A Study of The Apostles' Creed.ppt

7/26/2019 A Study of The Apostles' Creed.ppt

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A StudyA Study

ofofThe Apostles CreedThe Apostles Creed


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The Apostles Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and

earth. And in Jesus Christ His only Son our ord, !ho

"as #on#eived by the Holy Ghost, born of the $irgin Mary,

Suffered under %ontius %ilate, "as #ru#ified, dead, and

buried. He des#ended into hell& the third day He rose again

from the dead. He as#ended into heaven, and sitteth on the

right hand of God the Father Almighty& From then#e He

shall #ome to 'udge the (ui#k and the dead. I believe in theHoly Ghost, )he Holy Catholi# Chur#h& the Communion

of saints& )he Forgiveness of sins& )he *esurre#tion of the

body, And the ife +verlasting. Amen


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Background Introduction

-Creed derived from the atin -#redo meaning -Ibelieve.

/sed to denote a summary or #on#ise statement ofdo#trine formulated and a##e0ted by a #hur#h.

1ot meant to #over the "hole field of Christian faith,but to fortify believers against the tea#hing of hereti#s.

2esignates the 0rin#i0les "hi#h and individual orasso#iated body so holds that they be#ome the guidesof #ondu#t.

Some Christians re'e#t formal #reeds.


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2ifferent #on#lusions often rea#hed by those "ho

0rofess to ground their beliefs on the same

0assages of the !ord of God. Almost every heresy that has disturbed the unity of

the Chur#h has been advo#ated by men "ho

a00ealed to S#ri0ture in #onfirmation of the

do#trines they taught.

Fatal errors "hen #on#lusions are dra"n from

isolated 0assages and 0re#on#eived o0inions.


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1e#essary that Christian Chur#hes set forthin #reeds and #onfessions the do#trines

"hi#h they believe the S#ri0tures affirm. S#ri0ture as the -rule of faith.

Converts enabled to test their o"n 0ositions

but, more im0ortantly, to 0ut to 0roof the#laims of those "ho 0rofess to be tea#hersof Christian do#trine.


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A0ostles3 Creed is the oldest #reed and forms the basis for most

other #reeds.

1amed su#h, not be#ause it "as dra"n u0 by the A0ostles, but

be#ause it is in a##ordan#e "ith the sum of A0ostoli# tea#hing.

General #reed of the Christian Chur#h from the middle of the

4nd#entury 5678 A.2.9.

1ot only used as a test of Christian do#trine, but also used by

#ate#hists in training and instru#ting #andidates for admissionto the Chur#h.


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A0ostles3 Creed e:ists in t"o forms;


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Origin of the Creed

)he legend "as that the #reed took sha0e at the

di#tation of the )"elve A0ostles.

)his legend is not older then the = th#entury. )he real origin of the #reed has been tra#ed to

ba0tismal #onfessions "here #onverts sim0ly

stated , -I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

1e" )estament eviden#e that it soon be#ame

enlarged. 5*omans >;6?& 6 )imothy >;64@6& 4

)imothy 4;B 7;69


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Origin of the Creed

As early as 68? A.2. the A0ostoli# Father Ignatius 5>D@6==9 drafted a "idely used #reedal statement againstthe Gnosti# se#ts that denied the 0hysi#al

#hara#teristi#s of Christ3s 0erson and "ork;

Be deaf, therefore, whenever anyone speaks to youapart from Jesus Christ, who is of the stock of David,who is of Mary, who was truly born, ate and drank,

was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate, was trulycrucified and died in the sight of beings of heaven, ofearth and the underworld, who was also truly raised

from the dead!


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Origin of the Creed

About =8 years later, a summary emerged thate:0anded on that of Ignatius;

" believe in the #ather, the $uler of the %niverse, andin Jesus Christ, our $edeemer, in the &oly 'pirit, theParaclete, in the &oly Church, and in the#orgiveness of 'ins!

Here "e begin to see the form of our 0resentA0ostles3 Creed emerging.

1eeded be#ause the A0ostles "ere no longer livingand the Chur#h "as beset "ith errors.


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Apostolic Fathers

Clement ()*+-. of $ome, "as 0ur0orted to have

been %eter3s su##essor in *ome. He "as banished

from *ome during the reign of +m0eror )ra'anand "as sent to "ork in a stone (uarry. He "as

martyred by being tied to an an#hor and thro"n

into the Ela#k Sea.

