TEACHING AND SCRIPTUREWhat the Anabaptists restored — and where they stopped
The Anabaptists of the sixteenth century went further than Luther and the Reformed in the practical ordering of the Church. On the left — what was restored, what was preserved, or where the tradition stopped. On the right — Scripture. Below — the conclusion.
PART ONE
What was restored
01Baptism upon personal faith
ANABAPTISTS RESTOREDBaptism must follow repentance and conscious faith, and not be administered to an infant. The contemporary Mennonite confession still binds baptism to a personal confession of faith and a free decision to follow Christ.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSActs 2:38–41First repentance, then baptism; those who received the word were baptised.Acts 8:12Those who believed Philip were baptised.Acts 8:36–38The eunuch hears the gospel, confesses faith and is baptised at once.
Restored truthThe Anabaptists went further than Luther and the Reformed: in Acts baptism follows the faith of the one baptised, not birth into a Christian state.
Baptism belongs to those who have believed, not to infants.
02The Church as a community of disciples
ANABAPTISTS RESTOREDThe Church is not a state religious structure, but a community of people who consciously follow Christ.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSActs 2:41–47Those who received the word were baptised; they devoted themselves to the teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers, and the Lord added daily those who were being saved to the Church.
Restored truthThe apostolic Church is gathered from those who have believed, not from the subjects of the state. The Anabaptists restored this picture of a community of disciples.
The Church is a community of conscious disciples of Christ, not a state religion.
03Discipleship as a way of life
ANABAPTISTS RESTOREDFaith must be expressed not only in the confession of doctrine, but in real obedience to the words of Jesus. This remains central to the Mennonite tradition today.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSMatthew 28:19–20Christ commands that disciples be made, baptising them and teaching them to observe all that He commanded.Luke 9:23Whoever would come after Him must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Him.
Restored truthThe Reformation restored justification by faith. The Anabaptists restored that the justified person follows Christ in everyday life.
Faith without obedience to the words of Jesus is not yet discipleship.
04The separation of Church and state
ANABAPTISTS RESTOREDBelonging to the Church is not determined by birth, citizenship or the state system.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSJohn 18:36“My kingdom is not of this world.”Acts 5:29“We must obey God rather than men.”
Restored truthThe apostolic Church was not a state religion. The Anabaptists rejected the state church which the Reformation had largely kept.
The Church belongs to Christ, not to the state.
05Brotherly responsibility and common life
ANABAPTISTS RESTOREDBelievers must actually care for one another, admonish one another and live as one Body.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSActs 2:44–45All who believed were together and had all things in common; they sold possessions and distributed to all, as any had need.Galatians 6:2“Bear one another’s burdens,” and so fulfil the law of Christ.1 Corinthians 12:25–26The members have the same care for one another: if one member suffers, all suffer.
Restored truthThe apostolic Church lived as one body, not as a gathering of private believers. The Anabaptists restored brotherly responsibility.
The Church is one Body, where believers actually bear one another’s burdens.
07Radical obedience to the Sermon on the Mount
ANABAPTISTS RESTOREDA particular accent was placed on love for enemies, the refusal of revenge, reconciliation, simplicity of life and loyalty to Christ above belonging to the state.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSMatthew 5:38–48Do not resist the one who is evil; turn the other cheek; love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you — so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
Restored truthThe Anabaptists refused to treat the Sermon on the Mount as an unreachable ideal. They received the words of Jesus as the norm of discipleship.
Christ’s words on love for enemies are a command for the Church, not advice for a few saints.
EVEN CONCERNING THE SPIRIT
What was restored even concerning the Spirit
01Prophetic manifestations, healings, tongues and visions
GLIMPSES OF ACTSThe early Anabaptist movement was not wholly rationalistic. Sources of the Mennonite tradition itself note among early Anabaptists prophetic manifestations, healings, other tongues, visions and the expectation of the Holy Spirit’s immediate action.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSActs 2:17–18“I will pour out My Spirit… and they shall prophesy.”1 Corinthians 12:7–11The Holy Spirit gives the Church prophecy, healings, miracles, tongues and other gifts — to each for the common good.
Early restored truthHere already appeared the first glimpses of restoring the charismatic life of the apostolic Church — earlier than in the later Pentecostal movements.
The early Anabaptists expected the Holy Spirit’s immediate action, not only sound teaching and holy life.
02A gathering in which different members take part
GLIMPSES OF ACTSThe Anabaptists sought to order gatherings by the pattern of 1 Corinthians 14, where not one professional minister does everything, but different members of the Church take part with their gifts.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS1 Corinthians 14:26“When you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a tongue, a revelation, an interpretation.”
Early restored truthThis is already a step toward the apostolic gathering, in which the Holy Spirit acts through the body, not only through the pulpit.
The gathering of the Church is a place where different members take part with their gifts, not the monologue of one minister.
KEPT
The Lord’s Supper
01The Supper is more than an intellectual memorial
MENNONITES KEPTThe contemporary Mennonite confession calls the Supper a sign, yet also says that in the bread and the cup the gathering participates in the life of Christ and shares His body and blood. Understanding of its nature differs among Anabaptist groups.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS1 Corinthians 10:16“The cup of blessing… is a participation in the blood of Christ,” and “the bread… is a participation in the body of Christ.”1 Corinthians 11:23–26The Supper was received from the Lord; by it the Church proclaims the Lord’s death until He comes.
