Lesson 1 Origin of The Apostles Creed
Notes
Transcript
Definition of a creed:
Definition of a creed:
1: a brief authoritative formula of religious belief.
2: a set of fundamental beliefs
also : a guiding principle
What is The Apostles Creed
What is The Apostles Creed
Is what Christians believe.
What all Christians believe
It is not exclusive to any one denomination.
The Apostles Creed collapses time and space, uniting all true believers in the one, holy, and apostolic faith.
This creed is a summary of what the Bible teaches, a narrative of God’s redemptive love, and a concise statement of basic Christianity.
All Christians believe more than is contained in the Apostles Creed but none can believe less.
What the Apostles Creed means
What the Apostles Creed means
Each stanza of the Apostles Creed begins with the Latin word Credo which in english means “I Believe”.
“I Believe” These 2 words are among the most explosive words any human can utter.
They open the door to eternal life and are the foundation of the Christian faith.
We enter the faith and find eternal life in Christ by responding to the truth with trust.
That is with Belief.
The Apostles Creed is one of the most important confessions in Christianity.
For long unbroken centuries it has stood as one of the most crucial teaching instruments of the Christian faith- long with the 10 Commandments and the Lords Prayer.
What does the Apostles Creed do
What does the Apostles Creed do
The Apostles Creed was not written by the apostles, but it does reflect the early churches efforts to express and summarize the faith given by Christ to the apostles.
Early Christians called the creed “the rule of faith” and turned to it as they worshipped and taught the faithful.
The creed instructs
The creed guides
The creed defends
The creed enshrines
The glorious truths that answer the most important question anyone could ask: “what must I do to be saved?”
For almost 2000 years the Apostles Creed has provided the church with a venerable summary of the core Christian doctrine.
Each line of the creed encapsulates the very essence and foundation of what the people of God believe, and what they have always believed.
7 Reasons why the Apostles Creed is useful and necessary in the life of the Church
7 Reasons why the Apostles Creed is useful and necessary in the life of the Church
1.) Creeds define the Truth
1.) Creeds define the Truth
Jesus told his disciples “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32)
The truth sets the people of God free from sin, corruption, and a world under the despair of sin.
As the creeds teach the truth, they espouse a power that sets the captive free.
2.) Creeds correct error
2.) Creeds correct error
The reality of truth presupposes the existence of error.
Heresy which is the denial of a doctrine central to christianity departs from the truth and thus has eternal consequences.
3.) Creeds provide rules and standards for Gods people
3.) Creeds provide rules and standards for Gods people
The Apostles Creed functions as a guardrail for our teaching and instruction.
One of the most important functions of the Apostles Creed, like all faithful creeds, is that it helps the chruch to teach and prepare new believers for faithfulness and maturity in the faith of the chruch.
4.) Creeds teach the chruch how to worship and confess the faith
4.) Creeds teach the chruch how to worship and confess the faith
The Apostles Creed delineates the most glorious and splendid truths of the Christian faith.
It naturally ushers our souls into heartfelt worship and praise of God.
In corporate worship, voices converge so that I Believe becomes We Believe joining together all believers, both the living and those already with Christ.
5.) Creeds connect us to the faith of our fathers
5.) Creeds connect us to the faith of our fathers
The annals of chruch history and the venerable creeds of the faith contain some of the most precious inheritances modern Christians posses.
6.) Creeds summarize the faith
6.) Creeds summarize the faith
These documents do not seek to replace Scripture.
They accurately seek to summarize its content into succinct statements in-order to equip Christians with brief yet crucial distillations of the faith.
7.) Creeds define true Christian unity
7.) Creeds define true Christian unity
Statements of faith and the creeds of the chruch unite believers from all ages to the unchanging truth of Gods revelation.
True Christian unity is unity in the truth revealed by Christ, not unity at the expense of truth, as is becoming all too common.
The Apostles Creed does not confess some lowest-common-denominator form of Christian truth.
It boldly confesses the grandeur of authentic Christianity in a series of powerful statements of Christian belief.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Wrapped up in the Apostles Creed is nothing less than the unfathomable riches of our God, the surpassing knowledge of Christ, and the true theological identity of Christ people.