The Nicene Creed - line by line

[Exodus20]

I will say that the phrase of being "seated at the right hand of the Father" inspired at least one other question.

Does that presuppose that the Father has a physical form, and has a literal throne in heaven alongside the Son?

Or is that too literal an interpretation?

I think your post is exactly correct. That would go along with Genesis 1:26.

Btw --- I agree with 95% of your post # 105 on this Thread. Seems that you are a level-headed person.

P.S. ---> Normally - on websites/discussion boards I'm not a big fan of Mods & Admins intervening ,,, but - This Thread REALLY needs to get a Mod. in here and start zapping posts from a person that keeps derailing the Thread ! It is about The Nicene Creed --- NOT about endless rabbit trails taken/started by a quibbling person.

Extra - P.S. ---> Was typing and reading whilst you just replied/posted above. Cool ! Glad you liked it.

I guess I R are a weird duck in the Christian pond... I am a Baptistic ( believers Baptism - get'em all the wet ! ) after they have professed Faith in Christ . I also luuuve a good God-honoring liturgy. I love the 'Collects' ( congregational/Group prayer ) of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer of the first BOCP ( 1500's in England ) . I like the Creeds - even though some/many Baptists seem to get the heemee-jeemees if they hear the word 'Creed'. { Methinks that they ( and the other creed-haters ) still do not understand the word c a t h o l i c means "Universal" --- not Roman Catholics in the Vatican. } .

Creed simply means: "I believe" . Fogs my mind why so many people do not want to have a written statement of Faith. Guess they would prefer to make things up - which ever way the wind blows.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I suppose it's time to move forward. (with some trepidation at this point)

I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of
God, begotten of the Father before all ages;

Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten,
not created, of one essence with the Father
through Whom all things were made.

Who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven and was incarnate
of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate,
and suffered and was buried;

And He rose on the third day,
according to the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father;

And He will come again with glory to judge the living
and dead.

His kingdom shall have no end.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I think your post is exactly correct. That would go along with Genesis 1:26.

Btw --- I agree with 95% of your post # 105 on this Thread. Seems that you are a level-headed person.

P.S. ---> Normally - on websites/discussion boards I'm not a big fan of Mods & Admins intervening ,,, but - This Thread REALLY needs to get a Mod. in here and start zapping posts from a person that keeps derailing the Thread ! It is about The Nicene Creed --- NOT about endless rabbit trails taken/started by a quibbling person.

Carry-on !

Thank you. It looks like we've had some intervention. I didn't check - there was some disagreement with the Creed so it may have been those posts.

Normally I don't mind my threads going off-topic once the topic has been explored, but we're not done with this one yet, and this is only the second thread I've done that followed a format - so in these I would like to stay on-topic until we are done. Maybe it will go more smoothly now.

 

[Radagast]

His kingdom shall have no end.

I'm reminded of a quote by the Dutch theologian and politician Abraham Kuyper:

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

I suppose it's time to move forward. (with some trepidation at this point)........................

His kingdom shall have no end.

Good point!

◄ Psalm 145:13 ►

Parallel Verses​

King James Bible
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.​

International Standard Version
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your authority endures from one generation to another.
[13b] God is faithful about everything he says and merciful in everything he does.​

Daniel 7:27
Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High.
His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.'

1 Timothy 1:17
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, …




.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

I think your post is exactly correct. That would go along with Genesis 1:26.

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness

Genesis 1:26 is quoted in a vacuum way too often. To get a proper understanding of it you must read it in a way that is congruent with the rest of scripture.

John 4:24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Colossians 1:15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen

Hebrews 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

1 Cor 15:45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam[Jesus], a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. 50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

1 Cor 15 speaks at length that there is a difference between the image of earthly man and heavenly man.


Of all God's creation, do you really think what sets man apart as special is such a simple thing as our physical appearance? No, it is our soul and our capacity for God's Spirit to dwell in us that makes us special in all creation and even puts us above angels.

 

[Radagast]

**Staff Edit**

Christ is God. As the Creed says.

 

[Nanopants]

It is the Spirit that dwells in us, not Christ, but the message that Christ gives.

To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. -Col 1:27

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. -1 John 5:11,12

At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. -John 14:20

 

[Nanopants]

Can anyone tell me what value the creed has when almost nobody here can give me a right answer?

