Creeds And Deeds
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??
Speaking Of Creeds In Deeds...
In 1939 the deed to church property in Henderson, Tex. read: "- no innovations, such as mechanical instruments of music in the worship, Church shows, festivals, suppers, or human societies, such as are not authorized by the New Testament shall be tolerated in the church building.."
In 1959 (just twenty years later) when a much more liberal element had developed in Henderson (making it necessary for conservative brethren to go their separate way) the liberals built a new building, and wrote this into the new deed:
"no..church shows, festivals, suppers, or human societies, such as are not authorized by a well defined and clear-shown majority of the Churches of Christ in Texas, shall be tolerated in the church building.."
Underscoring is mine, but the difference is that of truth and the new "Church of Christ" sectarianism.