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The Apostles' Creed

The Apostles' Creed study at Living Word Lutheran was an eight-week exploration of one of Christianity's foundational confessions of faith. This comprehensive study examined the scriptural basis for each statement in the creed, covering the Trinity, incarnation, and core Christian beliefs.

Overview of the Study

The eight-week academy course provided participants with a thorough examination of how Scripture supports every claim made in the Apostles' Creed (The Creed: Lesson 8, 0:40). While the Apostles' Creed itself is not written out verbatim in Scripture, the study demonstrated that "everything within the creed is directly taken from scripture" (The Creed: Lesson 8, 0:51).

The creed serves as a "ruler" that keeps Christians straight in their faith, preventing them from straying from biblical truth (The Creed: Lesson 2, 1:29). As participants learned, the creed "succinctly defines basic tenets that we believe in god the father son and holy spirit the creator redeemer and sanctifier" and is "directly from scripture" (The Creed: Lesson 2, 3:44).

The Apostles' Creed Text

The complete text studied in the course follows the traditional formulation:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified died and was buried. He descended into hell on the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again 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.

(The Creed: Lesson 8, 8:33)

The First Article: God the Father Almighty

"I Believe in God"

The study began with examining the scriptural foundation for belief itself. Key passages included Genesis 15:6, which states that Abraham "believed the lord and the lord reckoned it to him as righteousness" (The Creed: Lesson 2, 10:36).

The course emphasized that faith is a gift from God, not a human choice. Using the analogy of Lazarus, the instructor explained that "in our sin scripture tells us that we are dead dead to sin and trespass," yet "at the call of jesus at the call of god we are made alive and that is the belief in the heart" (The Creed: Lesson 2, 13:43).

"The Father"

Scripture clearly identifies God as Father. Malachi 2:10 asks, "Have we not all one father has not one god created us" (The Creed: Lesson 2, 18:56). Jesus himself refers to "my father and your father to my god and your god" in John 20:17 (The Creed: Lesson 2, 19:47).

The study acknowledged that for many people, earthly father relationships can make the concept of God as Father challenging. The instructor emphasized the importance of using Scripture to show that "god the father is good and gracious and loving" and "is not out to abandon us will never abandon us" (The Creed: Lesson 2, 22:49).

"Almighty"

God's almightiness is demonstrated throughout Scripture. In Genesis 35:11, God declares to Jacob, "I am god almighty" (The Creed: Lesson 2, 25:05). Isaiah 40:28 reinforces this, stating "the lord is the everlasting god the creator of of the ends of the earth he does not faint or grow weary" (The Creed: Lesson 2, 25:56).

The angel's declaration to Mary that "nothing will be impossible with god" in Luke 1:37 further confirms God's unlimited power (The Creed: Lesson 2, 27:29).

God's Will and Its Components

Building on the foundation of who God is, the study explored God's will as a divine attribute. The will of God is defined as "the divine essence itself seeking that which is good and opposing that which is evil" (Has a Will 7-17-22, 4:47).

The course distinguished between different aspects of God's will, including:

  • The divine will: God desires the salvation of all sinners, as stated in 2 Peter 3:9, where "the lord is not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance" (Has a Will 7-17-22, 8:48)

  • The irresistible and resistible will: When God acts in absolute sovereignty, nothing can resist His will. However, His grace can be resisted when extended through means (Has a Will 7-17-22, 9:50)

  • The revealed and hidden will: God reveals what He wants us to know through His Word, while keeping other aspects hidden (Has a Will 7-17-22, 14:08)

God's Will for Believers

The study emphasized that God's will for believers is clear: that all who believe in Christ would have eternal life. As Jesus states in John 6:40, "this is indeed the will of my father that all who see the son and believe in him may have eternal life" (Has a Will 7-17-22, 19:32).

God's Holiness

The study also addressed God's holiness as an essential attribute that affects our understanding of His will. God's holiness is "in absolute and direct opposition to sin" - so pure that "just the presence of the unclean the presence of the impure near him is consumed" (Holy 7-24-22, 6:09).

