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6 things + one or 7 things about the Apostle’s Creed

6 things + one or 7 things about the Apostle’s Creed

so why 7 things about the Apostle’s Creed? well I could say I wanted to pick some where between saying 5 to 10 things about it but instead settled with 7 because I am (a) blatantly stealing the 5Q+1 one idea from getreligion.org (a very awesome sight) (b) using it because it my favorite number is seven, or (c) that I am imitating God in the seven pattern thing that sometimes happens in scripture. Take your pick.

So what seven things does the Apostle’s Creed mean to me personally? I will number the creed and write some general thoughts I get from this creed.

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. (1)

And I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, (2)

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin Mary, (3)
suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, (4)
was dead and buried, descended into death (some versions hell: meaning he delivered the captives in death),
on the third day rose from the dead,
has ascended to heaven, sits at right hand of the throne of God the Father, and is coming again to judge the quick (spiritually alive) and the dead (spiritually dead).

I believe in the Holy Spirit, (5)
the one catholic (purified) Church, (6)
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

Amen. (7)

(1) I appreciate the confessional nature of this creed. It helps me commune with other believers. It begins with this is what I believe. It is a affirmation of beliefs already held, not a list of beliefs to learn to be held. I appreciate that is begins with God. These brief descriptors in the first verse are remarkable in their depth and give clarity to show what God is like. God is is a personal god involved in relationships. He gives himself in close relational terms as a father and this implies that he has at least one child. As a parent he is my role model for what it means to be dad. God is a parent as he is first described as God the Father. But what type? He is All Mighty, the creed teaches us that all power is his, and he gives and reclaims his might as he so chooses to whom he chooses. If God is almighty what does he do with his power? He is the Maker. All things in the heavens and earth are made by him. They are his possession and reflect him in some way either directly or indirectly. All things are ultimately his and he can do with his creation as he so chooses.

(2) The creed switches drastically switches from the Father to reflect on his son. This help me learn about the beauty of God’s son. So who is his son? The next lines in the creed tells us two things about God the Father and the first thing solely about the son Jesus. First Jesus is God’s only son (this is later clarified in the Nicene Creed with addition of begotten). What this attempts to clarify is the utter uniquely and special relation between the Father and the Son. Second, Jesus is the Christ of God. The name Jesus basically means “the God who Is Saves” and the title Christ means that he is “the anointed one”. This gives the initial role of salvation beginning with the Father and that it is the Father who anoints Jesus. Jesus is then called our Lord. This tells us a great deal about Jesus. In the first testament only God the Father is referred to as the Lord of his chosen people. Only God is Lord, since Jesus is our Lord then he is fully God as the Father is fully God.

(3)The third section tells us succinctly about how Jesus earthly life began to fulfill what his name and title suggest he came to do. This reminds me how important the incarnation is and how unique it was. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit so his physical bodily creation could only come from God. All humans are conceived through sexual copulation of male and female, but Jesus only biologically had a mother! This virgin birth fulfills the promise given to Eve by God that one of her descendants (Mary) would bear the savior of those who believe. So how did Jesus accomplish his mission?

(4) This section is my favorite in that summarizes the passion of Christ and the return of Christ incredibly well. Jesus took upon himself the punishment of the sins of his people in a literal sense. He was unjustly punished under a wicked ruler, was murdered in a horrible way, died a literal death, his body was put in a tomb, yet while he was dead he descended into death and led the captives free in that he revealed himself to the saints who had gone before the coming of Christ, on the third day just as he foretold he conquered death and rose from the grave, ascended eventually into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, and is preparing to come and judge all the people of the Earth including those who believe and don’t.

(5) This is the one section I really wish they had elaborated upon. The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is inserted to clarify that God exists in a Godhead composed of three persons that are still one being. The creed is far too silent on this issue but at least it does mention him twice and affirm his importance in the Christian life. He is given the place of honor after the Father and the son.

(6) I love this section because it affirms the universal nature of the Church even when there are so many various churches. The reality of believers is spelled out in that God is purifying them (the root of the word catholic means pure hence the the use of the word catholic not referring to the denomination). I love how it shows that we believers enjoy being with one another and celebrating what Jesus has done (communion), believe in the forgiveness of sins (both ours and others), wait for the resurrection of our bodies, and look forward to life everlasting with God.

(7) This all ends with the word Amen. Amen is believed to mean “so let it be.” It is both a declarative statement and a petition of hope that God will bring it about. All have to say about it all is Amen.

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