The Creed: The Hallmark of our Faith

Proverbs 22:28 “Remove not the ancient landmarks, which thy Fathers have set.” 

What is a creed?  It is from the Latin word credo, meaning I believe.  A creed is a statement of faith that confirms the historic doctrines of the Church.  It is what the voices of the past have echoed out with all their might and declared putting all else aside and saying “I believe!”

What is the purpose of the creed?  The purpose of the creed is to summarize the truths of scripture and to defend the Christian faith. 

Why are there a number of different creeds?  No single creed could cover all the basics of faith that needed to be defended.  Creeds were written and pronounced when needs arose to present them.

Why should we study the creeds?  The study of the creeds serves to remind us that we are not alone.  We are not the first ones to ever believe these doctrines.  They are the historic hallmarks of the Church.

 

The Apostles’ Creed: This creed was not written by the Apostles, but written in the 2^nd century, affirming what the Apostles taught. This Creed is used most often at Easter time.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Catholic Church; the communion of the saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and life everlasting.  Amen.

Ø      This creed was intended to expose the errors of those who denied that Jesus was truly human and virgin born.  There were also some who denied that Jesus truly died, or that He physically rose again from the dead.  It also affirmed that the world is progressing towards a final judgment. 

Ø      The term “Catholic” – means universal and refers to the fact that there is only one true Christianity.

Ø      The term “Forgiveness of sins” – implies salvation by grace rather than by works. 

The Nicene Creed: This creed was established at the church council in 325 to deal with heresies that denied the deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit.  This creed does not contradict anything in the Apostles’ Creed, but it deals with issues that had not yet arisen in those days.  This Creed is used most often at the time of the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. 

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.  And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God; begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of light, Very God of very God, begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He arose again according to the scriptures; and ascended into heaven; and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: whose kingdom shall have no end.  And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spake by the prophets;  And I believe in one Catholic and Apostolic Church; I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the world to come.  Amen.

Ø      This creed includes expanded statements about all three members of the Trinity.

Ø      The full deity of Christ is emphasized.  Jesus is God, He is eternal (before all worlds), not created.

Ø      “Apostolic” – means the original church established through the teachings of the Apostles.  This is illustrating that anyone that denies what the Apostles taught, do not teach Christianity.

The Chalcedonian Creed: This creed was written in 451 to further protect the essential doctrines of the incarnation and the two natures of Christ (He was fully God and fully man – the great theanthropos).

We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in Manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body; consubstantial with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only begotten, to be acknowledged in tow natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures by no means begins taken away by the union, but rather the properties of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets from the beginning concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.

The Athanasian Creed  Written by Athanasius a bishop of the Church in the 4^th century.  He exerted great influence, but also suffered much persecution for his stance on the Trinity and the deity of Christ. The great controversy was between two viewpoints:

1. Arius – who taught that Jesus was not fully God, but the highest of the created beings. (Jehovah Witness teaching)
2. Athanasius – taught the Jesus is God and equal with the Father. 

The Story:  The controversy grew to such lengths that those who followed Athanasius were severally persecuted.  At one time anther bishop approached Athanasius (who was Bishop of Africa) and said “The whole world is against who Athanasius!”  This was said as if to encourage Athanasius to conform and accept what was being taught.  It was then that Athanasius uttered the statement of his belief in Christ and said “Very well, then I am against the world!”

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith.  Which Faith except everyone 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 Substance.  For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.  But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.  Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such in the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Ghost uncreated.  The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.  The Father eternal, the Son eternal and the Holy Ghost eternal.  And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.  As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible.   So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty and the Holy Ghost Almighty.  And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.  So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God.  And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.  So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord and the Holy Ghost is 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 both God and Lord, So we are forbidden by the Catholic Religion to say, There be 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.  The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created, nor begotten but proceeding.  So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.  And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal.  So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshiped.  He therefore that will be saved must think thus of the Trinity.  Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the son of God, is God and Man; God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man of the substance of his Mother, born in the world; Perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.  Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father, as touching his manhood; Who, although he be God and Man, yet he is not two, but one Christ; One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the Manhood into God; One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person.  For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead.  He ascended into heaven, he sits at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the quick and the dead.  At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their own works.  And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.  This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

Why are the creeds important today?  1.      Attacks from society:

a.       Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code

                                                   i.      Denies the deity of Christ

                                                 ii.      Rejects that he rose again from the dead

                                                iii.      Teachings of evolution

b.      Media pressures to except all religions as co-equals

2.      Attacks from the cults:

a.       Jehovah Witnesses being the modern day Arians – denying that Jesus is God, the Trinity, etc.

b.      Mormonism – teaching another gospel and a different Jesus

3.      Attacks from within the Church:

a.       There are church groups today who reject the doctrines of the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the authority of God’s Word.  These are essential.  There are no means by which these issues can be compromised over.

