Elements of the Faith

As the early church continued to grow and spread throughout the world, they faced a problem. This is the same problem that we have today in many ways. It is the question of what are the core things that we need to believe to be a Christian. Lots of people and most of the cults consider themselves “Christian.” But some of their beliefs are different from what all Christians at all times believed. This was the problem faced by the early church. This predated Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. It was one Christian Church. As various heresies and false teaching spread, the Church saw a need to gather their leaders and define core beliefs. In 325 they met together in the first real worldwide council of Christianity. This became known as the Council of Nicea.  They all participated and came up with the creed of the basic elements of faith. While the English translations may vary slightly as translations do, the core is the same. This continues to serve us well today as an anchor – as a core statement of non-negotiable beliefs that we have as Christians. This takes the truth of Scripture and synthesizes it for us. It is my prayer that we will always be faithful to the historic biblical faith which still changes lives. With this, I have included a copy of that creed.

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. 

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only‐begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.  He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.          

 Pastor Ed