THE APOSTLES' CREED

The Apostles' Creed is an important summary of the teachings of the Apostles about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is also a summary of the Gospel itself!

"So what? What does this have to do with me?"

That question is what this catechism explores.

* All the underlined words link to BibleProject videos related to that topic (some also include discussion questions)

ARTICLE 1 | CREATION

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

So what?

So, I believe that God the Father has created me and all things; that he formed my entire body and my spirit, my intellect and emotions, and truly cares for me.

He provides food, shelter, family, and friends. Everything I need for daily life and well-being comes from Him.

With Him, evil and death will not have the final say in my life.

The Father does all of this because He is loving and merciful. I did nothing to deserve these gifts.

So, I thank God daily and follow His Way.

ARTICLE 2 | REDEMPTION

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 into hell. 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.

So what?

So, I believe that Jesus Christ, who is truly God and truly human, is my King.

He saved me, a sinful and broken person, by defeating death and the devil. He did this by living a sinless life, shedding His pure blood on the cross, and rising from the dead so that I can be united with Him. His pure life is now my own.

He has made me a member of God's family and citizen of the Kingdom of God.

So, I will turn from the evil ways of the world and follow the righteous Way of my King, now - as I prepare for His return - and forever.

ARTICLE 3 | SANCTIFICATION

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.

So what?

So, I believe that I cannot truly know or follow Jesus on my own, but that the Holy Spirit has shown me the Good News about Jesus. He enables me to put my faith into practice, has made me holy, and will continue to do so.

The Holy Spirit gathers people into the Body of Christ, the Church on earth, and makes it holy. He keeps it in unity with Jesus Christ.

He forgives my sins and the sins of all Christians in the Church when we confess them.

So, I look forward to the Day when He will raise me and all those in Christ from the dead, and we will spend eternity in with God in the redeemed and sanctified creation.

A Reforming Catechism

Paraphrased by James Clapper from Luther's Small Catechism.

A work in progress...