Nicene Creed

What Is True Christian Doctrine ? A Closer Look.

In a nutshell - a creed is a list or set of beliefs or a “belief set”. Beliefs without any actual practical application are not useful. Or are they? Christ Jesus appears to have set forth criteria for what should constitute Christly character or behavior in his epistemological platform codified in the Sermon On The Mount (Matthew Chapters 5, 6 & 7) which are conceivably the foundation stones of his doctrine - yet much of this appears to have been virtually ignored, supplanted, replaced, or even glossed over as a consequence of the First Nicene Council which took place in 325 A.D. - some 295 years after the Crucifixion.

OVERVIEW

The Nicene Creed can be seen as a compilation of religious tenants selectively chosen but interestingly do not ask anything of the individual but to "believe" and acknowledge the tenants as a show of solidarity or adherents to what the “State” entity at the time deemed “Christian” doctrine.

A belief system without any practical application save the promise of “salvation” or adherence to a set of beliefs that have been more or less institutionalized while providing some semblance or structure or order to a person's life - isn’t entirely efficacious.

Through the centuries Christian sermons particularly in Protestant sects promoted some degree of introspection as they became un-tethered from Papal control beginning with the reformation going forward but still maintaining the essential religious tenets of the Creed as “sound” Christian doctrine.

The question to be explored in this piece; is this what Jesus intended for his followers?

NICENE CREED - A BREAKDOWN

The Trinity

Many of the Ante Nicene Fathers - Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus, Ambrose, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Clement Of Alexandria and many others argued for years over the Divinity Of Jesus. Tertullian being the primary of proponent of Western Theology. The interesting anecdote about Tertullian, and perhaps the most important point is that he was vehemently opposed to paganism and very vocal about it as well. In a twist of irony he ended up adopting and siding with some very core pagan teachings specifically regarding the entire approach to the trinitus (trinity) with respect to three “persons” of God adapted from the Baylonian teachings of (Nimrod, Semeramus and Tamus) and the Egyptian (Horus, Isis and Osirus).

The Creed

At a glance the Nicene Creed doesn’t appear to be overly concerned with what one does or how one acts but more represents conditions upon which said belief is valid or true.. In essence to believe WITHOUT QUESTION OR DISSIMULATION as a profession of faith.

The Catholic & Anglican Form for the creed reads something like this:

• We believe in one God, the Father, the almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen….

• We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light,

  true God from true God, …

• 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.

• We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

  who proceeds from the Father and the Son…

• 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.

The essence of the creed sources various admonitions and passages from Scripture - Old and New Testaments - (Exodus 20.2-3, Mark 12.29-31) and from the Apostle Paul Acts 16:31 and Romans 10:9. It would seem a rather odd historical footnote that most Christians are just fine with it because in a practical sense very little is required save an inference or a recitation of: “We/I Believe thus and so…” or in the Catholic vernacular: a few “Hail Marys & Our Fathers) makes you “whole” (more or less) with God and the Church.

SALVATION - DEEDS OR WORDS ?

WORDS -

We hear the query often from a large cross section of Christians who sometimes ask in a back handed patronizing sort of way: “Are you saved?” … While there are varying opinions throughout the history of Christianity on the matters of salvation - which is to say absolution from the myriad forms of sin - there are varying opinions on this which have been the subject of much consternation among believers for example: Is a profession of faith sufficient?

Keeping this in mind it can be argued that ALL language is ontological in the sense that ideas that serve to edify humanity must have weights and measures in the realm of mind rendering them indestructible. That said, Jesus appears to have placed greater emphasis on human behavioral traits in addition to active moral and mental thought watching rather than lip service yet ask any contemporary Christian and they might tell you that lip service is sufficient for “believing”. The act of “professing” ones faith rather than practicing was, and to a large extent and still is, the standard of institutionalized faith.

In today’s world of secularism and uncertainty, the concept of salvation (in the absolute sense of the word) doesn’t appear to mean much. Human language is at the very least inadequate to convey spiritual ideas and salvation is a very foreign concept to many - yet this is all we have to disseminate to others with respect to improving ones lot in life and the human condition. How one orders ones life and priorities is manifest on what he can bring to the table for others.

