We Believe

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 CSB

“Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

INTRO—

[[VIDEO: Rich Mullins “Creed”]]

CREED — “I Believe” (credo; credimus = “We Believe”)

Here’s at least one we’re fond of as Baptists…Credobaptism v. Paedobaptism

CHRISTIAN CREEDS/STATEMENTS OF FAITH:

Apostles’ Creed (c. 150-200 AD)

Nicene Creed (325, 381)

Athanasian Creed (500)

Westminster Confession (1646)

Second London Baptist Confession (1689)

Baptist Faith & Message (1925, 1963, 2000)

THE NICENE CREED

We believe in one God,

the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, visible and invisible.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only-begotten Son of God,

begotten from the Father before all ages,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one being with the Father;

through him all things were made;

for us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven;

by the power of the Holy Spirit

he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary

and was made man;

for our sake also he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried;

on the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father;

he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father;

with the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified;

he has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.

We confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the age to come.

“We believe…”

I, We, Believe — Importance

Hebrews 11:6 “Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Faith is the unequivocal starting point…namely, FAITH in God.

John 11:26 “Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?””

Jesus asks the question: “Do You Believe This?”

1 John 5:5 “Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Conquering the World (sin, flesh, etc) requires belief…that Jesus in the Son of God.

Jude 3 “Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write, appealing to you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all.”

We have a “faith that was delivered to [us] once for all.”

I, We, Believe — Bible Creeds

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 ““Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

…and, Deuteronomy 6:6–9 “These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.” ((!!))

1 Timothy 3:16 “And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”

This is a ‘formal’ statement of the Life of Jesus.

I, We, Believe — Challenges

John 11:27 ““Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.””

Death (especially unexpected)

Mark 9:24 “Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!””

…and, Mark 9:17–23 “Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.” He replied to them, “You unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father. “From childhood,” he said. “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.””

Terminal Conditions

CONCL—

[[VIDEO: Rich Mullins “Screen Door;” James 2.14-26]]

James 2:19 “You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.”

James 2:26 “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

INVITATION:

Salvation

“I Believe”

“We Believe”