Comments on: In Defense of Creeds

By: Pastor Dan Pergrin D.D.

Pastor Dan Pergrin D.D. — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:40:28 +0000

We have to remember that the printing press was not invented until the mid 1500′s. Also any portion of the scriptures were not available in English until some 900 years after the death of our Lord and Savior. A whole English bible translation in 1200 or so. Not many a Christian had what we today call a bible. Thus much of what was known about true doctrine and faith was passed down verbally or from someones written notes. Think about it… a pastor saying this is what I remember being taught. This is what was in my notes… i think! No wonder when in 1611, King James chained a copy of the bible to every pulpit in his kingdom. The people refused to listen to a sermon for some time, wanting to rather hear the reading of the scriptures for themselves. Martin Luther was the priest who was in charge of teaching the books of the bible to catholic students in the 1500′s. He had available to him copies of the true word of God and he noted the difference between what saith the Lord and what had been passed down verbally and on written notes. Awww the continued conflict between written creeds and the word of God. We also should study to be approved of God as workmen who need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. The Breans were more noble than those at Thessalanica, for they search the scriptures daily to see if the things spoken were so!
One comment on relationship vs. religion
All word you dry up!!!
All spirit you blow up!!!
But a balance of the word and the spirit makes you grow up!!!
We need everything we can get our hands on that will help us know (by experience) the word of God better. bibles, books, creeds, pastors, mentors…all of them have helped me.
LET’S BE FRUITFUL & STAY THIRSTY MY FRIENDS!!!
Pastor Dan Pergrin D.D.

By: Melinda

Melinda — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:14:39 +0000

I *really* enjoyed this post. It says what I’ve been saying all along, and it is so cool of God to send confirmation like that through another’s blog. Wow. I hope to read more from your blog, and you’re welcome at mine any time. I linked to yours today; I hope that’s okay.

God bless you and yours.

By: John

John — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:05:44 +0000

As a Protestant, and a Reformed believer at that, I vigorously hold to and defend the doctrine of Sola Scriptura: The BIBLE is the sole, infallible rule of faith and practice.

Can you send me to the passage in the bible that says that?
Thanks.

By: Anne2

Anne2 — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:59:06 +0000

Oh Laura C, you are right. Thanks for clarifying that. My point was that we need to always use the Bible to assess what we read even the traditional church documents. I agree, they are good tools to succinctly teach the orthodox faith.

By: One who has been burned

One who has been burned — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:37:16 +0000

RichardD wrote: “I don’t follow creeds, I just believe the Bible” … This is actually a subtle ad hominem. It means, “I am right on this issue because I just believe the Bible, you’re wrong on this issue because you don’t believe the bible.”

thank you!

you said it so succinctly!

Psalmist wrote: “The creeds have endured precisely because they ARE an accurate statement of orthodox Christian belief.”

thank you!

well put!

By: Psalmist

Psalmist — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:20:51 +0000

The question for me always comes down to, “On precisely what points is the [whatever] creed wrong”?

That question nearly always comes up with a non-answer. The creeds have endured precisely because they ARE an accurate statement of orthodox Christian belief.

And notice: nary a one of the historic creeds provide for a husband to be a ruler over his wife, for wives to be at-home only, or any of the other tenets of “biblical patriarchy.” I’m not saying the patriarchalists don’t find plenty of descriptions of patriarchy in the Bible; they’re all over the place. But the essentials of the faith simply do not require us to recreate ancient societal norms in order to follow Jesus Christ faithfully — and that includes adopting the worldly historical norm of patriarchy.

Perhaps that’s one reason some strongly patriarchal people decry the historic creeds. Just thinking out loud here.

By: RichardD

RichardD — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:18:59 +0000

I began to notice quite a few years an interesting consistency with those who say such things as “I don’t follow creeds, I just believe the Bible” or “I’m not a Calvinist; I’m not an Arminian; I’m a biblicist.”

I think this statement is made when the person is no longer able to sustain their argument against a debater. This is actually a subtle ad hominem. It means, “I am right on this issue because I just believe the Bible, you’re wrong on this issue because you don’t believe the bible.”

I have advised a few pastors against using the increasingly popular label, “biblicist.” Most have them have rejected my advice. Those who have are consistently weak on doctrine – meaning they don’t have the ability to defend their position biblically, no matter what side of the issues they are on.

By: Psalmist

Psalmist — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:28:28 +0000

You know, there are a lot of creedal statements in the Scriptures.

The Decalogue (Ten Commandments) are a creed; they summarize the full Law. If we recite the Decalogue, we are saying, I believe (“credo” ) the Law.

The Shema (“Hear, O Israel…” ) is a creedal statement.

The Great Commandments (“You shall love the Lord your God…You shall love your neighbor” ) constitute a summary creedal statement.

How many of us cling to the truth of John 3:16 as a summary of what we believe about salvation? That constitutes a creedal statement.

Acts 10:34-43

“Jesus is Lord” – a creedal statement in use during the time of Paul; cf 1 Cor. 12:3

1 Cor. 15:3-11

Eph. 1:3-14

Phil. 2:5-11

Col. 1:15-20

1 Tim. 2:4-6

1 Tim. 3:16

Just food for thought.

By: Bare-Bones Christianity: My Creed « adventures in mercy

Bare-Bones Christianity: My Creed « adventures in mercy — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:18:20 +0000

[...] tip to the fine writers at White Washed Feminist, whose post on Creeds caused me to pause for a moment and quickly write down my bare-bones beliefs. Obviously this list [...]

By: Laura Croft

Laura Croft — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:52:11 +0000

Okay, I had a very long, fantastic, witty and spectacular comment which, due to a computer glitch, was all deleted! So, I will say only this:

Think carefully about what you say if you say “No Creed but Christ” or some such pseudo-pithy statement, because what you are saying is actually a creed in itself. And a rather silly one at that, since it is self-contradictory and self-defeating.