The Nicene Creed

Of the various creeds that are acknowledged by Christian churches throughout the world, the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed has the broadest acceptance. Although this creed does not include everything we believe, you may think of it as the bare minimum of what we believe as followers of Christ.

The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed is more commonly (but mistakenly) referred to as the Nicene Creed. Historically the creeds¹ developed from the practice of the early church in which baptismal candidates would recite a statement of faith prior to immersion in water. Pastoral leaders who came together to confront false teaching (heresy) eventually adopted this form of the statement. The Ecumenical Council of 381A.D., held in Constantinople, endorsed the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. Although this council was probably not responsible for composing the creed, they certainly endorsed it as a reaffirmation of the teachings of the (earlier) original Nicene Creed².

The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed³

We believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds. God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom, shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.

And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge 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.

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Another Look at the Creed . . .

Here is another version of the creed with updated language:

We believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father. God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God; begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom, will 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 with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.

And we believe one holy universal and apostolic Church. We acknowledge 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.

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What Does It All Mean?

We will now examine this creed piece by piece.

We believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;

God exists. Genesis 1:1; Psalms 14:1 ; Hebrews 11:6

God the Father Almighty.

• Father. Matthew 5:16 ; Matthew 6:9 ; Mark 11:25 ; Luke 9:26 ; John 1:14 ; John 14:21 ; Romans 1:7 .
• Almighty. Genesis 17:1 ; Exodus 6:3 ; 2 Corinthians 6:18 ; Revelation 1:8

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father.

Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:1-17, 21 ; Mark 1:1 ; Luke 3:23-38 ; John 20:30-31

Lord. Matthew 21:1-3 ; Luke 2:11 ; John 13:13 ; 2 Corinthians 4:5

Christ (Messiah). Matthew 16:15-17 ; Mark 14:61-62 ; John 4:25-26

Only-begotten Son. Jesus is God's only "natural" Son. All of the rest of God's sons are sons by grace and adoption. Jesus is His Son by his very nature. John 1:14; 3:16 ,

Eternally begotten of the Father. God is eternally the Father, and Jesus is eternally the Son. 1 John 4:19

God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God;
This statement amplifies "begotten." God conceives God, Light conceives Light, True God conceives True God, just as trees produce trees, and people conceive people.

begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Begotten not made. Unlike people, who are made (created) by the same act in which they are conceived, Jesus was never created. He is eternally born of God. Romans 1:3-4 , Romans 8:3

Of one substance with the Father. Since the Father is God, Jesus, who is of the same substance, is also God. John 10:22-39 ; Philippians 2:5-6

By whom all things were made. John 1:10 ; Colossians 1:15-17 ; Hebrews 1:1-3

Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

For us men and for our salvation. Mark 10:45 ; Luke 4:14-21 ; John 3:16 ; Galatians 2:20 ; Romans 1:16 ; Romans 5:8 ; Romans 8:32 ; 1 Peter 3:18

Of the Virgin Mary. Matthew 1:18-25 ; Luke 1:26-34

And was made man. Jesus became fully human.

• Childhood and growth. Luke 2:52 ; 1 John 4:13
• Physical needs. Matthew 4:2 ; Mark 4:38 ; John 4:6;19:28
• Status. John 14:28

Crucified also for us. Matthew 27:26 ; Mark 15:15 ; Luke 23:33 ; John 19:16

He suffered and was buried, and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father.

Suffered. Isaiah 53:6 ; Matthew 27:39-44, 46 , Luke 22:63-65 ; John 19:28 ; Hebrews 2:18; 12:3

• Death. Matthew 27:50 ; Mark 15:39

Was buried. Matthew 27:57-61 ; Mark 15:42-47 ; Luke 23:50-56 ; John 19:38-42

The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures.

• On the third day. Matthew 28:1-10 ; Mark 16:1-8 ; Luke 24:1-49 ; John 20:1-29 ; Acts 1:22 *
• According to the scriptures. Matthew 12:39-40 ; Acts 2:31

Ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father.

• Into heaven. Mark 16:19 ; Luke 24:50-51 ; Acts 1:9
• On the right hand of the Father. Mark 16:19 ; Acts 2:33 ; Romans 8:34 ; Ephesians 1:20 ; Colossians 3:1 ; Hebrews 1:3 ; 1 Peter 3:22

And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom, will have no end.

And He will come again with glory. Matthew 24:30-35; 25:31 , Mark 13:26-31 ; Luke 21:27-28 ; Acts 1:11

To judge both the living and the dead. Matthew 25:31-46 ; John 5:24-30; Acts 10:42, 17:31 , Romans 2:16 ; 2 Timothy 4:1 ; Hebrews 9:27

Whose kingdom, will have no end. Isaiah 9:7 ; Daniel 2:44, 7:14 , Luke 1:33

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.

Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Giver of life. John 3:6, 6:63 ; Romans 8:6, 11 ; Titus 3:5 ; 1 Peter 3:18

Proceeds from the Father and the Son

• Father. Isaiah 63:11 ; John 14:26 ; 1Corinthians 2:12, 3:16 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:8
• Son. Luke 3:16 ; John 15:26 ; Acts 2:33 ; Romans 8:9 ; Galatians 4:6 ; Philippians 1:19 ; 1 Peter 1:11

With Father and Son together is worshipped and glorified. Matthew 28:19-20 ; 2 Corinthians 13:14

Spoke by the prophets. Acts 4:25 ; Ephesians 3:5 ; Hebrews 3:7 ; 1 Peter 1:11 ; 2 Peter 1:21

And we believe one holy universal and apostolic Church.

Holy. 1Corinthians 1:2 ; Ephesians 5:3, 27 ; 1 Peter 2:9

Universal. John 17:20-23 ; 1 Corinthians 4:17 ; Galatians 1:13 ; Ephesians 3:10, 5:21-32 ; Colossians 1:18 ; 1 Timothy 3:15 ; Hebrews 12:22-23

Apostolic.
Acts 2:42, 15:2 ; 1 Corinthians 12:28 ; Ephesians 2:20

We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
Acts 2:38 ; Ephesians 4:5 ; 1 Peter 3:21

And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

Resurrection of the dead. Luke 20:34-40 ; John 11:23-26 ; Acts 24:15 ; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ; Revelation 20:11-15

Life of the world to come. Matthew 19:29 ; John 5:24 ; Colossians 3:1-4 ; 1 Timothy 6:19 ; 1 John 5:13 ; Revelation 2:7; 21:6; 22:1-17 ;

Amen
Thus let it be

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¹ The word Creed is derived from the Latin word Credo meaning "I believe" [Return to sentence.]

² J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Creeds (fourth edition, 1981), pp 322-331 [Return to sentence.]

³ This version is taken from "An Evangelical Christology" (pp 10-11), by Bernard L. Ramm, Thomas Nelson Inc., Nashville, TN [Return to sentence.]

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