Post by Dr. WhoThere is no Apostles Creed to be found in scripture.
There is no Nicene Creed of any variant to be found in scripture.
Yowza! Yet another boldfaced assertion about how "mission
statements" are obviously unbiblical. (Is funny, a previous poster
said the Creed was full of errors and imports from paganism. When
pressed on the issue, it finally came out that he objected to the
phrase "one baptism for the remission of sin" because that he
disagreed with. As the saying goes "It is not _your_ creed, it is The
Church's creed.")
Anyway, as has been pointed out before, it is obvious from the New
Testament, that the New Testament did all its growing despite not
having a New Testament to refer to.
But no mater. Now, where did I put that post .... ah yes
"Boilerplate:"
My turn for cut and paste.
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^v
Romans 10:8ff But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy
mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
1 John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God
dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Deuteronomy 6: 4, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
Ephesians 4: 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and
through all, and in you all.
Matthew 6: 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art
in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Exodus 6: 3 and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob,
by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to
them.
Genesis 1: 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth
Colossians 1: 15-16 who is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of every creature: 16 for by him were all things created,
that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:
all things were created by him, and for him
Acts 11: 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did
unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I
could withstand God?
Matthew 14: 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped
him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
Matthew 16: 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God.
John 1: 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.
John 1: 2 The same was in the beginning with God
Psalm 27: 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
John 8: 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of
the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall
have the light of life.
Matthew 17: 2,5 "and was transfigured before them: and his face did
shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. ... 5 While
he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a
voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased; hear ye him.
John 17: 1-5 : These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to
heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy
Son also may glorify thee: 2 as thou hast given him power over all
flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given
him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified
thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to
do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the
glory which I had with thee before the world was.
John 10: 30 I and my Father are one.
Hebrews 1: 1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in
time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom also he made the worlds;
I Timothy 2: 4-5 who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto
the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
John 6: 33,35 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from
heaven, and giveth life unto the world. ... 35 And Jesus said unto
them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger;
and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow
thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall
be called the Son of God.
John 1: 14 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow
thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall
be called the Son of God.
Mark 15: 25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
I Corinthians 15: 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I
also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures
Acts 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast
anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the
people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 for to do whatsoever thy
hand and thy counsel determined before to be done
Mark 8: 31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer
many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests,
and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Luke 23: 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it
in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was
laid.
I Corinthians 15: 4 and that he was buried, and that he rose again
the third day according to the scriptures:
Luke 24: 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted
from them, and carried up into heaven.
Acts 1: 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went
up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Mark 16: 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was
received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly
into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right
hand of God,
Matthew 24: 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and
shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man
be.
Acts 10: 42; And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to
testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of
quick and dead.
2 Timothy 4: 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and
his kingdom;
2 Peter 1: 11 for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you
abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ.
John 14: 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the
Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring
all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Acts 5: 3-4 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart
to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the
land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was
sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this
thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Genesis 1: 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness
was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the
face of the waters.
John 15: 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you
from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the
Father, he shall testify of me:
Matthew 3: 16-17 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway
out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased.
I Samuel 19: 20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they
saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as
appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of
Saul, and they also prophesied.
Ezekiel 11: 5, And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they
saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as
appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of
Saul, and they also prophesied.
Ezekiel 11: 13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah
the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with
a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the
remnant of Israel?
Matthew 16: 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon
this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it.
I Peter 2: 5,9 ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual
house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. ... But ye are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should
shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into
his marvellous light:
Mark 16: 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature.
Acts 2: 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and
fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers
Ephesians 2: 19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household
of God; 20 and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 in
whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy
temple in the Lord: 22 in whom ye also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit.
Ephesians 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism
John 11: 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in
the resurrection at the last day.
I Cor. 15:12-49 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead,
how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13
But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your
faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God;
because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he
raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead
rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 and if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which
are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we
have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is
Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that
slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the
resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; afterward they that are Christs at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to
God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all
authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all
enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is
death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith
all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted,
which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be
subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him
that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Else
what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise
not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? 30 And why stand
we in jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have
in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If after the manner of men I
have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the
dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34 Awake
to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God:
I speak this to your shame.
35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what
body do they come? 36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not
quickened, except it die: 37 and that which thou sowest, thou sowest
not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat,
or of some other grain: 38 but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased
him, and to every seed his own body. 39 All flesh is not the same
flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts,
another of fishes, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial
bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one,
and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of
the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the
stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also
is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is
raised in incorruption: 43 it is sown in dishonour; it is raised in
glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 it is sown a
natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it
is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam
was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is
spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is
spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is
the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are
earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear
the image of the heavenly.
Mark 10: 29-30 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you,
There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or
father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and
the gospels, 30 but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time,
houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and
lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Psalm 106:48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to
everlasting:
and let all the people say, Amen.
Praise ye the Lord.
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Now as we can all see, that is so much longer than the "short form"
known as the Nicene-Constantinople statement of beliefs:
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I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator 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 the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God,
begotten, not created, of one essence with the Father through Whom all
things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from
heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and
became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered
and was buried; And He rose on the third day, according to the
Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of
the Father; And He will come again with glory to judge the living and
dead. His kingdom shall have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life, Who proceeds
from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is
worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets.
In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to
come.
Amen.
==== end cut and paste
Of course there was no formal "creed" - aside from the Diadache,
the various letters of the early church, the Apostles had faithfully
taught to faithful men, that they would faithfully teach
others.
The short form: there was unity of teaching, practice, and belief
in The Church.
The Nicene Creed was written to "canonize the obvious". This is
the True Faith, this is what faithful men have taught since the time
of the apostles. Specifically »one Lord Jesus Christ, the
only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages;
Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not created, of one
essence with the Father, through Whom all things were made.«
Why was that thought so important?
Because someone influential was teaching something quite
different, namely that Jesus was not co-eternal wit the Father, but
was a created being. The cynical answer is that Constantine called
the council because he was discovering that there was conflict in the
Church he was hoping would unify the Empire. Regardless of why, the
Emperor provided transportation for bishops from "all over the world"
to come and settle this issue. And they _found_ that the consensus of
what they were teaching could be expressed in what is called the
Symbol of The Faith. (It is known as "the Creed" from the first words
in Latin "Credo" - I believe.)
But all that is probably more information than "Dr Who" can
handle.
--
For many "I am spiritual, not religious".seems the short form of
"I retain the option to adjust my beliefs to fit my lifestyle,
nor be constrained by prior statements about what I said I believe."