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

1 Peter 3:15 Always be prepared to give an

answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with

gentleness and respect, ...

The Church was growing... Persecution helped the

church to grow ... But how to teach / follow-

up / disciple ... No “Bible”, teaching from

memory & “hear say” ... and as a result...

Is the ‘God’ in the Hebrew Scriptures the same ‘God’ as taught

by Jesus ?

God is ‘Holy’ & ‘Spirit’, how

can a Holy God be born as a man into a

sinful world ? God is God, how

can God die ? God the Father first created

Jesus His Son... There was a time when Jesus was

... !!

God will never allow his Son to die, at the

last minute Jesus was substituted by ...... !!

“How dare they refuse to honor me!?! All good Romans must burn incense before my statues and honor me as a god. Yet these Christians refuse to do so. Well, if I have to feed every last one of them

to the lions, I will. If I have to sew them into the skins of wild animals and have packs of dogs rip them to

shreds, I will. If I must crucify every last one of them, I will. Sooner or later, they will acknowledge me as

their superior ruler.” - Nero, Roman Emperor

“Our Roman gods demand sacrifices from their subjects. Without their blessings, the Roman Empire

is doomed. Yet those who follow the teachings of Christ refuse to make sacrifices to the gods, claiming that their God is the only true god. What nonsense!!! Those silly people and their silly ideas. They should

get on their knees and worship the ground that Jupiter and Minerva have create.” - Maximus, Roman Governor

TH

RE

AT

S

Q.

?

!

&

Usually on Easter Sunday morning ...

Fast whole day Friday (Good Friday)

Instruction, Prayer & Cleansing on Sat.

Overnight Prayer Meeting on Sat night...

Early Sun morning go down beside a stream ...

Remove all their clothing ...

The Bishop then anoints the “oil of thanksgiving” and

the “oil of exorcism”

The candidate declare : “I RENOUNCE THEE, SATAN,

AND ALL THY SERVANTS AND ALL THY WORKS.”

Then he is anointed with the oil of exorcism, with the

words: “Let all spirits depart far from thee.”

Enters & standing naked in the water, a deacon who is doing the baptism puts his hand on the head asking: “Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty?”

The candidate reply: “I BELIEVE.” Then his head is pushed fully into the water. Next question : “Do you believe in Christ Jesus, the

Son of God, who was born of the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and was dead and buried, and rose again the third day, alive from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father, and will come to judge the quick and the dead?”

Reply: “I BELIEVE” and is baptized again.

Question : “Do you believe in the

Holy Ghost, and the holy church,

and the resurrection of the flesh?

Reply: “I BELIEVE”, and so he is

immersed a third time into the

water...

He will then come up and is

anointed with the “oil of

thanksgiving” with the words “I

anoint thee with holy oil in the name

of Jesus Christ.”

I believe in God the Father Almighty And in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who

was born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and was dead and buried, and rose again the third day, alive from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father and will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, in the holy church, and in the resurrection of the body.

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 Spirit, born of

the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was

crucified, dead and buried: The third day he rose

again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, and

sits at 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 Spirit: the holy catholic Church:

the communion of saints: The forgiveness of sins:

The resurrection of the body:

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Defn : A “creed” is a concise, formal and

universally accepted statement of faith.

(Summary of the main points of common

Christian belief).

Latin “Credo” – “I Believe...”

Not “I think”

Not “I know”

Not “I feel”

Up till the 4th C there was a “story” by the early church fathers that each Apostle wrote one statement of the Creed ...

It’s just a myth – there is no evidence that it was directly written by the apostles

But it is consistent with the apostles teachings and beliefs

Early Christians & the Church : No “Complete Bible” as we know it Today –

only the Jewish Scriptures in Hebrew & Greek No NT Bible as yet Only scattered letters & writings circulating

Times of persecution from without Costly decision to be a Christian

Differing understanding & interpretation within the church Doubts ? Questions? Heresies ...

A great need to state clearly what are the key beliefs of the Faith...

Early Baptismal formula : Great Commission

Matt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,...

Trinitarian formula

Present Day Baptismal Questions: 1. Do you truly and earnestly repent of your sins and

accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Answer: I do. 2. DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,

MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH; AND IN JESUS CHRIST HIS ONLY SON OUR LORD; AND IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE LORD, THE GIVER OF LIFE?

