The Apostles Creed

[Triumph1300]

The Apostles’ Creed, though not written by the apostles, is the oldest creed of the Christian church and is the basis for others that followed. Its most used form is:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy catholic Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.

In its oldest form, the Apostles’ Creed goes back to at least 140 A.D. Many of the early church leaders summed up their beliefs as they had an opportunity to stand for their faith—see, for example, 1 Timothy 6:12. These statements developed into a more standard form to express one’s confession of faith at the time of baptism. It is not Scripture, but it is a simple list of the great doctrines of the faith.

The word “catholic” means “relating to the church universal” and was the word used in the original version of the Creed.

It does not mean the Roman Catholic Church, but the church, the body of Christ, as a universal fellowship.

The phrase, “He descended into hell,” was not part of the creed in its earliest form.

 

[prashanthd]

It was good to know . Do you think it is necessary to repeat this every Sunday?

 

[Helen]

It is always easier for man to quote or parrot something , rather than actually living the life.
These things become learned by repetition but totally without life , anointing , or power.

 

[mjrhealth]

Traditions of men, no more no less, not better than that sinners prayer. has no power, can do nothing, doesnt impress God as men would hope it does.

 

[tabletalk]

It was good to know . Do you think it is necessary to repeat this every Sunday?

Not necessary, but we are free to repeat it.

 

[GodsGrace]

The Apostles’ Creed, though not written by the apostles, is the oldest creed of the Christian church and is the basis for others that followed. Its most used form is:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy catholic Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.

In its oldest form, the Apostles’ Creed goes back to at least 140 A.D. Many of the early church leaders summed up their beliefs as they had an opportunity to stand for their faith—see, for example, 1 Timothy 6:12. These statements developed into a more standard form to express one’s confession of faith at the time of baptism. It is not Scripture, but it is a simple list of the great doctrines of the faith.

The word “catholic” means “relating to the church universal” and was the word used in the original version of the Creed.

It does not mean the Roman Catholic Church, but the church, the body of Christ, as a universal fellowship.

The phrase, “He descended into hell,” was not part of the creed in its earliest form.

I'm so happy you posted this thread T, I just saw it.

Yes. I believe it's necessary to repeat it every Sunday, or whenever.
It helps to remind us of what it means to be Christian. It states everything one MUST believe in order to call themselves a Christian.

It is NOT enough to be a follower of Christ, as some here believe.
Christ was not a good man or nice teacher. If that's who we're following, we are not Christian. Jesus must be believed to be God, the 2nd person of the Trinity, the Son who became flesh.

He descended into hell is probably not correct. Jesus did not descend into hell but descended into Hades, which was the place where hell was to one side and Abraham's Bossom was to the other side, awaiting the opening of the gates of heaven after the resurrection.
See Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus.

It is widely believed by theologians that this is not a parable but a real place.

There are a few creeds, all very similar, but no need to get into that unless someone is interested. A word that gives some problem is the word begotten. Begotten does not mean to be made. It just means something new or different, it does not state a time when it began because the 2nd person of the Trinity always was and always will be.

 

[GodsGrace]

Traditions of men, no more no less, not better than that sinners prayer. has no power, can do nothing, doesnt impress God as men would hope it does.

What do you think DOES impress God, the creator of everything seen and unseen?

I'd say very little impresses God. Except maybe a saved person.
Luke 15:7

It's good for MAN to pray, to repeat prayers, to sing, to repeat songs.
Aren't Christian songs repeated over and over again?
We praise God with them, but they're also for our own benefit.
When we marry, isn't it pleasant to tell our spouse that we love them?
They already know it...
So why repeat it?

 

[amadeus]

It is always easier for man to quote or parrot something , rather than actually living the life.
These things become learned by repetition but totally without life , anointing , or power.

Yes, but if the exact words a person quotes are really coming from the heart of the person, how can they be wrong? Non-Catholics sometimes get after Catholics about certain prayers they recite from memory. As a child and teenager I was guilty of doing that without really even considering seriously what the words meant. Eventually God smote my heart about such careless useless prayers.

Now for a number of years I have been carefully and slowly with understanding reciting what is commonly called the Lord's prayer before beginning to read in each of my Bibles but I also always add the next two very important verses:

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matt 6:9-15

As I read the words, I ponder the meanings of each word or phrase and sometimes interrupt myself with a more direct question or prayer to God. I mix this special kind of prayer with prayer in unknown tongues and in English. This helps me to prayer more closely to what I believe God wants me to pray. It is so easy to forget to speak to God about important. While I know that I understands better than I do about my poor memory, I still strive to not miss things and the precise words help me to remember if I really think about each and every word I am saying. The prayer in tongues fills in any slack that might remain.

