Creed Bound Minds by Robert F. Turner
(From Plain Talk, Vol. 3, No. 3, April, 1966)
By some strange travesty those who cry loudest for liberty
are often the ones who mean liberty for their opinions only; and
"non-sectarian" preachers have a way of becoming the
most "creed-bound" of all. The absence of an official
written "discipline" is no guarantee of an "open
pulpit".
What is a "creed"? The word comes from the Latin "credo"
which means, "I believe." Many creeds of today retain
the form of the so-called Apostles Creed, each article beginning
with "I believe." They are concise statements of belief,
or doctrine, which identify the "position" of the maker.
Perhaps the first creeds were formulated in an effort to combat
what was believed to be error; to state with clarity some matter
that was being questioned; or simply an unashamed affirmation
of principles upon which certain ones stood. Today our brethren
write little creeds in tract form, to show what "we believe";
or as clauses in deeds to church property, to keep a church building
in the hands of men who gave the same "I believe" as
the original owners. (This seldom works, because of the failure
to apply yesterday's principles to tomorrow's problems.)
Are such "creeds" wrong? Not necessarily! After all,
"we do believe" certain things, whether we write them
or not. But should we claim to state that which must be believed,
anything less than God's word is too little, anything more than
God's word is too much, and anything different from God's word
is condemned by this fact. A Christian's "creed" may
be stated as his confession that Jesus Christ is Lord which recognizes
the Son of God as having "all authority," and accepts
everything taught in His covenant. We believe, accept, and practice
recognizing as a basis of fellowship with Christ and Christians
only those things which may be proven to be "by His authority."
The error of "man-written creeds" (as we call them)
is (1) man's presumption to shorten, lengthen, alter, or better
arrange God's revelation of truth; and (2) the setting up and
acceptance of some man's "I believe" as a standard of
right and wrong.
"Creed-bound" minds are minds tied to one's own or
some other's "I believe"; no longer free to approach
God's word objectively, to be changed by this unchanging divine
standard.
Creeds and sectarianism have moved hand in hand through history.
Certain "beliefs" are accepted as "orthodox,"
and become the standards for determining "fellowship."
Tradition, majority rule, big churches, papers, preachers, and
such like take the place of God's word; and all who object must
be marked and ostracized. These seem to think Rom. 16:17 reads,
"mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to
the doctrine of our party and traditions." This is sectarianism,
whether in or out of the church, and it will send souls to hell.
But someone asks, "Should we not believe something and should
we not have firm convictions, wanting others to accept what we
believe to be the truth?" We should indeed! And, we may state,
even write, what we believe about a matter without being a creed
maker, or "creed-bound." The difference lies in one's
attitude toward his beliefs. Have they become his standard, or
is he still willing to "prove" them by God's word??
Do we become angry if someone questions our "beliefs"? Are we unwilling to discuss them in the light of God's truth? Do we refuse to consider any conclusion other than our own? Are we fair with ourselves in answering the questions of this paragraph? There is One who knows my heart and yours!!
Living a godly life is a fight. Yes, we can be confident in our salvation and ready to meet our Lord in the sky. But this does not negate the fact that living a godly life is a struggle, a battle, and a fight.
Near the end of his life, Paul wrote to Timothy and said: "But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses" (1 Tim. 6:11-12).
Jude exhorted Christians saying: "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Christians have the pleasure of serving in the Lord's army and must fight against "principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). Christians have a God given command to fight against darkness lest they are overcome by evil.
· Christians patiently persevere throughout the fight. Our battle begins the day that we become Christians and ends the day that we depart from this life. James wrote to Christians who were fighting to do what was right while the rich were cheating them of their wages (Ja. 5:4). James said: "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand" (Ja. 5:7-8).
· Christians rejoice throughout the fight by prayerfully trusting in God for victory. Paul said: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Th. 5:16-18). And he said: "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:4-7).
· Christians must fight to the death! We must fight till the day we die. And we must fight, even if the fight requires our own mortal life.
Jesus exhorted Christians in Smyrna saying: "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10).
And Paul never gave up the fight saying in his last epistle: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved his appearing" (2 Tim. 4:7-8).
· Everybody is fighting for something. Jesus said: "he who is not against us is for us" (Lk. 9:50). And James said: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (Ja. 4:4). Everyone is either for God or against God. Everyone is either a friend of the world or a friend of God. Everyone is either fighting for God or fighting against God (cf. Acts 5:29; 23:9).
Short Exhort - Compiled by David J. Riggs
(http://www.public.usit.net/driggs/)
"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matt. 6:26).
GOSPEL MEETING - Jere Frost is coming to Leesburg January 14th through the 19th, 2001.