peter Reply 17. lee March 26, 2012 • 2:44 pm thanks everyone we all have a part right be cause we only know in parts and speak in parts , this is why the devil like to separate us with confusion and misunderstandings ( 1 cor. 13 tru out) LOVE LOVE LOVE Reply 18. Rebecca L June 19, 2012 • 8:27 pm Hi all. I’m 27 years old and was raised southern baptist. and I will sadly admit that I have not gone to worship in a while. My son is 2, I just gave birth to a baby girl. And my stepdaughter is catholic and her mother will not allow us to bring her to church services on the weekends that we have her. Makes it really hard to become part of a community. But all the while I know what my convictions are and I know with all of my being that God will not punish me for not going to worship. I worship everyday in my own personal actions. Choosing a church is not so much about beliefs or religion, but about faith and community. It’s alot easier to stay on the right path with friends and a group who helps to keep you moving forward with his word. I will be the teacher and installer or Gods spirit and light in my children. Their faith will inevitably be strong because of what I instill, however I am currently looking for a church to bring them to so that they will have that sense of community…. A means to keep their hands and minds from being idol and keeping God in it and in their hearts. I believe that we will be going to the Methodist church however because I do not believe that once you are baptized, or saved, that you will forever be saved in his eyes. If a murdered was once saved, but then committed this heinous crime, will he be forever forgiven just because he was saved before. Will his victim be sharing the streets of heaven with him? Try telling that to the victims family. I believe that saved or not saved, baptized or not, God will look into our souls, our hearts, and judge us based on who we are. And where we stand in his eyes. He loves us all yet he will be the true judge and jury when that day comes. Your heart will bare all. Because I believe that when God meant saved, he didn’t mean it in the literal sense, of immersing in water and then your done. But more of an enlightenment. A personal enlightenment. You can be baptized or saved and have the darkest soul, but I have faith that God will see that. Reply 19. David H June 30, 2012 • 12:21 pm Thanks. Great article. I think it’s pretty spot on. It does a great job of generalizing the differences without getting too specific, such as legalistic theologies (dancing, women preaching word of God, divorce, etc.). I grew up Baptist and am now Methodist. I got “saved” when I was young and I believe, as the Baptists do, that once saved always saved. But, I think too much emphasis is put on the formality of “being saved,” in the Baptist church. I was “saved” and didn’t really even know what it meant at the time, other than it was something I had to do to get to heaven. It certainly didn’t really change my behaviors at the time (not for more than about a week when the newness wore off). It felt more like a one-night stand with Jesus. Later, in the Methodist church, I was taught the grace of Christ and began to “really” understand what it was like to develop a relationship with Christ. I began to understand what it meant to truly give your life to him. I think that is when I was actually saved. I finally did give my life to him and haven’t needed to look back. I’m amazed at the changes he’s enacted in me and am excited to see the future God has planned for me. Maybe I just got a bad experience (it was at a Baptist Church camp so there was really no follow-through) that has left me a little jaded and is what ultimately led to a period in my life where I questioned the authenticity of the Christian faith and almost wandered away completely. I was simply returned to church and then held accountable to certain laws and standards. I hope most Baptist churches aren’t like that, but I have been to a few events at Baptist churches where people are called to line up at the altar and say the sinner’s prayer and then are given a pamphlet and sent on their way with no real follow through. So, I’m not one to say “this is right, or this is wrong,” because I think when we began arguing amongst ourselves, we are doing the opposite of what Jesus called us to do. None of our religions are perfect and I don’t think any of us have it exactly right. I thank God for Christ’s grace in this area because God knows my heart and my total devotion to His will. It’s also why I won’t respond after this post, but something convicted me to share this personal story. I guess my challenge to all churches (Methodists included), is to practice the second greatest commandment and really love others – invest in them, help them, and teach them about who Jesus is and why you believe in him personally. It is by this that people will know Christ. It is by this that people will truly be saved. It is by this that we can be loyal to our call as his body. In love as always… Reply 20. Tyler September 17, 2012 • 1:27 pm First of all, it is imporatant to understand that both Methodist theology and Baptist theology agree that perserverance is necessary to attain final salvation. Salvation by grace through faith. Good works are the inevitable fruit of salvation. Secondly, it is imporatant to understand that when Methodists say we believe a person can “fall from grace”, they dont mean a person can wake up one day and say “Oh, i dont wanna follow God anymore.” Methodists and Baptists would both agree that the individual was never saved to begin with. Methodists believe that humnas have free will to accept Christ as their Saviour. Christ forknew His sheep . He knew who would accept Him and who would not. Even though He knows many wont accept him as their Saviour, He died for them anyway out of love and he atoned for their sins, and He contiunes to ofer them the opprotunity at Reconciliation with Him and His Father. In doing so, He leaves all without excuse when they come before Him and the Judgement throne. He will probably say something like “Why didnt you accept my gift freely given?”