I love the Apostles’ Creed.
It’s a foundation statement of belief for Christians everywhere.
It stands in sharp contrast to false theology, false doctrines, and false religion.
The Apostles’ Creed carefully reflects what it means to be a Christian.
Many people claim to be Christians but don’t understand anything about Christianity.
Some people even teach the Bible but they’re not Christians…
Many false religions talk about Jesus or the Bible, but they are not Christianity.
Here are 8 things you should know:
- The Apostles’ Creed is the oldest creed in Christendom. It was created in 390 A.D.
- The Apostles’ Creed is a reflection of the clear theology of what a Christian believes. It enables Christians to be grounded in Truth so they will be able to detect false doctrine and false Christianity.
- The Apostles’ Creed emphasizes not just belief in God – not just belief in an entity – but its core statement deals with Christ and Christ alone. Al Mohler’s book, The Apostles Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in the Ancient Counterfeits, is a great resource to dig deeper. He says, “We don’t believe we are saved by faith; we believe we are saved by faith in Christ.”
- Christian songs, books, movies, prayers, sermons, and Bible studies may sound good, but they must reflect Jesus Christ as their core … and the importance of putting our faith and trust in Him. Without a recognition of the cross – that he died for our sins and rose from the dead because of the power of God – we are hopeless. That is the core of the gospel. That is what the disciples believed. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
- Some people have a problem with the Creed because in its original form it talks about a belief in, “The Holy Catholic Church.” Al Mohler points out that the word “Catholic” does not refer to the name of the religious body known as the Catholic Church of today. Instead, it’s a definition of what the church is. The church is “catholic” with the idea that it was for all people, all races, all countries, all cultures over space and time.
- Throughout the history of the Church, the martyrs – as they were being beheaded, stoned, thrown to the lions, burned at the stake, hung, tortured, whatever the case – would often recite the Apostles’ Creed.
- The Apostles’ Creed was foundational to the Puritan and Protestant reformers as they founded America.
The Creed doesn’t cover certain doctrinal disputes such as:
- how to be baptized
- church hierarchy
- gifts of the spirit
- end times
Instead, it concentrates on the essentials.
Here is one of my favorite songs that basically recites the Creed: “This I Believe” (The Creed) sung by For All Seasons.
Click HERE to listen. (about 4 1/2 minutes)
4 Comments on “The Apostles’ Creed: Exploding Controversies about Counterfeit Gospels, False Doctrines and Diluted Theology [Video]”
I agree that the Apostles’ Creed defines wonderful doctrines of Christianity. One must be careful to note, however, that it doesn’t specifically deal with an essential aspect of the gospel, which is that salvation is by grace through faith apart from works. It’s great as far as it goes, but it is not complete.
The Bible stands alone without a creed.
The three main steps of being “born of flesh” (John 3:3) are: begotten, come out of the water, and begin breathing with audible sound of gasping.
“Born of Spirit” correlate to the first birth: “begotten again of the gospel”
(1 Cor 4:15, 1 Peter 1:3); born of water, receive Holy Ghost with audible sound of speaking in other tongues. These also correlate to believing the gospel and obeying the gospel (See Rom 6:2-5). Ten detailed steps of the complete new birth are: (1,2,3,4) (5,6,7) (8,9.10).
(1) Hear the gospel – (death, burial and resurrection of Jesus). Jesus shed His blood “for [for the purpose of providing] remission [forgiveness] of sins” (Matt 26:28).
(2) Believe (John 3:16, Acts 10:43)
(3) Repent (turn away from sins, to God).
(4) Confess belief to a preacher who can baptize you correctly (Acts 8:37).
(5) Water baptism (immersion)
(6) “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (7) “for [for the purpose of receiving] remission” [forgiveness] sins (Acts 10:43, 1 Pet 3:21, Heb 9:14). Baptism is not (as protestant theology teaches) a symbol or an outward confession of being forgiven when you believed and confessed, or for membership in a religious organization.
(8) Labor; Seek Holy Ghost with hope,
(9) “Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, (10) speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance” (John 3:5-8;
Acts 2:4, 10:45-46, 19:1-8).
Charles B. Sproull — You were fine with 1-3, but then started going astray thereafter. I won’t try to engage in a big debate here, but everything else is presented as a process. Salvation occurs in a point of time, with no additional works or rites necessary (even 1 Pet 3:21, which you referenced, says the opposite of the necessity of water baptism — read the verse completely through). We’ll certainly have to agree to disagree, but I felt it important to add my counter on such a crucial, eternally-consequential matter.