Explanation of the Creed
Explanation of the Creed
This creed is called the Christian Creed.
All Christian churches believe in it, and any sect that does not believe in it is not considered Christian, nor is it accepted into communion by any church. Therefore, the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Adventists, who do not believe in any of the articles of this creed, are not considered Christians at all.
Historical Introduction:
The faith of the Church in all its details has remained the same since the beginning, passed down by believers from generation to generation.
However, it was formulated at the Holy Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in the year 325 A.D.
This council was convened to resist the Arian heresy, which attacked the divinity of the Son, and consequently the Holy Trinity. The Ecumenical Council affirmed these theological truths and addressed other fundamental doctrines of faith. Thus, it included the following:
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The Oneness of God.
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The affirmation of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the divinity of each hypostasis, and His work.
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The doctrine of the Incarnation and Redemption.
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The doctrine of one baptism for the remission of sins.
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The doctrine of the resurrection of the body and the life of the age to come.
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The doctrine of the second coming of Christ for judgment.
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The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
We shall discuss each article of the Creed to explain them one by one.
Truly, we believe:
Faith is not merely belief or confidence. It is a deep inner conviction that rises above the level of intellect and reasoning, above proof and argument—it is not a subject for debate.
Faith generally requires humility and simplicity of heart. The clergy explain the truths of faith to the mind, but they do not subject them to the mind.
And we (truly believe) in every article of this creed—not as mere orders or teachings from the Church, but as true faith.
The first thing we believe in Christianity is the doctrine of monotheism:
We believe in one God:
We believe in the existence of God and in His oneness. Our belief in the Trinity does not in any way contradict our belief in the one God.
Every “trinity” that some associate with paganism refers to three gods. But the Christian Trinity is one God. When we say, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), we immediately say afterward, “One God, Amen.” The expression “in the name” also indicates oneness—we did not say “in the names.”
We do not believe in multiple gods, and we regard polytheism as blasphemy. The doctrine of monotheism has been known and clear since the Old Testament.
The first commandment of the Ten Commandments clearly says: “I am the Lord your God… You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20).
The Book of the Prophet Isaiah is filled with verses declaring the oneness of God, such as:
“I am He. Before Me no god was formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior.” (Isaiah 43:10–11).
Also: “I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6).
See also Isaiah 44:9; 45:5–6, 21; 46:9; and 48:12.
In the New Testament, the Epistle of James says: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (James 2:19).
Meaning that believing in more than one god is beneath even the level of the demons.
There are many rational and philosophical proofs for the oneness of God, but here we have limited ourselves, in matters of faith, to the biblical evidence.
The Hypostases (Persons):
In our belief, the hypostases represent the inner reality of the divine essence, not a form of plurality. It is faith in a living, rational God.
The Father is the divine essence; the Son is His mind and wisdom; and the Holy Spirit is His spirit.
God the Father:
The term “God” in the Holy Trinity may refer to the Father as the divine essence, or to the entire Holy Trinity. To distinguish between the hypostases, we may say God the Father, God the Son…
For example, the Scripture says: “No one has seen God at any time. The only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” (John 1:18).
This means that no one has seen the Father. The Father is “Father” in relation to the hypostasis of the Son, and He is also Father to all creation.
However, the Fatherhood of God toward the Son differs from His Fatherhood toward creation. The latter is a fatherhood of love and care, not of essence and nature, as in the case of the Only-Begotten Son.
We call God “our Father” because He made us His children through adoption, as St. John the Apostle says: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).
The Pantocrator (the Almighty):
This means that He governs all creation. Nothing is beyond His control, His care, or His providence. The phrase “all” includes the heavenly and the earthly, the rational and the inanimate—all are under His dominion, even Satan himself.
Satan is not a god of evil but a created being under the authority of the Almighty.
If God wishes to stop him from acting, He can. If He wishes to destroy him completely, He can. In the story of the righteous Job, we see Satan asking permission to test Job before acting, and God allows him only within specific limits that he cannot cross.
Therefore, we do not fear Satan, for he is under the control of the Almighty. Yet some may ask: if God is Almighty, why do problems, harm, and troubles exist in the world?
Here we say that there is a difference between God’s will and His permission.
God’s will is absolute goodness. Yet He permits rational beings to act freely within limits, and they may err and cause harm. All of this is by God’s permission, who watches, judges, and corrects as the Almighty.
Moreover, many troubles, afflictions, and dangers have been prevented by God before reaching us—though we are unaware of them.
Sadly, we often thank God only for the visible troubles from which He delivers us, but not for the unseen ones He prevents from ever reaching us. Yet God, as the Almighty, has prevented them.
The troubles He prevents are far more than those He allows and then delivers us from. He allows some for our benefit, as “all things work together for good.”
As the Almighty, God reads thoughts, examines hearts, understands intentions and feelings—nothing is hidden from Him.
Knowing this, one should realize that everything one does is before God, which grants a sense of reverence in conduct.
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