. (Parable of the Tenants)NO ONE will be able to say that Christ didnt choose them or atone for their sins on the cross. They are without excuse. Though the sacrifice of Christ is conveneient for some, it is sufficient for ALL. As far a perserverance goes, God through Christ Jesus has given us everything we need to grow in a relationship with Him. We have the Holy Scriptures, the Sacraments, Prayer, fellowship with each other and a Lord, Saviour, Mediator and Advocate with the Father. Methodists would refer to these things as the “means of grace”. We dont earn salvation by participating in them, but they strengthen our salvation by participating in them and they help us perservere. These are the means by which God feeds our spirit. When we “fall from grace”, it is not because we decided we didnt want to follow Christ anymore. It is because we dont fellowship with God and we dont nourish our Spirit with the means of grace. We drift away from God and neglect to fellowship with God because we get caught up in the trials and struggles of life. When we dont lean on God and nourish our Spirit with the gifts of grace He has given us through His Son Jesus Christ, we can be overtaken by the circumstances of life, and if we surrender our faith because of complication we do fall into spiritual darkness or “fall from grace”. Note that this is differnt from someone who would renounce the Hoy Spirit forever. Those who outright do it because they just hate God will NEVER be restored to God’s grace because they have blasphemed the Holy Spirit. However, most people dont conciously renounce God with thier mouth. That is why the possibility of coming back to Christ is open to most everyone who has neglected to lean on Christ, and have made “shipwreck” of their faith. Sorry I didnt use any scripture refrences. I didnt have my Bible with me. Regardless of our belief regarding the security of our salvation, we agree that perserverance is necessary to follow Christ. You may not agree with me, but that doesnt mean you are wrong. To each their own…as long as they agree that erserverance is necessary to attain eternal life with Christ. Reply 21. jeremy December 14, 2012 • 11:25 pm I was raised Baptist and have found southern Baptist to be a bit of a scare. And I now attend a Methodist church. I dont agree with the idea of some of the gesturing. But overall, religion is religion..no matter if you think god was an alien.. If it teaches you to be loving, practice humility, and have faith then it must be good. god is good, and god is religion. lets not be like all those middle easterners and start a bunch of primitive, he said she said stuff. we wont meet our maker till its our time.. then we will find out if god is a being, an energy, a man or woman, or maybe something else…but for now…who cares..all religion is good. I believe. And that is all. Reply TheKnowerseeker March 12, 2013 • 10:38 am @jeremy: Sounds like you belong in a Unitarian church, not a Methodist one. Reply 22. Joseph December 29, 2012 • 6:33 pm True, or we should all go about saving people who are living off their last stages of cancer and not earlier so they wouldn’t be sinning and losing salvation ? Once saved always saved is the closest statement that represents God’s power and love. I guess what brings us up to heaven is that little thing called faith. A little will go a long way. But as long as it exists, ie. Faith in Christ, we will be saved. And this is regardless of whatever sins we are discussing about. Sinning is almost inevitable = perfection is almost impossible. So what measure of a person’s actions or goodness is there in place to decide a confirmed ticket to heaven? The answer is faith in christ and this also sits well with John 3:16 ‘whosoever believes in Him….’. I have ever giggled at the prospect of sinning just after confessing my sins. Well, possibly, at that point in time I could fall near the borderline and be a complete hypocrite. Would I be saved at that time? I still think so cos despite immediately falling back to sinful Thots, I had also demonstrated belief in God’s power of forgiveness. The only time u lose that ticket to heaven is when your faith in God is zero. Oh and there’s also that bit about faith and actions? Reply 23. April December 29, 2012 • 8:24 pm (Rom. 12:1,2)I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Reply 24. TheKnowerseeker March 12, 2013 • 10:34 am I would like to clarify #6: Baptists do not believe that one can become born-again or “saved” yet continue to live in sin. If you are saved, you will *want* to try to live like Christ; if you don’t have this desire, then you were never saved to begin with but were just fooling yourself and/or others. Now, it is possible for a saved person to “backslide”, temporarily lose faith in God, and begin living (again) as if unsaved, but such a choice will be temporary until the Holy Spirit brings that person back around to God again like the prodigal son returning to his father in shame — unless that person was never saved to begin with and thus does not have the Holy Spirit inside. Reply Joseph March 14, 2013 • 11:35 pm I agree. If Jesus had not died for us, even 1 iota of sin will not see us fit for heaven. So it is not the amount of sin but the grace if God that sees us saved. That being said, after one is saved, it depends in the faith of that person. Is the belief in question and acknowledging God always. It has nothing to do w the amount of sin or gravity of sin…. It is the grace of God. Reply 