Imagine a soldier who goes through the motions of training, takes his oath but never required to fight seems rather self defeating at the very least and yet salvation for all who profess “Jesus is Lord” and “by his blood we are saved” or “He died for our sins” is the generally accepted means of being “pardoned and pushed into Heaven”.

If feelings of remorse, perhaps even guilt, are insufficient to impel the individual to take preventative measures in the form of a ceremonious “baptism” in much the same way John The Baptist enacted on Jesus through the literal immersion in water then one might ask why did Jesus engage in the a gesture of a “suffer it to be so now”?

In context this action by Jesus appears to have been an effort to satiate John Baptists approach as a “right of passage” from a superficial exercise of faith and religion to a more practical approach “bridging the gap” between words and deed. But more importantly was an expression of humility that Jesus never put himself above others. And let us remember Jesus was not merely a man of words. If he were he would have been remanded to the likes of another Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, or some other existential philosopher.

Guilt and fear sometimes motivates individuals or a groups in offering some semblance of contrition through the gesture of “baptism” which is an outward expression of faith - at least this is how it has been disseminated to believers for centuries. If we are told Jesus “paid the debt” of sin - for all - this begs a larger question - Is Jesus the guy at the bar buying everyone free drinks?

Deeds -

If one takes a look at a few of Jesus admonitions in the Sermon On The Mount it becomes clear that Jesus expected his followers to be actively engaged in the war against sin.

In Mark 12:29 echoing Deuteronomy 6:4 Jesus exclaims the first of many things required of a follower was to actively LISTEN.

Things we are required to do - according to Jesus

• Being Pure of heart

• Being a Peacemaker

• Being Merciful

• Being Meek

• Praying in Secret

• Not being a hypocrite

• Not being boastful or bragging

• Healing The Sick

• Raising the Dead

• Casting Out Demons

Things we are to refrain from doing - according to Moses

• No worship of other gods (one can even make a “god” or religion of politics, science, or even matter)

• Refrain from Idols and Idol Worship (Materialism, worship of other persons in the form of adulation, beasts, inanimate objects etc.)

• Refrain From Adultery (swinging, sleeping with someone you’re not married to, sex out of wedlock etc. )

• Refrain from lying

• Refrain from coveting (wanting what others have)

• Refrain from baring false witness (making stuff up that never happened or inflating your sense of self to others, being someone you’re not, narcissism etc. )

In fact you will not find any of these things in the Nicene Creed. So what did these Bishops, Priests and Prelates have in mind when formulating their creed ?

Again, the Nicene Creed only requires the believer to profess their faith and not actually practice it.

Attending a “confessional” admitting your guilt to some person you may or may not know very well to be absolved of your sin seems to be tantamount to admitting you’re “guilty” say in a court of law, and no sentenced is passed. Why is this an important caveat? Because dogma abounds that constantly makes reference to the idea that Christ “paid the debt” thus anytime one “sins” the presumption is there are no actual penalties incurred. It’s the idea that if no one saw it it doesn’t count, or matter.

Admitting or confessing to yourself and God your sin and resolving to take action in the sincerest sense of the word is seen as the genuine path to ascending your way out of the pit of sin. Interestingly, Jesus never absolved anyone of sin while he was present, so why would he in his absence ? Much is inferred in the texts and many who often cite Paul more than they do Christ Jesus are missing some key points in the key tenants of Christian faith as outlined in scripture specifically in the Sermon On The Mount - not the Creed. It was in Jesus absence that more was required of the faithful which brings us to our last point - the component of judgement and salvation.

SALVATION - Go and sin no more

Condemnation of sin in ourselves is our “cross” - in a manner of speaking. Condemnation of sin in others or in general is for the purpose of blessing our fellow man. This is what it is meant when Jesus gives us permission to: “Judge righteous judgement”. Condemning sin in the spirit of love is perhaps the hardest thing to learn and often to do.

A Creed or Doctrine that makes no demands on the individual save offering merely a profession of faith doesn’t appear to fit the job description Jesus outlined for his disciples or those who would profess to be “followers”.

Jesus approach to being religious was in thinking and doing. Jesus’s religion is one where action was required; where both the letter and spirit are equally yoked together hence complimentary one to another.