Posts
The Nicene Creed: Part I
This is how this will work. I am going to break up the creed with Scriptural support, then a quick summation of my belief on each one. Whether or not this is how the original writers intended some of these summations, one can debate, but isn't my intent. These posts are going to be scriptural support of my own study and the summation my own as well. The reason is because the very first term in the Creed is, "I believe..." and I want the reader to know what I believe to be true and the reasons, not just what those who first put this forth in AD 325.
The Nicene Creed
I believe in (Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Romans 10:8-13; Matthew 10:32; Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Luke 12:8; Phil 2:11)
When I speak of the following, this is what I believe. The following statements are what one would call the things I consider to be "closed." I believe the following to be of so much importance that this is what I consider to be true if one desires to stand beside me as a follower of Jesus. It has nothing to do with denomination, nothing to do with which culture you come from, which 5 points you follow or don't follow, what color your skin is, whether rich or poor, man or woman, deaf or dumb. The following points that are made in the Creed cannot be dismissed. They are the truths that...I believe in.
One God (Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 6:4; Mark 12:29; John 10:30; 1 Cor 8:4-6; Eph 4:6)
I fully believe there is only one God and besides Him, there is none. I stand with the other monotheistic faiths and adhere to the strong belief that God is only one and that all other gods are mere demons disguising themselves as angels of light. I believe that this understanding is far above my knowledge and I believe that God's own description of himself is so perfectly described, I cannot define it any clearer: I AM Who I AM. God is the only perfect describer of himself and we should not ascribe worship to anyone else but our one true God. This description of God by God, through the Scriptures continues in the following verses of the Creed. I believe in One God.
Father (John 8:42; Matthew 6:9; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians 1:3; Galatians 1:3; 4:6; Ephesians 1:2; Phil 4:20; Colossians 1:3; 1 John 3:1)
Our God is One. Within this Oneness there are three persons. The first to describe, is the Father. In the Arabic and the Qur'an, the term is "Rabb" and in the Bible, he is known as Abba, or Father. He is the One who sent us the Christ, He is the One whom Jesus submitted to while on earth. He is the One with whom the Spirit proceeds from. He is the One who is invisible. He is the One whom Jesus glorified while he walked this earth. He is the One whom we are called to glorify in all things. I believe in the Father.
Almighty (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 48:3; Exodus 6:3)
God the Father is described as El Shaddai, or God Almighty. We describe this as God being omnipotent, meaning he is all powerful. Because our God is El Shaddai, the Almighty One, the Omnipotent One, none can overpower Him. He alone is the one whom none can conquer, and if it seems He is conquered, it is only because He has allowed it to be perceived as such to accomplish His will. Many verses allude this understanding and my trust in anything other than God shows my ineptitude to understand the power of God. Like the apostle Paul asked, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). I believe that a correct title of God is truly, El Shaddai, my God is Almighty.
Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1; Job 38:4; Is 42:5; 45:18; Rev 4:11)
God the Father, the Almighty, created the heavens and the earth. I reject those sciences who ascribe the creation of our earth or heavens to anything else. Although our finite minds cannot understand how God created all things ex nihilo, I affirm it. Our One God, who was never created, created all things. From Him all things were made, although in Himself He was not made, but eternally existent. Some have started to speak of intelligent design, which I object to. We should ascribe the design of the earth to the correct designer, which is God alone. The specifics of the seen and the unseen, and of which source it was created comes in the further statements of the Creed. I believe that God is the Creator of heaven and earth.
The Nicene Creed
I believe in (Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Romans 10:8-13; Matthew 10:32; Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Luke 12:8; Phil 2:11)
When I speak of the following, this is what I believe. The following statements are what one would call the things I consider to be "closed." I believe the following to be of so much importance that this is what I consider to be true if one desires to stand beside me as a follower of Jesus. It has nothing to do with denomination, nothing to do with which culture you come from, which 5 points you follow or don't follow, what color your skin is, whether rich or poor, man or woman, deaf or dumb. The following points that are made in the Creed cannot be dismissed. They are the truths that...I believe in.
One God (Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 6:4; Mark 12:29; John 10:30; 1 Cor 8:4-6; Eph 4:6)
I fully believe there is only one God and besides Him, there is none. I stand with the other monotheistic faiths and adhere to the strong belief that God is only one and that all other gods are mere demons disguising themselves as angels of light. I believe that this understanding is far above my knowledge and I believe that God's own description of himself is so perfectly described, I cannot define it any clearer: I AM Who I AM. God is the only perfect describer of himself and we should not ascribe worship to anyone else but our one true God. This description of God by God, through the Scriptures continues in the following verses of the Creed. I believe in One God.
Father (John 8:42; Matthew 6:9; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians 1:3; Galatians 1:3; 4:6; Ephesians 1:2; Phil 4:20; Colossians 1:3; 1 John 3:1)
Our God is One. Within this Oneness there are three persons. The first to describe, is the Father. In the Arabic and the Qur'an, the term is "Rabb" and in the Bible, he is known as Abba, or Father. He is the One who sent us the Christ, He is the One whom Jesus submitted to while on earth. He is the One with whom the Spirit proceeds from. He is the One who is invisible. He is the One whom Jesus glorified while he walked this earth. He is the One whom we are called to glorify in all things. I believe in the Father.
Almighty (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 48:3; Exodus 6:3)
God the Father is described as El Shaddai, or God Almighty. We describe this as God being omnipotent, meaning he is all powerful. Because our God is El Shaddai, the Almighty One, the Omnipotent One, none can overpower Him. He alone is the one whom none can conquer, and if it seems He is conquered, it is only because He has allowed it to be perceived as such to accomplish His will. Many verses allude this understanding and my trust in anything other than God shows my ineptitude to understand the power of God. Like the apostle Paul asked, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). I believe that a correct title of God is truly, El Shaddai, my God is Almighty.
Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1; Job 38:4; Is 42:5; 45:18; Rev 4:11)
God the Father, the Almighty, created the heavens and the earth. I reject those sciences who ascribe the creation of our earth or heavens to anything else. Although our finite minds cannot understand how God created all things ex nihilo, I affirm it. Our One God, who was never created, created all things. From Him all things were made, although in Himself He was not made, but eternally existent. Some have started to speak of intelligent design, which I object to. We should ascribe the design of the earth to the correct designer, which is God alone. The specifics of the seen and the unseen, and of which source it was created comes in the further statements of the Creed. I believe that God is the Creator of heaven and earth.
0 comments:
Post a Comment