____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ October 6, 2002 ____________________________________________________ Creed Bound! by Robert F. Turner All readers of Restoration history will recognize the above charge that thundered across the land as pioneer preachers pled for the ancient order. And even in this enlightened age, when progress and respectability have blinded many to the restoration principle, the terms are familiar. But lest we become mere name-callers, forgetting the meaning of the name, let us re-examine the principles involved; and, lest the pot call the kettle black, let us re-examine ourselves. Creed, from the Latin, credo (cf. credible) means, "I believe." In the early Catholic church the so-called Apostles Creed is a notable example, line after line beginning, "I believe." Basically, the creed was simply a statement of what one believed to be true; not proof of the articles. However, as Romanism taught the authority of the church to interpret and declare truth, the "I believe this is true" became dogmatically, "this is true." Ones knowledge of truth (?) was measured by one's ability to answer the questions of the catechism according to the prescribed creed. Individual study of the Bible was frowned upon, later forbidden. Minds surrendered their freedom to think, and became "creed-bound." Underlying the Reformation movement was the gradual awakening of the individual mind. The discovery of the new world, growing demands for political freedom, scientific developments, all called for people to think, weigh evidences, to draw conclusions. As investigation caused the overthrow of erroneous geographic, political, and scientific "creeds," so religious creeds and dogmas began to fall beneath the weight of Bible study. The printing press, making multiple copies of the Bible possible, was an important factor in this great search for truth. Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Knox, and others were great leaders of the people. They challenged the dogmas of Rome, and restated a declaration of freedom as old as the "whosoever-will" of the New Testament; freedom to search the scriptures daily whether these things be so; freedom to think. The Roman church, denying this freedom, is quick to point out that these men differed in their conclusions. Well, Catholic scholars have differed in their conclusions and greatly so. Catholic "unity of faith" (which, through the ages, isn't as unified as they would like for us to believe) is achieved only through a central papal organization which makes an infallible (?) decision, and coerces objectors to accept or suffer excommunication. But, let us not excuse the reformers on the basis of others' errors. The reformers differed. This was a time of religious upheaval. Many people, suddenly cut off from the Roman church because of their support of this new principle of individual study and decision, found themselves without any well-formulated faith. Many of the leaders, while recognizing some errors of the Roman system, were hampered in their studies by their own Romish background. Others, swinging violently away from former doctrines, formulated untenable extremes. They, "running out of Rome, ran past Jerusalem." Human minds being what they are, true evidence must contend with varying backgrounds, pride, selfishness, and other human elements. This is unavoidable in any study and need not be serious IF -- a capital IF indeed -- IF the truth-seeker will recognize God's Word as the absolute, complete, and final authority. Jesus put it simply, "Thy Word is truth" (John 17:17). Differences may actually be a blessing, if they lead us to further study of Gods Word; but differences frozen -- made immobile by human stubbornness, written into "Creeds" and "Confessions of Faith" -- blight man's search for truth. Just such creeds, formulated by the reformers, became a curse upon the world, fostering religious sectarianism and denominationalism. And this same spirit, with creeds written or otherwise, has kept many sincere and well-meaning "Protestants" in the same religious bondage which was formerly associated only with Roman Catholicism. Creed-bound minds are blinded to truth. Then came the Restoration movement of the nineteenth century, when such men as Campbell, Stone, and Fanning fought valiantly to overthrow the mental shackles of human traditions and doctrine. They considered the Word of God their complete rule of faith and practice. They did more than "lip-service" to this principle; they accepted it in reality, gladly paying the cost of friends, popularity, and financial rewards. Their studies were not perfect, nor their conclusions infallible, but their motto was and is the only consistent principle for those who would be creed-free. "LET US SPEAK WHERE THE BIBLE SPEAKS, AND BE SILENT WHERE THE BIBLE IS SILENT." Believing "the seed is the Word of God" (Luke 8:11), they sought to push aside human denominational ties and allow the Word free course in the hearts of men. There, free from sectarian contaminations, this seed could and did produce simple New Testament Christians. But there are new generations. What my grandfather found to be true -- by virtue of slow, exhaustive Bible study -- my father accepted, perhaps by reading a few confirming passages furnished by my grandfather. And what my father believed -- we may admit that he studied and understood the confirming passages -- I may find myself believing, with neither confirmation nor understanding. Am I to contend that grandfather could make no error; that what has been practiced or believed through these past generations, and by my own kin, must not be questioned? Such creed-bound ("I believe" bound) thinking can be productive of nothing but harm to the cause of Christ. The need to "search the scriptures