Sacerdotalism and the Baptists

by Milburn Cockrell

ISBN 1932879072

(paperback, 75 pages, First published in 1979, Published 2005 by Berea Baptist Church)

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Until recent times I never believed that any people who called themselves Baptists would embrace sacerdotalism. No people have ever more bravely stood against the curse of priestcraft than our Baptist forefathers. But I have lived to see some brethren invent and preach a moderate form of sacerdotalism. “Sacerdotal” means “relating to priests or a priesthood.” “Sacerdotalism” is the “religious belief emphasizing the powers of priests as essential mediators between God and man.” Modern New Lighters conceive of the Baptist church being God’s priests on earth. To them there are no spiritual blessings or rewards outside of this anointed priesthood.

Already in my lifetime I have seen a few of our preachers read post-trib books, written by religious liberals or Baptists in the charismatic movement, and suddenly embrace what they read in these books. Some were converted in less than a week’s time. These men threw the pre-trib position out the door for the post-trib position of men like George Ladd and Dale Moody. Today they denounce their pre-trib brethren as “Darbyites” and “ultra-Dispensationalists”.

Some of these same brethren, having already confused no small number of our preachers on prophesy, are now compassing sea and land to confuse the brotherhood on the local church. They would replace the old Landmark position with an anointed priesthood which confers all spiritual blessings. Some in this crowd have taken it upon themselves to be a council of presiding bishops who alone has the authority to determine the doctrines taught in the Bible. All other preachers are limited in their understanding and must pay attention to them.