This holiness is demonstrated through biblical accounts like Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-3, who "offered unholy fire before the lord such as he had not commanded them and fire came out from the presence of the lord and consumed them" (Holy 7-24-22, 4:51).

The course emphasized that no human sacrifice or effort can make us worthy to stand before God's holiness. As Revelation 5:3-4 reveals, "no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll" until the Lamb who was slain appeared (Holy 7-24-22, 9:44).

Understanding the Trinity

The Mystery of God's Nature

A significant portion of the final session addressed understanding the Trinity. The instructor emphasized that while the word "trinity" may not appear explicitly in Scripture, "the fact of a triune god is... very clear" in biblical texts (The Creed: Lesson 8, 2:31).

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

The study warned against two major traps when discussing the Trinity:

  1. Trying to explain beyond Scripture: The course cautioned against attempting to provide explanations that go "further than what god's word tells us or what god's word reveals to us" (The Creed: Lesson 8, 3:26).

  2. Using worldly analogies: Common comparisons like H₂O, apples, or three-leaf clovers were discouraged because they can lead to heretical understanding, particularly modalism (The Creed: Lesson 8, 4:43).

The instructor emphasized: "there is nothing that is like the trinity here on earth we have the trinity the trinity is the trinity" (The Creed: Lesson 8, 6:21).

Biblical Evidence for the Trinity

Creation Account

The study began with Genesis 1:1-3, showing all three persons of the Trinity present at creation: - God (the Father) created - The Word (later revealed as Christ) was spoken - The Spirit of God hovered over the waters

(The Creed: Lesson 8, 10:12)

Jesus' Baptism

Matthew 3:13-17 provided another clear trinitarian passage, where "all three of the trinity present and active in that same exact moment" - the Father's voice, Jesus in the flesh, and the Spirit descending as a dove (The Creed: Lesson 8, 12:42).

Apostolic Benediction

2 Corinthians 13:14 demonstrates Paul's trinitarian blessing: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you" (The Creed: Lesson 8, 17:01).

Using the Creed for Witnessing

Practical Application

The final lesson provided guidance on using the Apostles' Creed as a witnessing tool. The instructor encouraged participants to "listen to the conversation" and direct people to appropriate articles of the creed based on their questions (The Creed: Lesson 8, 21:56):

  • Questions about creation: Direct to the First Article
  • Questions about suffering: Direct to the Second Article about Christ's passion
  • Questions about spirituality: Work through the Third Article about the Holy Spirit and the church

Historical Foundation

The study emphasized that there is substantial historical evidence for Jesus' suffering under Pontius Pilate, providing a factual foundation for deeper theological discussion (The Creed: Lesson 8, 24:30).

Key Principles for Faith Discussions

Staying Within Scripture

The course emphasized the importance of maintaining "that rule of the creed" and bringing conversations "right back in to that rule" when discussions stray from biblical foundations (The Creed: Lesson 8, 7:56).

Addressing Root Issues

The instructor noted that often when people have problems with the Trinity or Christian faith, "at the root of that is not necessarily so much a problem with religion or church or the christian faith but worthiness of their own selves" (The Creed: Lesson 8, 26:43).

Course Resources

The study utilized Martin Luther's Small Catechism, which was designed "to be taught in the household for parents to be able to teach their children basics of the christian faith" (The Creed: Lesson 2, 7:43). The instructor encouraged participants to carry a Small Catechism as "an awesome awesome tool for witnessing" (The Creed: Lesson 2, 8:37).

Course Impact and Conclusion

The eight-week study provided participants with both theological understanding and practical tools for sharing their faith. By grounding each statement of the Apostles' Creed in Scripture, participants gained confidence in "confessing the one true faith" (The Creed: Lesson 8, 28:00).

The course concluded with encouragement for continued study and application, recognizing that "there is so much more to go over" in exploring the depths of Christian doctrine (The Creed: Lesson 8, 29:06).