Why the Nicene Creed in the BFM?

[@TitusCastiglione1503]

The fact that this was even necessary for some reason is part of why I’m not Baptist.

[@justified_parker]

Thankful for the work of Credo and these faithful Baptist brothers for working to ensure that we Baptists are thoroughiy orthodox!

[@ye73014]

Thank you for explaining your thoughts.

[@davisdietzenalt]

All churches should confess the creed every Sunday

[@caman171]

Baptists reject ALL creeds. but for now I will stick to the Nicene and its issues. If we have to "explain" certian things in the creed, and how "our" interpretation is different than how the Methodists, Catholics, Anglicans etc see it, then its useless 1. We reject baptismal regeneration. We believe the Greek word "eis" in Acts 2 should be interpreted to be "baptism BECAUSE of the remission of sins". Most churches do indeed teach that baptism and other "sacraments" are a means of grace, which we reject. We dont even use the word "sacrament" we say "ordinance" 2. Historically, the Catholic Church has taught that infant baptism washes away original sin, and that infnts who die unbaptized go to hell (read Augustine) 3. There are churches who DO teach that baptism is REQUIRED for salvation (churches of Christ, Oneness Pentecostals etc) 4. The "V" in Virgin is capitalized, which in Catholic teaching affirms the immaculate conception and perpetual virginity of Mary, which Baptists reject 5.The creed is recited at every Episcopal church, Methodist, Presbyterian, yet they are so liberal that they redefine "virgin" to mean "pure hearted" and deny the literal resurrection. So how has the creed prevented any error? If you deny the virgin birth and resurrection yet recite the Nicene creed that just proves our point 6. Confessions on the other hand can be updated, reworded and are meant to convey exactly what a group believes. If there are problems, we can correct them without consulting other "churches" 7. Historically, Baptists have seen themselves as neither Protestant nor Catholic (read Spurgeon). Both groups persecuted Baptists, so we have no affinity for their creeds. 8. Some say the creed only says what "every Christian believes". Thats the problem, When creeds are memorized, people go to creeds instead of scripture. They assume they will be saved if they "beleive" the creeds. 9. The above reasons are true of all Baptists, including SBC, Free Will Baptists, Primitive Baptists, Old Regular Baptists, Seventh Day Baptists, etc. Also other churches like the Assemblies of God, most Pentecostals, the Christian Church, Churches of Christ, Vineyard churches, Calvary Chapel churches etc are all non creedal, so its not just those crazy Baptists 4

[@Ingle70]

Your view of the Baptist Tradition is very dark, and places us as a cult, not too much better than SD adventists and Jehovah Witnesses. I urge you to abandon that ahistorical biblicism that leads to nowhere. The Creed is simply the confession of the Faith upon which the Church is built upon, as our Lord Jesus told Peter: “on this rock I will build my church”. According to your understanding, the Bible is what saves, rather than the Creed. Are you aware that the early apostolic Church had no New Testament yet? Were they in a worse place than JWs, Arians, and other cults?

[@caman171]

@@Ingle70 ah so in order to not be called a "cult" I must confess a creed that i constantly have to explain? no thanks. The Epsicopal church has bishops that dont even believe in the virgin birth, yet they say the creeds every Sunday, and yet I am the cultish one? The Nicene creed was written well after scripture was established so your argument has no merit. I never said the "bible" is what saves, It is Jesus that saves, not a creed. How many millions have said that creed and gone to hell, believing that if they do what some church says, then they are saved. As for Baptists being a cult nothing is farther from the truth. Baptists are the ONLY group of Christians who never had a state church and who have never stated that only they are saved, and never persecuted others. All other churches, from the Roman church to the Reformed church have at sometime in their history, persecuted others, even killing them, as well as saying everyone else is going to hell but them. Baptists have never done either. So if you can recite the creed while burning Baptists and Anabaptists at the stake, what does that show about the nature of creeds?

[@Ingle70]

@@caman171 I have to tell you that you are misinformed. The Canon that we accept was established a few decades after the Nicene Council, by Athanasius in one of his pascal letters. What Jesus saves? The arian Jesus, i.e. the first created being? The new age Jesus? The hundi Jesus? Or the Jesus, professed by the Holy Church in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan creed? If you cannot say the latter one, then I’m sorry, you are cultish. Of course, the Episcopal Church is in decay, and that’s sad, not because of the creeds, but although they have the creeds. We Baptists are doing (a little) better because we still enforce discipline among the “laity”, we want a regenerate membership. The rejection of creeds just creates pietistic deception. MANY baptists are deluded by believing that faith is first of all praying, singing, fasting… instead of knowing who our Lord is, and what he did. If you love the Bible, you will love the Creed. There is no other way. Besides, your criteria for orthodoxy is quite confusing. The marks of the true Church are: proclamation of the Word of God (that we find in the creeds), ministry of the sacraments (Baptism and Eucharist), and Discipline. Of course, killing people, persecution… is sinful, and undesirable… but even a true Church makes mistakes. But it seems you have a higher view of Salvation Army, JWs… than of Protestants and Catholics. You mindset is much more influenced by some Americanised freemason-led Unitarianism than by the wisdom we find in the Scriptures.

[@Ingle70]

@@caman171 Where is my reply? Deleted?