The Athanasius Creed
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold
the Catholic*
(*click here to see note)
faith. Which faith except everyone do
keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the Catholic* faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity,
and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the
Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son,
and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one; the glory equal, the majesty
coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the
Holy Ghost. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost
uncreate. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and
the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal,
and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three Eternals, but
one Eternal. As there are not three Uncreated nor three
Incomprehensibles, but one Uncreated and one Incomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy
Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And
yet they are not three Gods, but one God. So likewise the Father is
Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords,
but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to
acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, so are we
forbidden by the catholic religion to say, There be three Gods, or
three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created nor begotten.
The Son is of the Father alone: not made, nor created, but begotten.
The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son: neither made, nor
created, nor begotten, but proceeding. So there is one Father, not
three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy
Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before or after the other; none is
greater or less than another; but the whole three Persons are
coeternal together, and coequal: so that in all things, as is
aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be
worshipped.
He, therefore, that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also
believe faithfully the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the
right faith is, that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, is God and Man. God of the Substance of the Father,
begotten before the worlds; and Man of the substance of His mother,
born in the world; Perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul
and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead,
and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood; Who, although He
be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ: One, not by
conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking the manhood into
God; One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of
Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man
is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell,
rose again the third day from the dead; He ascended into heaven; He
sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty; from whence He
shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose
coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give an
account of their own works. And they that have done good shall go into
life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire.
This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe faithfully and
firmly, he cannot be saved.
Note
*:
The word "Catholic"
does not mean Roman Catholic. The word "Catholic" preceeded the forming
of the Roman Catholic Church and was first used by Ignatius of Antioch
who died in 107 a.d. Ignatius used the word "Catholic" as a collective
term for the faithful.
The Nicene Creed
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: by the power of
the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made
man. 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 and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken
through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic 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.
The Nicene Creed with Scriptural Notes
I believe (Romans 8:8-10) in one God ( Deuteronomy 6:4) the Father (Matthew
6:9) Almighty, (Exodus 6:3) Maker of heaven and earth, (Genesis 1:1) And of
all things visible and invisible: (Colossians 1:15-16) And in one Lord Jesus
Christ, (Acts 11:17) the only-begotten (John 1:18) Son of God; (Matthew 14:33)
Begotten of his Father before all worlds, (John 1:2) God of God, Light of
Light, ( Psalm 27:1, John:12) Very God of very God; (John 17:1-5) Begotten,
not made; (John 1:18) Being of one substance with the Father; (John 10:30)
By whom all things were made: (Hebrews 1:1-2) Who for us men and for our
salvation ( I Timothy 2:4,5) came down from heaven, (John 6:33,35) And was
incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, (Luke 1:35) And was made
man: (John 1:14) And was crucified also for us ( Mark 15:25) under Pontius
Pilate; (John 19:6) He suffered (Mark 8:31) and was buried: (Luke 23:53) And
the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures: (Luke 24:1) And
ascended into heaven, (Luke 24:51) And sitteth on the right hand of the
Father: (Mark 16:19) And he shall come again, with glory, (Matthew 24:27) to
judge both the quick and the dead; (acts 10:42, II Timothy 4:1) Whose kingdom
shall have no end. (II Peter 1:11) And I believe in the Holy Ghost, (John 14:26)
The Lord, (Acts 5:3,4) and Giver of Life, (Genesis 1:2) Who proceedeth from
the Father and the Son; (John 15:26) Who with the Father and the Son together
is worshipped and glorified; (Matthew 3:16,17) Who spake by the Prophets:
(I Samuel 19:20) And I believe One (Matthew 16:18) Holy (I Peter 2:5,9)
Catholic (Mark 16:15) and Apostolic Church: (Acts 2:42) I acknowledge one
Baptism for the remission of sins: (Ephesians 4:5) And I look for the
Resurrection of the dead: (John 11:24) And the Life of the world to
come.(Mark 10:29,30)
The Apostle's Creed
(Written early 2nd century)
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the
Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third
day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at
the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge
the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic*
(*click here to see note)
church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection
of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
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