First, and to establish the proper emphasis, I need to define these terms and this order of arrangement as I am using and emphasizing them.
Most people view the councils as having established the creeds. From a strictly church-oriented historical view regarding the well-known seven ecumenical councils, that view is correct. Those creeds arose from those councils. Be that as it may, I am not using that approach. My use of Hetero derives from the Greek word heteros: “the other (of two), another, different; second; other than usual”. I am using these terms this way to emphasize the tragic events of the departure from the faith of Jesus and His Apostles in the metamorphosis of the faith of the Patristic Fathers and the church(es) as established by them. Hetero serves two other salient purposes. It emphasizes the heretical-damning departure from justification before God and the impoverishing departure from the honor and glory of God. These two features stood together in ancient times. In modern times they do not necessarily stand together. They who hold to the second one often deny the alleged grounds for validity of the first one.
Much can be said about the creeds and the councils. Much has already been written. The related subjects are vast. My singular focus is to highlight the errors already mentioned and to underscore that fact that the churches of today took rise in the Patristic Fathers starting in the second century and were defined, refined, and developed in the subsequent centuries. Theirs was an evolution of faith as they interpreted it. Although there are many creeds from many councils, I am dealing with the three classic ones: The Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed (comprehended in two versions), and the Athanasian Creed.
Regarding the original historic creeds of the Christian Churches, Philip Schaff, the well-known historian, commentator and author of the three volume work, The Creeds of Christendom, said this:
They are three in number: the Apostles’, the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creed. The first is the simplest; the other two are fuller developments and interpretations of the same. The Apostles' Creed is the most popular in the Western, the Nicene in the Eastern Churches.
These three creeds contain, in brief popular outline, the fundamental articles of the Christian faith, as necessary and sufficient for salvation. They embody the results of the great doctrinal controversies of the Nicene and post-Nicene ages. (Emphasis mine)
The Lutheran and Anglican Churches have formally recognized and embodied the three ecumenical symbols (creeds) in their doctrinal and liturgical standards. The other Reformed Churches have, in their confessions, adopted the trinitarian and christological doctrines of these creeds, but in practice they confine themselves mostly to the use of the Apostles' Creed. (Emphasis mine)
Before assessing the issues of concern, I must address the absurd and superfluous reasons for the calling of the first group of ecumenical councils. I have a focused purpose for this assessment.
Many will think the issues were not absurd and superfluous, and they are absolutely correct, per se. What was absurd and superfluous were the reasons for the need to assemble and determine the courses. The issues themselves should never have been held in doubt by anyone professing to be a believer in Jesus Christ! Imagine the Apostles of Jesus and the other shepherds (elders/overseers) of His assemblies debating His deity and the deity of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, imagine them debating the very nature and attributes of the Son of God. The very fact that these things arose as matters of debate were and should be for every believer beyond the pale! And yet, this was precisely the early course of the unspiritual and profane mindset of the Patristic Church and its councils. What do you see when the same kinds of issues arose to corrupt the Apostolic Assemblies? Do you see called councils to debate and decide? No! Rather, you see robust and steadfast correction and rebuke by The Apostles. The writings of John and Paul are fully weighted with the rebuke of ancient Gnosticism, itself the first species of the same kinds of doctrines found in Arius, Macedonius, and their ilk. In the case of the churches, the problems continued to dominate to such a degree that at one point, after Athanasius was exiled for defending the deity of Jesus as established in the Nicene Creed (AD 321), the churches could be described as Arian! In fact, although the truth about the deity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit was reestablished in the west, having been rescued again from the doctrines of Arius and Macedonius sixty years later in the second Council of Nicaea (in AD 381), that was not the case among many of the Germanic peoples. For four centuries those churches continued to be Arian! When characterizing that time in the churches, Jerome was known to have stated, “the world found itself Arian”!
