{"id":55269,"date":"2024-09-11T07:28:46","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T14:28:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/?p=55269"},"modified":"2024-09-11T07:28:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T14:28:47","slug":"credo-i-believe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/credo-i-believe\/","title":{"rendered":"Credo: I Believe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\u201cChristian, what do you believe?\u201d In gatherings of the church, such questions are typically followed by recitations of the <strong>Apostles\u2019<\/strong> or <strong>Nicene Creeds.<\/strong> While some may balk at the inclusion of creeds in a worship service, many Christians have found these short summaries of core Christian doctrine helpful for unifying the church and instructing its members. The following article helps explains the history of these two creeds and what they affirm about the Bible\u2019s teaching on the <strong>Father, Son,<\/strong> and <strong>Holy Spirit.<\/strong> This article was adapted from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=46317\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Doctrine in the Creeds<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The History of the Apostles\u2019 and Nicene Creeds<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Apostles\u2019 <\/strong>and <strong>Nicene Creeds<\/strong> developed out of the baptismal practices of the early church, where those being baptized customarily confessed their faith in response to a series of questions framed along Trinitarian lines. This pattern derived from the words of Jesus in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Matt+28%3A19&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matthew 28:19<\/a>, where he told his disciples to baptize the nations in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The baptismal confessions growing out of this practice thus came to be associated with the apostles, although there is no evidence they ever composed a creed themselves. The <strong>Apostles\u2019 Creed<\/strong> as we know it today is an eighth-century version of a much older statement of faith, perhaps from the second century. The <strong>Nicene Creed,<\/strong> on the other hand, was probably composed at or soon after the <em>First Council of Constantinople<\/em> (A.D. 381). It was certainly in existence at the <em>Council of Chalcedon<\/em> (451) and was mistakenly attributed to the <em>First Council of Nicaea<\/em> (325), which produced a similar creed no longer in use. The <strong>Apostles\u2019 Creed<\/strong> belongs above all to the Western (Latin-speaking) wing of the ancient church. The <strong>Nicene Creed<\/strong> originated in the Eastern (Greek-speaking) wing and was not widely known in the West until the eighth century. In its Western form, which probably originated in Spain in the late sixth century, this creed states that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (Latin <em>filioque<\/em>), an addition never accepted in the East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The First Section: God the Father<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Both creeds open with a short confession of God the Father, described as the Almighty and the Creator of heaven and earth. The term \u201cAlmighty\u201d translates the Hebrew <em>El Shaddai,<\/em> which occurs frequently in the OT, and the Greek <em>Pantokrator,<\/em> which is found only once in the NT (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=2+Cor+6%3A18&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2 Cor. 6:18<\/a>) apart from the book of Revelation (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Rev+1%3A8&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1:8<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Rev+4%3A8&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4:8<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Rev+11%3A17&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">11:17<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Rev+21%3A22&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">21:22<\/a>), although it expresses the divine sovereignty clearly fundamental to the biblical message as a whole. The reference to the Creator comes in the first instance from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Gen+1%3A1&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Genesis 1:1<\/a>, but the <strong>Nicene Creed<\/strong> adds that he made \u201call things visible and invisible,\u201d a phrase taken from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Col+1%3A16&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Colossians 1:16<\/a> to express an emphasis found more in the NT than in the Old (see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Rom+1%3A20&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rom. 1:20<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+11%3A3&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Heb. 11:3<\/a>). That God himself is invisible was always the belief of Israel, but the creedal statement refers to spiritual creatures like angels, who appear in the OT without any explanation of their origin or nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Second Section: God the Son<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The second section of the creeds is the lengthiest, expounding the earthly mission of God the Son in great detail, because here, more than anywhere else, the Christian church stood apart from Judaism and other religions and philosophies of the time. The <strong>Nicene Creed<\/strong> is generally fuller in its christological affirmations than the <strong>Apostles\u2019 Creed,<\/strong> although the <strong>Nicene Creed<\/strong> only says that the Son \u201csuffered and was buried,\u201d while the <strong>Apostles\u2019 Creed<\/strong> specifies that he \u201cdied,\u201d responding to the contention of some that he merely swooned on the cross and was resuscitated in the tomb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking at the christological section in order, both creeds begin with the affirmation that Jesus is the only Son of God. The <strong>Nicene Creed<\/strong> elaborates by adding that he is the \u201conly-begotten\u201d Son (from a dated translation of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Jn+1%3A14&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 1:14<\/a>) and that his birth was eternal (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Jn+1%3A1-3&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 1:1\u20133<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+1&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hebrews 1<\/a>). As in all births, the offspring shares the nature of its parents, leading to the confession that the Son is God from God, Light from Light, and so on. The scriptural basis for this is principally the prologue to John\u2019s Gospel (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=John+1%3A1-14&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 1:1\u201314<\/a>), but analogous statements can be found in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Phil+2%3A6&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Philippians 2:6<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Col+2%3A9&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Colossians 2:9<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+1%3A8-9&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hebrews 1:8\u20139<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+John+2%3A8&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 John 2:8<\/a>, and elsewhere in the NT. The creeds stress the fact that he was not made as a creature but was born from the Father, a doctrine implied by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Jn+1%3A3&amp;version=ESV\">J<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Jn+1%3A3&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ohn 1:3<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Col+1%3A15-17&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Colossians 1:15\u201317<\/a>; and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+1%3A3&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hebrews 1:3<\/a> but contested in ancient times by those who refused to accept that God the Father could have an equal in the Son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The creeds describe the incarnation of the Son by saying he was \u201cconceived by the Holy Spirit\u201d and \u201cborn of the Virgin Mary.