Preserved truthThe Mennonite position is more than pure symbolism: the Supper is a sign, but not an empty intellectual memorial. In the bread and the cup the Church participates in Christ.
The Supper is more than a mere memorial: by it the gathering participates in the life of Christ.
THE TURNWhere they stopped
These manifestations did not become the stable centre of the later Mennonite tradition as a whole.
The chief accents became:
baptism upon faith → discipleship → holy life → brotherhood → simplicity → peacemaking → congregational discipline.
The Holy Spirit was confessed and His action was not denied. The contemporary Mennonite confession even says plainly that prophecy remains a gift of the Church and that the Spirit has not ceased to reveal God’s will.
But baptism in the Holy Spirit as a distinct experience of power after conversion, other tongues and the fullness of the nine gifts did not become the defining centre of classical Mennonite church life.
PART TWO
What still remained to restore
01Baptism in the Holy Spirit and power from on high
WHERE IT STOPPEDThe Holy Spirit was confessed, and His action was not denied. But baptism in the Holy Spirit as a distinct experience of power after conversion did not become the defining centre of classical Mennonite church life.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSLuke 24:49Christ commands them to stay in the city until they are clothed with power from on high.Acts 1:4–8The promise is: “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” and “you will receive power.”Acts 8:14–17Already believing and baptized Samaritans receive the Holy Spirit.Acts 19:1–6After the Holy Spirit comes upon them, believers speak in tongues and prophesy.
Gospel truthDiscipleship and holy life are good. The apostolic Church also knew being clothed with power from on high after conversion.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit as power from on high is the next apostolic reality, which classical Mennonitism did not place at the centre.
02Other tongues as a normal living gift
WHERE IT STOPPEDAmong the early Anabaptists other tongues appeared, but in later classical Mennonite life they did not become a normal gift of the Church.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSActs 2:4The believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues.Acts 10:44–46The Spirit falls on Cornelius’ household; they speak in tongues and magnify God.Acts 19:6After the Holy Spirit comes upon them, the believers speak in tongues.1 Corinthians 14:39“Do not forbid speaking in tongues.”
Gospel truthOther tongues in Acts and in Paul are not a periphery, but part of being filled with the Spirit. The early glimpses did not become the norm.
The gift of tongues belongs to the New Testament Church; a few early manifestations do not replace it as a standing norm.
03Standing prophetic ministry in the gathering
WHERE IT STOPPEDThe contemporary Mennonite confession even says plainly that prophecy remains a gift of the Church and that the Spirit has not ceased to reveal God’s will. Yet standing prophetic ministry in the gathering did not become the defining centre of classical Mennonite life.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS1 Corinthians 14:1, 3“Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” The one who prophesies speaks to people for upbuilding, encouragement and consolation.1 Corinthians 14:29–31Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said; you can all prophesy one by one.1 Thessalonians 5:19–21“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things.”
Gospel truthTo confess that prophecy remains a gift is true. The apostolic norm is that prophecy sounds in the gathering and is tested.
Prophecy must be not only an article of confession, but a standing ministry in the gathering.
04Gifts of healing, miracles, discernment of spirits and other manifestations of the Spirit
WHERE IT STOPPEDThe fullness of the nine gifts did not become the defining centre of classical Mennonite church life, though the early Anabaptists knew isolated manifestations.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS1 Corinthians 12:7–11The Holy Spirit gives a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues and interpretation — to each for the common good.
Gospel truthHoly life and brotherhood are good. The New Testament also speaks of the fullness of the gifts by which the Spirit acts in the body.
The fullness of the Spirit’s gifts belongs to the Church, not only to a few early glimpses.
05The fullness of the fivefold ministry
WHERE IT STOPPEDMennonite church form largely reduced this to pastors, teachers and congregational oversight. Christ gave the Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSEphesians 4:11–13Christ gave the Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers — until we all attain to the unity of the faith and to the fullness of Christ.
Gospel truthPastors and teachers are biblical ministries. But Paul also names apostles and prophets among Christ’s gifts to the Church.
Christ gave the Church five ministries until she comes to His fullness; to shorten that list is to narrow what He Himself established.
If the Reformation restored:
Scripture → grace → justification by faith,
then the Anabaptists added a very important next layer:
personal faith → baptism upon faith → discipleship → a free Church → brotherly life → literal obedience to the words of Christ.
And even isolated manifestations appeared:
prophecies → healings → tongues → the Spirit’s immediate action.
But they did not become, across the whole tradition, the full model of church life.
So in the history of restoration Anabaptism can be seen as a decisive step:
the Reformation restored the true gospel, and the Anabaptists tried to restore the way of life of the apostolic community.
What still remained to restore in its fullness, as also belonging to the life of that community:
baptism in the Holy Spirit → power from on high → all the gifts of the Spirit → prophetic ministry → healings → miracles → the fullness of Christ’s ministries.
The Reformation restored the true gospel, and the Anabaptists tried to restore the way of life of the apostolic community — but the fullness of that community’s life in the Holy Spirit still awaited restoration.