Again, those issues should never have been the subject of doubt and debate! And yet, they were! Such was the heretical see-saw environment that gave rise to the Christian Churches. These very facts underscore the flesh dominated mindset of the originators of the churches, the Patristic Fathers. In all reality the Christian Church, solely grounded in the unspiritual and wooden outlook of the Patristic Fathers, began in the second century and continued to develop into the third in the writings of the Pre-Nicene Fathers. It continued to evolve in the subsequent centuries, especially finding definition and support in the six ecumenical councils which met from the fourth through the seventh centuries, being defended by the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers.
This state of affairs brings us to the issues of concern. The real and detrimental problems with the first historic creeds is what they went on to declare after they had twice made their determinations that Jesus is God. They solidified and formalized and fixed the false doctrines of the Pre-Nicene Fathers. They established their belief in and confession of the still future coming of the Kingdom of God (futurism) and their belief in and confession of the forgiveness of sins obtained in water baptism (justification by works), as both essential for salvation!
In all reality, the churches that exist today can mainly be summarized as Nicene with these two distinctions: First, all things stated in the Nicene Creed are essential for salvation. Second, the futurism stated in the Nicene Creed is either essential for salvation or is essential for spiritual blessing. This first position was the ancient and original view. The second one is the “modern” view. Both views are the false doctrines of men! Both doctrines perpetually dishonor God and perpetually divide His people! The first one damns the soul! The second one, depending on the version believed, either damns the soul or dishonors God and impoverishes its adherents.
The Apostles’ Creed, improperly named, was based on ancient church mythology that each of the Twelve Apostles supplied one of its twelve statements. It probably arose in its first form in the mid-second century. It was used for catechism and the baptismal rite and confession from its beginning. It’s final version became fixed a number of centuries later. The creed itself did not state the need for water baptism as essential for salvation, although the Pre-Nicene Fathers did. However, it locked futurism in as the only acceptable way to understand the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God! From the creed: “(I believe) on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.” Hippolytus (c. 190-235 AD) made all converts to Christianity agree to both water baptism as essential for salvation and the belief in the future return of Jesus to establish His Father’s Kingdom required positions before they could be admitted to the Christian Church and be regarded as Christians!
The Nicene Creed arose in the fourth century from the first of the seven ecumenical councils. The council was called by the polytheist Constantine in an effort to unify his rule. He saw division as threatening to the political stability of the realm. Arianism was usurping the theology and stability of the church bishops, who themselves had become political stays for Constantine. He convened the bishops of the empire (hence the title ecumenical) to settle the divisive issue. As stated previously, this creed has two versions. The first and simplest (AD 321) was to confirm that Jesus is God, but it went on to declare fundamental belief in futurism. The second one (AD 381) was more elaborate and was an update to the first one. Its purpose was to confirm that the Holy Spirit is God, but it went on to declare the fundamental belief in futurism and the fundamental belief that water baptism was/is necessary for salvation! From the creed: “(We believe) He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end...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.” Here the world to come most probably means the Kingdom of God on earth rather than entering into Paradise (where the spirits of the perfected righteous are), also known as the third heaven.
The Athanasian Creed was not written by Athanasius. Its place of origin was probably ancient Gaul. It was probably composed around AD 500. It was written to defend the orthodox doctrine of the God-head against the continuing robust doctrine of Arianism and other heresies regarding the nature of God that arose in that particular environment. Even though it is viewed as one of the three historic creeds, it is not in general use today. Nevertheless, I refer to it not only because of its historical force, but also to highlight the entrenched belief system of its proponents. It twice states in explicit terms what the other two historic creeds strongly imply – a belief system that must be adhered to by everyone professing to be Christian. It is more accurate to say that it explicitly demands submission to the interpretation of the stated belief system that must be adhered to by everyone professing to be Christian! Of course, its author did not use the word interpretation anywhere. But that is exactly what it is! It is not the creed’s focus on the nature of God that is my focus, even though the author went to the extreme of significant hair-splitting in order to declare the nature of God. Such was his hyper-mindset; a mind-set of his times. His purpose was to defend God through abundant overkill. My focus is on the demand for submission to the other things stated in the creed. From the creed: “Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith, unless every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. (Emphasis mine) And the catholic faith is this: … (after pounding his overstated emphasis on the three persons of the God-head, the author continued) ... Who (Jesus) suffered for our salvation; descended to the dead (which by the end of the fourth century had become; descended into hell); rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, He sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence He will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.” (Emphasis mine). This creed, like the Apostles’ Creed, did not touch on the necessity of water baptism for salvation. It, like that creed, presupposed the teaching as established in the Patristic environment. All Patristic Fathers, without exception, taught the necessity of water baptism for salvation from their very beginning! This fact, per se, underscores the profound lack of spiritual understanding that was characteristic of the group! This was the group that launched the original Christian Church that had its beginning in the second century; the church that continues with various adjustments and accretions to this day!
