Introduction
What is a creed?
A creed is a statement of what a given person or institution believes to be true.
How do Christians use the word creed?
Christians use this word to refer to a statement of what we understand the Bible to teach. The word itself comes from the Latin word credo which is just the first person singular form of the verb to believe.
Why do Christians feel the need to write up these creeds?
Because the Bible itself does not give us a concise and systematic statement of all that it teaches. Consider the question, “What do you understand the Bible to teach?” Our reply to this question will be a creed.
Some people do not like creeds. Why?
Because creeds are the product of a fallible human person while the Bible is ultimately the product of God’s infallible mind. Surely it makes more sense to stick to the infallible Bible than to a fallible human statement of what the Bible teaches.
What reply can be made to this?
Because the question posed above still needs to be answered. “What do you understand the Bible to teach?” Our reply to this question will be a creed. Whether one likes creeds or not, this question cannot be answered simply by reading the Bible or quoting it. The answer to this question must necessarily be the product of a fallible human mind.
To what should this reality lead us?
Our fallibility should lead us to pray earnestly for the light and leading of the Holy Spirit who Jesus promised would lead us into all the truth. (John 16:13-15)
Are you saying then that every Christian has a creed whether they admit to it or not?
Yes.
I have heard others say that they will have no creed except Christ.
The thought is a good one, but the question still remains, which Christ?. People believe that Jesus was all sorts of different things as in this book. As soon as one is asked which Jesus they believe in, they will have to respond in the words of a creed. In other words, they will have to give their own, fallible statement of who they understand Jesus to be.
It seems then, that creeds are inescapable. They are a necessary part of our walk with God.
Yes, this is certainly true.
Does the Bible say anything about creeds?
Yes, we find the people of God often confessing their faith in God. The most common confession was that of the old covenant people of God:
| שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה אֶחָֽד׃ | Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! (Deuteronomy 6:4) |
From this statement of God being one follow the commands given in the next verses. (Deuteronomy 6:5-9)
Do the people of God in the new covenant have a creed?
Yes, we see this in confession which Nathanael, Peter, and Thomas made. The confession these men make switches the center of worship from the unity of God to the person and work of Jesus. Other Scriptures also speak of a statement of faith.
What confession did Nathanael make?
When Philip came to believe in Jesus, he sought out his friend Nathanael.
Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote–Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:45-51)
“King of Israel” and “son of God” are both Messianic titles. In other words, Nathanael recognizes Jesus as the Messiah.
This confession is very similar to Peter’s confession.
True:
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. (Matthew 16:13-20)
Peter acknowledges as Nathanael above that Jesus is the Great Messiah King which the Jewish people were expecting.
What confession does Thomas make?
After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples twice. The first time, Thomas was not present. The second time, he was present, and Jesus confronts him directly.
After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” (John 20:26-29)
Schaff writes (p5):
This is the strongest apostolic Confession of Faith in the Lordship and Divinity of Christ, an echo of the beginning of the fourth Gospel (John 1:1, ‘the Word was God’), and an anticipation of its close (John 20:31, ‘that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life in His Name’).
What other Scriptures also speak of a statement of faith?
Consider Paul’s words to Timothy:
By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who
-
- was revealed in the flesh,
- was vindicated in the Spirit,
- seen by angels,
- proclaimed among the nations,
- believed on in the world,
- taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)
Here, the mystery of godliness are those things which Christians believe. This mystery is given in six things, all of which pertain to Christ.
What does Paul mean when he speaks of the form of sounds words?
This also was said to Timothy:
For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. (2 Timothy 1:12-14)
The standard of sounds words or “the pattern of wholesome teaching (NLT)” an outline of the sound teaching (Weymouth)” is a creedal statement. Lange calls (p87) it “a brief sketch of Christian doctrine.” Edwards (here):
It seems to me probable that by “the form of sound words” here spoken [of], the Apostle means the solemn charge that he gave Timothy at his ordination concerning what doctrines he should preach, or that part of the charge wherein were committed to him the doctrine that he should preach. The second verse of the next chapter confirms me in this, where the Apostle charges Timothy to commit the same things to other “faithful men” that he should ordain for teachers that he had heard of him “among many witnesses,” where he seems evidently to refer to some public, solemn transaction wherein the doctrines of the gospel were committed to him “among many witnesses.” And what is intended don’t seem to be only hearing the doctrines of the gospel preached and taught as ordinary Christians do, but some committing of these doctrines to teachers in a way peculiar to them, because he adds, “the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” These faithful men had the true doctrines of the gospel committed to them already, as all Christians had; but the Apostle speaks of another committing.