I believe

Exploring The Apostles' Creed

Alister McGrath

• Publisher: IVP
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781789740561
• Topic: Teología y religión
• Subtopic: Teología cristiana

An exploration of the Apostle's creed in six weekly sessions for church or home group use.

1

I Believe

The creed opens with a powerful assertion: “I believe.” This assertion is repeated two more times during the course of the creed. But what does it mean to believe?

The Ideas Explained

1. Faith means assent. Faith is believing that certain things are true. “I believe in God” means something like “I believe that there is a God” or “I am of the opinion that God exists.” Faith assents to the existence of God. It affirms a belief in the existence of God.

This is an essential starting point. After all, before we can begin to say anything about what God is like, we need to assume that there is a God in the first place. Many people outside the Christian faith, however, assume that there is nothing more to Christian faith than assent to God’s existence. For such people, “I believe in God” has roughly the same status as “I believe in fairies.” For them, faith is just assent to a list of propositions. There is nothing more to Christian belief than running through a checklist of propositions such as those contained in the creed itself.

It is very easy to see how this totally inadequate and misleading idea of faith arises. In part, the chief culprit is the English language. In the introduction I noted that the creed was originally written in Latin and that its first words—Credo in Deum—are traditionally translated “I believe in God.” This is only one of several possible ways of translating these words. More accurate translations would be “I have confidence in God,” “I put my trust in God” or simply “I trust in God.” The English translation “I believe in God” could just mean “I am of the opinion that there is a God,” when in fact it is meant to be a much stronger statement—“I put my trust in God.” I am certainly of the opinion that God exists—but there is more to faith than this!

2. Faith means trust. When I declare that “I believe in Jesus Christ,” I am not just saying that there once was a man called Jesus. I am affirming my trust in him. Faith cannot be equated with knowing. It is not a cold and cerebral idea, enlightening the mind while leaving the heart untouched. Faith is the response of our whole persons to the person of God. It is our joyful reaction to the overwhelming divine love we see revealed in Jesus Christ. It is the simple response of leaving all to follow Jesus. Faith is both our recognition that something wonderful has happened through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and our response to what has happened. Faith realizes that God loves us, and responds to that love. Faith is saying yes to God. It is a decision, an act of will to trust God.

Christians don’t just believe—we believe in someone. Faith is like an anchor, linking us with the object of faith. Just as an anchor secures a ship to the ocean floor, so our faith links us securely with God. Faith is not just believing that God exists; it is about anchoring ourselves to that God and resting secure in doing so. Whatever storms life may bring, the anchor of faith will hold us firm to God.

Perhaps the clearest exposition of this aspect of faith may be found in Hebrews 11:1—12:3. This famous passage opens with a definition of faith (11:1) as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” What this means is illustrated by the trust of the individuals mentioned in the remainder of the chapter. Abraham was called to go to a strange land to receive his inheritance (11:8), and he trusted God and went. All those mentioned in this chapter believed that God could be trusted, and they acted on the basis of that faith. This great passage closes (12:1-3) by urging us to consider all these great men and women of faith, to learn from their example and to trust God as they did.

3. Faith means commitment. It is helpful to remember the close links between the creed and baptism in the early church. When Christian converts declared that they believed in God, in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit, they were declaring publicly their commitment to the gospel. They were not just telling the world what they believed about Jesus Christ; they were telling the world that they believed in Jesus Christ. “I believe in God” means “I have committed myself to God.” To believe in God is to belong to God.

Time and time again, Scripture encourages us to think of our faith as a personal relationship with God. God has publicly demonstrated his commitment to us and love for us in the cross of Jesus Christ; he will not abandon us. He will be with us wherever we go. Faith is our commitment to God, our decision to allow him to be present with us, to guide us, to support us, to challenge us and to rule over us in every aspect of our lives. It is a joyful and willing self-surrender to God. It is a throwing open of the doors of our lives and inviting God to enter, not merely as our guest but as our Lord and master. God’s commitment to us demands a commitment from us in return. Just as God humbled himself on the cross to meet us, so we must humble ourselves in repentance to meet him.

4. Faith is obedience. Writing to the Christians in Rome, Paul speaks powerfully of “the obedience that comes from faith” (Romans 1:5). At one point he gives thanks to God that the faith of the Roman Christians is being reported all over the world (Romans 1:8); at another, that their obedience is being reported everywhere (Romans 16:19). Faith, then, leads to obedience. It is a willingness to trust and obey the God who has called us to faith in him. We are called to be doers rather than just hearers of the Word of God (James 1:22; 2:14-20). Faith is like the root of a tree; if it is sound, the tree will bear good fruit.

Faith and good works in no way exclude each other. It is certainly important to stress that we do not come to faith by doing good works, as if we could somehow buy our way into the kingdom of God. But real faith gives rise to good works naturally, just as a tree bears fruit or a vine bears grapes. “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). Faith, then, is active, seeking to express itself in the way we live, not just the way we think.