It is beyond doubt that the three historic creeds taken together solidified the doctrines that people must believe in and confess water baptism as essential for salvation and the future coming of God’s Kingdom as essential for salvation! AWAY WITH SUCH GOD DISHONORING, FALSE AND DIVISIVE DOCTRINES OF FLESH! All of this false doctrine massively dishonors The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit! Its system of “belief” rejects the teaching of Jesus and His powerful fulfillment of the same! Jesus, The Way, The Truth, and The Life meant exactly what He said! And, His faithful love and power accomplished and secured His very same teachings!
There are other blatantly false doctrines propagated by the necessary additions to the creeds, known as the canons or rules. Those were not dispensable. They were essential components of the creeds. Their errors lie on the surface! Their standing is in nothing other than the authority of the bishops of the churches! Those church bishops stand in stark contrast to The Overseer Jesus Christ! It is not within my purpose to examine the various canons. Many are patently absurd. They are contrary to the doctrines of God fulfilled in His Son! I mention the canons as further evidence of the erroneously enclosing mind-set of the Patristic Churches; the milieu of the birth of the second century church.
The real issues of concern, as stated above, are in the degree to which modern church people hold to the church creeds. Are you weak and nearsighted, because you believe that your bestowed inheritance in the Kingdom of God is still in the future? Or, are you lost because you believe that all Christians must submit to water baptism and/or the future coming of the Kingdom of God in order to be saved? The first position is building wood, hay, and straw upon Jesus, the foundation. The second position is a damnable work of the flesh because it is manifestly divisive!
I quote John and Paul about what is necessary in order to be saved.
Though John Jesus said, “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.” And, “Jesus said to them (the crowd), ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. Now this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.’” Though Paul Jesus said, “But what does it (the righteousness that comes by faith) say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”, that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, leading to righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, leading to salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes upon Him will not be put to shame’. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him, for ‘Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
The word creed means “I confess”. The words of Jesus quoted above are the true confession! His words in the hearts and lives of His people are the one and only “creed”!
At worst the churches have cut themselves off from God by placing themselves under a system of justification by works; a position they can never satisfy! At best they have divested themselves of their full inheritance in the worship of God and faith in God by placing themselves within a system of futurism; a position which always waits for the power and the glory that God has already bestowed upon His assembly on the mountain, wherein Jesus alone rules and mediates all things and receives all due glory!
Paul on salvation:
By grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous will live by faith.”
Jesus on the fulfilled Kingdom of God:
In His Revelation (unveiling) through John Jesus made known the imminent end of the dominion and power of sin and death realized in God’s final judgment, and He made known the impending fulfillment of the Kingdom of God realized in God’s creation of the eternal heaven and earth. After stating five times throughout the book that its fulfillment was very near or at hand, Jesus finished His message with this statement:
“And he (Jesus’ angel) said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the one who does unrighteousness, still do unrighteousness; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still do righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.”
‘Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the authority to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
“I, Jesus, sent My angel to bear witness to you of these things for the assemblies. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come’. And let the one who hears say, ‘Come’. And let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who wishes receive the water of life without cost.
I bear witness to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.
He who bears witness to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”