Creed: A short summary of our beliefs that can be memorized.

The Apostle’s Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 into hell. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church (Greek katholikos ‘universal,’ the true Christian church of all times and all places), the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

 Competent: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

 Creative: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

 Consistent: “Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.” (James 1:17)

 Caring: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.” (Psalm 103:13)

 Close: “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.” (Psalm 27:10)

• He is God’s only Son and our Lord. “For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” (Hebrews 7:26)

• He was conceived of a virgin to be our Savior. “Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.” (Luke 2:11)

• He suffered to heal all our hurts. “Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.” (Isaiah 53:4-5)

• He was crucified to make us acceptable to God. “But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him ...” (Colossians 1:22)

• He died, and was buried to free us from the fear of death. “Jesus became like men and he died so that he could free us. We were like slaves all of our lives because of our fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:15) [ICB]

• He descended and rose again to forgive us our sins. “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17)

• He ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. “...Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.” (Romans 8:34)

• He will come again to grant/give us new bodies and eternal life. “ He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.” (Philippians 3:21)