The Idea Applied

Faith is not just about believing in God; it is about trusting him and allowing him to take hold of us and transform us. Coming to faith doesn’t mean merely having a new idea. It means recognizing in our minds who God is and what he is like, and responding to him in our hearts. A classic illustration of this may be found in the personal journal of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, as he records his conversion experience:

On May 24, 1738, I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was thus describing the changes which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed; I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

Even before that meeting Wesley had believed with his mind that God could forgive sins; afterward he experienced that forgiveness himself. A surprisingly large number of people who think of themselves as Christians never get further than accepting the truth of Christianity. They believe that God is there—but they have never met him. They believe that God is able to forgive sins—but they have never allowed God to forgive their sins. They believe that God is reliable—but they have never relied on him. In eighteenth-century America, people like this were called “halfway” believers. They are on their way to faith—but they have yet to arrive. For such people, “I believe in God” can mean little more than “I think there may be a God somewhere.” The richness and depth of the gospel remains unknown to them.

Do you see yourself portrayed here? Is this you? If so, the remainder of this book will become a lot more interesting and relevant if you allow your faith to become personal trust in God. You may be like John Wesley, who believed that God could forgive sins but lacked the heart-warming experience of having his own sins forgiven. Before his conversion, Wesley believed that God forgave other people’s sins; afterward, he knew that his own sins had been forgiven.

Suppose you developed blood poisoning. Penicillin is an antibiotic that can cure this ailment. But believing that penicillin can cure your blood poisoning isn’t enough to cure you. It is only by taking capsules of the antibiotic that you can be cured. So it is with the gospel. Believing that it can transform your life is one thing; allowing it to do just that is something else.

Key Bible Passages

Matthew 9:20-22, 27-30: Two examples of faith during the ministry of Jesus

Hebrews 11:1—12:3: A classic passage on what faith is, with examples from Old Testament history

James 2:14-24: A passage that highlights the emptiness of faith without action

Questions for Group Discussion

1. Take some time to introduce yourselves to one another. You might like to share with one another something of your journey of faith so far.

2. After an opening prayer, read James 2:14-19 aloud.

3. Apart from affirming that God exists, what else is implied by the statement “I believe in God”?

4. In what ways is faith like an “anchor”? How have you experienced this in your own life?

5. What do you see as the relationship between faith and good works?

6. What does the author of this book mean by a “halfway” believer? How would you help someone in such a position to come to a firmer faith?

7. What would you say to someone who said that they would like to believe but have difficulty overcoming their doubts?

For Further Reading

Burke, Dave. Struggling to Believe. Leicester, U.K.: Crossway, 1996. An honest look at problems of doubt, suffering, hypocrisy and painful emotions.

Guinness, Os. God in the Dark: The Assurance of Faith Beyond a Shadow of Doubt. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 1986. A valuable discussion of the relation of faith and doubt, although difficult reading at points.

McGrath, Alister. The Sunnier Side of Doubt. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Academie/Zondervan, 1990. The initial section offers a careful discussion of the relation of faith and doubt.

Sire, James. Why Should Anyone Believe Anything at All? Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1994. A probing investigation of the reasons for belief.

2

God the Father

With these words we come to the first two articles of the creed. Christians, we are told, believe in a God with some particular characteristics. This chapter deals with the main points affirmed by the creed: “God, the Father almighty,” and “Creator of heaven and earth.”

The Ideas Explained

A. The Father almighty

1. God. When the creed speaks of God, it means “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:3). It is not dealing with some philosophical ideas of God but with the God who revealed himself in Scripture and supremely in Jesus Christ. It is not referring to some abstract idea about God but to the living and personal God whom Christians worship and adore.

Of course this causes difficulties for some people. “There isn’t a god!” they argue. It is important to note that this itself is actually a statement of faith, rather than fact. What they really mean is “I believe that there is no God”—which is as much a statement of faith as the Christian belief that there is a God. More generally, it must be noted that there are no arguments which establish either that God definitely exists or that he definitely does not exist. Reason runs into difficulties when trying to cope with God. Alfred, Lord Tennyson made this point perfectly in his poem “The Ancient Sage”:

For nothing worthy proving can be proven,

Nor yet disproven.

Belief in God, it need hardly be added, rests on solid foundations—even if paradoxically, as Tennyson suggests, it cannot be proved. Atheists and Christians alike take their positions as matters of faith. The former may like to try and represent their position as objective and scientific, but it is actually nothing of the sort.

Western culture today is going through a phase which is not just non-Christian but actually anti-Christian. This means you must be realistic about the hostile attitudes against Christianity that you are likely to encounter. This has no bearing on whether Christianity is right or wrong. People may ridicule your faith in God, but that doesn’t mean it is wrong. They may make you feel stupid or isolated on account of your faith in God; if they do, make sure you are supported by fellowship with other Christians. Make sure you get involved in your local church and draw comfort from the presence of other Christians. Encourage each other by your faith (Romans 1:12).

2. Father. Any idea of God as an impersonal being or force is immediately discounted when we speak of God as “Father.” The Lord’s Prayer is perhaps the most well-known example of God being addressed in this way (Matthew 6:9), although the use of Abba is even more intimate (Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). But what does it mean to speak about God in this way?

Throughout Scripture we find analogies that point to God’s ability to reveal himself in ways we can understand. The scriptural images of God (for example, as shepherd, king ...