I believe in God the father almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth,

And in Jesus Christ, god’s only son, our lord:

Who was conceived by the holy spirit,

Born of the virgin Mary,

Suffered under Pontius Pilate,

Was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into hell.

On the third day he rose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven and is seated

At the right hand of the father,

And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

The holy catholic (universal)church,

The communion of saints,

The forgiveness of sins,

The resurrection of the body,

And the life everlasting.

Amen.

The exact origins of the Apostles’ Creed are unclear. There are many prevailing theories but that is all we have, theories. What is clear is that the Creed has been used in the life of the church all over the world since the beginning of the church 2000 years ago. The Creed has depth yet is straight-forward and simple. It clearly states exactly as the first two words suggest – I believe. The “I” is the church. We collectively say this together as a statement of what we believe and what is true about God and His relationship to His people.

We tend to be skeptical of things written long ago. We tend towards revision and change. We like for things to be unique and individualized. The creed is unique in how it is so universally used and widely appreciated for it’s succinct nature and breadth of subject matter. By reciting the creed, we stand on the shoulders of faithful men and women who have gone before us and believed the same truths, walked through tragedy holding these truths, and some of them going to their death singing these truths. The creed shows us truth while protecting us from error. It helps us see the past clearly so we might better approach the present and the future. It shows us who God is and who we are. It is not Scripture but points us directly to the Scriptures in content and doctrine.

WHY STUDY THE CREED?

1.        It gives us clarity in what we do and don’t believe.

2.        It helps us to remember the beauty of our shared core beliefs.

3.        It aids in teaching and discipling the church both young and old.

4.        It protects us from heresy and false teaching.

5.        It shows others very clearly where we stand doctrinally.

6.        It keeps us focused on what is essential to the Christian faith.

OUTLINE OF THE SERIES

8/17 – We believe in God

8/24 – We believe in Jesus Christ

8/31 – We believe Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit

9/7 – We believe Jesus suffered, died, and was buried

9/14 – We believe Jesus rose from the grave

9/21 – We believe Jesus ascended to heaven

9/28 – We believe Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead

10/5 – We believe in the Holy Spirit

10/12 – We believe in the church

10/19 – We believe in the forgiveness of sins

10/26 – We believe in the resurrection of the body

11/2 – We believe in the life everlasting