Say your Creed with joy

Almost the first thing I did this morning was to say the Apostles’ Creed to myself – joyfully.

‘I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, The holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting, Amen.’

Why would I say this joyfully?  For a number of reasons.

First, my belief in the truths of the Creed identifies me as a Christian, and I love being a Christian. Many of the reasons for my enthusiasm are referred to in the Creed – knowing the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; and experiencing the forgiveness of sins and the communion of the saints.

Second, it reminds me of our fundamental worldview – that we live in a world created by the one sovereign and almighty God. This is a wonderful contrast to the belief that we live in a chaotic world subject to the powers of many competing gods or spiritual forces. It is also a wonderful contrast to the opinion that we live in an accidental universe, in which matter is the final impersonal power. The world is meaningful because it completely depends on a God of purpose.

Third, it tells me about the old, old story of redemption. The almighty creator and ruler of the world has sent his Son. His miraculous conception and birth to a virgin tells us how special he is and how powerful God is. His death, burial and resurrection remind me of the magnitude of God’s grace. Even the appearance of a Roman official, Pontius Pilate, in the Creed is special, because it testifies that the events of our redemption took place in history in a particular time and place.

Fourth, I am reminded that Jesus has ascended and now rules. God’s kingdom is the kingdom of his own dear Son. Those who belong in that kingdom have the most wonderful Lord imaginable and belong to him. In his kingdom we find the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. But history does not last forever. There will be a judgement, and the judge is Jesus, the very one who died for us.

Fifth, the Creed reminds us of the work of God’s Spirit. The Spirit inspires the Scriptures, enlightens our minds to the truth of God’s word, brings us to new birth and indwells the believer so that we are assured of the mercy of God and relate to God in an appropriate way. Believers are led by the Spirit.

The Spirit of God also unites us to our fellow believers in the “communion (or “fellowship”) of saints”. In the Bible, the name “saint” is given to all those who belong to God. It does not apply merely to specially holy Christians. When we become Christians we are joined with all those, alive and dead, who are united with Christ in a great and everlasting fellowship.

The “catholic” church is also a reference to this fellowship (the Creed does not say Roman Catholic church – the word “catholic” belongs to all Christians). It reminds us that the Lord has one authentic and universal church to which all believers must and do belong. In Scripture, among other names, it is called the Body and the Bride of Christ. It is manifested here on earth when believers gather together to meet the Lord Jesus in his word and in the power of his Spirit and with love and hope and faith. I trust that your local church is a true expression of that one great church which is the Lord’s catholic church. Mine is!

Do you know the Creed? Do your children know the Creed? It belongs to all of us and learning it as a family gives an opportunity to explain the great truths of the gospel to each other and to rejoice in them again.

PS. The Apostles’ Creed was not created by the Apostles. It was an early summary of the teaching of the Apostles.

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