Creeds Of Churches

1. Creeds Of Churches

2. For centuries, people, claiming to be Christians, have seen the need to write creeds to serve as guidelines in religion. • Thousands have been written by men all over the world and most feel they are just fine, in fact they follow them more closely than they do the actual Bible. • They are practiced by most denominational churches that exist today • The dangers of these good intentions are not fully known by their followers.

3. A creed, sometimes called a confession or rule of faith is an authoritative statement in a precise written form. • They declare religious beliefs established by other men of other times • Many people value the teachings and precepts of men as though they were the voice of God speaking through men. • When men regard the teachings of men as having authority in religion, they often follow them banking their salvation on it.

4. Why do Churches Establish Creeds? • They reject the notion of something being right or wrong. • In matters of religion they go for sincerity over truth • They frown on condemning anything as being perceived error or false doctrine • They look at youth programs and entertaining of it’s members as being a necessity in today culture and being much more important than what is being taught and the results that follow.

5. Clearly Defining of Beliefs ! • What exactly do you stand for? • This is what creeds are for, to tell you what we believe, because it is seldom discussed publicly or privately. • Creeds help avoid confusion and keep people loyal to their beliefs or truths. • Creeds are their standards for correct doctrine of their faith. • We will see some creeds for that very purpose today.

6. Explaining The Meaning of Scripture ! • Many today look at their creeds as scripture • They use their creeds to explain their beliefs to their own followers as a means of understanding scriptures • Most of the Bible is too hard for a lay person to even grasp or understand and you need us to explain it to you. • Most denominations have a group that tell it’s members what they are to believe and follow.

7. Creeds Used To Confess Their Faith ! • Creeds are used by churches as a means of declaring their beliefs not only to themselves, but to the world. • Creeds are a way to evangelize the world and offer buy-in to it’s standards. • Their followers are expected to believe totally in these creeds and to accept them as religious doctrine straight from God

8. Creeds Used To Establish Consensus ! • Creeds are often written with the goal to establish a consensus or general agreement in what is believed by all the members of a certain group • Creeds are given to maintain unity and group solidarity as a congregation or denomination • This is our position as it relates to women preachers, homosexuality, marriage, divorce or diversity.

9. Why Do People Follow Creeds of Men ! • They fail to study the Bible for themselves and depend on others for their knowledge – check with my pastor • They want quick answers to tough questions that bother them • They put more trust in men than God • Creeds, commentaries, magazines, internet sites, well known preachers are not a formidable replacement for the sacred scriptures inspired by almighty God.

10. 2 Tim 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. • 2 Tim 2:2-4 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

11. The Obvious Weaknesses of Creeds ! • They are not inspired – they are from men not God • They are grossly insufficient when it comes to the needs of the believer as it provides either too much or too little • They do not build genuine faith – remember without knowledge of scripture, people will lack saving faith. • They promote division- unity comes from all believing the same thing and being perfectly joined together in the same mind and judgment

12. 2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. • 1 Peter 1:23-25 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

13. The Bible is the Authority, not creeds ! • It is amazing how quickly the creeds of men become the standard in religion instead of the Bible • Creeds add to and subtract from the standard that God has given – The Bible • No Divine authority for creeds • On the judgment day creeds will not be considered • Only the “Word of God” can prepare us for judgment because it give us great confidence to stand before God being obedient to his commands .

14. Rev 22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

15. Eph 3:3-5 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

16. Taking a look at“Creeds of Men”

17. Of the three great Ecumenical Creeds of Christianity (Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed) the simplest, and at least in the Western Church, also the most widely accepted one is the Apostles’ Creed. We can trace the Creeds' roots to Jesus himself. In their efforts to carry out the Savior's commission to “Baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28 :19,20), early Christians usually asked candidatesfor baptism to confess what they believed about the Holy Trinity.

18. The version we use for our English translations is a Latin text which appeared several hundred years after Christ. It is likely, however, that the apostles themselvescomposed a Greek creed which was very similar to that Latin text. Paul may have been referring to that very creed when he wrote to Timothy: "Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6:12).

