Author	: Bill Kochman
Publish	: Jan. 25, 2026
Update	: Jan. 25, 2026
Parts	: 02

Synopsis:



Some time ago, I came across a particular Facebook post and comment thread where -- as I have seen occur on a number of other previous occasions -- some members of a Baptist church were claiming to be doctrinally descended from the original Apostles. As the typical Baptist argument goes, they make the claim that not only were they never a part of the Roman Catholic Church, but neither were they ever a part of the early Reformers who began breaking away from the same Roman Catholic Church -- or at least they tried to, to some degree -- during the fourteen century.

On a side note, while a lot of Christians believe that the Reformation began with Protestants such as William Tyndale and Martin Luther during the sixteenth century, as I explain more fully in a few other Bill’s Bible Basics articles such as "History of the Authorized King James Bible", it actually began during the fourteenth century with earlier Catholics such as John Wycliffe and his followers, who were ridiculed and referred to as Lollards. These men translated the Latin Vulgate Bible into what was known as Middle English, after which they distributed God's Word via hand-written tract form.

To further distinguish and differentiate themselves from other Protestant denominations, historically speaking, the Baptists also like to associate themselves with both the Anabaptists and the Waldenses. So exactly who were these people?

To begin with, the Anabaptists are a Christian movement who trace their origin to the Radical Reformation of the 16th century, which began in Germany and Switzerland, but which eventually spread throughout Europe, and then to the United States as well. Some of the early Anabaptist groups include the Hutterites and the Mennonites. While the aforementioned early Reformers separated themselves from the Roman Catholic Church due to the serious corruption they saw within it, the Anabaptists took it a step further and even parted ways with those early Reformers, because they perceived corruption in the Reformation as well. Thus, their movement became known as the Radical Reformation.

One of the core beliefs of Anabaptists is that water baptism is only valid when candidates freely confess their faith in Jesus Christ, and specifically request to be baptized. This act is commonly referred to as "believer's baptism". Stated another way, Anabaptists do NOT believe that infant baptism is sufficient, because the Believer cannot make a conscious decision to repent and turn away from their sins, and then choose to be baptized when they are an infant. Some of the major denominations which practice infant baptism are the following:

1. Roman Catholic Church

2. Eastern Orthodox Church

3. Oriental Orthodox Churches

4. Anglican/Episcopal Church

5. Lutheran Churches

6. Presbyterian Churches

7. Reformed Churches

8. Methodist Churches

9. United Church of Christ

The name "Anabaptist" is actually an exonym. That is to say, it is a name for a place or group of people that is only used outside that place or group. In short, the name is given to the group by other non-members of the group. The name itself actually means "one who baptizes again". Following is some additional information which I extracted from the Wikipedia website. There is a lot more information found on their web page, but the following excerpts will at least provide you with some of the Anabaptists' foundational beliefs:

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"The early Anabaptists formulated their beliefs in a confession of faith in 1527 called the Schleitheim Confession. Its author Michael Sattler was arrested and executed shortly afterward. Anabaptist groups varied widely in their specific beliefs, but the Schleitheim Confession represents foundational Anabaptist beliefs as well as any single document can.

The Amish, Hutterites and Mennonites are direct descendants of the early Anabaptist movement. The Schwarzenau Brethren, River Brethren, Bruderhof and the Apostolic Christian Church are Anabaptist denominations that developed after the Radical Reformation, following their example. Though all Anabaptists share the same core theological beliefs, there are differences in the way of life among them.

Emphasizing an adherence to the beliefs of early Christianity, Anabaptists in general are distinguished by their keeping of practices that often include nonconformity to the world: "the love feast with feet washing, laying on of hands, anointing with oil, and the holy kiss, as well as turning the other cheek, no oaths, going the second mile, giving a cup of cold water, reconciliation, repeated forgiveness, humility, non-violence, and sharing possessions.

Most Anabaptists adhere to a literal interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7, which teaches against hate, killing, violence, taking oaths, participating in use of force or any military actions, and against participation in civil government. Anabaptists view themselves as primarily citizens of the kingdom of God, not of earthly nations. As committed followers of Jesus, they seek to pattern their life after his."

