[an error occurred while processing this directive] Why I Am A Member of The Church of Christ  Lesson 10 LESSON 10

Why I am a Member of the Church of Christ

"BECAUSE THE BIBLE IS ITS ONLY CREED"

by Bill Cantrell

Introduction:
I. Why the Bible should be the sole authority in religious matters.
II. Why creeds, confessions, church manuals, etc. should be rejected.
III. Arguments against human creeds, etc.

INTRODUCTION:

1. Most religious groups have their creeds, confessions of faith, catechisms and church manuals.

2. The Bible is to be the sole authority in religious matters.

3. If the Bible is not the sole authority in religious matters, then every religious group and person would be left to themselves to determine what is right and wrong, thus rendering truth relative rather than absolute.

4. In our lesson today we will consider:

A. Why the Bible should be accepted as the sole authority in religious matters.

B. Why creeds, confessions, church manuals should be rejected.

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I. WHY THE BIBLE SHOULD BE THE SOLE AUTHORITY IN RELIGIOUS MATTERS.

A. The Bible is the inspired word of God.

1. 2Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:   17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.  (KJV)

2. 1Cor 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (KJV)

3. 1Thes 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. (KJV)

B. The Bible furnishes us completely unto every good work.

1. 2Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (KJV)

2. 2Tim 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.   (KJV)

C. The Bible produces faith in God.

1. Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (KJV)

2. Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (KJV)

3. Acts 18:8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.   (KJV)

D. The Bible contains the gospel by which men are saved.

1. Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  (KJV)

2. 1Cor 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.   3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;   4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (KJV)

3. 2Thess 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:    14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)

 4. 1Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:   23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.   24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:    25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.   (KJV)

E. The Bible will judge us.

1. John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.  (KJV)

2. Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened:   and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.   13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.   14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.   (KJV)

3. James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.   (KJV)

F. The following can be said of the Bible only.

1. It "contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers."

2. "Its histories are true, its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding and its decisions are immutable."

3. "Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy."

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II. WHY CREEDS, CONFESSIONS, CHURCH MANUALS, ETC. SHOULD BE REJECTED.

A. They are frequently revised because of their imperfections.

1. Changes:

a. Marriage of priest.

b. Acceptance of homosexuality.

c. Children being totally depraved.

2. While creeds, manuals, etc. undergo constant change, the Bible continues to live and function because it needs no change.

a. James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.  (KJV)

b. Gal 1:6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:    7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.   8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.   9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (KJV)

c. Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: (KJV)

d. Deut 4:12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.   (KJV)

B. Human creeds cannot be defended.

1. Quotation from Benjamin Franklin: "First, any creed containing more than the Bible is objectionable, because it do not contain more than the Bible."  "Second, any creed containing less than the Bible is objectionable, because it does contain less than the Bible." "Third, any creed differing from the Bible is objectionable, because it does differ from the Bible." "Fourth, any creed precisely like the Bible is useless because we have the Bible."

2. If a human creed be not defended on some of these grounds, upon what grounds can it be defended?

C. Those who are committed to human creeds cannot defend the Bible.

1. Their position nullifies their claim to the perfection and completeness of the word of God.

2. Wherever their creed is contrary to scripture a choice must be made.

3. Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (KJV)

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be 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: (KJV)

D. Human creeds are divisive.

1. Division is contrary to scripture.

1Cor 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (KJV)

Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,   2   With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;              3   Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  (KJV)

2. Human creeds keep religious people divided into sects.

3. Each creed serves as a wall to include and enclose its own adherents and to exclude all others.

4. The only way real unity can ever exist is to remove all creeds, manuals, etc. and allow the Bible to be our sole authority.

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III. ARGUMENTS AGAINST HUMAN CREEDS, ETC.

A. Division is sinful.

1Cor 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (KJV)

1 Cor 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (KJV)

B. It is sinful to walk by different rules.

Phil 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. (KJV)

Human creeds are different rules (admitted).  Therefore, human creeds are sinful.

C. Division promotes infidelity.

John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;   21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (KJV)

Human creeds promote division (admitted).l    Therefore, human creeds promote infidelity.


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