4. A Simple, but Necessary, Point
Before proceeding, then, a rather simple but
necessary point needs to be made. It is Scripturally provable, and unanimously
held by Christadelphians (insofar as the writer knows), that true belief must
precede true baptism (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:36-42; 8:4-12,26-39;
16:13-15,23-34; 18:4-11; etc.).
Therefore, we may assume that the doctrines
essential for salvation are the same doctrines which are essential for
Scriptural baptism, no more and no less. Furthermore, we shall assume that the
purpose of what we today call a “statement of faith” should not be
to define all that might profitably be believed, but rather to define only what
should be believed as a prerequisite for baptism and admission to fellowship
(again, no more and no less).
Therefore, ideally, these three should be
perfectly equivalent:
- doctrines essential to
salvation,
- doctrines to be believed before baptism,
and
- a (Biblical) “statement of
faith”.
To continue: If we can find in the Bible
either a “statement of faith” (in the words of Scripture), or if we
can determine the doctrines that were required to be believed before being
baptized, then we shall have given a Biblical answer (not merely an intuitive or
subjective or traditional answer) to the question: “How should we define
first principles?”