Monday, October 13, 2008
[This week we will review the confessions contained in the Book of Concord and evaluate their importance for us today.]
John 9:38 Then he said, "Lord, I believe!" And he worshiped Him.
THE CREEDS
As Lutherans we state that the three ecumenical creeds (that is the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian) are a true and an accurate statement of what we believe. As we study them, notice that as each developed they became successively longer due to the spread of false teachings which had to be refuted.
The first is the Apostles' Creed (so named not because it was written by the apostles, but because it expresses what the apostles taught and believed). It is a very brief statement of faith that contains the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith beginning with the creation of the world and ending with the life to come. The Apostles' Creed was formulated over many centuries as a general baptismal confession of faith. During the first eight centuries the church wrote and rewrote it until finally it came to the form which we have today.
The Nicene Creed was formulated in a much shorter time and was written to combat the false teachings of Arius (who denied the divinity of Christ) and the Macedonians (who taught that the Holy Spirit was not God). This Creed was actually written in two parts. The first part (which originally ended with the words ". . . and in the Holy Ghost") was accepted by the Council of Nicea in 325 AD to condemn Arian teaching. The second part (dealing with the Holy Spirit) was added in 381 AD as the Council at Constantinople dealt with a dispute over the person of the Holy Spirit. It was at this council that the wording of the Third Article was added, condemning Macedonius and his followers.
The Athanasian Creed was written later than the Nicene Creed, appearing in its complete form near the end of the eighth century. It consists of two distinct parts. The first sets forth in great detail the teaching of the Trinity. The second part contains a short and clear statement concerning the doctrine of the person of Christ, teaching the proper relation between the divine and human nature of Christ. It was not written by Athanasius, but has kept that title because of his defense of the deity of Christ and the Trinity.
We still use all three of these creeds in our churches today because we recognize that they are faithful and accurate proclamations of the teachings of God's Word!
