On our platform to your right, you will find standing a new flag, the Baptist Standard. As we learned this past year, the modern day “Christian Flag” was designed and created by a Protestant to stand for all “Christendome.” The World Book Encyclopedia (Vol. 3, 1967, pg. 405) reads, “The Christian Flag has been the emblem of Protestant Churches since 1897.” This flag is not a Baptist flag but a Protestant flag! It is the emblem of Protestant churches, not Baptist Churches. Somewhere in the twentieth century, we came to accept the emblem of Protestant churches as fitting us. By publicly displaying the emblem, we are thereby saying what we do not believe-in essence saying, “we are Protestant.” We are not Protestant! While I do believe in the Kingdom of God, I do not agree with the definition of the Kingdom of God that a Protestant will give you. We do not believe in an universal, invisible church.
Isaiah 6:10 reads, “Go through the gates: prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.” We felt it time that we as Baptist had a standard to lift up…the Baptist Standard. For months now, my music minister Jeff Allen and I have been praying and designing this Baptist Standard. The Lord has blessed Bro. Allen with a tremendous talent, and he was used of the Lord to make this flag a reality.
You will notice first its crimson banner, for without the blood of Christ we would have no salvation. The crimson banner also is a memorial of those faithful martyrs who shed their blood to stand for the Truth in the face of evil dignitaries, persecutors, and apostates.
You then observe the Pillar and Ground of Truth, which 1 Timothy 3:15 designates as the church. It is the Lord’s churches that have been given the responsibility to uphold the truth of God’s Word.
Then there is the Triangle which represents the Holy Trinity, our Triune God: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Scripture in that Triangle reads: “Throughout all ages, world without end.” This is referring to Ephesians 3:21 which reads: “Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.”
You will then notice the Pillar and Ground of Truth is upholding the Word of God, for us-a KJV Bible. Above that is a globe and a cross which represents the church’s Great Commission to evangelize, baptize, and teach the world salvation and the Word of God.
Below that is what distinguishes the Lord’s churches from all others, the two ordinances which the church is to keep: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It is these two ordinances that cost our martyrs their lives, and these two ordinances which we must keep!
Finally, there is the Flame. This flame represents the duty of the Lord’s churches to be Keepers of the Flame; to pass down the Truth from generation to generation until the Lord calls us home.
There is no pledge, this is not an idol or a symbol of arrogance; but rather a statement and a stand that this is what we believe. This flag doesn't unite all of Christendome, but separates Truth from error. I thank the Lord for the Truth of His Word and pray by His grace we will continue to stand.
