No Creed but Christ?

It's popular to say, no creed but Christ. But ironically, that's a creed, and it's one in need of some clarity. Creeds and confessions are formal statements of beliefs summarizing essential or important biblical doctrines.

What does your church believe about Jesus? Or about God? Mankind? Sin? Salvation? The resurrection of the dead? Such beliefs are summed up by confessions. So if you were to say, no creed but Christ, which Christ?

The Mormon Jesus? Of course not, you say. Ah, then there's more to your confession than no creed but Christ. And what about Jesus? Was he just a great teacher? No, he's the eternal Son of God who is worthy of our worship.

The Necessity of Confessions for Christian Belief

Now you're being confessional. You might say, we believe what the Bible says, but even heretics say that. What Bible are you talking about? Is 2 Maccabees in your Bible? Some people are overly pious, and they like to think they're above it all.

You simpletons may need confessions, but not me. I just need Jesus. Well that's a confession, and if there's not more to your confession than that, you just let the one that's Pentecostals in the door.

Creeds and Confessions in the New Testament

Through its history, the church has been marked by creeds and confessions, even in the New Testament. When Paul wrote, the saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that's a reference to a creed.

First Timothy 3 .16 says,. Great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness, and what follows is a confession. The Bible is a big book, and the study of it is vast. Creeds and confessions summarize and affirm what you and your church believe the Bible says.

Creeds and Confessions as a Biblical Practice

This is a biblical practice when we understand the text.