Another thing way of praying I have found especially helpful is praying other scriptures. This works very well with Psalms.

 

[Helen]

Yes, but if the exact words a person quotes are really coming from the heart of the person, how can they be wrong? Non-Catholics sometimes get after Catholics about certain prayers they recite from memory. As a child and teenager I was guilty of doing that without really even considering seriously what the words meant. Eventually God smote my heart about such careless useless prayers.

Now for a number of years I have been carefully and slowly with understanding reciting what is commonly called the Lord's prayer before beginning to read in each of my Bibles but I also always add the next two very important verses:

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matt 6:9-15

As I read the words, I ponder the meanings of each word or phrase and sometimes interrupt myself where a more direct question or prayer to God. I mix this special kind of prayer with prayer in unknown tongues and in English. This helps me to prayer more closely to what I believe God wants me to pray. It is so easy to forget to speak to God about important. While I know that I understands better than I do about my poor memory, I still strive to not miss things and the precise words help me to remember if I really think about each and every word I am saying. The prayer in tongues fills in any slack that might remain.

Another thing way of praying I have found especially helpful is praying other scriptures. This works very well with Psalms.

Yes, that is good balance..we need both structure to our lives , yet not so much that we take over the work of the Spirit.
I do what you posted above...with Psalm 91 which is one I learned by heart early on.....I speak it out loud slowly verse by verse, ponder and personalize it.
But not every day...I think I do more listening than praying these days.
Most of my prayers end up being over and over .. " Oh Lord..." , " Mighty Father.." but very little else these days...( with my own tongue)

 

[GodsGrace]

Yes, but if the exact words a person quotes are really coming from the heart of the person, how can they be wrong? Non-Catholics sometimes get after Catholics about certain prayers they recite from memory. As a child and teenager I was guilty of doing that without really even considering seriously what the words meant. Eventually God smote my heart about such careless useless prayers.

Now for a number of years I have been carefully and slowly with understanding reciting what is commonly called the Lord's prayer before beginning to read in each of my Bibles but I also always add the next two very important verses:

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matt 6:9-15

As I read the words, I ponder the meanings of each word or phrase and sometimes interrupt myself where a more direct question or prayer to God. I mix this special kind of prayer with prayer in unknown tongues and in English. This helps me to prayer more closely to what I believe God wants me to pray. It is so easy to forget to speak to God about important. While I know that I understands better than I do about my poor memory, I still strive to not miss things and the precise words help me to remember if I really think about each and every word I am saying. The prayer in tongues fills in any slack that might remain.

Another thing way of praying I have found especially helpful is praying other scriptures. This works very well with Psalms.

How about writing a paper on this prayer?
Our
Father
Who art in Heaven
Hollowed by Thy Name
Thy Kingdom come
Thy Will be done
On earth as it is in Heaven
Give us THIS day
Our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us
From evil...
Amen.

Try doing a few thoughts on each sentences.
New ones come up from time to time.
It's a bit like what you do, I think.

 

[amadeus]

How about writing a paper on this prayer?
Our
Father
Who art in Heaven
Hollowed by Thy Name
Thy Kingdom come
Thy Will be done
On earth as it is in Heaven
Give us THIS day
Our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us
From evil...
Amen.

Try doing a few thoughts on each sentences.
New ones come up from time to time.
It's a bit like what you do, I think.

Yes, just so! We are communicating with God. I have a computer full of my own writings, many of which I believe came from God very often done while reading the Bible or as a result of reading the Bible. Years ago I did it on paper and had stacks of notebooks. In the 1990's when I went out from God for several years I threw all of those notebooks away. [To this day I regret that.]

When I came back to God the usage of computers was in full force. I begin to write my writings directly into the computer. I could not call it a diary for only infrequently had it been that personal about me. Now with better than 20 years of entries it is larger by far than all of those notebooks I threw away so many years ago. Now, periodically I will go in and read some of those old entries and even try to organize them to make it a little easier to find things on certain biblical subjects.

What you have done with the Lord's prayer, I have also done in the margins of one Bible for the beatitudes, usually cross referring to OT verses which support or explain what Jesus was saying. I know that I have also done that in my computer regarding the beatitudes, but finding where might be difficult. Letting the computer search
sometimes gets me what I want but sometimes it finds so much I would need days to wade through it.

Give God the glory!

 

[GodsGrace]

Yes, just so! We are communicating with God. I have a computer full of my own writings, many of which I believe came from God very often done while reading the Bible or as a result of reading the Bible. Years ago I did it on paper and had stacks of notebooks. In the 1990's when I went out from God for several years I threw all of those notebooks away. [To this day I regret that.]

