Emile the "apostles creed" was not penned by the apostles at all.
So the name of this creed is a lie.
Next - that creed went through all kinds of transitions.
It was written well after the apostles actually taught.
The oldest form of it was the Roman Form and was written in 390 AD -
that is a long time after any apostle walked the earth.
Here is the oldest Roman form of it:
1. I beleive in God the Father Almighty
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
3. Who was born by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary
4. Was crucified under Pontius Pilate and was buried
5. The third day he rose from the dead
6. He ascended into heaven; and sitteth on the right
hand of the Father
7. From whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
8. And in the Holy Ghost
9. The Holy Church
10. The forgiveness of sins.
11. The resurrection of the body (flesh)
Point 7 was a futurist belief in the second coming of Christ
which I believe was unbiblical - Christ had already come.
There theology - would have suited the apostles - as it was
future to them but in 390 AD Christ had already come 320 years earlier
Point 8 They meant the Roman Church as the true church - I do not agree with that understanding of "HOly Church"
B>Point 11 They were expounding a "physical resurrection" something that is pretty much universally
held by futurists. Something I believe contradicts what Paul
taught on the subject and in answer to the direct complaint
"With what body" found here:
1 Corinthians 15:36 Thou fool,
that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
The "RECEIVED FORM" as adopted in the 7th and 8th century
had been revised as follows:
1. I beleive in God the Father Almighty
Maker of heaven and earth added in 7th century
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
3. Who was concieved by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary
4. Suffered (perhaps taken from Nicene Creed) under Pontius Pilate was crucifed dead and buried
He decended into hell (actually hades this came from Aquilejan Creed, the Athenasian creed has "to the inhabitants
of the spirit world" which may not be where the wicked were
but rather the paradise spoken of to the thief on the cross oo
"Abraham's Bosom" as Christ called it
5. The third day he rose from the dead
6. He ascended into heaven; and sitteth on the right
hand of Godthe Father Almighty (these changes are
traced to the Spanish version as was given by Etherius Uxamenia the Bishop of Osma on 785 AD
7. From whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
8. I beleive (credo changed around 450 AD to stress the
doctrine of the Trinity) the Holy Ghost
9. The Holy CatholicChurch
The communion of the saints (did not appear until after the 785 AD version perhaps the end of the 8th century at the earliest
10. The forgiveness of sins.
11. The resurrection of the body (flesh)
12. And the life everlasting (apparently added from
North African forms of the creed)
I differ from the oldest form at these points:
Point 7 was a 'futurist' belief in the second coming of Christ
which was unbiblical - Christ had already come.
Their theology - would have suited the apostles - as it was
future to them but by 390 AD Christ had already come 320 years earlier.
Point 8 They likely meant the Roman Church -
I do not agree with that understanding of "Holy Church"
but as some explain the added Catholic not meaning
Rome I would agree to that assertion but likely not in the
form either you or most men would accept the term CHURCH
B>Point 11 They were expounding a "physical resurrection" something that is pretty much universally
held by futurists. Something I believe contradicts what Paul
taught on the subject and in answer to the direct complaint
"With what body" found in 1 Cor 15:36 and answer thus:
1 Corinthians 15:36 Thou fool,
that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
You asked me what was wrong - In brief I have told you.
There are point that are very true and biblical - but it
is not the Word of God but the work of men as to what they
believe the Word of God teaches - that is a huge difference Emile.
A line I think you cross when using them as authoritative
they are not - they only hold authority within a church
when men agree not to teach contrary to them - but if a man
comes to a position where he realizes that the doctine of
his particular church is in contradiction to the Word of God
such oaths and promises become sinful having a master other
than Christ.
Here is the First few comments from the WCF of 1643
I think it is well worth the read as it deals well with
this particular subject:
Chapter I
Of the Holy Scripture
I. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which makes the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.
II. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these: Of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings, I Chronicles, II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Of the New Testament: The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, Paul's Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians I, Corinthians II, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians I , Thessalonians II , To Timothy I , To Timothy II, To Titus, To Philemon, The Epistle to the Hebrews, The Epistle of James, The first and second Epistles of Peter, The first, second, and third Epistles of John, The Epistle of Jude, The Revelation of John. All which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.
III. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.
IV. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, depends not upon the testimony of any man, or Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.
V. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture.[10] And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it does abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.
VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word: and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.
VII. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.
VIII. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; so as, in all controversies of religion, the Church is finally to appeal unto them. But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated in to the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner; and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.
IX. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.
X. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.
Creeds are educational but not authoritative.
The largest Creed is the WCF and even it denies itself
at the outset as authoritative apart from God's Word.
They were but men as are we and all men - some of the
apostles had an unction from the Holy Spirit to write scripture.
I do not believe any scripture was written after about 64 AD.
Nothing written after that was truly "inspired" although
many things written were God's Truth - HUGE DIFFERENCE
Brian |
