[Biblemat] A) CREEDS AND THE TRUTH

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Tuesday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my ancient files:

CREEDS AND THE TRUTH

     A friend recently compared the creeds of the many denom-
inations to tracts that members of the Lord's church have
written.  I thought my friend was just being facetious, but I
found out he was truly serious.  That got me to thinking about the 
differences between creeds and tracts that I, or 
others, have written.

WHAT IS A TRACT?: -- I like to think of a tract I have written
as a sermon where I have arranged material on a particular
subject together in one place.  I might string together some,
or all, verses dealing with a subject and define words and
maybe use some historical material of interest on that topic.

     A tract is not an official "church" document that all memb-
ers must subscribe to and maintain ties with me.  The local
church does not have this type of structure.  Nor is the church the 
formulator of doctrine.  Jesus has all authority in
heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18).  The church is  people who follow the will 
of Christ.

     Furthermore, the members of the church here have no say
so in the tracts I write--they are my own work as an individ-
ual.  They may disagree with me, and when they show me, from the Bible, that 
I have made an error, I will respect them
and correct any true error.  I want to teach only the Truth!

WHAT IS A CREED?:-- On the other hand, a creed is an offic-
ial document of a religious group in which all members must
subscribe to to be a part of that group.  If you disagree with
the creed, you will probably not be welcomed in that group
any longer.  And it is no great concern if the creed teaches
the opposite of what we read in the Bible.  (As an example, the Bible teaches 
that baptism is a burial in water Rom. 6:4,
Man-made creeds teach that baptism may be sprinkling, pour-
ing, or immersion).

     William Barclay sought to justify creeds this way: "1. A 
creed is essential to define the faith.  The Christian must be
able to state what he believes... The Christian must be able to
say: 'Here I stand'.  2. A creed is necessary to provide a norm, standard and 
touchstone... 3. A creed is necessary to
provide the material of Christian teaching and preaching."
(As quoted by Roland Worth, Jr. in Truth Magazine, Sept. 18,
1975, pg. 13).

     The New Testament does "define the faith" for Christians.
We can say "Here we stand" on the teaching found in the New Testament.  The 
Bible "provides the material" for our
teaching and preaching.  We must contend for "the faith once
delivered unto the saints" (Jd. 3).

     Lisette Woodworth Reese wrote: "Creeds grow so thick
along the way, Their boughs hide God." (As quoted in Famili-
ar Quotations, by John Bartlett, pg. 719).

     A creed is an addition to God's Will.  A tract is not, when
the writer teaches only God's revealed Will.  --- Michael L.
Garrison in Gospel Guide, Vol. 27, No. 2, Feb. 1995.
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