daily" exists today, just as it has always existed. Each individual must handle aright the Word of God, if he is to stand approved in Gods sight (2 Tim. 2:15). We have no less need than did those of Thessalonica to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:21). Truth does not fear investigation. It is high time we realized that our "I believe" is no more sacred than that of the Roman Catholic, or the "Protestant." THE FAITH has been once for all delivered (Jude 3); it is found now in the inspired written Word. It waits our acceptance and obedience. By the written word we may know the certainty of the things believed (Luke 1:14), and to the written Word we must go in order to know the things spoken through Apostles and Prophets (2 Pet. 3:1-2). The "Old Paths," to which we must adhere, are not the Old Paths of the restoration preachers. The path (yea, the highway) is the way of Christ as described in the New Testament. Many pioneer preachers have walked that path, and their footprints give us courage to "press on." But even Paul said, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1). You can be a modern-day pioneer by correcting your own creed-bound thinking, and being "ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (I Pet. 3:15). Have you the courage and Christian character necessary to be such a lover of truth? -- Via Truth Magazine, December, 1956 ___________________________________________ God Does Not Dwell in Temples Made With Hands by Clarence Johnson In Old Testament times, worship was centered in the tabernacle. There were priests, altars, incense, sacrifices, ritual, etc. The temple built by Solomon was costly, beautiful, and elaborate. But when Christ came "to fulfill the law" this was the end of the old order. In answer to the woman of Samaria, Jesus said, regarding the place of worship, "Neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem...but true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth" (John 4:19-26). It was fortunate that all Christians were not required to worship in one location, for bitter persecution soon scattered them, Acts 8:11. In their travels they had Christ's promise to be with them even to the end of the world, Matt. 28:20. So they worshiped God in spirit and in truth from house to house, in upper rooms and caves and catacombs. The place was not important so long as they did not forsake the assembling of themselves together, Heb. 10:25. Centuries later, misguided worshipers began to emphasize the place of meeting. Years were spent in decorating the walls of church buildings. Thinking they did God service, men added gold, jewels, and costly ornaments. Fortunes were poured into construction of cathedrals while multitudes were starving for physical and spiritual food. Today in ancient European nations, we see the result of centuries of that kind of thinking as elaborate cathedrals stand in the midst of poverty, filth, ignorance and superstition. Of course, it is not wrong for Christians to erect a place of assembly adequate to meet their spiritual needs, but common sense would seem to direct them to avoid over extending themselves in the matter of bricks and mortar and real estate. Let us be aware that God still does not dwell in temples made with hands, and let us rather emphasize the true essence of Christianity: loving God, loving our neighbor, and worshiping God in spirit and in truth. -- Via Susquehanna Sentinel, August 25, 2002 ___________________________________________ What the Red Letter Says About the Black by J. Princeton Simons Certain modern Bibles are called "red-letter" editions. In these editions, effort has been made to identify the words directly spoken by Jesus and to specially highlight these words by the use of red ink. There are those who use these red-letter editions who suppose that the red letters are superior to the rest of the Bible text. But let us notice what the "red letter" has to say about the black letter. Since Jesus quotes the Old Testament in Matt. 4:4, the Old Testament quotation appears in red: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." In this "red letter" statement, Jesus affirms the importance of EVERY word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God: "every word" includes the black letter words of the Bible. Not long before Jesus ended His personal-teaching sojourn upon this earth, He assured His appointed spokesmen: "He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth Me; and he that rejecteth Me rejecteth Him that sent Me" (Luke 10:16). Jesus vested special authority into the teaching of His hand-chosen apostles: the red-letter so declares. "And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with always, even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:18-20). This red-letter statement places the full weight of divine authority upon the rest of the New Testament words -- even those in black. To reject or discount any of the New Testament is to reject Jesus and to discount what the red-letter teaches. The red letters tell us to accept the black letters as well. -- Via Susquehanna Sentinel, August 18, 2002 ___________________________________________ News & Notes I am happy to report that all the brethren at the Myrtle Street church of Christ made it through the recent strong winds of Isidore and Lily okay. From the latter, the Baton Rouge area experienced gales around 47 mph -- which brought many trees and power lines down (32,300 homes had been without power in East Baton Rouge Parish); some homes were partially damaged, and some roads temporarily closed. But for many of the brethren at Myrtle Street, temporary power outages and debris of broken tree limbs was about the extent of it. ________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ________________________________________