John was NOT a Baptist! John was an Old Testament Jew!
John was not part of the "Bride of Christ":
John 3:28-29 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the BRIDE is the bridegroom: BUT the FRIEND of the BRIDEGROOM, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this MY joy therefore is fulfilled.
John was operating under the Old testament, he was the last OT prophet.:
Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
Matt 11:9-10 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Matt 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
John's father was a Jewish priest:
Luke 1:8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
He performed OT Jewish ceremonies:
Luke 1:9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
John was a Jewish Nazarite:
Luke 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
John's baptism was not like ours:
John 1:31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made MANIFEST to ISRAEL, therefore am I come baptizing with water. (Christian baptism is administered AFTER Christ is made manifest to a believer.)
Matt 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to FULFIL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. Then he suffered him. (That's not what ours is for.)
Matt 3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, CONFESSING their SINS.
Matt 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto REPENTANCE:
Mark 1:4-5 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of REPENTANCE for the REMISSION of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, CONFESSING their SINS.
Luke 3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of REPENTANCE for the REMISSION of SINS;
Our baptism is not for repentance, nor remission of sins. We do not confess our sins at our baptism.
Various and sundry connections to ISRAEL:
Matt 3:1-2 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (He preached to Jews the Millennial Kingdom of Heaven.)
Luke 1:16 And many of the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL shall he turn to the Lord their God.
Luke 1:68-69 Blessed be the Lord God of ISRAEL; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the HOUSE of his servant DAVID;
Luke 1:80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto ISRAEL.
John was a Jew, not a Baptist. Baptists don't practice all the things that John did.
Teno Groppi