Apostles’ Creed Teaching Points

1- Pastor D believes the Apostles’ Creed to be the best brief ancient summary of what C.S. Lewis wrote about at length in his book Mere Christianity.

“Ever since I became a Christian I have thought that the best, perhaps the only, service I could do for my unbelieving neighbors was to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times…. what Baxter calls ‘mere’ Christianity.” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

2- Pastor D will venture to make the case that the Apostles’ Creed is a trustworthy summary of what Jude calls “the faith once for all passed down to the saints.” (Jude 1:3)

3- Each point made in the Apostles’ Creed is clearly backed up in the inspired Bible, which is where we must always go to determine the authority, authenticity and value of any statement of faith, even one as universally accepted and ancient as this creed.

4- Pastor D will use the Apostles’ Creed as the basic outline for the teaching series: What We Believe and Why We Believe It.

5- To be sure, there are those who would call themselves “Christian” who may reject various statements in the Apostles’ Creed. 

a) “And this is true even of those articles which have been most assailed in recent times, as the supernatural conception of our Lord (comp. Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:35), the descent into Hades (comp. Luke 23:43; Acts 2:31; 1 Pet. 3:19; 4:6), and the resurrection of the body (1 Cor. 15:20 sqq., and other places)….’ (ibid. Schaff)

b) The Apostles’ Creed is so basic, so biblical, and so closely aligned with the teaching of the primitive church that we may reasonably question the authenticity of the faith of those who deny any part of it.

“The rationalistic opposition to the Apostles’ Creed and its use in the churches is therefore an indirect attack upon the New Testament itself.”  (ibid. Schaff)

Apostles’ Creed (updated language)

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

And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary

Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hades

The third day he rose again from the dead

He ascended into heaven, and sits 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

I believe a holy universal church; the communion of saints

The forgiveness of sins

The resurrection of the body

And the life eternal. Amen