I Have a Creed

Which much thought and love for the LORD, I have a simple Creed.

1. Love God
2. Love Self
3. Love Others

A simple trinity based on the belief that no one comes before the Lord and as always in wisdom told to me, one must love oneself before one can love others; however to love oneself, one must love God first. I do suppose that my Creed might not belong in No Creed but Christ. Christ is beautiful and I don't want to contradict anyone, but loving the Lord is a one, two, three step for me based on the Love of God being the primary Creed.

Sharon Swift said:

Which much thought and love for the LORD, I have a simple Creed.

1. Love God
2. Love Self
3. Love Others

A simple trinity based on the belief that no one comes before the Lord and as always in wisdom told to me, one must love oneself before one can love others; however to love oneself, one must love God first. I do suppose that my Creed might not belong in No Creed but Christ. Christ is beautiful and I don't want to contradict anyone, but loving the Lord is a one, two, three step for me based on the Love of God being the primary Creed.

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A non-Christian could love God and others as well as themselves. This is really not much of a creed and it way to waterdown to be Christian.

Not terribly watered, just simple. I am a bona fide Christian and stand firm in my faith. Because I have no long creed, this exempts me from being Christian? Jesus spoke of Two Commandments and I have just included myself in His great love for us. Following the word of Christ is Fundamental, but following His greatest Commandment to love God is my simple Creed. There is nothing watered down about my love for Lord Jesus Christ. I just simply have my own Creed that basically I share with myself. God knows I love Him and knows I desperately seek out the love and understanding of Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes, it just is simple. Faith should not be complicated, do you think it should? Jesus spoke to simple people and chose simple people people to be His followers. I find myself in the best shape ever, when I am simple and I my eyes tear when I simply read His Word. I just wanted to share my simple love for God. Watered down no...scholarly no, according to His Word, pretty well as I have included His Two Greatest Commandments. It took me a lot of thought, to think up my simple Creed. Perhaps I should have kept it to myself. God bless you and my prayers are for understanding for both of us. May you be strong your faith, your creed.
Again may the Lord bless you in many ways and I pray for your righteousness to guide you in all paths that lead to God. I have felt God's anger at me and I want to be righteous also. May the LORD set my path to righteousness straight and may the LORD have mercy and tenderness for me, when He judges me.

Sharon Swift said:

I am a bona fide Christian and stand firm in my faith. Because I have no long creed, this exempts me from being Christian?

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I did not say you were not a Christian, but that your statement could be stated by a lot of non-christians. Mormons for one.

Sharon Swift said:

Which much thought and love for the LORD, I have a simple Creed.

1. Love God
2. Love Self
3. Love Others

A simple trinity based on the belief that no one comes before the Lord and as always in wisdom told to me, one must love oneself before one can love others; however to love oneself, one must love God first. I do suppose that my Creed might not belong in No Creed but Christ. Christ is beautiful and I don't want to contradict anyone, but loving the Lord is a one, two, three step for me based on the Love of God being the primary Creed.

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I like it, but I agree with the other poster that it could certainly be said of a lot of non-christians.

Church of Christ folk claim to have no creed so that could be interpreted as meaning that you don't believe anything.

Think about what you are saying to others.

Perhaps this lady does not understand what you mean by creed. She may take creed to mean a general rule of thumb or a general rule of practice as a Christian.

Thomas Campbell meant well, but to claim that one has no creed or no group has a creed is not realistic. Restoration Movement groups, such as the Churches of Chrsit, prefer to not put beliefs to writing because then, they feel, others can accuse them of being denominational. I've yet to see a Church of Christ web site without a statement of beliefs. Any statement of belief is a creed.

notreligus said:

Restoration Movement groups, such as the Churches of Chrsit, prefer to not put beliefs to writing because then, they feel, others can accuse them of being denominational. I've yet to see a Church of Christ web site without a statement of beliefs. Any statement of belief is a creed.

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Agreed. Especially with the very last sentence.

notreligus said:

Church of Christ folk claim to have no creed so that could be interpreted as meaning that you don't believe anything.

Think about what you are saying to others.

Perhaps this lady does not understand what you mean by creed. She may take creed to mean a general rule of thumb or a general rule of practice as a Christian.

Thomas Campbell meant well, but to claim that one has no creed or no group has a creed is not realistic. Restoration Movement groups, such as the Churches of Chrsit, prefer to not put beliefs to writing because then, they feel, others can accuse them of being denominational. I've yet to see a Church of Christ web site without a statement of beliefs. Any statement of belief is a creed.

