WHY WE SALUTE THE FLAGS

Psalm 20:5

I. The Parts of the American Flag.

The Design of the American Flag.

The stars represent the states.

The stripes represent the original number of states.

The Display of the American Flag.

It is to be the main flag and NEVER lower than any other.

It is to be pledged to first in any ceremony.

The Doctrines of the American Flag.

To promote freedom from tyranny.

To insure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

II. The Parts of the Baptist Flag.

The Design of the Baptist Flag.

It was invented by a Baptist preacher.

The Baptist Flag originated in the heart and mind of Dr. D.L. Green, pastor of the Parker Memorial Baptist Church in Lansing, Michigan. Desiring a flag with which to identify, yet reluctant to embrace the Christian Flag because of its adoption by a broad scope of religious groups which have blurred its distinctiveness, Dr. Green set out to design a flag which would be attractive in appearance and distinct in its message. After sketching a variety of designs and rejecting them as insufficient to express his thoughts, Dr. Green settled on the theme "The Tie That Binds."

The Display of the Baptist Flag.

It’s pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the Baptist Flag, And to the Faith once delivered unto the Saints. I will ever remain faithful to the tie that binds us together, The Book, the Blood, and the Blessed Hope of our Lord's soon coming.

It’s purpose. (Ecclesiastes 4:12 “threefold cord”)

Dr. Green developed a flag that embodied the three-fold cord which binds together the Baptists around the world.

As Baptists, we hold to THE BOOK, the inspired Word of God, as our rule for faith and practice;

THE BLOOD by Christ for the remission of sin; and

THE BLESSED HOPE of the return of Christ to unite us together in Heaven with Him for all eternity. The colors are also symbolic and significant in their message.

Red is symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ by which we are redeemed.

White for His purity and the robe of righteousness of the saints.

The Doctrines of the Baptist Flag.

The Book.

2 Kings 22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

One written Final Authority for our Faith.

All sound doctrine is in the Bible. Isaiah 8:20

All doctrine is to be tested from the Bible. 1 John 4:1

One written Final Authority for our Practice.

How we behave

The Blood.

The blood is sufficient.

Colossians 1:14, 20

The blood is security.

Illus--It is where the blood has been applied that makes the difference (why OT saints could not go to Heaven, but had to go to paradise: they went as far as the blood had been applied)

The Blessed Hope.

The Rapture of the church.

Titus 2:13a “Looking for that blessed hope,”

** Pre-tribulation rapture -

1 Thess 4:13-18

1 Cor 15:51-58

The Return of the Christ.

Titus 2:13b “and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

** Pre-millennial return of Jesus - Revelation 19:11-21