Why I am a Protestant!

 On October 21, 1517, Martin Luther’s hammer echoed forth on the wooden door of the castle church in Wittenberg.  The ninety-five theses that were affixed that day are the hallmark of what the Protestant church confesses.  Imbedded in these ninety-five complaints against the Roman Catholic Church, are the three solas and one solus.  The Protestant church is much divided into its various denominations and associations, but they all accept the Bible as the absolute standard of their faith and practices, rejecting the supremacy of the pope, the sacramental system of the Roman Church, and the works salvation as a means to God.

SOLA SCRIPTURA

      Scripture Alone: The Bible is the absolute and final authority for all beliefs and practices.  Whenever something is to be found contrary to the scriptures it must be discarded.  This confession cuts deep into the Roman Catholic, emphasis of tradition and canonical law equal to or more than equal to Holy Scripture.  This belief means that the Scriptures alone, carries all that is necessary for salvation and atonement.  The emphasis that Protestant’s place on the importance of the Bible separates us from the Roman Catholic Church, which places its emphasis on the Pope, as the Vicar of Christ.

SOLA GRATIA

    Grace Alone: This is rooted in the grace that God offers us; His gracious act of offering atonement and justification to undeserving mankind.  God alone is the source of this grace.  There us no chance a human could merit his own favour with God.  Ephesians 2 declares “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves.”  This verse declares that salvation comes from God by faith, not by any work we can to by our own selves. 

SOLA FIDE

      Faith Alone: Salvation is by grace, but we must respond to it by faith, believing in Christ alone for our salvation.  Ephesians 2 declares again “ye are saved through faith.”  Good works are not the way to God, but are rather the fruits of the faith that we place in God. 

CHRISTUS SOLUS

     Christ Alone: Together the three solas, affirm that Christ is the object of the Protestant faith.  The Easter message or Christ incarnate, crucified, risen again, is the entire object of the Protestant faith.  We are saved by Him alone.

MARRIAGEUS SOLUS

   Marriage Alone:  Lastly we are Protestants because God has not called us to be celibates, and to be alone the rest of our days.  God has given us the privilege of accepting marriage as an honourable estate founded in the very structure of the Church.  Protestant clergyman can not be Roman Catholic, for this very important reason, they must find a helpmate for their ministry.  If we are going to be Protestants, we must follow Martin Luther’s example in this area of his life, and ascend upwards to the high calling of matrimony. 

CONCLUSION

     The term Protestant means that we stand for something.  Our forefathers had something to say against the established Church, and took their stand.  In many cases this stand, cost them their lives, but they realized that truth merits any price.  The Protestant Reformation caused a beam of light to shine once more in the Church, causing people to truly have right relationship with God.  May the Protestant church always confess in their creeds: Scripture Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone and Christ Alone!

THE TRIUMPH OF JAN HUS

      “God is my witness that I have never taught that of which I have been accused by false witnesses.  In the truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached I will die today with gladness,” so said Jan Hus July 6, 1415 on the occasion of his execution.  Jan Hus was born in the year 1373, in southern Bohemia.  In 1390 he began attending the University of Prague where he obtained his BA and MA, in which he ranked sixth of twenty-two.  His literary mentor was John Wycliffe, whose teaching was transplanted from England with the marriage of Bohemia’s Princess Anne to King Richard II of England.  In 1396, Hus began to teach at the university and in 1402, he was received priestly ordination, and was appointed the rector and preacher of Bethlehem Chapel, a church in central Prague. 

