The earliest and simplest of the creeds used in churches today is the Apostles Creed. The wording of
this creed was likely in response to the heresy of Gnosticism, which denied the true physical form or the full humanity of
Jesus. The Nicene Creed (AD 325) and the Chalcedonian Creed (A.D. 451) were much more developed; however, they still stuck
to just a handful of doctrines about the triune God. Most of the phrases in each of these creeds state the church’s
position regarding the person and work of Jesus Christ, which is central to Christian theology. The creeds did not address
many issues that are important to believers today; yet, they brought unity, stability, and acknowledged an important standard
for the historical church. The doctrines were not invented with the creeds; they had their roots in the Scriptures and the
earliest practices and beliefs of Christians. The creeds of the ancient church are still recited by millions of believers every week
around the world. For many Christians, reading them adds a dimension of comfort and stability to their faith.
It symbolizes the unity of the congregation. It grounds believers in their faith. Some churches choose not to recite the creeds,
or even to reference their existence, for various reasons. However, I believe that the acknowledgment and regular
recitation of the creeds can be a very powerful and important aspect of a worship service. I believe that there are two basic
groups of people who would greatly benefit from this practice:
Group 1: The Legalists Conservative is not a bad word. However,
extremes conservatives, that is, legalists, have probably caused more damage under the radar than any dissenting group in
church history. I say “under the radar” because most of the negative records of dissenters were about heretics,
leaders of new cults, and the slide towards apostasy, not people with strict conservative standards. It seems that most congregations
have a few legalists that try to control the rest of the church. In many independent churches with powerful deacon boards,
all it takes is a couple of influential legalists to begin controlling the entire church. I say “dissenting” because
legalists, though usually opposed to change, have departed from the biblical and ancient church practices to an ultra-conservative
position. Even the ancient church had to resist legalists. For example, Paul's rebuked legalistic dissenters
in 1 Timothy 4. Paul condemned these people for forbidding others to marry or to eat certain foods.
What legalistic Christians need to do is get
back to a simple faith that is based on the Bible, not the ultra-conservative traditions and private interpretations of men.
Creeds could be part of the solution for churches that struggle with this mentality. If legalists would recite the creeds
and enjoy the comfort and security of their historic and biblical roots, perhaps they would not be so opposed to change in
other areas. The regular recitation of the creeds in conservative churches could actually serve to liberate believers; believers may
not be as likely to fear that they are compromising the truth of God’s Word or going against the beliefs of
the ancient church when a new ministry is launched or a change in worship times or worship styles is suggested.
Group 2: The Liberals I do not use the term “liberal”
here in a negative way. I am using the term “liberal” in the sense of “open minded.” Most new programs
of the church are created by people that are open minded. Closed minded people usually don’t want change. Sometimes
they fear change. The irony in this is that most traditional programs in churches today that are sacred
to conservatives were radical leaps in their infancy that were created by open minded "liberals."
Like "conservative,"
the term “liberal” is a neutral or amoral term. There was a time when using a piano in worship was considered
a liberal idea. The very birthing of Protestant denominations happened as a result of people questioning and then opposing
the status quo. The Reformation was a revolt against the departure from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church and how the Church
had claimed absolute authority in the lives over believers. The earliest of the New Testament Jewish believers had to
be open minded in order to consider that the Old Testament way of practice was no longer necessary or even appropriate for
them. Accepting Christ as savior was a revolutionary or “liberal” idea during the first century.
However, many heresies were invented by extreme liberals—people who thought so far outside the box that it took
them away from Scriptures and the essentials of the faith. It carried them beyond the core tenets of Christianity. Conservatives
are often closed to change, which often protects them from heresy. Of course it can also prevent them from progress or following
the Spirit’s lead into a new direction.
Liberals need creeds because it allows
them to use their creative energies to dream and invent innovative ways of looking at things and different ways of doing
things, while keeping them from straying from core Scriptural claims.
An interesting observation I have made is that it seems that the extremes of Christianity often feed off of
each other. For instance, it is the presence and perceived threat of radical liberals that cause some church leaders to build
legalistic fences and walls around their flocks. C.S. Lewis referred to the example of alcohol and pointed out how alcoholism
and teetotalers feed off of each other. He felt that strong teaching on total abstinence from alcohol produced people who
either were judgmental teetotalers or people who drank too much. The destroyed lives of individuals and families as a
result of alcohol abuse has caused many to take a safe "complete abstinence" position for their churches
and ministries. Christianity is a religion of balance and moderation. It is based on a relationship with God that is
both empowering and liberating. When the old man is put off and the new man is put on, there is no need for strict and confusing
legalistic standards. The new creature begins to become more like Christ through the transforming power of the Word and the
Spirit. Conclusion In summary, legalists need the creeds, along with repentance,
to both stabilize them as well as free them up to begin thinking creatively. Legalism confuses people by giving them a view
of holiness that is based on works rather than a relationship with God. Creeds can serve to clarify and simplify
what believers need to know. They may help conservatives to be less judgmental of others who think differently about
periferal issues. Liberals especially need the stabilizing factor that creeds can bring. Churches that practice recitation
of creeds can think of themselves as linked with the churches from the first centuries after the time of Christ—a time
when there were no Sunday schools, mega-churches, para-church groups, computers, printing presses, vacation Bible schools,
pianos, or drama teams. The ancient church service was one of focused simplicity. They fought their battles. They fought against
both legalists and heretics. The creeds grew out of these battles and remain with us today.
Churches in general need creeds for their unifying
factor. Perhaps those of us on opposite sides of the denominational and political aisles can gain a level of respect for each
other knowing that we agree on certain essentials of the faith.
The creeds are probably of most practical value to those in the church
that tend to move towards the theological extremes. Ironically, it is often these individuals that are least interested in
using them. Those of us in the middle will naturally appreciate their simplicity, their poetic rhythm, and their authenticity.
