Doctrines of a Church Need of Articles of Faith

Prayer: That the members of the church might be built up in the faith and that they might become more fully acquainted with the great doctrines of the Bible.





The phrase, doctrines of a church, is somewhat equivocal in its import. It may mean what a church teaches, or what a church believes the Bible to teach. It is here used in the latter sense. All who believe the Scriptures to be divinely inspired consider them the fountain of religious truth. The Bible contains the revelation of God to man. It is the supreme standard of faith and practice. Whatever conforms to this standard is right - whatever deviates from it is wrong. It is a duty incumbent upon all to "search the Scriptures" and learn what they teach. This duty cannot be faithfully performed unless prejudices and preconceived opinions are laid aside. Alas, how few study the Bible in this way. But for human imperfection there would doubtless be uniformity of belief as to what the Scriptures teach. There is not uniformity, but a deplorable variety of religious opinion throughout Christendom. Different sects, professing to take the word of God as their guide, contend as earnestly for their distinctive views as if they had different Bibles. Various constructions are placed on the teachings of the sacred volume, and multitudes of passages are diversely interpreted.

Owing to this unfortunate fact, though belief of the Bible is significant as between the religionist and the infidel, it signifies nothing as between those who receive the Scriptures as the word of God. For they differ as to the import of the inspired Oracles; and the meaning of the Bible is the Bible. As there is such a diversity of opinion in the religious world, it is eminently proper for those who appeal to the Scriptures as the fountain of truth to declare what they believe the Scriptures to teach. To say that they believe the Scriptures is to say nothing to the purpose. All will say this, and yet all differ as to the teachings of the Bible. There must be some distinctive declaration. What a man believes the Bible to teach is his Creed, either written or unwritten. And though it has sometimes been said that creeds have produced differences of religious opinion, it would be nearer to the truth, logically and historically, to say that differences of religious opinion have produced creeds.

As to declarations of faith, it must ever be understood that they are not substitutes for the Scriptures. They are only exponents of what are conceived to be the fundamental doctrines of the Word of God. Among Baptists, as their churches are independent, it is optional with each church to have a declaration or not, as it may think best. Each church too may adopt a declaration of its own. Its independence gives it this right, nor can it be alienated. While Baptists glory in their form of church government - which recognizes every church as a little republic in itself - they are perhaps as nearly united in their views of the truths of the Bible as most other denominations.





Discussion by Leader:

1. Only those Christians who know their Bible are able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.

2. Knowledge of the Bible is as much needed in order to be a strong Christian as bones are necessary in order to be a strong human being.

3. How the Doctrinal Training Union helps to build those bones into our Christian living.





Parts for Assignment:

1. The Church and the Bible.

2. Need of stating what we believe because of so many conflicting doctrines.

3. What we mean by Articles of Faith.

4. Danger of Articles of Faith.

5. Danger of not having Articles of Faith.





Discussion Questions:

1. Why should Baptists acquaint themselves with what Baptists believe?

2. Why should Baptists make a declaration of faith and publish it?

3. Is the appeal of Baptists to their Articles of Faith or to the Word of God? Why?

4. Is there any particular need today for Baptists to have Articles of Faith?

5. Do we sometimes need to restate our Articles of Faith? Why?

6. Does truth ever change?


 

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