The Apostle's Creed
I was baptized as an infant in a Lutheran church. Most likely the congregation recited the Apostle's Creed during the ceremony. Our family soon thereafter began attending a Baptist church where the creeds were (rightly) subjugated to biblical exposition. Unfortunately, they were also almost forgotten--until I was fifteen and had chosen to be baptized. The Creed made an appearance in the person of the candidate who preceded me in baptism. I had been prepared for baptism by writing out my testimony--being prepared to clearly state my belief in Christ as my Savior and my desire to live for him. The lady who preceded me recited the Apostle's Creed as part of her baptism, certainly outclassing me.
While the Bible doesn't require a baptismal candidate to recite a creed-or even to give a formal testimony, both can be helpful. My purpose here isn't to make a case for mode and means of baptism, but rather to point to the value of the Apostle's Creed, or any creed, in summarizing our belief in basic Biblical doctrine.
Creeds have histories and help tie us to the believers centuries before. Did the Apostle's actually write this creed? In short, the answer is no. An unfounded legend claims that the Apostle's Creed was penned ten days after Pentecost. Historical evidence rather points to an early Roman Creed (or Roman Symbol as it is sometimes called) in the late 2nd century (100s AD) which holds the Trinitarian structure. Most of the creed can be seen by 341AD (The Creed of Marcellus). The creed recited today was adopted by the Church in 750 AD (Textus Receptus). (See Creeds of the Churches, John Leith, p. 22-25)
Almost every phrase of the Creed has biblical moorings which can be discovered and delighted in.
Two questions for the modern Church remain: "Do I really believe in the catholic church?" The answer is found in understanding the term catholic originally means "the global body of Christ through all time" rather than the Roman Catholic Church. The Apostle Paul would gladly remind us all that we are "are one body in Christ" (Rom. 12:5)
We also might ask "What does descending into hell mean?" This phrase is highly debated. The scriptures used to justify the "descent" phrase come from (Acts 2:27, Romans 10:6-7, Eph. 4:8-9, 1 Pet. 3:18-20, and 1 Pet. 4:6). After careful analysis of each of these passages, Wayne Grudem concludes none of them actually justifies the use of "descending into hell." He notes that "unlike every other phrase in the Creed, it represents not some major doctrine on which all Christians agree, but rather a statement about which most Christians seem to disagree. It is at best confusing and in most cases misleading for modern Christians. My own judgment is that there would be all gain and no loss it it were dropped from the Creed once for all" (Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 586-594).
On the whole, the Apostle's Creed is a straight-forward summary of doctrine, broadly accepted by Christians. Reciting it in a room together with others could be meaningful, though recitation itself doesn't cause unity. Our unity as the Church was forged by Christ's work on the cross: "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility" (Eph. 2:14). If Jesus could make believing Jews and believing Gentiles "one" through the work of the cross, how much more has he done this for each of us--making us a holy people crafted for His holy service?
To that end, I consider the recitation of this Creed as positive, though not obligatory, to the corporate, united worship of God by His people--though, I might just keep my mouth shut during his 'descent into hell."
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again from the dead,
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Christian (catholic) church
the communion of saints
the forgiveness of sins
the resurrection of the body
and life everlasting.
Amen.
I love the apostles Creed and have said it many times in other churches, but my current church home does not use it. I also love the song Creed by Rich Mullins. I have no problem with the “descending into hell” because the Bible mentions that before Christ ascended into the height, he first descended to the lower parts of the Earth. We all know He wanted to bring with him those who were now dead, who were waiting for their Messiah, to reveal Himself to them, and take them with Him.
ReplyDeleteMost of all, I love that you, Eric Twietmeyer, loves the Lord and his word and studies it regularly as you are, to me, one of my sons for whom I have prayed for many years. To see God’s hand working powerfully in your life along with your wife and family, is of great joy to me. My prayer and faith for my son’s and their families is that He who began a good work in each of their lives, He will bring it to perfection until the Day of Christ Jesus!
Carole! Thank you so much for the note... I love the Creed by Rich Mullins, too! I so appreciate your prayer for me and our family over the years. May God bless you!
Delete