Or, Views on the Apostles’ Creed, Who God is.
This is going to take a few installments, and even so, this is only going to be the tip of the iceberg of a rift between the Catholic Church, and the various flavors of faiths that were spawned out of protest, and a movement toward reformation.
Using the 12 articles of the Apostles Creed, we look at the first 4 today. Keith lays in parallel four of the major categories of protestant faiths to compare what Catholic doctrines say on each point.
Article 1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven, and earth:
No other traditional, orthodox Christian faith would dispute this.
- The SBC (Southern Baptist Convention): One god. Creator, redeemer, ruler of the universe. He is all-powerful, all-knowing. He reveals himself to us in three persons.
- AG
WCM (Weslian Congregational Methodist): One god in 3 persons. Father, the source of life. Sovereign, holy, loving, showing grace to the sinner. - C (Catholic). Jesus reveals God as a father. Not a force, a boss, or a master. He is kind and forgiving.
Article 2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
The various faiths have differing ways of stating this. Some expounding in more detail than others. There are hints of variations of belief elsewhere in doctrine. Protestant faiths place statements on Mary and virgin birth with Jesus since most don’t give a doctrinal statement to her alone.
- ABA (American Baptist Association). Jesus shares God’s divinity, born of a virgin, man in the flesh.
- SBC. Jesus is the eternal, divine son of God. Virgin birth by Holy Spirit. Fully divine, fully human. Sinless under law. He is the substitutionary penalty for sin. He redeems all who believe. He mediates as a priest in heaven until his return.
- AG. His relation in Trinity is a mystery. God’s son. Separate from father and spirit. The Lord Jesus Christ is his proper name. As his proper name, Son of God relates his divinity. As his proper name, Son of Man relates to his humanity.
- WCM. The son receives life from the father. Reveals father to the man. Born of a virgin, by the Holy Spirit, fully divine, fully human. He sacrificed himself, once for all. Intercedes for saints until his return.
- C. God’s only Son, our Lord. This attests that Jesus is the Son of God and that he’s most certainly divine. conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. This affirms the human nature of Christ. He was crucified, died, and was buried. The human nature of Christ could feel pain and die, and he did. The third day he rose again from the dead. meaning Jesus came back from the dead of his divine power. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. His human body will exist forever. The faithful hope one day to follow God in the flesh because he loved us and wanted to teach us his love.
Referring to an audio clip: Jesus as a historic person. Gallean, carpenter, jew, preacher. Lord, not liar or lunatic.
Article 3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
Traditional Christian faiths won’t disagree.
- C:Mary is the mother of god. Conceived without sin. Remained a perpetual virgin. Assumed into heaven at her death. She is not worshipped. She is prayed to since prayer is not worship.
A couple of audio clips examine these beliefs further.
- Not worshipped, but prayed to. because of her close relationship.
- A mediator to the mediator.
- Also as a perfect disciple.
Countered by some key thoughts from On the Box with Ray Comfort, and mark pence.
- Mary as perpetual virgin is not scriptural,
- scripture as the standard for belief. Not letting tradition or emotion conflict with it.
- are Catholics doomed? no. they are justified by grace, despite the error in teachings.
Article 4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
Some divergence appears.
- Pontius Pilate. Catholics claim that his mention is a matter of historical record, not to immortalize or vilify him. Protestants would agree, but don’t mention him.
- Crucified, dead, buried. All would agree this is the price Jesus paid for sin. The beginning of the gospel.
- Descended to hell. Catholics point out that hell should not be intended as the lake of fire, or a place of torment. It is merely descending to a grave. Protestants also try to be clear, if taught at all, that Jesus was dead, and his body placed in the grave. Don’t read more into this early creed than was intended, or paths could lead to superstitions…
A shared audio clip from a Catholic source examines:
- Between death and resurrection, Jesus proclaimed to spirits. It’s unclear who these spirits were.
- Didn’t visit hell.
- possibly leading old testament saints to heaven.
Bottom line. Nobody knows. But if it were important and applicable, it would surely be revealed in the scripture.
Though this creed doesn’t touch on the authority of scripture, we wrap up by explaining what the Catholic church considers authoritative. Though the bible is considered inspired, it isn’t complete, and equal authority is placed on church tradition, and the body of doctrinal teachings, known as the magisterium. Though they were the keepers of biblical manuscripts for centuries, Catholic experts Shoot holes in bible reliability. Claiming it takes tradition and the body of extra, verbal teachings.
Protestants claim Scripture alone is enough. It doesn’t mean God is fully revealed, but what he reveals can be fully relied upon. There’s more to know of him that fill the known scripture.
If a translation of scripture can’t be trusted, how can traditions and customs be trusted? Traditions can easily be proven fallible by archaeology. How do we know the English translation of preaching matches early church language teaching?
The bible can be trusted. It’s authoritative. is God’s written, revealed, inspired word. When in doubt about the sometimes conflicting notions and ideas being taught, protestants have the easily documented word of God. Why look elsewhere?
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