I believe …
Jesus Christ is Lord and the good news he proclaimed is true for everyone, everywhere, and at all times.

I affirm the three historic Creeds known as …
the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.

APOSTLES’ CREED

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

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten 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, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and 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], who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who 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.

ATHANASIAN CREED

Whosoever will be saved , before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic 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 co-eternal. 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, theSon 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 also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, 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 both 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 afore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal. 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 is must think thus of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly 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 of 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 at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies and shall give account for 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, he cannot be saved.

I uphold the findings of the four historic Ecumenical Councils and the clarifications that followed from them, which are …
the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD), the First Council of Constantinople (381 AD), the Council of Ephesus (431 AD), the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD), the Second Council of Constantinople (553 AD), the Third Council of Constantinople (680–681 AD), and the Second Council of Nicaea (787 AD).

I accept …
the tenets of the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion within the Anglican tradition.

A brief account of my beliefs on the Christian faith are …

God: There is one and only one true and living God who is Creator of all things, and infinitely perfect in love, power, and knowledge. He eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God as Father: God as Father reigns with providential care over his universe, his creatures, and all of human history according to his sovereign purposes. He is fatherly in his attitude and treatment toward all people.

God as Son: Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God and God the Son who is fully God and fully human, conceived of God’s Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Entirely without sin during his earthly existence he died a substitutionary death on the cross and made a complete and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of all people according to the Scriptures. Three days later, he arose bodily from the dead, appeared to his disciples, and ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of God the Father he sits as the High Priest and Advocate of all who, through faith alone by grace alone, have become his chosen people. In the Person of the Holy Spirit he now resides in all believers as their living Lord.

God as Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit and, therefore, is fully God. He inspired those who recorded the Scriptures and continually illuminates people to apprehend truth. At the moment of regeneration he unites every believer into the Body of Christ. Gradually but certainly he cultivates Christ-like character and comforts his own. He seals every true believer for eternity and guarantees the fullness of maturity. He enlightens and empowers believers individually and the church corporately in worship, evangelism, and service. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict all people of sin, regenerate the believing sinner, and indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living. The Spirit of God sovereignly bestows special gifts and abilities to every believer for service in the Church and to the world.

The Bible: The Christian Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are the Word of God and the inspired revelation of God for the redemption of all people everywhere and at all times. The Scriptures were written by humans who were divinely inspired at the time of their writing. Thus their product is God’s revelation of himself to everyone. Translations that are faithful to the original texts are completely true and trustworthy. The authority of the Christian Scriptures emerges from a historically reliable, culturally receptive, and grammatically responsible interpretation.

Humanity: All people everywhere are created in the image of God but willingly fell into sin and are without hope of heaven. Consequently, everyone sins by nature and by choice. Only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation be obtained and genuine human freedom not to sin restored. The image of God as originally designed is renewed whereby full humanity is gradually realized. Only the grace of God can bring individuals into a relationship with him and enable authentic purpose and meaning. The sanctity of all humans is evident in that all are created in God’s own image. Therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

Salvation: The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the only basis for being made right with God (justification) and establishing a relationship with him (salvation) through faith alone by God’s sovereign grace alone. Faith is the sum total of belief and repentance and is the only means of reversing the effects of the sin nature. Although repentance is necessary for salvation, it is not sufficient as a means apart from belief in Christ’s finished and final work on the cross. Only those who receive Jesus Christ through faith by grace are born again and become children of God forever. No human acts, including water baptism, are to be considered meritorious unto salvation apart from God’s gift of faith and repentance. (see my “What Is the Gospel?” for further details.)

Church: The true Church is composed of all God’s elect and chosen persons who through faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the Body of Christ of which he alone is the Head. Believers may fall into sinful acts through neglect and temptation impairing their graces and grieving the Holy Spirit, thus bringing reproach on the name of Christ and temporary judgments on themselves. Yet all true members of the Church shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto final salvation.

Jesus Christ is Lord over and sole Head of the Church. Every local expression of the Church has the privilege, under Christ, to govern its affairs within the confines of Scripture, tradition, and reason. As the Body of Christ the Church includes all believers of all ages, from every tribe, and tongue, people, and nation. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through the loving guidance and leadership of a team of biblically qualified men and women who shall be viewed as co-equal in status and equal in authority but distinct in function as God has enabled and gifted them. Individuals are responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord and to their leaders as shepherds.

The Sacraments: Water baptism and Holy Communion are practices commanded by Christ and are to be observed by the Church during the present age. Both are representations of a uniquely Christian reality. While the sacraments are not a means of salvation apart from faith, they are images portraying salvation. As such, they are treated as vehicles of God’s grace. For more on water baptism, see here. On the Eucharist or Holy Communion, see further here.

The Future: The Lord Jesus Christ will someday be revealed and personally establish a literal reign here on earth. The timing of his appearing, however, is not to be regarded as a dividing point amongst believers, but should play a vital role in the personal life and service of the church and the world. All people who have died will experience a bodily resurrection; the believer to everlasting joy in the presence of the Lord; the unbeliever away from the presence of the Lord. The full consummation of the new Kingdom awaits the revelation of Jesus Christ and the end of this age.