Answer: I do. 3. Do you desire to be baptised in this faith? Answer: I do. 4. Will you then obediently keep God’s holy will and

commandments and walk in the same all the days of your life?

Answer: I will, by God’s help.

“These words which you have heard are in the Divine Scripture scattered up and

down: but here gathered and reduced into one, that the memory of slow

persons might not be distressed; that every person may be able to say, able to

hold, what he believes.”

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

Accepted by all branches of Christianity – Catholics, Orthodox & Protestants

Used since the ? 2nd C onwards

Only formally written down much later 5th to 6th C

1. To Define the Faith Short summary of what we

believe... Only the key points (Non-

negotiables) , it is not exhaustive ...

Easy to remember and teach ...

Only 479 characters in 106 words ...

It is the oldest and most widely accepted creed by all branches of Christianity

Covers a broad survey of Christian doctrine

From Creation thru Salvation to Eternity

2. To Defend the Faith Against heresies and wrong

teachings Forced the early Church

Fathers to re-think and define the Christian Faith

Eg Gnosticism & Arianism

Gnosticism : Gnosis - ‘Salvation’ is only through mystical

knowledge which bring ‘enlightenment’ etc. Dualism - spirit was entirely good while

matter entirely evil. The divine Christ would never stoop to touch flesh, which is evil, he only seemed human and only appeared to die, for God cannot die etc

** Marcionism (AD144) : That Jesus Christ was the savior sent by God, with Paul as his chief apostle, Rejecting the Old Testament and the Gospels of Matthew, Mark & John.

In defense against Gnosticism & Marcionism :

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 Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried:...

Arianism :

Jesus the Son as Word & Logos was not eternal or perfect like God

Jesus was created by God before time and through Him all other things were made.

In defense against Arianism:

Emperor Constantine

Council Of Nicaea AD325

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, 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....

Apostles Creed

• I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

• And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord:...

Modern Day Gnostics: Christian Science

and Unity School of Christianity;

Mind & Healing Sciences;

Transcendental Meditation (TM) ;

New Age Movement

Modern Day Arianism: • Jehovah's Witnesses • Mormonism • Unification Church • The Way

International

3. To Disciple the Faith People were generally illiterate Written word very limited OT Scriptures in Hebrew & Greek

(Septuagint) Needed something to teach & share the

faith Short & Concise Easily remembered Easily shared

“I Believe” is a personal commitment to the truth

John’s Gospel : about 80 times declares that salvation comes to those who believe

Rom 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes...”

2 Tim 1:12 “... I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.”

Offer a radical certainty amidst the sea of skepticism today

What we believe will determine how we live - Our conduct & behavior

Opening phrase of the Apostles Creed

“I Believe in GOD...”

• Fundamental truth

• Nearly everyone believes in ‘God’/‘god’

• But how do ‘they’ define or understand “God”

• Pantheism ?

• Deism ?

• Theism

Three Important Truths about God:

1. FATHER : • Abba (Gk) – 3 times in NT • = Papa, Daddy • Intimate & ‘Homely’ Calling God as Father : • Very hard for some

Ps 68:5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

• Impossible for others Matt 6:9.. The Lord’s Prayer – ‘Our Father ...’

• Political correctness !!

Three Important Truths about God:

2. ALMIGHTY • “El Shaddai” : God Almighty - 58

times in the Bible • “Nothing is impossible with God”

Lk 1:37 • Because God is ALMIGHTY ... • Reassuring & Comforting...

Three Important Truths about God:

3. MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH • God “CREATED...” • That life as recorded in Genesis began

with God and not by chance • God created because He wants to, not

because He has to ....

• Rev 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and

God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

In Today’s world : Relativism

Nothing is sure or firm Depends on ... Feeling, situations,

circumstances, others ... Pluralism

There is more than one way to God All religions/philosophies are the

same Materialism :

The things in the world The ways of the world

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

The Apostles Creed

I BELIEVE in GOD

To Define

To Defend

To Disciple

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 Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: The third day he rose again from the dead: He

ascended into heaven, and sits at 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 Spirit: the holy catholic Church: the communion of saints: The forgiveness of sins: The resurrection of

the body: and the life everlasting. Amen.