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Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd.   P.O. Box #3762   Gillette, WY  82717   (307) 686-1516

 

- Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 -

 

 

 

 

ECCLESIASTICAL VIEW OF THE CHURCH:

DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

 (1Ti 3:16) 11/25/12

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

 

I.     DEFINITION OF CREED OR DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

 

A.    Creed

1.     The English word “creed” comes from the Latin “credere” which means to believe or trust.” It primarily pertains to particular religious beliefs.

2.     In fact, the word “credo” means, “I believe” and is the beginning word of each paragraph in the “Apostle’s Creed,” (“I believe…”). In some cases, these were repeated audibly and regularly by the Congregation.

3.     Sometimes creeds were called “Confessions,” not apologizing for what was believed of course, but formal statements of essential beliefs of what a person or church professed to believe.

4.     Later, creeds were sometimes officially called, “Articles of Religion,” or “Articles of Faith.”

5.     A “catechism” is a manual for teaching on the churches beliefs, which historically included questions and answers as formulaic statements of faith.

B.    Doctrinal Statement

1.     A Doctrinal Statement is in keeping with Creeds, Confessions, and Articles of Faith but is the contemporary term for a brief position statement on doctrine and beliefs.

2.     Sometimes these are very brief bullet points either to simplify the main doctrinal issues or else not to over burden those not interested in doctrinal differences.

3.     In more contemporary terms it is also stated as, “What We Believe.”

 

II.    BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL CHRISTIAN CREEDS

 

A.    Apostolic Kerygma

 

1.     The Greek noun kêryma means the act of preaching or proclaiming (verb kêrussō - to preach or proclaim). But it also contains another emphatic meaning referring to the content of a particular message or doctrine proclaimed.

2.     In other words, the NT distinctly reveals the apostolic kerygma which was the content of the apostolic message and doctrine (“the message preached” - tou kêrugmatos- 1Co 1:21; 2:4).

3.     It was a mystery hidden by God but revealed through the apostles’ message and doctrine (Ro 16:25; Tit 1:3).

4.     It is the message and doctrine of the gospel which brings salvation to those who believe (1Co 1:21).

5.     It was particularly the message and doctrine of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1Co 15:1-4). It was a message and doctrine that was particularly “delivered” (paradi,dōmi - hand down, entrust, passed down as a tradition) to the churches as “first importance” (prōtos - first, foremost, chief in importance). 1Co 15:3-7 is thought by some scholars as a creed of the early church which was passed down by verbal citation and memorization.

6.     The kerygma was the divinely sanctioned, scripturally based, and apostolically proclaimed doctrinal statement of the early church.

 

B.    Biblical Creeds

 

1.     Dt 6:4 - Shema Yisrael

a)    This was Israel’s initial creedal prayer depicting the Jewish monotheistic view of God.

b)    It was to be taught (Dt 6:7) and recited twice a day. The prayer liturgy consists of three portions, Dt 6:4-9; 11:13-21; and Nu 15:37-41.

2.     1Ti 3:16 - Mystery of Godliness

a)    This verse contains part of an early church hymn that represented a creed for the early church.

b)    It was by “common confession” (homologoume,nōs - all agree, in the judgment of all) and represented as the accepted doctrinal belief.

c)     It emphasized Christ’s deity (cp. Jn 1:1), humanity (cp. Jn 1:14), messiahship (cp. Mt 3:16-17 cp. Jn 1:32-33), proclamation, and ascension.

3.     Php 2:6-11 - Pre-Pauline Hymn

a)    This was believed to be a pre-Pauline hymn and creed of the Person of Christ.

4.     1Jn 4:2 - Test of Spirits

a)    This was given to be a creedal test of doctrine and faith.

 

C.    Historical Christian Creeds

 

1.     2nd Cent. - The Rule of Faith

2.     3rd Cent  - The Apostle’s Creed

3.     325 A.D. - The Nicene Creed

4.     451 A.D. - Confession of Chaledon

5.     5th Cent. - Athanasian Creed

6.     529 A.D. - The Councils of Orange

7.     1517 - 95 Theses of Martin Luther

8.     1563 A.D. - The Heidelberg Catechism

9.     1646 A.D. - The Westminster Confession of Faith

10.  1978 - The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy

11.  1982 - GBC Statement of Faith

 

III.  PURPOSES FOR DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS

 

A.    To Understand God and His Word

1.     A church’s Doctrinal Statement is not just a spiritual “bio” of a church, but a necessary exercise in doctrinal discernment by the church. It answers the question, “Why do you believe what you believe?” The historical creeds of orthodox Christianity have been a major aid to the church’s pursuit of doctrinal purity.

2.     The various creeds of Christendom have aided the Christian church in the formulation of their faith through the centuries. They are not the Bible. They are systematic commentaries on Biblical Doctrines contained in the Bible. They are not authoritative unless they truly represent the teachings of sacred Scripture. Any teaching which is orthodox concerning the Sacred Scriptures should be heeded by all for all time. (Dr. C. Matthew McMahon, Are Confessions and Creeds Necessary)

B.    To Let Others Know What You Believe

1.     A church’s Doctrinal Statement also explains their faith and teaches doctrine to others.

2.     In other words, it is impossible to explain your faith without saying something about what you believe. The moment someone says, “I love Jesus”, and then someone asks, “Jesus who?” you have to explain what you mean. That explanation is a creed or confession of sorts. It says something about what you believe the Bible to say. When someone says, “I hold to such and such a creed or confession,” all that means is the confession or creed they hold to explains what they believe in a better way than they could explain it. But it is impossible to be a Christian and not have a creed or confession of some kind. Everyone has a creed whether they like it or not. (ibid.)

C.    To Defend Against False Teaching

1.     A church’s Doctrinal Statement not only teaches doctrine, but plays its part in refuting false teaching which is always attempting to compromise the church’s message.

2.     Most of the creeds were born out of a time of turmoil fighting against heresies prevalent in the day. They helped define what was orthodox and true, and condemned what was heretical and false. Even many of the early church hymns were written to teach Christians true doctrine; and I know of very few people who would throw away the hymns of worship, as they would a creed of the church. The Christian church has been, through church history, a creedal church. We continue to define what the Bible says in order to combat heresy and teach one another the truth set forth by God in the Bible. (ibid.)

D.    To Certify Belief and Membership

1.     A church’s Doctrinal Statement allows those of like beliefs to gather together in likeminded worship and service.

2.     Agreement to a church’s Doctrinal Statement assures the continuance of doctrinal purity and growth in the body.