25. Johnny July 2, 2013 • 2:56 am PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS PLEASE BECAUSE BE THIS ALOT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED TO THE TRUTH.Oh, i feel bad for both Methodist and Baptist people for you all shall fall short. Have you ever wondered why there are so many different beliefs and different churches? Well let me enlighten you all. John 3:5 A man must be born of water and of spirit in order to enter the kingdom if god. Born of water, which is being baptized the right way. And being born in spirit which is being filled with the holy spirit. Both churches over look this scripture. You don’t believe you need to be baptized or you don’t believe you need the holy spirit. All you think you have to do is believe. Haha this is funny and yet foolish of both churches. Believing is only the first to 4 parts of getting into heaven. Because if you don’t believe why would get baptized and so fourth. Let me explain. Ephesians 4:5 one lord, one faith, one Baptism. Which means there is only one god, only one way to believe, and one way to Baptize. Tell me where in the bible was any ever Baptized in Mathew 28:19 the father, the son, and the holy spirit. I’ll yell you, never. The true baptism is in Jesus name mentioned through out the book of Acts. The actually look at Matthew 28:19, the word name is singular meaning one. If it said names then you would have something to argue but it doesn’t. If you all would pick up your bible and read it you would know. Now by being baptized in Matthew 28:19 you cannot enter heaven. So where will you go??? You can’t stay on earth. Hell is where you will go. And i’m not judging you i am warning you. And baptist where in the bible does it say once saved always saved. Judas was saved at one part of time but he fell as can you also fall. Look at Galatians 1:6-9 and understand your churches have tampered with the truth making it a different gospel from what was originally preached and you shall be cursed, to hell to be exact. Salvation is in Acts so read it. There is no other way. And the reason all of are like this is because if the Roman Catholic Church for changing the baptism formula. Take a look for yourselves http://www.upcbaypoint.com/Articles2/early_church_baptism.html. Now you know and you should believe what i say for our lord has shown me the truth and day is near i actually know the month and date haha but not the year. Sorry. i am ready for the return if our lord make yourself ready and please believe me. All your family have gone (dead) or will go (alive) to hell if they have not done what must be done when he returns. And don’t think god wouldn’t do this to you because he will what other reason would you be scared of him? Remember the story of Noah’s ark and how god flooded the world. Only 8 people lived so back then only 8 out of who knows how many billions of people would have gone to heaven. Is it soking in yet. Mattew 7:14 because strait is the gate,and narrow is the way, which leadth into life, and few be there that find it. God knew these false beliefs and baptism would be put out here and many of you would accept it as true, but i tell you that is a lie. Read Acts and learn the true way to fulfill john3:5. The lord has sent me to show you the way. Matthew 10:14-15 I lie not look at the evidence i have. trust me. Mattew 10:14-15 Matthew 23:13 speaks on the people you listen to. Don’t blind anymore. Let the grace of God be with you. Reply John June 26, 2014 • 1:50 pm Hi Johnny. Please read below, and consider how you might respond if someone else introduced themselves this way to you: “PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS PLEASE BECAUSE BE THIS ALOT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED TO THE TRUTH.Oh, i feel bad for both Methodist and Baptist people for you all shall fall short. Have you ever wondered why there are so many different beliefs and different churches? Well let me enlighten you all. “ Reply 26. Johnny July 2, 2013 • 3:08 am Man i left out some kinda key words haha but you should figure it out i was thinking about alot of stuff to convince you and i forgot to delete the 2nd Matthew 10:14-15 sorry but all i wrote is true you can bet your life on it Reply 27. marie heitzman July 22, 2013 • 2:27 pm Here is where I am at about this believing stuff, I was born and raised a Baptist and I believe a lot of their ways but I also believe in a lot op the ways a Methodist does. I am also think that you can be saved and not have to go to church all the time. What I am having a problem is the bath tizing in little pools why not the creek or river where Jesus was? And where I grew up they say god forgives all sinners but how can one forgive someone that kills, rap, things like that. I have issues when it comes to it and now I am told that is what god wants me to do and that I am a sinner for not forgiving, how can you forgive someone that does that to you and it was a family member in my family. And now I am the bad person in my church for not forgiving and forget. They all want it to be hush, hush,. Since then I have left my church am looking into finding one close to my home and to make a new beginning. I am also open mind on other issues where others in my church say I am wrong. lost in believe Reply 28. Joseph October 22, 2013 • 9:07 pm Baptism is an act of faith, done in obedience, a symbolic act of belief and to receive the Holy Spirit. However you do it, I believe that water is the important ingredient. Many denominations have their major differences on baptism issues. So much so that I begin to question whether or not God intended his people to be in disunity over this rather than to unite and spend more time on living the Christian life for others. It becomes ridiculous when we think in the case of a new convert. Would they go to heaven if they weren’t baptized in time? Would they be condemned to hell for listening to the church which accepted them and guided them into a particular form of baptism which happens to be wrong in the eyes of God? I believe the Almighty God will not create this puzzle to confuse His sheep. So people, concentrate on spreading the good news, get baptized in any way in obedience. Luke 10:25-28. ‘And, Behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love The Lord they God with all thy heart, and all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do and thou shalt live.’ Reply PF December 1, 2013 • 2:24 pm 1 Corinthians 14:33 King James Version For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Reply 29. veron January 5, 2014 • 4:48 am I am baptist, but I went to a methodist church today and found that the pastor was a woman. I asked them why they allowed a woman to be a pastor when it was prohibited in the bible. The answer was that they could not find a male pastor. For me it is acceptable for that answer. Even though I am quite conservative, but it is God who judges, not me. And I think that as long as we still need the interpretation of the Bible based on the thought of man. The perfectly accurate interpretation does not exist. Reply 30. Boie June 27, 2014 • 3:17 pm My church, I am Baptist, and my boyfriend and I are going into seventh grade, and I was wondering if me being baptist, and him being Methodist, will that effect anything in the future? If anyone can help me, or relate in anyway, please do. Reply 31. Fred Neal August 18, 2014 • 7:30 pm

In a nut shell, we must be born again. Once we are born again, we can not be ” Unborn again” No more than we can be unborn from our first birth can we be “Unborn” from our second birth. We can die of course, but that does not make us “Unborn” From our first birth. No where in Gods word does it say we can be Unborn from either birth. Reply 32. Liz August 25, 2014 • 3:57 am Many Baptist churches are no longer fundamentalist. This is shown in the communion where many Baptist churches allow anyone who knows Jesus to take communion. Reply 33. Fred September 5, 2014 • 8:13 pm There is obviously much said about “once saved, always saved”. The real meaning of which has nothing to do with whether we sin again!! For anyone to suggest he or she could live without sin is the sin of arrogance. The blood of Christ does cover our sins if we confess to God our need of a savior. Once saved always saved is from the words of Jesus when he said “no one can snatch out those I hold in my hand”. A statement related to that of James when he said, faith without works is dead. A saving faith in Christ will make want to show the love of Christ to others. We are not saved by our works but our works show Christ in us! Reply 34. Rob Gilley October 10, 2014 • 1:22 am I gotta say there is a very big difference not listed. Ya know, in life ya got that humble man and the man who flashes his Ferrari Armani suit and fersacci shoes in the humble mans face. Much like my experience having been in Methodist and Baptist churches in abundance Baptist are too quick to judge and throw the hammer at you. Then they justify it by saying we only care about your eternal soul and are looking out for you. Seriously? “judge not lest ye be judged”. Learn one of the biggest quotes of the book you preach from. Now before we go thinking that I am aimlessly attacking the denomination let me tell you all a true story. Some years ago I was falsely accused of a terrible crime. Now at this point in time my church family at the local Baptist church knew me very well. I had been to every church function. I attended Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. I had been to many of the houses. They thought I was a swell guy. Then when I requested to the most trusts people (preacher too) to pray for me. The very next week. The preacher and the two like sword and shield “bouncer” type guys for the church told me because I was respects by “all the others” I could stay that one service but not to come back cause this false charge could “make their church look bad” . The next church I groed another Baptist church their preacher said in his sermon several times “if you don’t have Jesus in your heart you’re demon possessed”. That was too repelling and judgmental. So I tried a Methodist church my grandparents attended. They knew of the accusations at that church before having met means still welcomed me with open arms. When the preacher left o still attended but then a month or so later it was voted to shut down. So I had to look for another church. It was….. A Baptist well when word reached them about what happened after a few months of great respect and being friendly they suddenly did not tell me too leave but didn’t talk to me or look at me to make it awkward enough to make me wanna leave. So yes. And I’ve noticed how when someone has done all they can but fall short and have to ask someone better off than they for help Baptists preach how it’s that persons own dang fault and basically kick them while they’re down then walk off meanwhile im sure the person thought wow after that bug fat judge fest and I still leave empty handed. The Methodist will say hey we’ve all been there. What can I do to help you? Then when its over their preaching to the poor soul is always remember god is good. Reply 35. Blake December 6, 2014 • 3:10 pm I have been reading and am completely thrilled to see people having a cival discussion about religion. I do want to add however that I somewhere throughout these comments I saw where it was stated that, “God is religion”. I couldn’t find that to be any further from the truth….religion differs from one to the next …God however is a consrant in our lives…God is love …your relationship with him should be where