"gnatius ()/+-0. of 1ntioch, "ho had beena00ointed as +lder by %eter be#ame a martyr in

*ome defending the faith.


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Apostolic Fathers

Polycarp (23+//.of Smyrna, a dis#i0le of John, "as brought to trial

and "as asked by the 0ro#onsul to renoun#e his beliefs. He

res0onded, -Ho" #ould I blas0heme my ing and Savior -Hear my

frank #onfession, he told the offi#ial; -I am a Christian. If you are"illing to learn "hat Christianity is, set a time at "hi#h you #an hear

me. *efusing his offer, the offi#ial offered one last "arning, but

%oly#ar0 ans"ered, -ou threaten me "ith a fire that burns but for an

hour and goes out after a short time, for you do not kno" the fire of

the #oming 'udgment and of eternal 0unishment for the godless. !hy

do you "ait Ering on "hat you "ill. !hen his body failed to be

#onsumed by the 0oorly@lit flames, the e:e#utioner drove a dagger into

the saint3s heart.


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Apostolic Fathers

"renaeus 568@4849 of yons "as a dis#i0le of %oly#ar0 and

an elder in southern Fran#e.

He "as above all a 0astor.

Irenaeus "as not 0arti#ularly interested in 0hiloso0hi#al

s0e#ulation but rather in leading his flo#k in Christian life

and faith.

He sa" himself as a she0herd leading his flo#k 'ust as Christ

"as the Great She0herd leading #reation to its final goal.

In 6B8 A.2. he "rote his #reed, based on the A0ostles Creed,

to aid his 0eo0le in dealing "ith the Gnosti#s.


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Apostolic Fathers

4ertullian 56>8@44=9 of Carthage "as #onverted to

Christianity in *ome "hen he "as 78 years old.

)rained as a la"yer and all of his "ritings bears the stam0

of a legal mind.

%rolifi# author and Christian a0ologist against heresy.

First Christian theologian to "rite in atin and may be

#onsidered the founder of !estern theology.

Most famous for #oining the term )rinity 5atin; 4rinitus9

and giving the first e:0osition of the formula "hi#h

a00eared in his "ork -)hree %ersons,


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)H+ A%. He as#ended intoheaven, and sitteth on the

right hand of God theFather Almighty&

And in His as#ension in theflesh&

!as taken into heaven, andsat do"n at the right hand

of God&


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?. From then#e Heshall #ome to 'udgethe (ui#k and thedead.

And in His #omingfrom heaven ... thatHe may e:e#ute 'ust'udgment on all.

He "ill #ome to'udgethe "i#ked toeternalfire.

B. I believe in theHoly Ghost&

And in the HolyGhost.

And in the HolyS0irit sent byChrist.

D. )he HolyCatholi# Chur#h&the Communion of

saints&

68. )he Forgivenessof sins&

66. )he*esurre#tion of thebody& 64. And the

ife +verlasting.

And that Christshall #ome fromheaven to raise u0

all flesh ... and toad'udge the im0iousand un'ust ... toeternal fire, and togive to the 'ust andholy immortalityand eternal glory.

And that Christ"ill, after therevival of both

body and soul "iththe restoration ofthe flesh, re#eiveHis holy ones intothe en'oyment oflife eternal and the0romises of heaven.


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Council of Nicea

%erse#ution turned to toleration after Constantine3s

re0orted #onversion in 6 A.2.

ed to the em0ire3s offi#ial ado0tion ofChristianity.

-Christendom be#ame a #onfusion of 0o0ular

myth and bibli#al #laims.

Chur#h fa#ed an onslaught of heresies.

In 4= A.2. the Coun#il of 1i#ea #onvened.


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Council of Nicea

88 Eisho0s assembled for this #oun#il.

At issue "as the Arian heresy, "hi#h denied the

eternal deity of Jesus Christ and the )rinity.


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The Nicene Creed I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of

all things visible and invisible.

And in one ord Jesus Christ, the only@begotten Son of God, begotten of the

Father before all "orlds& God of God, ight of ight, very God of very God&

begotten, not made, being of one substan#e "ith the Father, by "hom all

things "ere made.

!ho, for us men and for our salvation, #ame do"n from heaven, and "as

in#arnate by the Holy S0irit of the virgin Mary, and "as made man& and "as

#ru#ified also for us under %ontius %ilate& He suffered and "as buried& and the

third day He rose again, a##ording to the S#ri0tures& and as#ended into

heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father& and He shall #ome again, "ith

glory, to 'udge the (ui#k and the dead& "hose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the ord and Giver of ife& "ho 0ro#eeds

from the Father and the Son& "ho "ith the Father and the Son together is

"orshi00ed and glorified& "ho s0oke by the 0ro0hets.

