What do you believe?
That can be a surprisingly hard question if it’s sprung on you. Fortunately, Christians have been thinking about the answer to that question for two thousand years now, and you can read about one of the best answers we’ve given in Kevin DeYoung’s new book The Nicene Creed: What you need to know about the most important Creed ever written (a book with a title nearly as long as the text itself).
This short little book is an excellent introduction to the Creed. It starts with an overview of why the topic matters and a quick survey of the historical setting. DeYoung then goes into the nuts and bolts of the Creed itself, although in broad strokes rather than getting into the weeds.
Overall, this is an excellent book and one that it would be helpful to go over with new Christians, teenagers, and others interested in the basics of what Christians have always taught about the faith.
And, just so I can be a part of the fun, here is the Nicene Creed:
I believe in one 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 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 shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I 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 I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Dr. Coyle Neal is co-host of the City of Man Podcast an Amazon Associate (which is linked in this blog), and an Associate Professor of Political Science at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO
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