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I have no real problem with creeds, but creeds function is to give better understanding of the teaching or sayings of the Bible, so that the person will understand and follow the way to salvation. Weak feeble attempts at creeds just make things worse and bad false usely comes out of them.

The problem with [formal] creeds is their inherent divisiveness. Most creeds were created to correct false teachings, misunderstandings, rumors, etc. They're not inherently "complete" inasmuch as few address the sum of Christian doctrine. However, when any group claims to stand on a particular creed and claim it as "theirs," versus say, another group's creed because it covers a different subset of Christian doctrine more to their liking or belief set, they are by definition divided by those creeds.

I view Campbell's stance on creeds in that manner.

True, no congregation is ever without a core set of beliefs - even within the churches of Christ. It's when one congregation sets themselves apart in accordance with the "superiority" of their particular belief set (usually defined in the form of a creed), then there's division.

Thedictator said:

A non-Christian could love God and others as well as themselves. This is really not much of a creed and it way to waterdown to be Christian.

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Really?

Jesus said those who love him will obey him. I don't follow your logic.

Good post, Sharon. This is my creed too.

SoulFly51...thank you. Perhaps I misunderstand Creed as being more than a statement of faith?; however my belief in Christ and statement of faith is the three much more than watered down thoughts I have on the Lord. They are based on Christian text which sums up the law. This was not done in the Old Testament, but rather the New Testament; therefore it is a Christian statement faith or as I pointed out...my Creed.

// 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments. //

In all honesty, it may appear wrong to put myself separate from my neighbour and possibly making my three steps of simple Christian faith, seem like three commandments; however this isn't so...in the second commandment it is said to love thy neighbour as thyself, which to me means that one must love oneself in order to love ones neighbour. Selfish to love oneself firstly, before loving one's neighbour? Not really. I need to love God first, as Jesus told us and then love myself in order to love my neighbour.

I suppose it is a personal Creed and not one to start a religious group on. That is why I said that "I have a Creed". It is not watered down to love the LORD, as Jesus commanded us to. All the rest of the commandments and indeed the Bible's teaching simply fall in place when the Greatest commandments are followed.

Thank you again SoulFly51. It is hard when one feels like they are being silenced or scorned. This is my Statement of Faith...Jesus will not be silenced in me. Can't say that I am always strong; sometimes like Peter I deny, but 24/7 I love Him.

I can't be divided from any Christian on my Creed. I am simply following the Greatest Commandments of all and that is what stymied the Pharisees and introduced New Law into the lands...and through this New Law, all of God's laws are kept.

When asked who should I say sent me, God said, tell 'em, I am sent you. This is single, neither good nor evil. Knowledge about is still without.

So how is love of self a Christian virtue?

Justa Guy said:

So how is love of self a Christian virtue?

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It is not. The Bible calls lover's of themselves a sin.

2 Timothy 3:1-2

Then I am a sinner and I love Jesus deeply. He is my best Friend.

Proverbs: 19: 8

To acquire wisdom is to love oneself;
people who cherish understanding will prosper.

Thedictator said:

A non-Christian could love God and others as well as themselves. This is really not much of a creed and it way to waterdown to be Christian.

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Watered down? Really? So I guess when Christ summed up the entire LAW into 2 commandments, He was watering down Judaism. Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Hey. I think She hit the proverbial nail on the head.

Thedictator said:

It is not. The Bible calls lover's of themselves a sin.

2 Timothy 3:1-2

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So Christ was wrong when He said to love our neighbors as ourselves? Really? What bible DO you use? I also think your taking the Apostle out of context. Im just saying, Remember. context context context. She is not talking about someone who is boastful, or disobedient to parents etc. She is expressing the same sentiment as Christ. I for one think she is correct. And I do not believer her simple take on faith will go unrewarded.

Justa Guy said:

So how is love of self a Christian virtue?

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How is it not? Is it not written by the Apostle? No man hateth his own flesh. I think this has to do with marriage and how he should treat his wife. He is to love her, as he does his OWN FLESH. Beats being a dour self hating puritan if you ask me.

Sharon Swift said:

Then I am a sinner and I love Jesus deeply. He is my best Friend.

Proverbs: 19: 8

To acquire wisdom is to love oneself;
people who cherish understanding will prosper.

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Stay as you are Sharon. You are loved by God, and a Very sweet person.