And I believe in one holy #atholi# and a0ostoli# Chur#h. I a#kno"ledge one

ba0tism for the remission of sins& and I look for the resurre#tion of the dead,

and the life of the "orld to #ome. Amen.


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Apostles Creed

6. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven

and earth. 4. And in Jesus Christ His only Son our ord, .

!ho "as #on#eived by the Holy Ghost, born of the $irgin

Mary, 7. Suffered under %ontius %ilate, "as #ru#ified, dead,and buried, =. He des#ended into hell& the third day He rose

again from the dead, >. He as#ended into heaven, and sitteth

on the right hand of God the Father Almighty& ?. From

then#e He shall #ome to 'udge the (ui#k and the dead. B. Ibelieve in the Holy Ghost, D. )he Holy Catholi# Chur#h&

the Communion of saints& 68. )he Forgiveness of sins& 66.

)he *esurre#tion of the body, 64. And the ife +verlasting.


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I Believe

)he #reed is an e:0ression of 0ersonal belief.

In re0eating it "e 0rofess our o"n faith in "hat God has

revealed #on#erning Himself.

Eelief here means the assent of the mind and heart to the

do#trines e:0ressed in the #reed. 5*om 68;689

Faith differs from kno"ledge. )here are some things that

"e kno" to be true and there are others of "hi#h "e say

that "e believe them to be true.

!e believe be#ause "e are assured on suffi#ient and

#om0etent authority that these things are so. 5*om 68;6?9


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I Believe

!e kno" that "e live in a material universe, but our

kno"ledge does not e:tend to the manner in "hi#h the

universe #ame into being. )hat is a matter of belief. 5Heb

66;9

!e believe based on the authority of God. 56 John =;D9

Faith must 0re#ede everything else. It is the foundation on

"hi#h all Christian #hara#ter is built. 5Heb 66;>b9

!e must have and e:0erien#e faith. 5Heb 66;>a9

It is im0ortant that "e have a kno"ledge of Christian

do#trines and are ready to defend them. 56 %eter ;6=9


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God the Father Alight!" #aker

of $eaven and %arth )he e:isten#e of God is the basis of all religious belief.

If there is no God, there is no moral obligation.

If there is no Almighty Eeing to "hom men o"e e:isten#e,to "hom they must give a##ount, "orshi0 is a vain sho"

and systems of religion are meaningless.

)heologians have endeavored to establish by 0roof the

do#trine of 2ivine e:isten#e. 5 arguments for God9

+ven the heathen believed in and "orshi00ed many gods.

)he do#trine of one living and true God "as given to

an#ient Israel. 52eut >;79


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of $eaven and %arth )he do#trine of the )rinity, though not e:0ressly stated in

the A0ostles3 Creed, is im0lied in the #lauses "hi#h refer

to ea#h of the %ersons "ho #om0ose it.

)here is one God, but in the Godhead there are three

%ersons, "hose names indi#ate the relation in "hi#h ea#h

stands to the others.

+a#h of the %ersons is #om0lete and 0erfe#t God.

!hile there are three %ersons in the Godhead, the same in

substan#e, e(ual in 0o"er and glory, these three are one.

Hebre" "ord for God is a 0lural noun. 5Gen 6;6 6;4>9


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of $eaven and %arth )he first %erson in the Godhead is the Father.

)he relationshi0 bet"een Father and Son #annot be

e:0lained. 5Job 66;?, 2eut 4D;4D9

God is our Father, but He "as -the Father before He

#alled man into e:isten#e. From all eternity He "as Father.

It is the Son3s e:isten#e that #onstitutes Him Father and

that e:isten#e "as in eternity. 5John 68;89

All men are de#lared to be His offs0ring, and those "ho

have re#eived the S0irit of ado0tion #ry, -Abba, Father,

and are taught to 0ray -


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of $eaven and %arth )he term -Almighty, "hi#h o##urs t"i#e in the Creed,

re0resents t"o "ords, the one denoting absolute dominion,

the other infinite 0o"er in o0eration.

!hen "e say that God the Father is Almighty "e affirm that

His 0o"er is unlimited.

