The Importance of Creed
Not that Creed.
Not the one with gritty vocals and grungy guitars. I’m talking about the ancient creeds. The ones passed down by the early church, written to affirm what we believe and reject that which we do not.
Take the Apostles’ Creed, for instance. While not divinely inspired as the Scriptures are, it is deeply rooted in biblical truth. Creeds like this distill the vast teachings of the apostles and prophets into their most essential parts. According to tradition, the Apostles’ Creed began as a baptismal catechism—a set of three simple, powerful questions early believers would answer before being baptized:
- Do you believe in God the Father Almighty?
- Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, died, was buried, rose on the third day, ascended into heaven, and will return to judge the living and the dead?
- Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy church, and the resurrection of the body?
These questions became the foundation for the creed we now know. For early Christians, many of whom were leaving behind paganism or Judaism, this was more than a doctrinal checklist. It was a declaration of new faith. A summary of essential truths. A way to say, “This is what I believe. This is who I belong to.”
Creeds are not dusty relics or poetic phrases we recite in church. They are tools for the purpose of:
- teaching new believers, children, and skeptics what Christianity is all about.
- for helping the faithful stand firm in a confusing world.
- for giving us a clear and beautiful summary of what unites us as the Church.
And for the mature believer, the Apostles’ Creed is also a framework for going deeper into the things of God. A jumping off point for deeper study and devotion.
Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve thought about what you believe—really believe. Maybe you’ve never taken the time to walk slowly through the truths held in this ancient confession. I’d encourage you to take a moment this week to reflect on the Apostles’ Creed. Let it remind you of what’s true. Let it draw you into wonder. Let it push you to dig deeper into the glory of God and the beauty of His Church.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator 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, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there 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 life everlasting. Amen.
In Christ’s mercy,
Pastor Ryan A.