CREEDS: GOOD AND BAD

"Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers that write perverseness; to turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! (Isaiah 10:1-2)

In an article entitled “CREEDBOUND MINDS”, Robert F. Turner asked “What is a creed?” He then stated that the word comes from the Latin “credo” which means, “I believe”. He then observed that creeds are concise statements of belief, or doctrine, which identify the ‘position’ of the maker.

Mr. Turner wrote: [It may be that 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.]

Not all creeds are wrong. Decrees were made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem (Acts 15). These decrees were in essence, a creed. They were stating the convictions of the apostles and elders. These decrees were formulated and written down to be presented to Christians throughout the world at that time. They were delivered by Paul and Timothy in their preaching and in their epistles. “And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem.” (Acts 16:4).

The interesting thing about these decrees was that they established a standard for all churches to follow. These were divinely inspired decrees, not mere ‘statements of faith’ that identified differences of beliefs on the Bible. These decrees were not designed to establish a church other than the one Christ built (Matthew 16:18). They were not for the purpose of establishing ‘another faith’ but were intended to be “the faith” for all to strive together to defend (Philippians 1:27). These decrees were not “another gospel” but THE gospel (Galatians 1:6-9). These decrees were the standard for faith and practice.

However, as was true before, during, and after Isaiah’s time, there are those who decree ‘unrighteous’ decrees. It continues today. The decrees Isaiah was referring to were man-authored creeds. As Mr. Turner observed, [The error of “man-written creeds” 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.] God’s word is a sufficient creed. It is the only creed that has authority to save (Romans 1:16). It is also the only creed with the authority to pronounce anathema on all other creeds (Galatians 1:8-9).

A statement of belief does not guarantee that the gospel decrees are being practiced. For example, notice the following quotes/admissions from the past:

Martin Luther – “We must not explain the Scriptures by the Fathers, but explain and judge the Fathers by the Scriptures.”

Lutheran Creed – “The only way to settle doctrinal questions is to show what the Bible teaches.”

Methodist Creed (1948) – “The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be taught requisite or necessary to salvation.”

Presbyterian Creed (1949) – “The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in the scripture, or by good and necessary consequences may be deduced from scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit or traditions of men.”

Baptist Creed (1950) – “We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instructions; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its content.”

Alexander Campbell (1839) – “We take the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible as the foundation of all Christian union and communion. Those who do not like this will please show us a more excellent way.”

In view of the statements above, Mr. Turner concluded: [Now these quotations all seem to agree that God's Word is all sufficient as the Bible teaches it to be. It’s evident that each of these has drifted from where they first began, and that is to stand firmly on biblical authority (2 Peter 1:3). Any doctrine that requires more than the Bible or less than the Bible denies the all-sufficiency of the Bible, and is proof that the doctrine derives from man, and not from God. Anyone who abides NOT in the DOCTRINE of CHRIST has NOT GOD (2 John 1:9). And if we have NOT GOD, we don’t have SALVATION (John 14:6; Romans 6:23).]

5/29/22

ETERNITY: BEFORE ‘IN THE BEGINNING’

Eternity may be described as the time BEFORE the creation of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1), and the time FOLLOWING the destruction of the heavens and the earth (2 Peter 3:10). Let us consider the period of time PRIOR to the Creation in this article. We might ask it this way: “What was ‘created’ before the CREATION”? 

God had an Eternal Purpose: There are several passages that mention or allude to the “eternal purpose” of God. It is from these texts that we find the answer to what transpired prior to the Creation. First of all we find that only God existed. Let it then be asked, “What was God’s purpose for creating?” We find from Romans 1:20 that God’s existence and His nature are declared in the things that were brought into existence. “For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity…”. However, the physical creation does not reveal WHY God created, nor does it reveal why God created man IN HIS IMAGE. Those answers are found only from what God communicated to man (Psalm 25:14; Amos 3:7; Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Peter 1:10-12).

God created with Purpose: In the entire vast universe, God purposed for life to be on earth alone. Furthermore, out of the entire creation, we find from Hebrews 2:6-7 that man was “crowned with glory and honor” and “set over the works of thy hands” (cf. Genesis 1:26, 28). Because of this, man can explain the creation as well as his own purpose for existence. We read in Hebrews 11:3, “By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear.” The ‘world’ that God purposed eternal life for (John 3:16), was not the planet but humanity, those made in His image. He calls to us through His Word saying, cease from living in sin and be conformed to the image of My Son. This was His purpose in making us in His image (Romans 8:28-29). For those who will accept this offer of eternal life with an obedient faith (Mark 16:16; Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38: 3:19), eternal life will be their inheritance (Matthew 25:34).

God prepared a KINGDOM: “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34). It has been stated that ‘heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people’. If this be true, then WHEN did God prepare, or rather purpose this people? The answer is found in a statement by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:4: “…he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…that we should be holy and blameless…”. These for whom the kingdom of Matthew 25 was prepared are called by a variety of terms in scripture. In Romans 9:22-24, they are referred to as “vessels of mercy”.

