There is one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God the Father made all things through the Son, sent the
Son for our salvation, and gives us the Holy Spirit.
The Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, was born of the virgin Mary, fully God and fully human, and is the perfect revelation of the Father and the perfect representative of humanity. He suffered and died on the cross for all human sin, was raised bodily on the third day, and ascended to heaven. Standing in for all humanity before the Father, Jesus Christ provides the perfect human response to God. Since he died for all, all died in him, and all will be made alive in him.
The Holy Spirit brings sinners to repentance and faith, assures believers of their forgiveness and acceptance as God’s dearly loved children, and works in them to conform them to the image of Jesus Christ.
The Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God that testifies to Jesus Christ. The Bible is fully authoritative for all matters of faith and salvation.
Salvation comes only by God’s grace and not by works, and it is experienced through faith in Jesus Christ. Christians respond to the joy of salvation when they gather in regular fellowship and live godly lives in Jesus Christ.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come.
Historical Documents of the Christian Church
A creed is a brief statement of faith used to enumerate important truths, to clarify doctrinal points, and to distinguish truth from error. Creeds are usually worded to be easily memorized. The word creed comes from the Latin word credo, meaning, “I believe.” The Bible contains a number of creed-like passages. For example, Jews used the Shema, based on Deuteronomy 6:4-9, as a creed. St. Paul wrote simple creed-like statements in 1 Corinthians 8:6; 12:3; and 15:3-4. 1 Timothy 3:16 also appears as a creed, a concise statement of belief.
As the early church spread, there was a practical need for a statement of faith to help believers focus on the most important doctrines of their Christian faith.
The Apostles’ Creed is appropriately named
not because the original apostles wrote it, but because it accurately reflects
the teaching of the apostles. Church fathers Tertullian, Augustine, and other
leaders had slightly different versions of the Apostles’ Creed, but the text of
Pirminius in A.D. 750 was eventually accepted as the standard
form.
At the request of Emperor Constantine, Christian bishops
from across the Roman Empire met at the town of Nicea in 325 to
discuss the matter. They wrote their consensus in the form of a creed, called
the Creed of Nicea. In 381, another major council was
held at Constantinople at which the Creed of Nicea was slightly revised to
include a few more doctrines. The resulting Creed is called the Niceno-Constantinopolitan
Creed, or more commonly, the Nicene Creed.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he
suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance
with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of
the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the
life of the world to come. Amen.
(Translation based on The Book of Common Prayer, 1979)
The Apostles’ Creed (c. A.D. 700)
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was
conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
(Translation based on I Believe by Alister McGrath, Downer’s Grove, Il.: InterVarsity Press, 1997)
The Definition of the Union of the Divine and Human Natures in the Person of Jesus Christ (Council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451)
Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach people to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in humanness, truly God and truly human, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance (homoousios) with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his humanity; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his humanity begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer (Theotokos); one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only–begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the Fathers has handed down to us. Amen.
(Translation from The Book of Common Prayer, 1979)
The Athanasian Creed or Quicunque Vult=(Whosoever will) (350-415? AD)
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary
that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and
undefiled; without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith
is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither
confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence.
For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Spirit.
The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Spirit uncreated.
The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy
Spirit unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Spirit
eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there
are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one
infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy
Spirit Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty.
So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Spirit Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the common religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten.
Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor
Topinabee Community Church
Topinabee Michigan
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