Distinctive Anabaptist Affirmations

A Selective Summary of Distinctive Anabaptist Beliefs with Commentary

Anabaptism descends from a Reformation movement birthed during the 16th century. Some
historians identify early Anabaptism with a so-called Radical Reformation. Others posit that all
Reformation movements supported radical departures from the institutional church, but Protestants,
unlike Anabaptists, eventually softened their initial radicalism.

These statements imply that Anabaptists held some positions not held by Protestants. These
distinctive positions lead some historians to conclude that Anabaptists were neither Roman Catholic
nor Protestant, but represented a “Third Way.” The distinctive beliefs and practices of this “Third
Way” are prevalent in contemporary evangelicalism, especially among Baptists. The current groups
that most closely identify with Anabaptists are Mennonites, Brethren, and Amish.

The following text lists brief, succinct summaries of common, distinctive Anabaptist affirmations.
Following the list, notes clarify, expand, and interpret the listed items.

Distinctive Anabaptist Affirmations:

1. Rule of Christ: Christ has inaugurated the messianic kingdom or reign.
2. Voluntary faith: Faith is a gift from God that individuals must exercise consciously and freely.
3. Faith and works: Works are inseparable from faith. Faith without works is not biblical faith.
4. Undivided allegiance to the King: Believers reject any thought, word, or action that compromises
their allegiance to Christ.
5. Believers baptism: Only believers may receive baptism.
6. Believers church: Only believers may be covenant members of a local assembly.
7. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are signs: They represent and commemorate the Gospel.
8. Social responsibility: Disciples help and comfort the weak, needy, and helpless, especially other
disciples. They also instruct, encourage, correct, discipline, and restore one another.
9. Peace, nonresistance, and nonretaliation: Disciples neither resist evil nor retaliate against its
manifestations. Instead, they make peace.
10. Truth-telling: Disciples tell the truth and do not take oaths.

Notes on Distinctive Anabaptist Affirmations:

1. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the New Testament was written in Greek. The
Hebrew word Messiah is translated Christ in Greek. Both words mean “anointed one,” and refer to
the practice of anointing an individual to designate his rightful claim to reign as king.
The promise and goal of the messianic reign was and is Shalōm, both collectively—between God
and peoples, and among peoples and peoples—and individually—between God and individuals, and
between individuals and individuals. Shalōm denotes wholeness or complete-positive-peace
characterized by harmony and based on reconciliation, the integration of forgiveness and friendship.
Forgiveness removes debts, including personal offenses, and results in the absence of enmity and
strife. Friendship imputes right standing, and results in restoration, the immediate and growing
presence of healing and well-being, holiness and communion.
In addition to “reconciliation,” the biblical authors use other metaphors to describe God’s action
through the Messiah to achieve Shalōm for people. Each of them, like reconciliation, reflects the
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Kingdom quality of inauguration awaiting consummation. Four prominent examples are listed here:
(1) “Salvation,” “deliverance,” or “rescue,” mainly, rescue from the wrath of God justly deserved
by all people. Salvation has been granted, but will be fulfilled on the Day of Judgment. (2) Taken
from the legal world is the metaphor “justification” or “righteousness.” At conversion the believer is
justified or reckoned righteous on the basis of the righteousness of Christ. This past event must be
balanced with the future hope of righteousness (Gal 5:5; Matt 12:37), reminding the believer that
faith in Christ, a faith inextricably combined with obedience, is not a one-time event, but must
endure. However, the believer relies on God’s promise to continue to preserve him or her by
granting the believer persevering faith. (3) “Redemption” is a metaphor taken from the slave market
and recalls God’s redemption of Israel from Egypt. The believer is redeemed and yet awaits full
redemption along with all creation (Eph 1: 13 – 14). (4) “Sanctification” comes from the vocabulary
of the altar and refers to the believer’s status as one set apart for God. Nevertheless, this definitive
sanctification must be accompanied with practical development (Heb 12:14).
The messianic reign governed by the New Covenant established by Christ is a perpetual Jubilee
characterized by forgiveness or liberty: (1) Liberty or release from sin, and a restored relationship
between God and His covenant people and (2) Release from oppression, including economic justice
and social justice, e.g., ethnic, racial, and sexual justice. See Luke 4:18 – 19 where Jesus
inaugurates His ministry, asserting the fulfillment of Isa 61:1 – 2a. Compare His proclamation to
Paul’s words in 1 Cor 12:13, Gal 3:28, and Col 3:11.
Christ currently rules from heaven, but one day He will return to earth and rule physically.
2. One person may not exercise faith in behalf of another person, nor may one passively receive faith
through participation in some rite such as baptism, the Lord’s Supper, or hearing the Gospel.
3. Salvation is freely granted by God through faith apart from human merit. The object of biblical faith
is God on the basis of the promises contained in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of the King-
dom. Biblical faith may be denoted by several different words, for example, trust, commitment,
surrender, yieldedness, dependence, allegiance, and loyalty. Inherent to faith, then, is repentance,
and discipleship or obedience to Christ, that is, following Christ’s example and teaching as well as
the teaching of His apostles. In other words, ethics are an inseparable component of salvation.
Believers have received new birth or regeneration (“re-genesis,” i.e., new beginning) from the Holy
Spirit. Consequently, believers will experience ongoing renewal or progressive transformation
characterized by greater levels of discipleship and obedience to the will of God as well as growth in
knowing God.
The disciple’s progressive transformation, which includes a growing relationship with Christ and
increasing holiness, entails separation from evil, particularly from forms of worldliness constantly
vying for the disciple’s allegiance, for example: naturalism, individualism, hedonism, materialism,
utilitarianism, ethnocentrism, nationalism, militarism, racism, classism, sexism, and, particularly,
that set of behaviors which governs virtually all social relations: desiring, pursuing, acquiring,
maintaining, and using power, with the hope of receiving popular glory and praise. See also notes
nine and ten.
The Scriptures abound with references that validate the affirmation that faith and works are
inseparable. In other words, disciples integrate faith and ethics. Put yet another way, for the
believer, everything is spiritual—there is no distinction between the sacred and the secular; the
Lordship of Christ impinges on every area of the believer’s life. This teaching is put on prominent
display in James, 1 John, and Hebrews.
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4. Believers have chosen exclusive allegiance to one King, Jesus, and to His Kingdom. They are aliens
in this world, collectively forming a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9) as citizens of Christ’s Kingdom (Phil
2:20; Eph 2:19). As a worthy King, Jesus demands exclusive allegiance (Matt 5:24—“No one can
serve two masters”; Matt 12:30—“He who is not with me is against me”; cf. James 4:4—
“Friendship with the world is hatred toward God”).
As subjects of Christ and citizens of His Kingdom, composing a holy nation among the nations of