When I came back to God the usage of computers was in full force. I begin to write my writings directly into the computer. I could not call it a diary for only infrequently had it been that personal about me. Now with better than 20 years of entries it is larger by far than all of those notebooks I threw away so many years ago. Now, periodically I will go in and read some of those old entries and even try to organize them to make it a little easier to find things on certain biblical subjects.

What you have done with the Lord's prayer, I have also done in the margins of one Bible for the beatitudes, usually cross referring to OT verses which support or explain what Jesus was saying. I know that I have also done that in my computer regarding the beatitudes, but finding where might be difficult. Letting the computer search
sometimes gets me what I want but sometimes it finds so much I would need days to wade through it.

Give God the glory!

I've done the Beatitudes too. Also with O.T. Scripture.
Maybe it could be a thread.

I've done all this because I prepared lessons for the kids I'd teach our faith to. I used to love it. Unfortunately, I had to give it up about two years ago. I might be 3 years now...

It's good to write stuff down.
Also to compare what you used to think and what you think today.
Don't throw these out!!
(I know you won't)

 

[amadeus]

I've done the Beatitudes too. Also with O.T. Scripture.
Maybe it could be a thread.

I've done all this because I prepared lessons for the kids I'd teach our faith to. I used to love it. Unfortunately, I had to give it up about two years ago. I might be 3 years now...

It's good to write stuff down.
Also to compare what you used to think and what you think today.
Don't throw these out!!
(I know you won't)

Oh, I learned my lesson well. Fortunately for me considering my memory, I started writing my autobiography into the computer several years ago. I wish I had begun it when I was really a young man. I don't really expect that anyone will ever read most of it, but it brings things back to me much that without the writing would be gone like so many other things are. When I was young I wouldn't have believed that my memory would fail so badly in so many places.

Anybody ever gives me the opportunity now, I will always put in a plug for writing things down. Lots of junk, but also lots of things meaningful to me...

 

[mjrhealth]

What do you think DOES impress God, the creator of everything seen and unseen?

I'd say very little impresses God. Except maybe a saved person.
Luke 15:7

It's good for MAN to pray, to repeat prayers, to sing, to repeat songs.
Aren't Christian songs repeated over and over again?
We praise God with them, but they're also for our own benefit.
When we marry, isn't it pleasant to tell our spouse that we love them?
They already know it...
So why repeat it?

The apostles cred is not a prayer it is a statement of faith, meaningless to God, what has He to do with our beliefs, all He cares about is " do you know My Son", everything else is pointless. How does a son show His love for His parents?? he talks to them, shares his daily problems with Him, invites Him to share his day, to show Him teh right way to do things, allows His father to get involved. That is my praise to God, allow Him to be real as is Christ.

Mar_12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

 

[pia]

That is my praise to God, allow Him to be real as is Christ

What a lovely way to put it ! But of course you realize that first Jesus must be real, before we can even begin to comprehend our Father, and as you know, not many are interested in having Him quite that close in their day to day lives and thus try to get to know about Him through other peoples eyes and experiences and are content with that..
Does the Bible not tell us by the way, that the way to please our Father is through faith, and we can extrapolate it into, faith in His Son....He is often unable to help us because of our lack of faith, so it makes Him happy, when someone has faith to ask and to receive....Like any loving Father, it pleases Him to give good gifts to His children....Loved your post

 

[bbyrd009]

How does a son show His love for His parents?? he talks to them, shares his daily problems with Him, invites Him to share his day, to show Him teh right way to do things, allows His father to get involved. That is my praise to God, allow Him to be real as is Christ.

no mention of any neighbors here at all though?

 

[mjrhealth]

no mention of any neighbors here at all though?

Keh.....

 

[bbyrd009]

ok, go with that then

 

[Windmillcharge]

started writing my autobiography into the computer several years ago. I wish I had begun it when I was really a young man. I don't really expect that anyone will ever read most of it,

Do make your biography available to your family. They will know the broad outline of your life but not the fine detail.
My Father got his mother to do this and we found it fascinating, unfortunetly my Father didn't take his own advice and write his story.
So do let your family see it while they have the chance to talk to you about it.

 

[amadeus]

Do make your biography available to your family. They will know the broad outline of your life but not the fine detail.
My Father got his mother to do this and we found it fascinating, unfortunetly my Father didn't take his own advice and write his story.
So do let your family see it while they have the chance to talk to you about it.

Of course, my wife knows about it. I have mentioned it to my children [now in their 40's] but no one has expressed an interest. Perhaps when I am gone they will. I used to keep a printed copy but it got too big for that especially since I periodically add to it. I keep copies of it on each computer I own.

I may however mention it again to the two children as well as the grandchildren. Thanks for your suggestion.