Apostles' Creed — Prayer · jesusTALK

Original Prayer

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator 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, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

Amen.

Context (Old Covenant)

Ancient church confession (from the 4th century AD). Formulated after Pentecost, summarizes the New Testament teaching of the New Covenant.

What it teaches

Core content of the Gospel: creation; incarnation; cross; resurrection; Spirit; church; forgiveness; eternal life.

Realization in the New Covenant

The Apostles' Creed was formulated from the 4th century as a summary of faith. It contains truth, but also institutional language:

›"Holy Christian Church", In the New Covenant there is no institution "Church," but the community of believers, the body of Christ (1Cor 12:27)
›"Communion of saints", All believers are saints, not just selected persons (1Cor 1:2)
›"Forgiveness of sins", Yes! But not as a recurring ritual, rather as an accomplished fact (Heb 10:14)
›The core truths (cross, resurrection, return) are sound. The packaging is institutionally shaped.

Prayer in the New Covenant

I confess: Jesus Christ is Lord. He is true God and true man, crucified, buried, and risen. He sits at the right hand of the Father and will come again. His Spirit lives in me. I belong to the family of God, united with all who are in Christ. Forgiveness and new life are reality. Amen.