Are Baptists Calvinists?

As we have seen, Calvin argues that God institutes his own worship; if man either abrogates these worship ordinances, or adds to them it is the same as idolatry. Herein lies the simplicity of gospel worship. The question posed is this: are Baptists historically and confessionally Calvinists on this point? The answer is: yes!

When the Baptist movement emerged in earnest during 17th century England, Baptists worshiped with simplicity continuing a Puritan emphasis. The simple elements of gospel worship as found in the NT are: prayer with thanksgiving, the reading and hearing of the Holy Scriptures, singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, the preaching of the word of God, and the administration of the sacraments of baptism and Lord's Supper. Baptists in England confessed such in the Baptist Confession of 1689, and Baptists in America adopted this confession with two additional articles in 1742 as the Philadelphia Confession.

Read a portion of Chapter XXII, "Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day" from the Philadelphia Confession of Faith:

But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggesstions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.

The Confession goes on to list the aforementioned elements of worship in articles 3-5.. Here is a quick survey of the biblical passages to support these elements: prayer-1 Cor 14:16-17; reading the Scriptures-1 Tim 4:13; singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs-Eph 5:19; the preaching of the Word-2 Tim 4:2; and the observance of the sacraments-Matt 28:19-20; 1 Cor 11:26.

Take note of the quote from the confession: it is a re-statement of Calvin's scriptural law of worship. My conclusion is simple: in terms of their conception of worship Baptists are Calvinists. We, yes, we Baptists confess that the acceptable way of worshiping our great God is instituted by Himself.

Reformed4ever.