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Regarding the Waldenses -- who are also known as Waldensians -- I discovered that they actually preceded the Reformation and the Radical Reformation by hundreds of years. Originally called the "Poor of Lyon", their founder was a wealthy French merchant by the name of Peter Waldo, who around the year 1173 gave away his property, and began preaching apostolic poverty as the way to perfection. We might say that he was similar to the Franciscan religious order which was founded by Francis of Assisi a few decades later. While some people have come to view the Waldenses as proto-Protestants, they distinguished themselves from the later 16th century Reformers by the fact that they did not raise the same doctrinal objections which came to characterize those later Protestant leaders.

Nevertheless, their teachings eventually came into conflict with the Roman Catholic Church. Thus, by 1215 the Waldenses were declared heretical. Prior to his death in 1216, Pope Innocent III offered the Waldenses an opportunity to return to the Roman Catholic Church. While some of them did take up his offer and adopted the name of "Poor Catholics", many others refused to do so. Thus, they were subjected to very intense persecution, and they were forced to confront with organized and general discrimination in the centuries which followed.

Finally, after several centuries of being heavily persecuted, they came to align themselves with the Protestant Reformation by way of the Synod of Chanforan, which took place in Italy in September of the year 1532. It was at that time that they formally became a part of the Calvinist tradition. What you may likewise find interesting is the fact that the Waldenses financed the first French translation of the Bible, which was translated directly from original Hebrew and Greek texts. At the 1532 Synod of Chanforan, they commissioned and provided 500 gold crowns for the project, which was executed by Pierre Robert Olivétan and published in 1535.

On a side note, it may interest you to know that it was also in that very same year that English reformer William Tyndale likewise published a revised version of his New Testament in the English language. While he was working on a translation of the Old Testament as well, William Tyndale never published a full English translation of the entire Bible. As I explain in "History of the Authorized King James Bible", that job was left to another English reformer named Myles Coverdale, who in fact supplemented Tyndale's translations with his own to produce the first complete printed Bible in English in 1535. It was known as the Coverdale Bible. Regarding Tyndale, he was convicted of heresy and executed by strangulation, after which his body was burnt at the stake in 1536 by the Roman Catholic Church.

Returning to the Waldenses, despite being absorbed into the Protestant Reformation during the mid-16th century, and also despite being responsible for the first French translation of the Bible in 1535, nevertheless, the Waldensians were nearly annihilated during the Savoyard-Waldensian wars that occurred between the Waldensians and the Savoyard troops in the Duchy of Savoy in France during the later half of the 17th century. The Waldenses who survived those wars eventually fled to the countries of Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Today, several different types of Waldensian churches still exist in Europe, North America and South America. Their mission is "proclaiming the Christian Gospel, serving the marginalized, promoting social justice, fostering inter-religious work, and advocating respect for religious diversity and freedom of conscience."

As a Bible-believing Christian myself who is rather familiar with the Holy Scriptures, I will say that I agree with some of the doctrines and practices which were embraced by early Anabaptists and the Waldenses. Whether or not they still live by them in our modern day, I honestly do not know, because I have never met anyone who belongs to either denomination. As I point out in other BBB articles, I haven't been associated with any denomination, or with any form of organized religion in quite a few decades. More on this point in just a moment.

In particular, I agree with their stance regarding avoiding worldliness and material wealth as much as possible, being as they will always both corrupt us and distract us from our primary work for the Lord. Thus, I too believe that we are primarily citizens of God's Kingdom and not of this present world. I also agree with turning the other cheek, taking no oaths such as the Pledge of Allegiance, going the extra mile if and when we may be called to do so, giving a cup of cold water to those who are in need, always having a willingness to forgive others, practicing humility, sharing with others when it is in our power to do so, never hating anyone or anything unless it is something which God also declares that He hates in His Word, avoiding killing, war and other forms of violence, and not being politically involved. As you may know, I discuss all of these various points in quite a few of my other Bill's Bible Basics articles.

Of course, at the same time, as I point out in the series entitled "Roman Catholicism, Water Baptism and the Holy Trinity", one point where I do strongly disagree is with regard to the necessity of water baptism. If you happen to be really interested in the whys and wherefores concerning my current position regarding this issue, then I invite you to read the series. You will find it listed at the end of this same article with a clickable link. Now, while I can agree with all of the aforementioned points, nevertheless, in my view, there is still something that all these online Baptists are still missing, and I will now tell you what it is.

Through their endeavors to prove how different they are from the Roman Catholic Church, and also from all other Protestant denominations as well, and by trying to prove that they are supposedly much more aligned by doctrine with the Anabaptists and the Waldenses, these online Baptists are committing the very same mistake which I have seen so many times before over the years. What am I referring to? I am referring to the fact that these types of people all carry a self-righteous spirit of exclusivity. As I explain in the series entitled "Elijah: Where Are the True Prophets of God?", sadly, it appears that every single denomination, and every single cult does this.