you focus your energy. Reply 36. Kevin B December 16, 2014 • 2:01 pm Hello, I would like to point out that the whole issue of “once saved always saved” has been an issue for me for quite awhile. I was saved when I was 17 years old. I can tell you that I know this for a fact because I fell in love with God and Jesus Christ. My heart, mind and eyes were opened to where I stood with God and who he was and what he had done for me by sending his son to die for me. As time went on I inched away and fell back into some sins and into other new ones as well. Let me tell you that this was not an instantaneous push off of the ledge it was a slow inching towards the ledge and before you know it you are free falling. In that time I slowly became more and more miserable because I knew I wasn’t living the way I should. Also every single day I knew I was sinning against God and he was constantly on my mind and I was reminded of how I was being just like Judas kissing his face while driving the nails in his hands. But here is the difference about that spot in my life, before I was saved at 17 I really didn’t care what God thought or who he is. I didn’t care what he was doing, I “knew” he was up there somewhere doing something that had nothing do with me and it didn’t matter anyway. But after being saved even though I had a time dragging his name through the mud he was still always in my thoughts and most of the time it was in fear. It made me question if I had ever even been saved to begin with, keep in mind before that I didn’t care if I was saved. Someone explained it to me in a way that made the most sense. First off you might want to make sure if you have truly been saved to begin with, the fact that you are worried about it is a good indication. Second if you can lose your salvation then Jesus would have to die all over again and his work on the cross was not a completed work. But if you can lay down your faith and beliefs in Christ and live however you want without feeling any consequences or negative effects at all then examine whether you actually ever knew Christ. You can’t live however you want and be OK with it I promise you. Reply Jesus Lucifer October 28, 2015 • 6:29 pm While I appreciate your message, as it pertains to me because I was a Christian in my younger days as well, the most miserable times in my life were when I was a child but wholly believed God would someday save me from that hell. He never did, and also like you, I gradually came to accept the fact that he didn’t care about me at all. That led, of course, to the bitter realization that – if there was indeed a god, or gods, or any divinity at all – he/she/it (I’ll just refer to this being as “He” or “God” from here on out to simplify) was not concerned with the every day goings on of his creations. Eventually, I became an Atheist. But extricating a lifetime of teachings, inundation, and belief was difficult and even painful – not to mention frightening. I was relinquishing everything I had ever been taught about spirituality. Now keep in mind, I didn’t just one day decide to be an Atheist. The decision involved many years of research, consideration and struggle. I *wanted* to believe in something, anything, but I knew that Christianity was no longer the answer. Not only did I feel betrayed by the god of Christianity, I was also disgusted with the Christian community in general (grew up in the Bible Belt…) for their close-mindedness, their contempt for anyone who didn’t share their beliefs, and their callousness toward those who had been raised to believe differently. It was that callousness, above all else, but in addition to religionists contemptuous view of science, that decided me, however. How could I truck with any god, any religion, who damned *anyone* – regardless of upbringing, conviction, or any other reason – just because they had different spiritual beliefs? So when I set out to find a spiritual foundation that was accepting of everyone and who DID NOT believe their god would condemn others for an *eternity of unthinkable suffering* just for, in most cases, being raised differently, I was left wanting still. Of course, there is no such religion. And I realized then, like a big smack of wisdom across my forehead, that religion was the greatest sin of all, for it *did* condemn others for their differing beliefs, and that is at the root of my missive. As a child, I remember being told repeatedly that EVERYONE would have the opportunity to hear about Christ at some point in their lives – everyone! – because I had expressed concerns even then about people suffering simply because they had been raised differently. I mean, imagine you have been raised as a Christian (or Muslim, or Hindu – it doesn’t matter) your *entire life*, and you believe in it just as fervently as any suicide bomber believes he will spend eternity with Allah and 40 virgins, and someone comes along and tells you that everything you’ve ever believed is a lie, and that if you do not convert to their way of thinking, believing, you will suffer for eternity. Just think about it. And think about what you would do in that situation. You would likely react offended, at the least, right? Many would react violently, or with scorn and derision. Many would call that person insane. And they would be right to do so. But they would also be just as insane to hold to a belief that condemns the majority of EVERYONE WHO EVER LIVED (Christianity, believe it or not, is NOT the largest religion in the world…but it IS the most divided) to suffer in agony and torture forever. That’s not only pure madness, it’s obscenely sadistic and cruel. It may or may not interest you that I am no longer an Atheist. The reason I am not, however, should very well interest you. It’s not because I found inspiration in some holy text, or that some sermon