You bactually believe that reciting the Memorizes APOSTLES CREED, makes you a real Christian?
NOT EVEN CLOSE, I used to RATTLE OFF the APOSTLES CREED, from the time I understood the words, by memory, BUT I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT DID NOT SAVE ME. I was NOT BORN AGAIN, until after 3 attempts at suicide, in the last week of 1977, when I was almost 29 years old. A wave of MOURNING OVER MY UTTER SINFULNESS FOR MY WHOLE LIFESTYLE, washed over me, again, and again. I was BEGGING TO BE FORGIVEN, over, and over again, while I surrendered totally to JESUS CHRIST, out of LOVE FOR HIM.
THAT IS THE FIRST TIME I EVER KNEW THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD COME INTO TO ME.
That NIGHT AFTER A THIRD ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE, I KNEW that if I did not turn around right there and then, I WAS WALKING INTO HADES/HELL of my own accord. And that thought was the most TERRIFYING experience of my whole life. I WAS LITERALLY STANDING IN THE GATES OF HADES/HELL, AND IT WAS SO REAL. I was weeping like a baby, as I mourned over my UTTERLY SINFUL lifestyle.
I was still weeping and crying: "LORD FOR GIVE ME! If you have a purpose for my life, you have to come into me and do it, because I cannot do it. I am making a total mess of running my life." NO ONE IN THE LUTHERAN CHURCH ever taught me to pray that prayer; I absolutely believe the HOLY SPIRIT gave me that PRAYER when I NEEDED IT MOST. It was a loving TOTAL surrender to Jesus Christ, and I KNEW I WOULD NOT EVER TAKE IT BACK.
We are not talking about Sonship, nor even Fellowship with my buddy Jesus. WE ARE TALKING about GENUINE BORN AGAIN, SALVATION.
When have you ever Mourned over your UTTER SINFULNESS?
When have you ever Surrendered out of LOVE, to Jesus Christ?
Your memorized APOSTLES CREED, does not SAVE YOU; I tried it.
You are deliberately disregarding the words of the creed. I defy you to find anything non Biblical in it. You also ignore the reason for its existence. I will try again using the KISS method (Keep It Simple Stupid). This is a well known acrynom for technical endeavors. I used it in electronics and software.
1. In the early church there was differences of opinion with many issues.
2. In the early church heresies almost took over the church.
3. There was a need to define the minimum beliefs to be a Christian.
4. The Roman Creed was the first attempt to define it.
5. The Roman Creed was taken from the great commission and dates to the 200s.
6. The Roman Creed was deemed insufficient.
7. The result was the Apostles Creed in the 300s.
8. Due to language differences and language changing over time it has been under constant changing to keep to the original intent.
Here is a different way of writing it.
What I believe
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.
I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
I believe Jesus was born of the virgin Mary.
I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.
I believe the third day he rose again from the dead.
I believe He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
I believe from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit.
I believe in the holy universal church
I believe in the communion of saints.
I believe in the forgiveness of sins.
I believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
The Apostles Creed modified!
Where is there any non Biblical statement? Put up or shut up. I don't care about how you choose to be a Christian as long as you give others the same respect. I believe doctrinal statements like this as long as they are Biblical can help people understand the theology of the Bible.
I keep asking dcontroversal to list all verses on a topic. I ask this because it points out a failure of the Bible only concept. The Bible is the word of God but Bible helps especially like the systematic theology books help by pointing into the Bible. With a systematic theology book you can look up ALL verses on a particular subject. Impossible to do with just the Bible. Therein lies a problem. To understand any Biblical issue ALL verses in context on an issue must be read and understood. Dcontroversal has yet to tell me an answer to the dilemma of finding ALL verses on an issue with Bible only. I lay that challenge on you.