the world, believers seek to live in allegiance to Him without interference from earthly lords. First,
they deny that any political authority, including any religious authority, has the right to restrict the
liberty of any soul. Every believer and every church has authority to interpret the Scriptures and to
formulate doctrine on its own. In addition, believers and churches do not seek the protection or the
endorsement of earthly kings. Furthermore, believers and churches do not interfere with the affairs
of earthly kingdoms. Finally, they do compromise their allegiance to Christ through inappropriate
participation in the affairs of earthly states. For example, disciples do not participate in military
service or law enforcement, and they shun government employment. In addition, they refuse to
pledge allegiance to earthly nations or any symbol which represents earthly nations (e.g., a flag).
They also refrain from symbolic acts that venerate a nation or its symbols (e.g., participating in the
playing or singing of a national anthem; note the word “anthem” implies some sort of worship).
While some people disagree with the following observation, the preceding logic seems to apply to
voting. Voting amounts to participation in the governance of a kingdom that is directly competing
with Christ’s Kingdom. Furthermore, voting implicates the voter in the sins carried out by the
selected leader, e.g., declaring war, sending troops into battle, funding abortions, and legislating
executions.
While believers separate from earthly kingdoms, they have an obligation to influence society. They
do this by following the example of Christ, His apostles, John the Baptist, and the Old Testament
prophets. The church proclaims the Gospel, welcomes members into Christ’s Kingdom, nourishes
the faith of those who have joined His Kingdom, and prophetically rebukes, by word and non-
violent action, those practices of this world’s governments which contravene the values and
principles of the Kingdom.
5. Baptism initiates one into discipleship. Therefore, only those who have exercised voluntary faith in
Christ are fit subjects for baptism. See note seven.
6. Since faith is inseparable from works and discipleship, only disciples, i.e., baptized believers, may
be covenant members of a local assembly.
The New Testament generally identifies local groups of believers with the Greek word ekklēsia, a
non-technical term meaning “assembly.” The word evolved through several languages to the
English word “church.” The church is a visible assembly of disciples, i.e., baptized believers.
There are two noteworthy New Testament pictures for the local church: “body,” and “household” or
“family.” Both pictures connote the unity of the church’s members in the midst of their functional
diversity. The words “body,” and “household” or “family” also imply the biblical commitments
assembly members have toward one another. See note eight.
As a “body,” believers necessarily exist in community: each member requires and complements the
functions of the other members. In addition, as the “body of Christ,” the assembly of believers
represents Christ to the world in word and deed (1 Cor 12:12 – 31; Eph 4:1 – 16).
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As a “family,” believers share a genetic relationship (i.e., a common “genesis” or beginning, a new
birth resulting from faith) and mutual responsibility toward one another. The figure of the “family”
or “household” is particularly prominent in the Pastoral Epistles. Take note, for example, of the
criteria for selecting leaders of the household of God written in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. These
leaders must be the good deed par excellence. In other words, they demonstrate faith through the
consistent exhibition of good works, primarily the traits of an excellent family leader. The author’s
argument corresponds to the biblical teaching that individual progress in existential righteousness
most effectively occurs through living in the company of virtuous people. In other words, we will
follow the examples of our family members and, especially, our family leaders; therefore, these
leaders must be people possessing exemplary family virtues. That is, they must be people of
unquestionable faith.
7. Both baptism and the Lord’s Supper provide powerful ways to nourish the faith of participants and
witnesses through the physical and personal acting out of the Gospel. In this way one recollects the
Gospel and one’s commitment to it. However, in and of themselves, baptism and the Lord’s Supper
do not impart grace; the simple act of participation has no spiritual efficacy. In addition, the Lord is
not present in or around the elements of the Supper in any way.
As an initiatory rite, baptism symbolizes and recalls the baptism of the Spirit experienced by the
believer at conversion, as well as the believer’s pledge made to Christ at conversion. It does so by
picturing death, birth, resurrection, and cleansing. The Lord’s Supper symbolizes and recalls the
establishment of the New Covenant and its promise of the forgiveness of sins achieved through the
broken body and shed blood of Jesus. Therefore, only those who have placed faith in Christ,
demonstrated by baptism, may participate in the Supper. In addition, both Baptism and the Lord’s
Supper signify the believer’s identity with and consequent commitment to the unified local body of
believers (1 Cor 12:13; 1 Cor 10:17).
In addition to baptism and the Lord’s Supper, footwashing is an additional way in which the local
church acts out and recalls the Gospel. Footwashing was practiced and commanded by Jesus (John
13:2 – 17; cf. Phil 2:6 – 8). It symbolizes cleansing from sin as well as the obligation of humble
servanthood that members of the unified body have toward one another.
