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The Apostles' Creed |
| Article I |
Article II |
Article III |
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
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I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son our Lord,
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the
right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
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I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
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What does this mean?
[Robert E. Smith translation, 1994]
I believe that I cannot come to my Lord Jesus Christ by my own intelligence or power. But the Holy Spirit called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with her gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as she calls, gathers together, enlightens and makes holy the whole Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus in the one, true faith. In this Church, she generously forgives each day every sin committed by me and by every believer. On the last day, she will raise me and all the dead from the grave. She will give eternal life to me and to all who believe in Christ. Yes, this is true!
Prayer
Father, into your hands I commend my spirit, now and forever, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Commentary by Pastor David G. Mullen
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Thus, once again the good old Apostles’ Creed challenges us to examine what is in our heart. Is there faith in this life everlasting? What would it mean if, really and truly, we lived each day in what the graveside ritual of committal calls, “the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life”?
Whenever I think about this, I think about the ineffable love of God. The holy love of God. I don’t want to come into the presence of that Holy One, only to realize I’ve blown my one chance to become acquainted with God here, and failed the test of living God’s way. Which is love’s way. Which is Christ’s way. Which is the way of letting myself fall, fall, fall, into the everlasting arms of the One who loves me without end. Yes, yes, yes, this shall be so, by the power of the Holy Spirit!