Baptists believe as other evangelical Christians on the basic tenets of the faith. Baptist confessions of faith over the centuries have maintained faith in the authority and inspiration of the Bible, the virgin birth of Christ, the substitutionary atonement in the death of Christ for our sins, the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus, and the personal, visible, bodily return of Christ in power and glory.
There are Baptist distinctives that should be recognized. "Baptists emphasize the soul's competency before God, freedom in religion, and the priesthood of the believer. However, this emphasis should not be interpreted to mean that there is an absence of certain definite doctrines that Baptists believe, cherish, and with which they have been and are now closely identified" (The Baptist Faith and Message, 1963) 6.
The priesthood of the believer means that every believer in Christ is a priest under the High Priest, our Lord Jesus (1 Peter 2:5-10; Revelation 1:6, 5:10). The privilege of priesthood means that each believer confesses his sins to God, intercedes for others through Christ, and interprets the Scripture for himself under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15). The believer priest has a responsibility to witness of God's grace in Christ to others (2 Corinthians 5:17-20).
Baptists believe in the autonomy of each local church. That means churches are self-governed without denominational control. Churches cooperate together in ministries and missions. Baptists believe in congregational government for each local church. This is in contrast to other denominations. Some are ruled by bishops, such as the Episcopal and Methodist churches. Others are ruled by elders, such as Presbyterian churches.
Baptists believe in the separation of church and state. This calls for a free church in a free state. Baptists believe that the state should not support one denominational church above others. Baptists have long been advocates of freedom of religion for all people. "The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference of the civil power" (The Baptist Faith and Message, 2000) 20.