touched my heart – it’s because Atheists are just as avid, contemptuous and spiteful as people from any other religion about their beliefs. I didn’t want to be associated with them any more than those from any other shared, and organized, conviction. So, I guess I am Agnostic now. I *believe* that is the only sane choice, insofar as I believe anything. I can’t understand how any *thinking* adult could choose differently. Oh, I still pray…you know, just in case. And I tell God that I have reservations about it all, and if he’s the nice guy everyone thinks he is, he’ll understand. That’s the only kind of god I am willing to believe in. I refuse to follow any deity who would make anyone at all suffer for all eternity. I don’t even like mean people – why in the world would I choose to follow a divine one? Not only is the Bible immoral in so many areas – forget logic, it’s just wrong. It tickles me when someone asks me where do I get my morals if I’m not religious. I usually say, “Definitely not from the Bible.” If I did get my morality from the Bible, there would be no place for women in the workplace, politics, or leadership roles, slavery would still be legal, and rape and pedophilia would not exist… because there would be no laws against it. I am not arrogant enough to say with certainty that there is no god or gods, but neither am I naive enough to entertain the idea that such a being has any direct influence on any of our lives. I have seen things that are unexplained, things that would blow your mind. But just because I don’t have a ready explanation for them doesn’t make them supernatural, nor does it make them good or evil. There are far more things in this universe that we do not understand than those we do. To think they’re all wrapped up tidy and neat in some religious text is, frankly, childish, and I want no part of it. I am an adult, and as such I have put away such childish things, and I am beyond believing in someone parting the Red Sea, or living inside a fish’s belly for three days, or walking on water, or people living – despite no medical advances to speak of and no scientific precedent – for 800 years and longer, nor am I willing to believe anyone was raised from the dead after several days. I stopped believing in fairy tales pretty young. I realized that the fantastic things the purportedly happened in the Bible are no less fairy tales than “The Chronicles or Narnia,” and far less entertaining. Because I am smart. Because I am an *adult*. Reply Amanda November 9, 2016 • 12:54 am To the person who identify he/she self as Jesus- Lucifer. The fact that you still alive is because there is a God who love you and who send his son Jesus to die for you. I am sorry to all it happen to you. I understand since I have gone trough a lot in life and like you saw things that blow my mind. My family use to practice spiritualism. In other words pray to the death etc. As a young child I was make to sit at a table with them. Yet I could not stay still because I felt needles pricking my body and at the end of a section when the lights were turn. I will look at the floor and saw a white ball or onion like been pull by a red ribbon. I was a child at this time of about 7 or 8 years old. However, after reading the bible and asking God to show me and give me understanding. I learn that all this were falling angels that we call demons and it is what people see, pray, here or fallow. So yes God exist and he is real and he let the choice to fallow him up to us. He is a good God but we live in a world where evil falling angel exist and some mean or evil people do us wrong. This is a broken world full of sin. It is not God who is causing all these suffering. But it will be God who will come and make the earth new with out no sin and aloud us to live in this new earth surrounded by love if we simply accept the sacrifice in the cross of his son Jesus ; who came out of the grave (resurecion) and his giving us the opportunity to believe and accept his love for us to be save and one day live with him in the new earth. May God continue to bless you my dear brother or sister. Love you! Reply 37. Jami April 3, 2015 • 1:10 pm I’m a baptist and our church (nor any other baptist church I’ve been to) does not practice closed communion. The table is open to all believers. Reply 38. Graham September 10, 2015 • 3:40 pm Just wanted to put in a note on Baptist baptism: Yes, Baptists are more “selective” about baptism but not in a mean way. The Bible claims you should be baptized AFTER salvation so Baptists only baptize those who confess they are already saved. They don’t turn people down because of age. Also on communion my church only allows those who have been saved and baptized to participate since it is a very serious action and should not be taken lightly. Reply 39. Melissa October 18, 2015 • 3:43 pm Would have to say I disagree with Baptist having to be a baptized member to participate in communion. The communion partaker only needs to be a born again christian to partake. It is only closed to nonbelievers! Reply 40. Chandler Main October 20, 2015 • 12:59 pm Methodists and Baptists are both Christian faiths that have a lot of similarities but in many ways, also have different views and doctrines. Both Methodist and Baptist believe in God, the Bible and the works and teaching of Jesus who they accept as  Christ, the savior of humanity. In essence, they both believe in baptism and communion as fundamental sacraments but it is also where their differences lie. Methodists allow the baptism of infants, youth, and adults. They are not discriminating about individuals’ age and mental maturity. They also allow different forms of baptism methods as they perform them with immersion, sprinkling, and pouring. For Methodists, communion is welcome to all. Baptists, on the other