What you profess to believe in is an important part of your life. Yesterday, I wrote about the history of the creed that many Christian churches, spanning denominations, hold as their true beliefs. Growing up Catholic, I rattled off the Apostles’ Creed by memory. However, it wasn’t until I started reading the Bible daily that what I was professing in that creed was way bigger than just mere words.
If you truly believe what you are reciting, then you SHOULD hold a Biblical Worldview. Everything you do should center around the beliefs you are affirming. What I plan to do in the next few posts is deconstruct the Apostles’ (or Nicene) Creed. Hopefully, it will bring to light what we are really professing when we say it.
I Believe – Part 1
I believe in one God,
The Apostles’ Creed
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, in essence with the Father;
through him all things were made.
Here are some scripture verses that back up this first part…
“All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.”
1 Timothy 1:17 NLT
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.
Genesis 1:1-5 NLT
By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
Hebrews 11:3 NLT
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
John 1:1-5 NLT
I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there?
Psalms 121:1-8 NLT
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.
The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.
Psalms 19:1 NLT
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.
Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
Colossians 1:15-20 NLT
“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT
We are made right with God through Christ! That’s it! Right there! We’re not made right with God through works, prayer, sacraments, confessing to a priest or baby baptism. That’s man-made religion and that does not make you free let alone saved!
We are also to worship only ONE GOD. Not any part of His creation nor anything that man can make nor any human being. Period. Any such worship is idolatry and God hates that (See Exodus 20:3-7). He spent most of the Old Testament warning the Israelites that if they don’t stop worshiping worthless statues, that they will know His wrath. And, boy, did He ever lay it on them!
“Christ is also the head of the church” — not the Pope, not Peter. Jesus. Period. No human being should ever consider himself or herself in the same level as God.
Here I quote again from the YouVersion Bible App study on the Apostles’ Creed by LifeWay.com…
The Apostles’ Creed is like the moon. It’s not the source of light. As the moon reflects the light of the sun, the creed merely reflects the truth of Scripture. God’s Word is the sun—our source of truth. Remember that you aren’t studying the creed. It’s a summary of what we believe. You’re studying the Bible. It’s the totality of what we believe. The creed should point you to the truth revealed in God’s Word.
God’s Word teaches that God created from nothing. He didn’t simply fashion preexisting creation into new shapes and forms; He brought creation into being by His word. By the incomparable power of His will, God spoke everything into existence. He’s Almighty.
When God made the birth of Jesus known to His earthly father, Joseph, two names were given: Jesus and Immanuel (see Matt. 1:18-25). The Gospel of Matthew explains that Immanuel means “God with us” (v. 23). The account reveals that Jesus is the incarnate God. The name Jesus, a common name at the time, means “the Lord saves.” When we see the name Jesus, we’re reminded of our Lord as both the Son of God and the historical man who bore that name. Jesus’ earthly name points us to the truth of His full humanity.
Most of the Apostles’ Creed deals with Jesus Christ. True belief in Jesus is at the heart of a relationship with God. The most popular verse in the Bible summarizes the gospel of Jesus, including His identity: Many Christians recognize the phrase “only begotten son” from the King James translation of this verse. Begotten, to modern ears, sounds like a synonym for created. However, it simple means that Jesus is uniquely God the Son. Jesus is equal in substance and co-eternal with the Father. Jesus has always been God, but there was a moment in time when God the Son was “begotten”; He took on flesh and dwelt with us. Even before the incarnation, the second Person of the Trinity was always—and is eternally—the Son of the Father. Understanding who Jesus is essential to understanding the gospel message.
The gospel—the good news—is that Jesus took our place, accepting the punishment for our sin and making peace between us and God. But Jesus does more than pay for our sin. He helps us live each day in the freedom and joy of our salvation. No matter what we’re going through, Immanuel is with us.
Matt Chandler, LifeWay.com
Do you have Relationship with Jesus?
You can. He’s knocking at the door of your heart. Don’t you hear Him? Invite Him in. He will never force His way into your life. You have to invite Him in and surrender your WHOLE LIFE to Him and follow Him only.
You believe in Him, right? So, the next step is to repent of your sins and ask His forgiveness. Don’t worry. No matter how bad your sins are, He will forgive you.
If you’re not sure what to say…
Pray this prayer humbly and wholeheartedly…
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Please forgive me. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and my life to you. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. I surrender my whole life to you and I will follow you for the rest of my life. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Next Steps in Your New Walk with Jesus…
- Start reading the Bible daily to get to know God. If you don’t have one, I recommend the YouVersion, Bible.app and Through the Word app — both are free and have a lot of great Bible studies.
- Pray every day. Talk to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you daily.
- Find and join a Bible-believing church — preferably a non-denominational one and be baptized!
Seek the Truth.
Soli Deo Gloria — To God Alone Be the Glory!
