Against the World - Why Creeds and Confessions?

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Join host and president of NiceneCouncil.com Jerry Johnson as He examines how creeds and confessions are beneficial to the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and how it is "wisdom from the council of many".

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[ImputedObedience]

Hi Jerry. Why didn't the Apostles write creeds? Why didn't Jesus leave us with a confession of faith? Also when Peter talks about "hard to understand things" in Paul's epistles that doesn't prove the necessity of creeds. Peter says "the untaught and unstable do wrest" the hard to understand things. Unbelievers are going to wrest the Bible regardless of creeds. In verse 18 Peter says that the only safeguard against heresy is to grow in the KNOWLEDGE of Christ. Not the knowledge of men's creeds.

[NiceneCouncilcom]

@ImputedObedience You also wrote, "Peter says 'the untaught and unstable do wrest' the hard to understand things. Unbelievers are going to wrest the Bible regardless of creeds."

I agree! But what is your point? It almost sounds as if you are saying, therefore, we should do nothing!

Peter also said, " But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear..."

[NiceneCouncilcom]

@ImputedObedience You close with "In verse 18 Peter says that the only safeguard against heresy is to grow in the KNOWLEDGE of Christ. Not the knowledge of men's creeds."

I agree. But you need to demonstrate how and why any proposition in any Creed or Confession is wrong. I, like Martin Luther, recognize many Creeds were wrong. But it is not logical to reject all creeds simply because some are wrong.

[NiceneCouncilcom]

@ImputedObedience That would be like rejecting preachers and teachers simply because Benny Hinn call himself a preacher and teacher.

And this is where you missed the point. Do you go to Church? Does your Pastor stand behind a lectern and exegete the Word of God every Lord's day? Do you listen to him? Well, why?

If consistent, why not simply read the Bible for yourself and not listen to a preacher?

[NiceneCouncilcom]

@ImputedObedience Your pastor is telling you, based upon the knowledge given to him, what he thinks a specific text of Scripture means and how it is to be applied to your life.

A Creed or Confession was simply a group of pastor's doing the same thing on a specific subject. If you reject one, then you must, to be consistent reject the other.

[NiceneCouncilcom]

@ImputedObedience Again, I submit that every thing you just wrote against Creeds is a Creed! This was my point "The minute they (you) open their (your) mouths (or put in writing) to define what they mean (even if it is in the negative) they are in the process of creating a creed."

Your "Creed" is anti-Creedalism! But it is a creed nonetheless. By the way, if you respond you are simply adding to your Creed - those things which you believe.

[HermitintheRain]

@ImputedObedience if asked by a neighbor to write out what it is you actually believe that the Bible teaches, what the gospel is, who Jesus is, etc; what would you write? whatever it would be, that would be your confession, your creed. in every age since the gospel has went forth, there have been heretics and false teachings which have proliferated which served to promote confusion as to what is the gospel. Those confessions and creeds were merely responses-to be verified by Scripture.

[NiceneCouncilcom]

@ImputedObedience This statement was simply to affirm that God has gifted some of His servants. And the more we consult them on these issues, the more wisdom we can draw from them. It does not mean, nor is meant to imply that the many are always right, in the end, only Scripture is always right.

[NiceneCouncilcom]

@ImputedObedience Here is what I said, " They (meaning the Reformers) understood, unlike their modern-day counterparts, that there is wisdom in the council of many. And that God had gifted men down through the ages with the ability to wrestle with some of those "hard to understand things" the Apostle Peter mentioned in his epistles." 

[NiceneCouncilcom]

@ImputedObedience The word "catholic" simply meant "universal church" - meaning all those who truly believed the gospel. And so, prior to the seventh century the Church was catholic. It transcended time, tongue, nation and people. You further wrote, "Also when Peter talks about 'hard to understand things' in Paul's epistles that doesn't prove the necessity of creeds." Well my friend, I never said it did. You are employing the straw man fallacy.

[NiceneCouncilcom]

@ImputedObedience Most Christians, who have never studied Church history usually object to the phrase "...the holy catholic church." They seem to believe that this is a reference to the false religion of Rome which developed in the medieval period. However, it is my contention that the Roman Religion (a.k.a. Roman Catholicism) did not begin its development until the beginning of the seventh century.