hand, perform baptism only to confessing youth and adults. Baptism of infants is not practiced since they believe that it should only be administered to individuals who are capable of understanding the true meaning of the rite and also capable of understanding faith. Baptists also perform baptism strictly by immersion. They practice closed communion where the table is only open for baptized church members. In terms of governance, the Methodists have bishops where they have an Episcopal organization. Bishops assign pastors to various congregations. However before the bishop takes that action, a consultation with the congregation takes place. Methodist congregations are also linked to one another. Baptists are more independent in terms of governance per congregation. They choose their own pastors. Baptists maintain the doctrine of the ‘perseverance of saints’ where an expression of ‘once saved, always saved’ prevails. Baptists teach that once one is saved, that person cannot fall from grace which is completely in conflict with Methodists views. Methodists believe that it is the person’s choice to be saved and one can fall from grace by not following God therefore losing salvation. Based on observation, Baptists tend to be stricter and largely fundamentalists. Their sole basis for faith is the Bible and they consider it infallible. Methodists are more loose and broader in their beliefs. Some can be fundamentalists while some are liberals. They consider their faith based on the Bible, reason, tradition, and personal experience. Summary: 1. Methodists baptize infants while Baptists only baptizes adults and the youth capable of understanding faith. 2. Methodists perform baptism with immersion, sprinkling, and pouring while Baptists do their baptisms only with immersion. 3. Methodists practice open communion in which the rite is open to all while Baptists carry out closed communions. 4. Methodists have a system of Episcopal Hierarchy of governance while Baptists have congregational independence. 5. Methodists give the bishops the authority to assign pastors to congregations while with Baptists, the congregation choose its own pastor. 6. Methodists believe that it is the person’s choosing to be saved while Baptists maintain that once a person saved, the person is always saved and cannot fall from grace. 7. Methodists are generally less fundamental while Baptists are primarily fundamentalists. Reply Jesus Lucifer October 28, 2015 • 5:29 pm Nice copy and paste job! Reply 41. Jesus Lucifer October 28, 2015 • 5:28 pm So, in summary, Methodists are somewhat reasonable (in comparison to every other faith-based religion, of course), less condemning of others, and believe in the freedom of choice…and Baptists are just fundamentalist sheep. Got it! Thanks for the heads up! Reply 42. dennis February 26, 2016 • 3:45 am i regularly attending a methodist church here in my place. im a grace bible believing christian. i also attended a baptist church coz’ both pastors are friends of mine. methodist allows me to share some of my opinion in regards to some of their topics and they are more receptive compare to my baptist friend. however, it is sad truth that while my methodist pastors are willing to learn some new ideas they are bonded by their rules and church policies. the Book of Discipline seems to be their most noble accepted truth compare to the holy scriptures. whenever i pointed some truth.. they insist that it was really okay but if that “truth” doesn’t match their book of discipline they rather follow the book of discipline insted of the holy scriptures. they are bounded by rules.. human policies and doctrines created by the general council… not God. im sorry to say this but this is indeed the truth. Reply 43. Lily Bredikhin June 21, 2016 • 12:17 pm Number 6 is wrong. Baptists are not calvinists. Now I can’t trust any of the information in this article. Reply Ryan July 27, 2016 • 7:29 pm I just want to say trust and believe are two different words all together. I trust that people with a driver’s license with not drive over the speed limit or run a red light/ stop sign. The worst that I have seen have stickers showing the church the attend and/or emblems. I believe that people will only do this when there minds are do not allow for them to drive at high speeds and at that have time to stop. I have seen and talked with lots of angels in my life. I have been asked to do kind things and completely chickened out, and I have done some kind gestures on my own that afterwards I see it was not for there gain but it turned out in my own. Humans have the ability to chose and it should never be decided because its right for others just right for who needs to decide. Reply 44. Johnlerry Paler July 28, 2016 • 4:14 am I agree with you…. Reply 45. Harry August 15, 2016 • 7:13 pm Doctrine is an attempt to reduce spiritual experience into human language. To attempt to sum up ‘how it works’ by submitting theory is to attempt to label, cage, and instruct the work of Christ. For me, regeneration is nothing short of a gradual overhaul of the psyche. You are forgiven because ‘that is no longer who you are’. You are a new creature. Your ‘filter’ of thought is different than before. Your prejudices and judgments will change. The way you think about everything….the world, politics, racism, sexism….the way you act and react toward everything will change. If you do not wish for such changes, you had better stay away from the Holy One. Because that’s what He does. He creates (recreates) offspring. Offspring of Himself. As far as the premise of this thread, it seems that it is about ‘going to heaven’. There was a time when I thought the same way. To make an attempt to put the way I now think about this into words, it may be best to use the words of C.S. Lewis from one of his lesser read