\u201d That Mary was the mother of Jesus is clear from the Gospels (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Matt+1&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matthew 1<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Lk+1-2&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke 1\u20132<\/a>), and Matthew records that he was conceived by the Spirit in the womb of a virgin (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Matt+1%3A20&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matt. 1:20<\/a>). The virginal conception was prefigured in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Isa+7%3A14&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Isaiah 7:14<\/a>, where the Hebrew world <em>almah<\/em> (\u201cyoung woman\u201d) was translated as <em>parthenos<\/em> (\u201cvirgin\u201d) in the Greek version of the OT known as the Septuagint, which appeared two or three centuries before the birth of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The creeds omit any mention of the earthly life and ministry of Jesus and move straight from his birth to his crucifixion, which they describe in terms taken from the Gospels. They are particularly concerned to insist on the historicity of the event, underlined by the confession that Jesus was sent to his death \u201cunder Pontius Pilate,\u201d the Roman governor of Judea (A.D. 26\u201336) whose actions are amply recorded by all four Evangelists. That he suffered and was buried is also clear from their narratives, as is the fact that he was dead before being taken down from the cross (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Matt+27%3A50&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matt. 27:50<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Mk+15%3A39&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mark 15:39<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Lk+23%3A46&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke 23:46<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Jn+19%3A33&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 19:33<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most obscure and controversial statement in this section of the <strong>Apostles\u2019 Creed<\/strong> is the statement that after his death he \u201cdescended into hell.\u201d This confession appears to be based on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Pet+3%3A18-20&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Peter 3:18\u201320<\/a>, which says that Jesus went to preach to the souls imprisoned in the days of Noah. It is unclear how this should be understood, and the creeds do not elaborate. Some modern translations of the creeds change \u201chell\u201d to \u201cHades\u201d or \u201cthe dead,\u201d a reminder that it is unclear where exactly Jesus went. On the other hand, the descent into hell reminds us that Christ suffered the penalty of sin for the elect (including damnation) and defeated the power of Satan (see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Rev+12%3A7-12&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rev. 12:7\u201312<\/a>), although this is not made explicit in the creeds themselves. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eph+4%3A8-9&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ephesians 4:8\u20139<\/a>, a quotation from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Ps+68%3A18&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Psalm 68:18<\/a> that Paul amplified, may also support this doctrine, but its meaning is also hard to interpret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From the descent of Christ into hell, the creeds pass immediately to his resurrection on \u201cthe third day,\u201d which by inclusive reckoning is the Sunday following the crucifixion on Good Friday, the eve of the Sabbath. This was a key element in the apostles\u2019 preaching, as can be seen from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Mk+9%3A31&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mark 9:31<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Mk+10%3A34&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10:34<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Lk+9%3A22&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke 9:22<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Lk+24%3A7&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">24:7<\/a>; and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Acts+10%3A40&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Acts 10:40<\/a>. The resurrection itself is amply attested by the Gospels and was a cornerstone of the faith of the first Christians, as Paul reminded the Corinthians (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Cor+15%3A3-19&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Cor. 15:3\u201319<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ascension of Christ into heaven is recorded in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Lk+24%3A50-51&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke 24:50\u201351<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Acts+1%3A6-11&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Acts 1:6\u201311<\/a>, although it is not mentioned in the other Gospels. There is, however, a direct reference to it in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eph+4%3A8-10&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ephesians 4:8\u201310<\/a>. His heavenly session \u201cat the right hand of God\u201d is taken primarily from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Acts+2%3A33&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Acts 2:33<\/a> and is well-attested elsewhere (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Rom+8%3A34&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rom. 8:34<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Col+3%3A1&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Col. 3:1<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Heb+10%3A12&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Heb. 10:12<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Pet+3%3A22&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Pet. 3:22<\/a>). His return in glory to judge the living and the dead is mentioned in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Acts+10%3A42&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Acts 10:42<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=2+Tim+4%3A1&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2 Timothy 4:1<\/a>; and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Pet+4%3A5&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Peter 4:5<\/a>, and is supported by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Cor+15%3A20-28&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Corinthians 15:20\u201328<\/a>, although it is not specifically mentioned in that text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Third Section: God the Holy Spirit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The third article of the creeds touches on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. The <strong>Apostles\u2019 Creed<\/strong> does not develop this doctrine, but the <strong>Nicene Creed<\/strong> follows the pattern of scriptural proof for the divinity of the Holy Spirit presented by Basil of Caesarea (d. A.D. 379) in his book on the subject. Basil demonstrated that, according to the NT, the Spirit is addressed as Lord (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=2+Cor+3%3A18&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2 Cor. 3:18<\/a>); is the giver of life, a divine attribute (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Jn+6%3A63&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 6:63<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=2+Cor+3%3A6&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2 Cor. 3:6<\/a>); proceeds