The Creeds

[Iryssa]

Yay for another topic from my beloved professors *grin* My Theology prof. was talking about how sad it is that the Apostle's Creed is becoming less known...which got me thinking: How many people have it memorized? And for that matter, how many people have the Nicene Creed (which is much longer) memorized? Is it something people in my parent's generation were taught that we are now lacking? *shrug* So, if you will indulge my curiosity, fill out the short poll and let me know your thoughts on the matter.

[His Ambassador]

My thought on the matter is we are not saved by memorizing a creed (or anything we believe ABOUT our Lord) but by the shed blood of Jesus Christ when we repent and choose to follow God. These creeds are part of religious movements and their memorization is not supported by Scripture.

[Leonard]

My thought on the matter is we are not saved by memorizing a creed (or anything we believe ABOUT our Lord) but by the shed blood of Jesus Christ when we repent and choose to follow God. These creeds are part of religious movements and their memorization is not supported by Scripture.

Yet, in the Scriptures we see both Peter and Paul quoting the same very early Christian creed. They had both obviously memorized that short, clear expostulation of the Christian faith.

Why is it OK to memorize that one, but not the Apostles or Nicene Creeds?

[Marnie]

The earliest Creeds actually appear in the NT. So many people in the early church couldn't read and the common folk didn't have access to a Bible, so a creed was the easiest way to put the faith into words for people to memorize. At my church, we say The Apostle's Creed most Sundays.

[Smalcald]

Well I recite the Creeds every Sunday, I have them memorized. But of course that has nothing to do with my salvation, which is by faith, alone in Christ. What it does do however is reinforce in myself exactly what I believe and what my congregation believes. We don't have to guess about the basics of our Christian beliefs. The Creeds are mainly a defense against heretics, those who claim that Christ is not God, those who claim that Christ did not really rise physically from the dead, or ascend to heaven, or was born of a Virgin, etc, the basics of our faith.

I think memorization is good because we may not always have our bibles, the Word must become part of our hearts. I also encourage people to memorize the bible or important versus in the bible. But I think when we memorize it should not become route, it should become meditative. When we think about the Word of God we should meditate on it really let it sink in, and memorization can help with this. For example say you are sitting in a meeting and you need to cal on the Word of God? You can't always pull out your bible at work; you can however meditate on the Word of God if you have some of it memorized.

[Iryssa]

Well said, Smalcald, I agree wholeheartedly and in full with what you said.

I myself have only this year memorized the Apostle's Creed. I've read the Nicene Creed, but haven't memorized it yet.

[Guest yod]

We have only a couple "creeds" in the messianic movement

Shma Yisrael adonai eloheinu adonai echad. (Hear O Israel the Lord our God is One)

You shall love the LORD your God with all you heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength

And the second commandment is like unto this one....you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

[ElijahSK]

Rich Mullins song Creed will help anyone wanting to memorize the Apostle's Creed.