Now, mind you, they may not necessarily say it openly. They may only indirectly hint at it. At the very least, they will hold the thought in their hearts. Basically they will say or at least think something similar to the following:

"We are true disciples of Jesus Christ. We have the absolute Scriptural truth. God has revealed certain things to us which no one else even knows. We are not like those other misguided denominations. We are so different from all other Christians. Our doctrines are pure. We live in obedience, and we practice the Word the way it is supposed to be lived and practiced. We adhere to the Bible more than any other denomination you will ever meet. Our leader is God's chosen."

So tell me, my friends. Have you ever personally encountered denominations, churches or individual Christians who are like the above? I have; and to be quite honest, I find them rather obnoxious; particularly when they begin to ferociously attack and bully other online Christians with their condescending attitude. Such folks won't hesitate to make other Christians feel as if they are totally stupid, and as if they don't know anything. They will boast of their knowledge in a very proud, haughty fashion. This is one reason why I wrote the article called "Doctrinal Correction: The Proper Way to Do It". I am reminded of the following Bible verses:

"Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know."


This is one reason why for many years now, I have refused to engage with or be a part of organized religion, meaning the church system. It is for the same reason that, usually, when people start resisting what I am saying online, I will simply bow out of the conversation. After all, you can't convince a person who is unteachable, who doesn't have an open mind and heart, and who doesn't want to be convinced. Trying to do so is simply a waste of your time and an exercise in futility, as I point out in the article "Should Christians Engage in Doctrinal Debates?".

So this one reason why I am against denominationalism, and why I have become convinced that regardless of a particular denomination's name, denominationalism is of the Devil. It is an evil invention of Satan. Compared to the doctrinal and spiritual unity which we clearly read about in the Bible, it is plain to see that modern denominationalism both divides and destroys unity in the Body of Christ. ALL denominations slice and dice the Body of Christ. They ALL cut it up into little pieces divided by their particular doctrines, many of which are absolutely false, man-made doctrines which have no Scriptural basis whatsoever.

Sadly, this is development is nothing new. As I explain in my article called "The Theologian War and Man Worship", the Bible informs us that denominationalism began to tear apart the First Century Church too. Satan was already beginning to destroy the Church from within, even two thousand years ago. Exactly how did it happen? Early Christians began coalescing around certain Church leaders who they admired, each of whom had their particular beliefs, teachings and doctrines, and the destructive division has continued to this very day as well. This becomes quite evident by a number of verses which can be found in the New Testament where the Apostles warn against false doctrines and false brethren infiltrating the Lord's flocks. They also warn against worshipping any of the Church's leaders, or seeking to please them in some way in order to hopefully gain some kind of special favor with them. Consider the following set of sample Bible verses:

"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"


"For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase . . . Therefore let no man glory in men . . ."


"And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"


"These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage."


"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:"


"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."


"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do."


"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"


"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"


"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."


"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."


"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him . . . For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."


"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."


"And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:"


"Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision."


"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself."


"But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself."


"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."


"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."


"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds."


This is why Jesus very specifically prayed for unity in the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of John, and also why the Apostle Paul beseeched the brethren that they would "speak the same thing", be "joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" in the following set of Bible verses, and in other verses which are found in the New Testament as well, which I share below:

"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all SPEAK THE SAME THING, and that there be NO DIVISIONS AMONG YOU; but that ye be perfectly joined together IN THE SAME MIND and IN THE SAME JUDGMENT."


"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, as we are . . . THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be ONE IN US: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, even as WE ARE ONE: I in them, and thou in me, THAT THEY MAY BE MADE PERFECT IN ONE; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."


"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be ONE FOLD, and ONE SHEPHERD."


"That ye may with ONE MIND and ONE MOUTH glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."


"Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of ONE MIND, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."


"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace . . . That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."


"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in ONE SPIRIT, with ONE MIND striving together for the faith of the gospel;"


"Fulfil ye my joy, THAT YE BE LIKEMINDED, having the same love, being of ONE ACCORD, of ONE MIND."


"For God is not ‭the author‭ of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.‭"


". . . Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell TOGETHER IN UNITY!"


"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."


"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"


Please go to part two for the conclusion of this article.

⇒ Go To The Next Part . . .

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