Apostle's Creed Unlocked - 1

March 07, 2011 Monday Message:

“I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.” Beginning of Apostle’s Creed

I’ve recently been asked several questions about The Apostle’s Creed. Perhaps we should park here for the next few weeks.

Of course the common myth is that the Apostles themselves authored this Creed. You’d think that from the name. But the first mention of The Apostle’s Creed is 400 years after Jesus, and that wasn’t the form we know today. We know of a version close to what we use nowadays from c. 700 A.D.

The original thinking was that an apostle had, at some time, stated the principles set forth in this creed. Another tradition is that each of the 12 apostles spoke a portion. What we translate as “creed” is actually “symbol” in Latin. So this creed is our symbol of what Christians believe, based on what the apostles taught.

While The Apostle’s Creed includes many basic truths that express what Christians should believe, it is not an exhaustive list. The divine nature of Jesus and the Holy Spirit is not clarified, nor is the fact that our salvation comes to us by the grace of God because of our faith in what God can do, key points in Reformed Theology.

“I believe in God,” should be different than believing in an earthly entity. What we’re saying is that God IS! God is who he says he is, did the things he claims to have done, and in the future will do what has been prophesied in scripture. God is the creator of all things, the giver of life and our assurance of salvation in His heavenly kingdom. God is God, and we are not. This is an unchanging, non-negotiable reality. There’s a lot in this first sentence.

Next week we’ll look at Jesus in the Creed, and the Holy Spirit the following week.

May God bless each of you on your walk with the Him!

Norton Lawellin