God prepared an ETERNAL FIRE:  “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels…” (Matthew 25:41). Jude stated of the angels who sinned that God “…cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment…” (2 Peter 2:4). Jude likewise wrote, “And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 1:6). Peter would sum it up in this way: “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment…” (2 Peter 2:9). This eternal fire was as the kingdom in that both were purposed from the foundation of the world.

God purposed SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS: The apostle Paul mentioned this in two of his epistles. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…” (Ephesians 1:3). “He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” (2 Timothy 1:9). Those who will inherit this prepared kingdom are NOW said to be ‘in Christ’ wherein are all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3). These are the saved here on earth and their salvation was purposed through Christ prior to the Creation (2 Timothy 1:1, 9). They are called the ‘elect of God’ (Titus 1:1-2), to whom eternal life was promised. One such spiritual blessing was adoption as His spiritual children through His only begotten Son, Jesus.   “…having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved…” (Ephesians 1:5-6).  Again, in Romans 8:28-29 we read that this adoption was purposed prior to the Creation. “And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose. For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren…”.

These are the ones who will inherit this prepared kingdom. This ‘conforming’ to the image of Christ is accomplished proportionately to continued obedience to the gospel. This is what is meant in the scriptures when we read of God’s eternal purpose. “Who hath saved us and called us according to his own purpose…which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal…” (2 Timothy 1:9). 

5/15/22

“A NAIL FROM GOD”

“And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.” (Ezra 9:8)

Strange wording? On the surface, yes, but with study, a beautiful description of thankfulness from a suffering, repentant people. To understand the words of Ezra, one would need to read this entire chapter, however verses 13 and 15 really help in explaining verse 8. “After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and our great guilt, since You our God have requited us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us an escaped remnant as this...” (v. 13); “...for we have been left an escaped remnant, as it is this day...” (v. 15).

Ezra acknowledged to Jehovah the transgressions of His people, yet Jehovah had punished them ‘less than they deserved’. The Babylonian captivity had ended and a small remnant had returned to the ‘promised land’. Yet it is discovered that one of the same behaviors that had CAUSED the captivity, had been repeated – intermarriage with non-Israelites. Jehovah had forbidden this in Moses’ day (Deuteronomy 7:3). Jehovah had destroyed them as a nation, yet not totally. A remnant had been spared and returned to the land of Abraham’s sojournings.

The prophet Isaiah was one of many prophets who described this less-than-deserved punishment. He wrote in Isaiah 1:9, “Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a few survivors, we would be like Sodom, we would be like Gomorrah.” Jehovah showed grace to the nation, in the midst of punishing them for their sins. Isaiah would again state in Isaiah 10:2, “For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.” Although they were no longer intact as a nation, would the past be repeated?

The ‘grace’ was seen in that Jehovah did not punish His people, Israel in the manner that He punished Sodom and Gomorrah. A remnant of the nation was spared. This was in keeping with His eternal purpose to redeem all His people through Jesus. In fact, the creation of the nation of Israel was a bestowal of grace…not because of what Israel had or hadn’t done, for it was a gracious choice Jehovah made PRIOR to the nation’s existence (Exodus 33:19). The apostle Paul quoted this in Romans 9:15, in explaining that God’s grace toward the Gentile peoples was according to God’s choice just as it was to the Jews. His people Israel had been shown grace ‘first’, but for the purpose that all would later be shown His grace for the same purpose: redemption for their sins. Jehovah would hold the nation of Israel accountable just as He did all nations, punishing and blessing without respect of persons. But Jehovah always acted in accordance with His eternal purpose: to provide salvation to all nations through His Son. The remnant was not spared without respect to their ways. The spiritual blessing of forgiveness will be in accordance with Jehovah’s word – blessings for any who fear Him and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13); punishment for any who fail to treat Him with reverence (Leviticus 10:3).

Isaiah called this act of punishing the disobedient, while at the same time extending grace to the obedient a, “…destruction…overflowing with righteousness.” (Isaiah 10:22). Jehovah was not only gracious TO His people, but gracious AMONG His people. God is righteous in all His ways. Even in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God did not destroy any righteous in those cities while punishing the wicked (Genesis 18:23). So Ezra would say that, “grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape...to give…‘a nail in his holy place’.”(Ezra 9:8). A “NAIL” has reference to a stable abode (Isaiah 22:23); a ‘secure hold’ in His holy place. As a nail, a peg, or a stake would secure that which is attached to it; a ‘nail’ in His holy place refers to the security provided for those who are enlightened by the knowledge from Jehovah’s word. As Jehovah promised to Eliakim, He would “...drive him, like a peg, into a firm place. He will be a throne of honor for his father’s house.” It is a figurative way of describing spiritual blessing. Isaiah worded it this way, “...the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness” (Isaiah 10:2). Let us give thanks to God for similar grace for the same reason: to be made secure in Christ, being punished LESS than we deserved.

5/7/22