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

I'm reminded of a quote by the Dutch theologian and politician Abraham Kuyper:

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”

This quote misses out the distinction between what; the Son ruling over all creation and who; he calls to be in his, the elect.

Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”


Matthew 25:34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.


We should always be mindful that the Son rules over all but does not call all to be in his kingdom. Therefore it is not true to say "Christ calls all mine".

 

[Radagast]

Therefore it is not true to say "Christ calls all mine".

Christ rules, as King, over all things and all people. Those who did not accept Christ as King in this life, will be forced to acknowledge his authority when He comes in judgement:

1 Corinthians 15:27: For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.”

Philippians 2:9-11: Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Revelation 19:11-16: Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. ... From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

The quote by Abraham Kuyper reflects the fact that everything is under the Kingly authority of Christ:

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”

 

[Radagast]

Writing during World War II, C.S. Lewis put it this way:

“Enemy-occupied territory -- that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church you are really listening-in to the secret wireless from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going.” -- Mere Christianity, chapter 2

 

[Radagast]

We should always be mindful that the Son rules over all but does not call all to be in his kingdom. Therefore it is not true to say "Christ calls all mine".

I found a good explanation in a book from 1723:

“A double Kingdom there is of Christ; one of Power, in which all are under him; another of Propriety, in those which belong unto him: None of us can be excepted from the first; and happy are we, if by our obedience we shew ourselves to have an interest in the second, for then that Kingdom is not only Christ's but ours.”

 

[~Anastasia~]

I found a good explanation in a book from 1723:

“A double Kingdom there is of Christ; one of Power, in which all are under him; another of Propriety, in those which belong unto him: None of us can be excepted from the first; and happy are we, if by our obedience we shew ourselves to have an interest in the second, for then that Kingdom is not only Christ's but ours.”

Nice quote.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Can anyone tell me what value the creed has when almost nobody here can give me a right answer?

The value of the Crred is in defining our faith.

But it doesn't answer every question. I think you're asking a good question, Nanopants. I can dismiss the poetry in the Psalms as having the intent to teach such deep theological things, but we do have the simple statement of Christ in the NT referring to "my God and your God" - more than once iirc.

I think the problem though is that the Creed doesn't discuss the answer (and I don't have one for you). I didn't report you. Maybe staff took an interest because of the subject of the thread? I'd be very interested to see you start a thread on it, and see if there are good replies. I'd like to follow it. But apparently it is considered by staff to be OT so I guess we ought not discuss it here.

I don't want you to feel persecuted. Like I said, maybe it's just the nature of this thread? But I really would like to subscribe if you decide to create one.

I'm sorry I don't know the answer.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

I found a good explanation in a book from 1723:

“A double Kingdom there is of Christ; one of Power, in which all are under him; another of Propriety, in those which belong unto him: None of us can be excepted from the first; and happy are we, if by our obedience we shew ourselves to have an interest in the second, for then that Kingdom is not only Christ's but ours.”

Exactly my point. We should be ever mindful to be a member of God's called kingdom.

 

[Exodus20]

His kingdom shall have no end.

" HIS KINGDOM SHALL HAVE NO END!"

This line of the creed is great ! It brings to mind some wonderful verses . ----- these verses are "Pregnant" with thoughts and mental visions of what lies ahead... John 18:36 ; Rev. 1:8 ; 17: 14 ; 19:16 ; 21: 22 ;

and this one Rev. 11:15 , 16 ,17

... "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ ; and he shall reign forever.
And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats , fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Saying, We give thee thanks , O Lord God Almighty , which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned."

 

[Nanopants]

I found a good explanation in a book from 1723:

“A double Kingdom there is of Christ; one of Power, in which all are under him; another of Propriety, in those which belong unto him: None of us can be excepted from the first; and happy are we, if by our obedience we shew ourselves to have an interest in the second, for then that Kingdom is not only Christ's but ours.”

Neat. Here's a great one I found to go along with it.

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -2 Cor 12:9

 

[Radagast]

Neat. Here's a great one I found to go along with it.

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -2 Cor 12:9

But that doesn't relate to the role of Christ as King, does it?

 

[Nanopants]

I picture Him riding a donkey into Jerusalem, and crucified with a crown of thorns and a sign reading "King of the Jews", while folks mocked and challenged Him with saving Himself, and yes I see it is very much related to His role as King.