Appreciating Our Spiritual Heritage

Baptist History - A Brief Survey Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches - What they are and What is their History

Just recently I had the privilege at church to hear a preacher preach a full week on the subject of Baptist history.  It was very informative and we learned much information about our Baptist forefathers and the price they paid for our liberty today.  They paved the way for us to enjoy the privilege we have to spread the gospel around the entire world.  I'm aware in this generation many people possess the mindset that history is dry, dull, and boring.  Some may think it's irrelevant.  However, as George Santaya once stated, "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it."  That's so very true in this generation we live in.  We have a group of people who are content to be entertained by the means of televison and the internet.  People today are more interested in watching American Idol and Desperate Housewives than they are in learning about our own nation's history.  Our forefathers payed a great price for us to enjoy the blessings that we do.  We are a very blessed people indeed. 

Several months ago I started a series on the subject of "Appreciation".  I've been writing about some of the different things we need to be thankful for.  The list is numerous.  We need to be thankful for the Lord Jesus who died on the cross of Calvary who saved us from sin.  We need to be thankful for our salvation, our church, our pastor, the brethren, our families, our country, the material blessings that have been bestowed upon us.  We could spend an entire day meditating upon the blessings of God and we couldn't begin to scratch the surface.  God is so good.  It's important for families to instill a sense of appreciation in their children by both word and deed. 

When I heard the series of messages preached on Baptist history a few weeks ago, I decided that this would be an appropriate time just a few days before Thanksgiving to write about the subject on appreciating our spiritual heritage.  When reading the New Testament beginning with the book of Acts, one knows that the Apostles faced persecution for their faith.  They were beaten, thrown in jail, tarred and feathered for the God they stood for.  Nero, one of the ruthless Roman emperors during early church history was known for the persecution of Christians.  Nero was Roman emperor from 54 to 68 A.D.  He tortured Christians.  He tortured those who refused to recant and deny the Lord Jesus Christ.  The early Christians refused to worship the Roman emperor and as a result they suffered mightily for their faith.  Whenever you read the book of Revelation in chapters 2 and 3 you read about the letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor.  One of the churches that we read about was the Church of Smyrna.  Smyrna was a small church that was under persecution.  However, those Christians stood true to their faith.  They were faithful and they were the only church that didn't receive any type of rebuke from the Lord.  They were on fire for God.  However, they suffered persecution.  In church history we read about the Bishop in Smyrna named Polycarp who was known as a martyr.  He refused to deny the Lord Jesus Christ.  He stood for the faith.  As a result, he was martyred because he refused to deny the Lord.  He was a great warrior for the faith.

I have an article linked up on this post about Baptist history and some of the major figures that played a role in shaping our world.  They set this world on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ.  Those who are saved and serving God in America today know nothing of the persecution that our forefathers faced.  We have it made.  We don't have to worry about having our heads chopped off with a guillotine because we stand for God.  However, we've become very complacent in our walk for God.  I believed Christians in America are representative of the church in Laodecia in Revelation 3.  We have need of nothing.  We are rich and increased with goods.  We are spiritually weak and don't recognize that we're in bad shape.  We've taken our ease in Zion.  We need to once again to take a look into Baptist history and church history in general to read about the sacrifices our Baptist forefathers made for us in time past.  Thank God for those who've contended and stood for the faith.