The Principles Of Principle
According to the Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language a principle is a “a fundamental truth, law, doctrine, or motivating force upon which others are based.” A principle is also considered an essential element or constituent of a process. Thus, principles of a process are key characteristic that separate the process from other approaches.
What are Principles?
They are like fundamental or natural laws.
They are like the compass that points north.
Principles rule and exist whether or not we accept or believe them.
They exist and we will only break ourselves upon them if we don’t pay them heed.
A man carries a watermelon inscribed with a large painted numeral “1” to the top of a local water tower. Once at the top of the tower the man then drops the inscribed melon over the side and watches with keen interest the melon’s resultant downward rushing journey. Afterwards, extracting a pencil from his pocket, the man records in a little spiral notebook the following: “The watermelon, known as #1, was dropped from a water tower and it went straight down to the ground.” The man then climbs down from the tower and marches into an adjacent watermelon patch and severs a melon from the vine, rolls it over, and paints a large number “2” on its green surface. The man hoists the melon into his arms and returns to the tower, which he once again climbs to the top. Once at the top he drops the melon over the side, watches its demise, takes out his pencil and pad and writes, “The watermelon, known as #2, was dropped from a water tower and it went straight down to the ground.” After this episode of melon dropping the man retraces his previous movements and actions and melon after melon (always with a different number name) is treated to the same fate as their previous melon brothers and are duly recorded. Finally, after the melon known as number 100 falls to the ground, the man writes, “It appears that ALL melons (regardless of their name) dropped from the top of a water tower will drop to the ground.”
You have just witnessed the birth of a principle. Has the man, in the story, dropped ALL the melons in the patch (not to mention, in the world) from the top of the water tower? Hardly! How then can he surmise (and be so presumptuous) that ALL melons will “fall to the ground” when dropped from a water tower? He formulated a belief based on a principle—a principle that states what is true in a certain set of circumstances for one melon is true for ALL melons (regardless of their individuality) in the same set of circumstances. However, unlike the melon dropping man, some people never learn the principles.
The Bible is a book of principles. Many of the statements recorded in the Word of God are the last word concerning certain circumstances, situations, environments, and varied nuances of life that were meant to become the principles of ALL us melons in the patch. For example, in Gen 6:3; “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also [is] flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years” is a principle that (regardless of name) all men will succumb to death (as the records of history’s notepad gravely testifies). God, in His infinite wisdom, meant for us to not debate the fact but to live a life with the principle clearly in mind. Knowing that life is like “a vapor” that soon vanishes away should behoove us to make the most of our brief and fleeting lives for eternal reasons.
The principle of salvation is clearly expressed in “repent and be baptized EVERY ONE OF YOU in the name of Jesus Christ…” (Acts 2:38). Regardless of name, race, education, social status, finical standing, etcetera, –EVERY ONE – no one can claim to be an exception to this salvation principle. And still another says, “Ye must be born again.” “Except a man be born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” And another principle states, “Except you believe that I AM He you will die in your sins.” There are no exceptions to these principles—all men—everywhere must realize that there is “One Lord, One Faith and One Baptism.”
The Bible also sets principles of conduct and lifestyle for all that seek to be called by His Name. Marriage unions, of both the husband and the wife, have abiding principles; children are to be regulated by God’s principles; conduct of human relationships one with another are to be guided by holy principles; modesty of dress, caretaking of the body are clearly expressed by spiritual principles, including men cutting their hair and women refraining from cutting theirs are outlined by the apostle Paul. The principle of men or women wearing clothing that pertains to the opposite sex is clearly noted in scripture.
Sadly, we are living in a time when there are those that will not accept an all inclusive principle that covers all people but are vainly trying to make an exception for themselves. They are still thinking that the melon’s name makes it an exception to the rule. But Judgment Day will show clearly the results as God makes viewable His notepad of Truth for all to behold.
— jlg —