"I Believe”

"I Believe”

“I BELIEVE”
F. B. Shepherd

Brethren in the Lord, the three speeches I am planning to make to you these three afternoons of today, tomorrow and Thursday, have been prepared in a sincere endeavor to comply with the suggestion of Brother Morris who wrote me, “We want you to give the boys what you think they need.” I wish it understood that the bulk of the speech today is expressed in language I have borrowed in part or in whole from others. I regret I cannot tell you who these others are. I believe I am justified in this use of the material however because it is fundamental truth every child of God should know" and hold.

About God
I believe that Jehovah, the God of the Bible, the God I worship; is infinite in knowledge, in wisdom, and in power; in mercy, in love, and in grace.
I believe he is absolute in sovereignty in heaven and On earth; in oil things material and spiritual. The infinity of his power and the absoluteness of his sovereignty is positively affirmed in the scripture, Genesis 1:1-3; Genesis 1:6; Genesis 1:9; Genesis 1:14; Genesis 17:6; Revelation 4:8; Revelation 4:11; and just as clearly and definitely demonstrated in the material universe (Psalms 19:1-4).

I believe Jehovah is immutable, that is, he is changeless and unchangeable in his very nature. I believe all the laws of Jehovah are the very mirror of his changeless and unchangeable nature and attributes. All his statutes and institutions are inherently, immutably, and infinitely reflections of his immaculate character and person. Not one expressed wish of God, not one expression of his will has ever been the result of whim, caprice, or momentary impulse. His very laws have been binding because in the eternal righteousness of his own nature they define conditions that cannot but be in the very nature of the particular dispensation of grace of which they have been made a part, or to which they exclusively belong. I seriously doubt that the popular divisions or definitions of “Moral” and “Positive” law are authorized by the scriptures. Therefore I believe Jehovah cannot err, that he makes no experiments; but has ever been, now is, and forever will remain the only infallible source and standard of truth and righteousness.

I believe, therefore, that the way of Jehovah is the only right way. It is the way that can not but be.

I believe that every provision made by Jehovah--- the performance of any work or the attainment of any end sought by him has ever been an absolutely perfect provision, needing no revising, no correcting, no improving upon, in order that it might function perfectly unto the* doing of the work, or the production of such an end as God has designed to accomplish through it originally. I believe that whatsoever has been left out of divine revelation on any subject or regarding any matter upon which Jehovah has spoken, decreed, or made provision, has been left out deliberately by infinite wisdom.

I believe, therefore, that it is exceedingly presump-tuous for man to seek to supply any supposed lack of information and thus endeavor to be wise beyond that which is revealed. It is exceedingly sinful for man to attempt any change in, revision of, substitution for, or improvement upon: any utterance, ordinance, or-ganization, istitution, or provision of God by attempting to supply any supposed deficiencies therein. Any and all such action tends to discount the provision made by God and reflects upon divine wisdom.

About the Church Christ Built
I believe the church established upon the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the kingdom of heaven promised in inspired prophecy. I believe it is the church Christ pledged himself to build; the church for which he prayed; and therefore is perfect in origin, foundation, constitution, work and practice. That this church is the one God originated, God ordained, and God established. Through this church the children of God can, and must, function unto the salvation of souls. The supreme triumph of Christianity is the universality of its invitation and the impartiality of its appeal to every class of men, all grades of society, and shades of color (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18-21; Jno. 3:16; Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 5:9; Revelation 22).

I believe that the churches of Christ as first established by and while remaining under the immediate direction of the Spirit filled apostles were just such churches as God designed and Christ approves. In their original simplicity and purity these churches were perfectly adapted to all spiritual needs of all ages following. The New Testament church is the institution through which the sublime and infinite wisdom of God is to be displayed now.

I believe that through this church Christ built--- the kingdom God established through Christ—Jehovah provides a solution for every issue of the centuries, the answer to every legitimate heart longing of man. Let it ever be remembered that it is possible to make demands upon the church that are not legitimate. About such I make no claim.

I believe that such a church can never be outgrown, nor need revision, reorganization, readjustment, to meet the changing needs or conditions of different ages. If these churches are not so adapted then changes would have to follow all changes of conditions and the institution would have to be changed to conform to differing conditions in all parts of the world in all ages.

I believe there is not one thing that is good, that is of God, that cannot be done through these churches perfectly and exclusively as a child of God, a citizen of the kingdom of heaven only, and a member of the body of Christ. The problems of every generation are identical in their nature and character, even if diverse in their detail.

I believe to doubt or deny such conclusions is to challenge the infinity of Jehovah’s wisdom; to discount the completeness and perfection of God’s plan for kingdom establishment; and to reflect upon the immaculacy and immutability of God’s nature. I submit to you that since natural laws are unchanging and unchangeable in all localities and in all times in spite of man’s progression or retrogression, spiritual laws must remain immutable since God is the author of both. To meet all the problems, to answer every legitimate need will call forth all that is highest, noblest, and best in the life of Christians; the fullest expression of our manhood, the very essence of our Christianity (James 2:15; James 1 Jno. 3:17; 1 Timothy 5:16). He that wears the name of Christ and complains of the inefficiency of the churches should as-sume his full quota of responsibility and service, and thus contribute to making them what they should be and ever will be when every joint supplies according to its several ability. The failure of the churches to meet the legitimate demands and needs of the times is not a result of weakness in God’s plan, but the result of a failure upon the part of those professing to be the children of God to work or apply that plan. As simple churches of Christ unencumbered with the “Traditions” or “History” of an ecclesiastical institution we enjoy the liberty and independence of the apostolic congregations (Ephesians 3:20). Not confined to a human “Creed” or “Articles of Faith,” but in the adulterated truth and freedom of Christians only we can all speak the same thing as were admonished the early disciples (1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 2:1-4). Being untrammeled by the theories of men, as simply Christians we should be running with patience the race set before us (Hebrews 12:1).