Prayer · Bekenntnis · gemischt

Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed

Original Prayer

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. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy universal and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Context (Old Covenant)

Ecumenical creed of the Council of Nicaea (325 AD) / Constantinople (381 AD). Comprehensive summary of New Covenant teaching.

What it teaches

Concise summary of central doctrine: incarnation, redemption, Spirit, church, resurrection.

Realization in the New Covenant

The Nicene Creed (381 AD) was an attempt to summarize the faith. But:

  • "One, holy, catholic and apostolic Church", "catholic" here means "universal," but the term carries institutional baggage. In the New Covenant there is the body of Christ, God's family, not an institution.
  • "We confess one baptism", Yes, but in Yeshua's name, not in a trinitarian formula (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5)
  • The Christology (true God, true man) is essentially correct
  • But creeds can become ritual, the New Covenant lives from relationship, not formulas

Prayer in the New Covenant

I confess: Jesus Christ is true God and true man, died and risen for me. His Spirit lives in me and seals me. I belong to God's family, connected with all who are in Christ, everywhere in the world. I am baptized in the name of Yeshua and await his return. Amen.
Share