      The plague of politics confronted Hus, in his attempts to support truth.  He lived during the time of the three popes, which were in a constant struggle for control of the church.  King Wenceslas, the Czech University and Jan Hus supported Gregory XII, but unfortunately he was deposed, and Alexander V gained the papal office and Gregory was deposed in 1409.  The following year in 1410, the declaration came in the form of Papal Bull, which ordered all Wycliffe, books and documents to be destroyed.  The Archbishop of Prague (Zbynek) achieved a prohibition of preaching in Prague, from Alexander V.  This greatly upset Hus, who kept preaching in Bethlehem Chapel.

      The King of Bohemia, was greatly angered with the German interference within his ecclesiastical province and decreased their voting power at the university.  Hus began to seek for reconciliation for the church in Bohemia and sought equal rights in regard to ecclesiastical rights and privileges (a Wycliffe teaching).  The theological faculty in Prague, urged Hus to yield his views of repentance and equality with God, for the sake of peace, but Hus replied “even if I should stand before the stake which has been prepared for me, I will never accept the recommendation of the theological faculty.”

      In 1411, the Pope John XXIII issued a call for an increase in the sale of indulgences and also issued a crusading bull against King Ladislas of Naples who was protecting Pope Alexander V.    Jon Hus spoke out against this and encouraged everyone to find peaceful means of reconciliation, instead of shedding blood, and also condemned the pope for raising an army to fight other Christians.  For this transgression on the behalf of Hus, he was excommunicated by Cardinal Peter degli Stephaneschi.  The city of Prague was also put under an edict because of his presence, and Hus therefore fled into exile.  Hus found residence in south Bohemia, were he proceeded to do much of his writing, such as Exposition of Faith and Exposition of the Lord’s Prayer. 

     The Holy Roman Emperor, Sigismund, called a council at Constance on November 1, 1414, to try to reconcile Hus with the Church.  He was promised a safe conduct both ways, even if the charges against him were not dropped.  Popr John XXIII, presided over the council at first, but was later deposed.  Hus was then seized by the Archbishop and imprisoned, in complete disregard of the safe conduct.  On June 5, 1415, he was tried for the first time, and he publicly announced that he would willingly recant, if errors in his doctrine could be produced.  He was instructed by King Wenceslas, encouraged Hus to bring himself to the mercy of the council, which Hus did.  The council asked him to confess: that he had erred in the theses which he had maintained; that he renounced them for the future; that he recant them and that he declare the opposite of these sentences.  Hus refused to do this, declaring that he had never taught what he was being charged with.  He continued to only ask for the council to show him from the scriptures where he had erred. 

     Jan Hus’ condemnation took place on July 6, 1415.  Hus prayed in his trial: “O God and Lord, now the council condemns even thine own act and thine own law as heresy, since thou thyself didst lay thy cause before thy Father as the judge, as an example for us, whenever we are sorely oppressed.”  Hus repeated over and over, that he only desired for them to show him from scripture where he had erred, but he was forced to be silent.  Hus fell upon his knees and asked God with a low voice to forgive his enemies. 

      He was then robed in priestly robes and then asked again to recant, which he refused.  His ornaments were taken from him and a high hat, which marked him as a heretic was placed upon his head.  He was then led to the place of execution were he was entreated again to recant, which he again refused.  He was stripped of his clothes in public humiliation, much like his Saviour and was tied to a stake and covered up to his neck in hay, wood, and manuscripts of John Wycliffe were added to the pile. 

      He was asked one final time to recant, but he refused again stating clearly “God is my witness that I have never taught that of which I have been accused by false witnesses.  In the truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached I will die today with gladness.”  As the wood was kindled and the flames began to rise, Hus sang a hymn “Son of God have mercy on me.”  Then as the smoke began to overcome him he cried out one final word of prophesy “In one hundred years, God will raise up a man whose calls for reform cannot and won’t be suppressed.”

            Jan Hus ashes were scattered into the depths of the Rhine River.  His life was ended but truth of his message lived on.  In almost exactly one hundred years later, an Augustinian monk, Martin Luther, nailed his 95 Theses to the Church door, final bring justice to the Roman Catholic Church, in the spirit of the many men of the faith that had died, for daring to confess the truths of Scripture.  On December 18, 1999, Pope John Paul II apologized for the execution of Jan Hus, but refused to pardon him, despite having adopted much of his then controversial teaching. 

            Jan Hus fought a good fight, he finished the course, he kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for him a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give him at that day: and not only to him, but also unto all them that love his appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8).