Inasmuch as the doctrine "Good Morality" without becoming a Christian is commonly taught within the borders of denominationalism today, it seems good to us to consider the why of first principles of the gospel of Christ. But, first, let us ask, What are first principles? Then consider the why.

Ordinarily, we say that hearing, faith, repentance, confession and baptism constitute the first principles. I believe that the statement is true; but I fear that some do not realize, or appreciate, the value and extent of hearing. So first, we consider the question, What is to be heard?

Turning back to the Old Testament, hearing, said Jesus to an inquiring scribe, was the first of all the commandments. See Deut. 6:4. 5; Mark 12:29. But with the hearing, He repeated Moses, saying, "The Lord, our God, is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." Hence, everyone seeking for salvation must be taught wholehearted attention to the things of the divine plan. For, without hearing, with understanding, no one can intelligently obey in the first principles. For instance, a worshipper of idols can never love the Lord God with all the might of his being, without turning away from those idols to serve the true and living God. 1 Thess. 1. "God is one Lord." Therefore, the hearing pertains to such elements as God’s love for the human family, his promises in the Old Testament period, his free gift of his Son, Jesus’ coming as the foretold Messiah, his sacrifice, burial, resurrection, his buying and building his church, and his exaltation and exclusive name. Thus, the subject of salvation must be made to know, that he must have faith.

For Paul says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. 10:17. Nothing understood, no faith. Then, how can anyone repent without knowledge and faith? How can he intelligently confess his faith in the Savior without having faith? How can he intelligently be baptized into Christ—can he be baptized into Christ at all without those precedents, hearing, faith, repentance, and confession? Answer: No.

First principles of the gospel of Christ are so important that they are absolutely essential for human beings of ability or intelligence. Such prospects do not include newborn infants, little children in tender years of life, or idiots. Neither may they be obeyed by grownups, who have spent their intelligent years in service of the Devil ignoring God’s proffers of mercy in his Son as his grace, who have become demented and unteachable. But they can be obeyed by sincere seekers for the truth.

The why, then, of first principles is at least implied in such scriptures as Gal. 1 :4, Rom. 4:25, Col. 1:13 and 1 Cor. 15:3, 4: "Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world." "Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification." "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." "Christ died for our sins, was buried, and that he rose again the third day."

And also, when one has been baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3-6), one is eligible to partake of the one bread and the cup of the Lord on his table in his kingdom, in fellowship with the other loyal saints. In this, the new creature (2 Cor. 5:17) keeps in memory the crucial process of Jesus in bringing about the salvation of his soul. And the baptized believer, in his faithfulness to duty in the Lord, still hears; has faith; repents of any mistakes or faults and confesses his guilt; while he is mindful of his Savior’s death, burial and resurrection (which he respected in water baptism), as often as he eats and drinks at the divine table upon the first day of the week..

The apostles were enjoined by the Holy Spirit to preach first principles, as also did the early evangelists; and souls obeyed accordingly. And so it is today. For first principles are essential steps by which sanctification and justification are obtained (1 Cor. 6:11). Baptized believers have subjected themselves to the Lord and king of righteousness. They have become added to the happiest and best fellowship on earth and for eternity.