+ven those things that seem to resist and defy His authority

are under His government, even man3s "rath. 5%s ?>;689

He so governs the universe that all things "ork together, and"ork together for good to them that love Him. 5*om B;4B9


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of $eaven and %arth -Maker is used in the sense of Creator, im0lying that

heaven and earth "ere #alled into e:isten#e out of nothing

by the "ord of 2ivine 0o"er. Father, Son, and Holy S0irit

a#ted together. 5Gen 6;4, %s ;>@D& 67B;=, John 6;6@, Heb6;4&66;, Col 6;6=9

God is not -in s0a#e or time& s0a#e and time are

dimensions of the #reated order, and God is not bound by

them as "e are. All things #reated 0oint to God as their origin and sour#e.

5*om 6;489


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And In &esus Christ $is Onl! 'on

Our (ord )he first arti#le of the A0ostles3 Creed has numerous

su00orters.

Je"s and Christians are together in affirming their belief in

God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and +arth.

1ot so "ith the se#ond arti#le "hi#h e:0resses do#trines

so hotly dis0uted that Simeon3s 0ro0he#y "as fulfilled.

5uke 4; 7@=9

Some dis0utes in#luded; His nature and relationshi0 to the

Father& He "as not God& He "as only an angel& He "as a

mere man s0e#ially endo"ed "ith the Holy S0irit.

)he Gnosti#s "ere the leaders in these hereti#al vie"s.


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Our (ord 2ate ba#k to the time of Simon Magus. 5A#ts B;D@4=9

%aul3s letter to )imothy indi#ate others. 54 )im 4;6?& 6;6=9


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Our (ord Jesus is the 0ersonal name of our ord.

%ro0er names among the Hebre"s had a dee0er meaning

and a #loser #onne#tion "ith #hara#ter and #ondition than

else"here.

)he name of Jesus is God3s dis#losure of His infinite love

and of His 0ur0oses for man3s salvation. He is Jesus the

Savior. 5Matt 6;46, Is D;>, A#ts 7;649

It is im0ortant therefore to bear in mind that Jesus is a

name not only given to Him by God, but a name itself

2ivine& not only the name by "hi#h, as that of a Mediator,

"e "orshi0 God, but the name under "hi#h, as that of God

Himself, "e "orshi0 Him. 5%hil 4;D@669


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Our (ord In an#ient times there "ere no su#h titles as surnames.

Greek history; %lato, Aristotle, So#rates et#.

Je"ish history; Abraham, Isaa#, Ja#ob, Job, Moses "erenot kno"n by any other names than these.

In later times, titles des#ri0tive of the offi#e or "ork of

individuals "ere atta#hed to their original names i.e. John

the Ea0tist, Matthe" the %ubli#an, and of our ord

Himself, Jesus the Christ.

Christ is not a 0ro0er name but an offi#ial title. Jesus "as

the Christ L the Anointed.


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Our (ord )he #ardinal A0ostoli# tea#hing "as that the Messiah had

#ome to the "orld.

)o a##e0t Jesus as the Christ "as to a##e0t Him as the

Savior and 2eliverer. 5John 6;76&7;4D, Matt 6>;6>@6?, A#ts

6B;4B9

It "as the a#kno"ledgement by the #ommon 0eo0le that

Jesus "as the Messiah that angered the Je"ish leaders.

5John D;449

)he name Christ denotes the offi#es "hi#h Jesus e:e#utes

as our *edeemer. 5%ro0het, %riest, and ing9

)he t"ofold name, Jesus Christ, is rarely found in the

Gos0els but in the +0istles it is the name used most often.


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Our (ord )he 9

)he 1e" )estament S#ri0tures bears the same testimony.

5John 6;6&67, Heb 6;6@9

!hen Jesus #ame the Je"s re#ognied the Messiah as the

Son of God. 5John 6;7D&66;4?9

!e #annot understand fully the sense in "hi#h our ord is

the Son of God but Jesus is His only@begotten Son in a

higher, s0e#ial, and 0erfe#t sense.


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Our (ord )he name -ord is the translation of a Greek "ord, "hi#h

signifies ruling or governing.

As ord, the government is u0on His shoulders, His

dominion is universal, and His ingdom everlasting.

5Matt 4B;6B&66;4?, John ;=, %hil 4;D@669

)he Creed sets forth the truth that there is a s0e#ial sense

in "hi#h Jesus is the ord of believers, -our ord.

S#ri0ture re#ognies that there are t"o great armies.

!hen "e say -our ord "e are de#laring that "e

renoun#e any other masters.


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I Believe



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A Study of The Apostles' Creed.ppt