19. APOSTLES' CREED 1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: 2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord: 3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary: 4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell: 5. The third day he rose again from the dead: 6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty: 7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead: 8. I believe in the Holy Ghost: 9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints: 10. The forgiveness of sins: 11. The resurrection of the body: 12. And the life everlasting. Amen. (from Creeds of the Church)

20. We continue to use the Apostles' Creed with that same mindset: we are carrying out the command of Jesus to baptize and teach in the name of the Triune God, the gracious God who saves. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). It is this saving name we confess in the Apostles' Creed. • More than any other Creed it speaks the simple language of the Bible and breathes the spirit of the Gospel. The Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed are commonly used in our worship services to confess our faith.

21. What was confessed in Bible times ? • Acts 8:35-37 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. • Nothing was said about believing in the trinity or the Holy Ghost or even about believing in God, it was all centered about believing in Jesus Christ as being the son of God. If you believe he is, you will also believe everything he has said.

22. Believing in Christ & Continuing In His Word ? • John 8:23-24 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. • John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

23. History of the Nicene Creed • In 325A.D. Emperor Constantine the Great called together a Council at a city called Nicaea (present-day northwest Turkey ). The task assigned to this council was to address a controversy brought up by a man named Arius who said that Jesus Christ was only a man, not true God. • The words of the Nicene Creed, therefore, highlight the fact that Jesus Christ is true God. This Creed describes Jesus as “God from God, Light from light; true God from true God… of one being with the Father.” It focuses on who Jesus is: he is not a separate entity from God or an addition to God. He is the true God. • Since this Creed highlights who Jesus is, we speak the Creed on Communion Sundays when we partake of the true body and blood of Christ in, with, and under the bread and wine. Both in the Supper and in the Nicene Creed we confess that Jesus Christ is “God in flesh.”

24. NICENE CREED325 A.D. 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 the 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 for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit 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 rose 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 the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And I believe one holy 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. (from Creeds of the Church)

25. What Do True Christians Believe? • All the teachings of the Bible without commentary or inspiration from men • 2 Tim 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. • Why would man need additional creeds or inspiration from man if God gives us all we need?

26. The Bible Can Make Us Perfect • 2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: • 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Tim 2:4-5 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

27. The Athanasian Creed was the last of the three Ecumenical Creeds to be written. This Creed, like the Nicene Creed, was written in defense of the true teachings of Scripture and to reject doctrinal errors that were present at the time. This Creed is a strong statement that the faith of the Christian rests on the clear statements of Scripture alone even when we are not able to rationalize them. The following is a brief history of how the Athanasian Creed came to be and a short explanation of why it was written.

28. ATHANASIAN CREED • Named after Athanasian but not thought that he penned it • Written between 450 and 670 AD • Written in defense of the Triune of God • Written also to prove that Jesus was both divine and human • Written to give assurance of the redemption of man by Christ • Whoever wishes to be saved must, above all else, hold true to the Christian faith. Whoever does not keep this faith true in all points will certainly perish forever.

29. ATHANASIAN CREED 1 Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith; 2. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. 3. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; 4. Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance. 5. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. 6. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. 7. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. 8. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. 9. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. 10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. 11. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. (from Creeds of the Church) So if you want to be saved, you have to hold to the catholic faith which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlasting ! And they say, we think we are the only ones going to heaven ?

30. 12. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. 13. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty. 14.And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty. 15. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; 16. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. 17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; 18. And yet they are not three Lords but one Lord. 19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; 20.So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say; There are three Gods or three Lords. (from Creeds of the Church) So we are forbidden by the Catholic Church …..

31. 21. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. 22. The Son is of the Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten. 23. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 24. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. 25. And in this Trinity none is afore or after another; none is greater or less than another. 26. But the whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal. 27. So that in all things, as aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. 28. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity. 29. Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. (from Creeds of the Church) Clever words should not influence the minds of followers of our Lord. People everywhere should devote themselves to learning the will of God for themselves

32. 30. For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man. 31. God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and man of substance of His mother, born in the world. 32. Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. 33. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood. 34. Who, although He is God and man, yet He is not two, but one Christ. 35. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of that manhood into God. 36. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. 37. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ; (from Creeds of the Church) If you believe the Bible, you already believe all these things. Why Not Make It Simple and teach, “Just Believe The Bible” !

33. You should believe it because it is the “Catholic Faith” or because it is “The Word Of GOD”! 38. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead; 39. He ascended into heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Father, God, Almighty; 40. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.41. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; 42 and shall give account of their own works. 43. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. 44. This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved. (from Creeds of the Church)

34. To Whom Will You Place Your Confidence God Or Man