from the Father (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Jn+15%3A26&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 15:26<\/a>); is worshiped and glorified along with the Father and the Son (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Matt+28%3A19&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matt. 28:19<\/a>); and has inspired the prophets, who spoke the Word of God (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=2+Pet+1%3A21&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2 Pet. 1:21<\/a>). The Western church came to believe that the Holy Spirit must proceed from the Son as well as the Father because he is the Spirit of the Son (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Gal+4%3A6&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gal. 4:6<\/a>), but the Eastern church has always rejected that interpretation, preferring to read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Jn+15%3A26&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 15:26<\/a> as implicitly excluding procession from the Son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The last section of the creeds deals with particular aspects of the Christian life and may be regarded as an appendix to the section on the Holy Spirit. First is the church, which is one, holy, catholic (or \u201cuniversal\u201d), and apostolic. The unity of the church is clear from 1 Corinthians, where Paul attacks schismatic tendencies that had taken hold of the congregation there, and is also alluded to in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eph+4%3A16&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ephesians 4:16<\/a>. The church\u2019s holiness is mentioned specifically in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Pet+2%3A9&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Peter 2:9<\/a> and assumed almost everywhere in the NT Epistles, which constantly reiterate the need for believers to lead holy lives as a witness to the church\u2019s mission. Its catholicity (or universality) is attested by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Acts+2%3A9-11&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Acts 2:9\u201311<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Gal+3%3A28&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Galatians 3:28<\/a>, and every passage that discusses the place given to non-Jewish believers. Its apostolicity is expressly stated in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eph+2%3A20&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ephesians 2:20<\/a>, and the theme runs through the Acts of the Apostles and most of the NT Epistles, whose authority rests on their apostolic origin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following the statement on the church is one regarding baptism for the forgiveness of sins, stated explicitly in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Acts+2%3A38&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Acts 2:38<\/a> and alluded to elsewhere (see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Matt+26%3A28&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matt. 26:28<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Rom+3%3A25&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rom. 3:25<\/a>). The resurrection of the body is the main theme of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Cor+15%3A35-58&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Corinthians 15:35\u201358<\/a>, and the everlasting life that follows is the promise held out to believers both in that passage and elsewhere (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Thess+4%3A17&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Thess. 4:17<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Rev+21-22&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Revelation 21\u201322<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Get the ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"580\" src=\"http:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ESVSystematicTheologySBSocial-1024x580.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53640\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ESVSystematicTheologySBSocial-1024x580.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ESVSystematicTheologySBSocial-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ESVSystematicTheologySBSocial-768x435.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ESVSystematicTheologySBSocial-1536x870.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This was one of twenty-five longer articles summarizing important theological topics in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=46317\">ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible<\/a>. Other features of this unique study Bible include over 400 short doctrinal summaries alongside the text and introductions to each book of the Bible with explanations of how each book contributes to the Christian theology. Get your copy today and start digging into what you believe!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=46317\" style=\"background-color:#77aa3c\">ESV SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY STUDY BIBLE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cChristian, what do you believe?\u201d In gatherings of the church, such questions are typically followed by recitations of the Apostles\u2019 or Nicene Creeds. While some may balk at the inclusion of creeds in a worship service, many Christians have found these short summaries of core Christian doctrine helpful for unifying the church and instructing its<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":55090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7850],"tags":[5935],"class_list":{"0":"post-55269","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-study-bibles","8":"tag-esv-systematic-theology-study-bible"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Credo: I Believe - Olive Tree Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/credo-i-believe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Credo: I Believe\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cChristian, what do you believe?\u201d In gatherings of the church, such questions are typically followed by recitations of the Apostles\u2019 or Nicene Creeds.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/credo-i-believe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Olive Tree Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OliveTreeBible\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-11T14:28:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-11T14:28:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/william-gullo-GLPg-lsJ3zo-unsplash-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1725\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Brad Hoffman\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@OliveTreeBible\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@OliveTreeBible\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Brad Hoffman\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/credo-i-believe\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/credo-i-believe\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Brad Hoffman\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/staging-blog.olivetree.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a5aa5788c774e9c21340b24cb3f5091b\"},\"headline\":\"Credo: I Believe\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-11T14:28:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-11T14:28:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/credo-i-believe\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1722,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/credo-i-believe\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/william-gullo-GLPg-lsJ3zo-unsplash-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Study Bibles\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/credo-i-believe\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/credo-i-believe\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.olivetree.com\\\/blog\\\/credo-i-believe\\\/\",\"name\":\"Credo: I Believe - 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