The Nicene Creed (381)
We believe in one God, the Father, Ruler of all, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And we believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten from the Father before all time; Light, from Light, true God from true God; begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father, through Whom all things were made; Who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made a man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried, and rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; His kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Who is worshiped and glorified together with the Father and Son, and Who spoke through the Prophets.
And we believe that there is one holy, universal and apostolic church. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins, and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
ABOUT THE NICENE CREED
The Nicene Creed, also called the Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan Creed,directly opposes the antitrinitarian heresies that emerged out of the early church. The creed teaches that belief in a triune God—that there is one God eternally existing in three persons as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is an essential part of the Christian faith. The creed also teaches that there is one universal church—albeit with local expressions—and that the dead will be resurrected. The phrase, “We confess one baptism for the remission of sins” does not mean that baptism leads to salvation from sin, but rather the Christian gospel depicted by baptism is the only gospel that truly saves.
About Creeds, Catechisms, & confessions OF FAITH
The Christian church has a rich heritage of creeds, catechisms, and confessions. These confessional standards are subordinate to the Bible, while striving to faithfully summarize its teachings. They are simply a way for the church to declare what it believes and write it down for others to read and confirm in scripture (2 Tim 1:13; Titus 1:9). By adopting confessions of faith like these, we show that our common confession is both biblically grounded and historically informed.
