I would like to begin a series of heart -to -heart
talks on the great Christian pledge, which is
better known as the Apostles' Creed. The most
widely accepted statement of Christian doctrine
written in the history of the Church is found
embodied in the Apostles' Creed. But the strange
thing is that no one knows exactly when and with
whom it originated. This creed was in use among
Christians during the early part of the second
century. And to this very day, literally tens
of thousands are professing... repeat this great
Christian pledge every Lord's Day. Oh, it's thrilling.
It's marvelous. And so for just a little while,
you and I are going to begin the study of this
great pledge that is known. as the Apostles'
Creed. The document consists of 110 words, divided
into 12 sections, each dealing with a different
segment of the New Testament truth. And the remarkable
thing is that every cardinal doctrine of historical
and evangelical Christianity is herein emphasized.
No Christian who sincerely seeks to gear his
beliefs according to this pattern will ever go
astray. And I mean that with all of my heart.
Some hold to the view that the creed originated
on the day of Pentecost. Each of the twelve apostles
contributing a clause writing under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit. I know this is a very pleasant
thought, but it cannot be substantiated. I cannot
tell you for a fact that it is a truth. The text
arranged in its natural divisions is as follows.
I give you now this, the great Christian pledge,
the Apostles' Creed. I believe in God, the Father
Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus
Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived
by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and
buried. He descended into hell, and the third
day he rose again from the dead. He ascended
into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of
God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall
come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe
in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints. the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen. This creed must be right. It must be right
because it has survived the wear and the tear
of the centuries. It has witnessed the rise and
the fall of empires. It has stood beside the
graves of those who boasted that they were going
to wipe Christianity from the face of the earth.
It has carried martyrs through flames of persecution
into the very presence of the Lord himself. It
has anchored the faith and thrilled the hearts
of uncounted millions. The statement begins with
a positive declaration. I believe. Early Christians
harbored no doubts. There were absolutely no
doubts in their minds. They knew what and in
whom they believed. No question marks hung like
ugly specters over the articles of the faith.
They believed in the inspiration of the scriptures.
They believed in the fact of sin. They believed
in the necessity of a redeemer, the deity of
Christ. They believed his virgin birth. They
believed in the blood atonement. They believed
in the actual resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ and in his second coming. These and other
fundamentals were accepted. without any doubt
whatsoever in their minds. And upon this foundation,
the great denominational systems of the world
had been built. A preacher once asked an actor
how it was that members of the theatrical fraternity
were often able to hold the attention of audiences
better than even the clergy. The actor replied,
We actors present fiction as though it were fact.
Sometimes ministers present facts as though it
were fiction. Beloved, there is no fiction about
our Holy Father. There is no fiction regarding
God Almighty. No wonder the early Christians
looked up and said, I believe. We believe. We
know in whom we have our faith and our trust
and our confidence. There is no doubt whatsoever
in our minds. I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth. The text of the creed
starts where Genesis begins. In the beginning,
God. Now the men who wrote it could almost reach
back and touch the hem of the master's garment.
And the events associated with our Lord's life
in the flesh were vivid, very vivid before their
minds. They had recently seen God unveiled in
human form. And to them the Heavenly Father was
real, very real, believe me. Jesus said, He that
hath seen me hath seen the Father. They had seen
Jesus. They had been in his presence. They felt
his glory. They knew the reality of his majesty.
They believed every word that he spoke. And Jesus
being real to them, God Almighty was very real
to them, for Jesus had clearly told them, He
that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Maker
of heaven and earth. The writers of the creed
possessed an exalted conception of God. They
were conscious of his power. They were conscious
of his majesty. For just a few minutes, meditate
upon the bigness of the universe. Contemplate
the movement of heavenly bodies, worlds, suns,
systems, planets. Consider the further fact.
That a reign of law operates throughout the entire
universe, implying the existence of an infinite
mind and a marvelous architect. And who will
say with men who penned this immortal document,
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of
heaven and earth. The existence of God cannot
be proved. His nature so transcends human standards
of comparison that a definition is absolutely
impossible. If a demonstration of God's existence
were possible, he would be too limited. Too circumscribed
to fulfill the office of supreme being and ruler
of the universe. Consider something a moment.
Electricity remains a riddle to science. Men
know how to produce it, but are ignorant regarding
its ultimate essence. The word life likewise
wanders through science without a definition.
The most powerful microscope cannot make it visible
to the natural eye. Thought motivates the brain,
but having no weight, form, or substance, mental
processes defy material demonstrations. It was
Sir Isaac Newton who discovered the law of gravitation,
but gravity remains a mystery. Astronomy concerns
itself with the movement of heavenly bodies.
but then it breaks down when it tries to explain
what moves the movement. The solution to these
and similar questions is found in the faithful
creed, I believe in God the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth. My friend, Faith begins
where reason and logic ends. The moral image
of God is engraved upon every soul. God created
man in his own image. In the image of God created
he him. Then the human likeness of the infinite
became marred by sin. But in his present state,
man possesses, to a limited degree, the attributes
of the Creator. Like God, he has capacity to
think, to feel, and will. And for this reason,
humans are religious. Consider with me. in regions
where the light of Christian truth has never
penetrated. The worshipful instinct finds expression
through idol worship in heathen religion. The
existence of religious intuition confirms the
fact that the spiritual image of the mighty creator
was originally stamped in the human soul. Deepest
craving of men the world around is for communion
with God. And it's just like that. A well -known
writer puts the matter like this. Prove your
God? We can't. Let us be frank about it. We can
approach him, but we cannot prove him. He needs
no human proof. Know that. God needs no human
proof. Faith can grasp him when proof would merely
blink wonderingly in his direction. On the other
hand, he cannot be disproved. Think that over,
my friend. Just how would a fellow go about it?
Just how would you go about disproving God? Careful
now. That's a mighty big assignment. And so,
we do not rise to defend this creed. It is not
necessary. We rise to declare it. God the Father
Almighty. Oh, isn't that thrilling to you? As
a loving father, he's prepared for us a written
message. The supernaturally inspired word, said
Peter. Holy men of God spake as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost. And Paul continued, all scripture
is given by inspiration of God. Great truths
which the mind of man could not invent, unaided
by supernatural inspiration, are here recorded.
No amount of human reason and research could
produce the factual statements contained in these
pages regarding the mysteries of life, of death,
and of the future state of the soul. The apostles
and the prophets were illuminated. Inspired instruments.
Of the Holy Ghost. Sure. These things also we
speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,
but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing
spiritual things with spiritual. This introduction
of the Apostles' Creed presents the one true
God, the Almighty Creator, and a personal loving
Father. No wonder the psalmist said, Like as
a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth
them that fear him. Amen.