8. The believer’s social responsibilities derive from two sets of obligations: (1) Obligations as a citizen
of Christ’s Kingdom and, therefore, as Christ’s servant and subject. These obligations correspond to
the values and principles of Christ’s Kingdom, including perpetual Jubilee. See note one. (2)
Obligations as a member of the household or family of God, i.e., the body of Christ, the local
church. See note six.
The obligations one has to fellow members of the local church may be summarized as a debt to love
one another (John 15:12; Rom 13:8) in the context of unity and peace (Eph 4:1 – 3). One specific
example of this debt of love is the obligation to share resources, both material and spiritual.
Effective sharing requires a commitment to hospitality and simple living, practices which also
demonstrate and strengthen the disciple’s faith. Another example of this debt of love is the
obligation of mutual spiritual accountability. This accountability includes mutual interpretation of
Scripture, discernment, and instruction. It also includes mutual encouragement, correction, and
discipline, with the goal of confession, forgiveness, and restoration. When repentance is not
forthcoming in these cases, however, the body must suspend fellowship with the erring member for
the sake of the church’s purity and integrity before God and before the larger community.
Nevertheless, even after suspending fellowship, the church prays for and holds out hope for the
restoration of the erring person.
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The obligation to make disciples from all nations is implied by what has already been written here,
and is explicitly commanded by Christ (Matt 28:19).
The Bible gives specific examples of the weak, needy, and helpless whom the believer is obligated
to help and comfort. These people include the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the poor, the grieving,
the orphan, the widow, the displaced, the dispossessed, the alien, the ill—both physically and
mentally, the disabled, the addicted, the abused, the oppressed, the persecuted, the imprisoned, the
enslaved, and the victim of injustice.
9. The overarching theme of God’s story, and, thus, the story of Christ and the stories of his followers,
is Shalōm (complete-positive-peace). Shalōm is the promise and goal of the messianic reign (see
note one). Accordingly, peace, unity, justice, reconciliation, and forgiveness are central to the
teaching and example of Christ.
Christ was predicted to be the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6). His birth was announced by angels with a
blessing of peace (Luke 2:14). Immediately prior to His arrest and consequent death, Jesus prayed
for peace and unity (John 17). During His earthly ministry, as did His apostles, Jesus taught love,
peace, unity, justice, reconciliation, forgiveness, and nonresistance, considering peacemaking and
forgiveness to be necessary components of faith and discipleship (Matt 5:9 – 10, 44 – 45; 6:12). In
addition, he consistently practiced love, including loving His enemies and doing good for them. He
also modeled nonresistance and nonretaliation, which finally led Him to death on a cross, whereby
he obtained reconciliation and peace with God for all people (Rom 5:1, 9 – 10).
Jesus’ actions and teaching, and those of His apostles, provide the basis for disciples to live in love,
including loving one’s enemies and doing good for them, as well as living in reconciliation, peace,
and unity with one another and all people (1 Cor 7:15; Eph 2:13 – 16; Heb 12:14), even at the cost
of personal suffering. Rather than punish His enemies, He loved them and did good for them—He
died for them. Suffering and painful providences, therefore, are the normal expectation for the
disciple (1 Peter 2:21 – 23; 4:12 – 13; 2 Tim 3:12).
Since peace—including nonresistance, nonretaliation, and unity—is the overarching theme or
context of the story of the Kingdom, disciples, those who live out their stories in the story of the
Kingdom, seek peace. Peace, then, is both the goal of a believer’s words and actions as well as the
means whereby the believer achieves that goal. For example, disagreeing believers do not appeal to
earthly courts to settle their disputes, but they rely on the wisdom of the church (1 Cor 6:1 – 11).
Furthermore, believers seek to alleviate human distress and suffering, but they do not oppose
violence with violence, whatever form the violence takes. Violent opposition to violence, especially
lethal force performed in behalf of a king in competition with Christ, such as a secular nation-state,
or in the name of a so-called “greater good,” is unjustified. Any form of opposition to violence must
accord with biblical teaching.
See “Nonresistance and Peacemaking: A Brief Provisional Outline of Biblical Teaching.”
10. Personal integrity is the correspondence of one’s words and deeds. In other words, it is the
embodiment of truth. In addition to being the Way and the Life, Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). He
most perfectly embodies integrity. Therefore, one who worships and follows Jesus, the Truth,
practices and tells the truth. In fact, truth-telling may be the paramount example of the necessary
integration of faith and works in a believer.
In accordance with Christ’s character and the believer’s commitment to Him, Christ commands
believers never to take oaths, but simply to affirm “yes” or “no” (Matt 5:34 – 37). An oath affirms
that one does not ordinarily tell the truth, an action contrary to existence as a disciple. Furthermore,
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one blasphemes God through the action of taking an oath. Only God can guarantee future actions.
The oath, then, is actually an attempt to manipulate God into guaranteeing an action which the oath-
taker, in fact, cannot guarantee.