books, “Reflections on the Psalms”. “When heaven is thought of as anything other than being in God’s presence, and hell is thought of to be anything other than being apart from Him….the belief in either becomes a mischievous superstition”. Lewis is not talking about later. And by the way, the word ‘sin’ is a first covenant word. The first covenant ends at the cross. (Rom. 7)And Paul spends a great deal of time trying to show his audience the need to come to their own cross. “If I die with Christ I am raised with Him.” Paul indeed went to the Gentiles as attested in the Book of Acts. But the letters that are attributed to Paul in the NT canon are not the account of that. Those letters are written to the synagogues. When Paul talks about Moses, the prophets, sin, the forgiveness of sins and so on……he is talking to people who are familiar with the scriptures. The Gentiles didn’t have these scriptures. They wouldn’t have had a clue what Paul was talking about. Although there were some gentiles then attending the synagogues because Jews were proselytizing (trying to bring gentiles into Judaism through circumcision). Those gentiles would have been becoming familiar with the scriptures. But not the average gentile passerby. We have no idea what He preached to them. Reply 46. Livie October 17, 2016 • 8:51 pm Ok y’all I go to a mothodist church and I’ve gone to one my whole life. I’m an FCA leader at my middle school and I have a strong relationship with Christ. Now I’m only 13 but I know some things. First of all, Jesus is my savior NOT my religion. Second, once saved always saved doesn’t really make sense to me. I mean what if you just decide that you don’t want to follow Jesus anymore you won’t go to heaven and you can’t just get saved and then go out and do a bunch of bad stuff.Also, I was submerged when I was baptized and I was older and I confessed to my pastor what I believed so really that’s not a big difference between the two. Having Jesus in my life is the best thing ever and when I got saved it was amazing so I know Jesus is real and I know he loves everyone no matter what but that means you have to believe and follow him if you want to get into heaven and it says in the Bible to try to be like Jesus. Now I know no one but Jesus is perfect but all we need is him. Now y’all believe whatever you want to but this is just my opinion. Whatever you are JESUS LOVES YOU MORE THEN YOU COULD EVER KNOW!! Reply Camden April 30, 2017 • 10:17 pm While I’m a Baptist and have different religious beliefs than you, I DO agree with your belief that Jesus loves all. Baptist or Methodist. Reply 47. Kim October 23, 2016 • 9:45 am If the Baptist believe you can only be a member of the church if you are immersed and will not go to heaven then how did the man on the cross next to Jesus that was crucified be accepted into the kingdom of heaven? He was not baptised. I am Methodist and have visited a Baptist church recently and was told i could not partake in any communion or join the church without being immersed in water, although i was sprinkled with water and baptised in the Methodist church. Reply Larry February 17, 2017 • 4:51 am Kim, first “The Baptist” don’t believe or teach that, sounds like bad teaching from another denomination that studies little! As an Baptist Minister I can tell you there are plenty of people in the congregation that were baptized all sorts of ways but still because of their confession of faith in Christ are welcome! I’ve served under a Baptist Pastor that was a former Methodist and only sprinkled! Not every person of any denomination or religion knows it all, follow the advice of Paul to Timothy, “2 Tim 2:15 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Accepting Jesus in your life is what’s important for salvation, all the others are done because you are saved! (dropping the Mic!!) Reply 48. IlaClare April 29, 2017 • 8:28 pm I’m a baptist and our communion is open to all who have accepted Jesus into their hearts. You do not have to be a member of the church you are at to join the communion. Reply 49. Camden April 30, 2017 • 10:10 pm I would just like to say that God would like for us ALL to be saved and living a good Christian life, but, YES, it is OUR responsiblility as unsaved humans to accept him into our heart. He doesn’t hunt us out and pick us, yet he blesses us all daily; saved or unsaved. That is how we are drawn to his redemption and his salvation. He is a forgiving and graceful God; he always has been and always will be. Reply 50. Pam June 12, 2017 • 4:28 pm I was taught once saved always saved. when you are saved Christ indwells you by way of the Holy Spirit. Christ is in ME because I am a new creations. Don’t we agree that once Christ dwells in us, Christ convicts us of our sin? so once he is in us we cant be lost? Reply Pat nelson August 15, 2017 • 6:03 pm Well said . Reply 51. Twf June 19, 2017 • 8:33 am So… Exactly which sins would one have to commit to lose one’s salvation??? Reply Larry August 22, 2017 • 6:52 pm Seems the question you should ask if you were not trying to be “snarky”, would be “would a “True Christian” commit such a sin? The answer of course would be NO! Questions such as yours only serves to provide a constant decide with Saints while refusing to agree to disagree or admit you just may have been taught misleading information in the past. God Bless! Reply 52. Larry August 22, 2017 • 6:53 pm Seems the question you should ask if you were not trying to be “Snarky”, would be “would a “True Christian” commit such a sin? The answer of course would be NO! Questions such as yours only serves to provide a constant divide with Saints while refusing to agree to disagree or admit you just may have been taught misleading information in the past. God Bless! Reply

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