This I Believe (Message 1)

Lessons

Creeds are an essential part of our FAITH. Without them, we can quickly forget the BASICS.
Mark 12:29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Rom. 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

The Apostles’ Creed is for ALL who believe in Jesus.

About Creeds and The Apostles’ Creed

The New Testament refers to a STANDARD for all believers.
Rom. 6:17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, (ESV)

The Apostles’ Creed probably ORIGINATED from an earlier “Roman Creed” which dates back to about 140 AD.

The Apostles’ Creed was not written by the APOSTLES or by a COUNCIL, but was an early confession of faith. It is mentioned in THIRD century letters.

The Apostles’ Creed was probably a BAPTISMAL creed for affirming PROPER theology. Many denominations still use the Apostles’ Creed interrogatively in BAPTISMS.

The creed declares the TRIUNITY of God.

1. I Believe —

a. This is a very PERSONAL statement of faith.
John 9:38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

b. This statement is based in FAITH and in the WORD. Everyone has faith: it's just a matter of the OBJECT.

2. In God the Father Almighty —

a. This affirms our belief that there is Someone GREATER; One who deserves WORSHIP; a deity.

b. The word “Father” is not intended to promote a GENDER but a RELATIONSHIP.

c. The power of God knows no LIMITS (El Shaddai, אֵל שַׁדַּי ).
Gen. 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty ; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
1Sam. 17:45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

3. Creator of Heaven and Earth —

a. He is a CREATIVE God. (The Nicene Creed says “Maker of all things visible and invisible.”)

b. Heaven and earth are GOOD, not EVIL. This was a statement to refute the GNOSTICS of that day. (This is all that is said about the Father.)

4. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord —

a. “And in,” (some say, “I believe in”) declares Jesus as GOD along with the FATHER and the Holy SPIRIT.

b. Jesus is His name given by the ANGEL and affirmed by His PARENTS. Christ or Messiah is His TITLE.
Matt. 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” . . . 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matt. 1:1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:
John 1:41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).

c. “His ONLY Son” reminds us again of the relationship within the GODHEAD, and that there are no OTHER “sons”. We bow before ONE Lord.
Matt.16:16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

5. Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit —

a. Jesus would be only the THIRD person on this planet without a HUMAN father. He was the “SECOND-Adam”.
1Cor. 15:45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being” ; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.

b. The Bible doesn’t try to EXPLAIN to the human mind how God could cause CONCEPTION in a woman.
Luke 1:34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

6. Born of the Virgin Mary —

a. Jesus came into this world in the SAME way that we ALL entered the world. He was BORN.

b. Mary was truly a VIRGIN and this was not even considered a QUESTION by the early church.

7. Suffered under Pontius Pilate —

a. With this statement we have jumped from the FIRST day of Jesus’ life to His LAST day. There is no mention of His EARTHLY life, miracles, or teachings. This creed is not intended to REPLACE the Gospels, but to AFFIRM our faith.

b. The word “suffered” is indicative of His entire LIFE on earth and is USED that way in Scripture.
Luke 24:26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”
Acts 17:3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said.

c. Pontius Pilate was a HISTORICAL person, which sets this creed in a specific MOMENT in time.

d. And this is a REMINDER that the Jews cannot be the only ones blamed for the DEATH of Christ. We ALL participated because of our sin.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
      creator of heaven and earth.
And in (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.
      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.
      From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
      the holy catholic church,
      the communion of saints,
      the forgiveness of sins,
      the resurrection of the body,
      and the life everlasting. Amen.

Walk The Talk

What has been your experience with learning and reciting the Apostles’ Creed?

Do you see it as an important part of our faith? Why or why not?

In this study of the first part of the creed, what was your best thought or insight?