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Incredible creeds throughout history
1. Incredible creeds throughout history
2. Incredible creeds throughout history
John 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. [kjv]
ο δε εφη πιστευω κυριε και προσεκυνησεν αυτω [gnt]
… credo … adoravit … [v]
Throughout time, creeds have been introduced and used throughout Christian (and other) churches.
Here we look at some creeds and ideas behind some creeds throughout time.
3. John 9:38 Creed
John 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. [kjv]
ο δε εφη πιστευω κυριε και προσεκυνησεν αυτω [gnt]
… credo … adoravit … [v]
The English word
"crede" comes from the Latin word
"credo" ≈ "I believe, trust" and is a statement of belief. Many religious take a "
creed" very seriously and many "
creeds" have gone through hundreds or thousands of years of careful scrutiny and reasoning to make sure it is clear to all in all respects.
Nicene Creed (325 AD, updated 381 AD)
Apostle's Creed (c. 1300)
In the traditional
UM (United Methodist) Church, new members, especially young new members, go though an extensive class going through each part of the Apostle's Creed.
Something that is "
credible" is something that is "
believable".
4. John 9:38
KJV: And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
Greek: ο δε εφη πιστευω κυριε και προσεκυνησεν αυτω
Latin: at ille ait credo Domine et procidens adoravit eum
5. Nicene Creed
And [we believe] in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver-of-Life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets. And [we believe] in one, holy, catholic and Apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, [and] we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
6. Apostle's Creed
The Apostle's Creed starts as follows.
Latin: 1.
Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae,
English: 1.
I believe in God the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,
Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostles%27_Creed (as of 2023-04-29)
7. United Methodist Apostle's Creed
Versions:
Traditional Ecumenical
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker creator of heaven and earth;
And I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and was buried;
he descended to the dead
On the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
|
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come and will come again
to judge the quick living and the dead.
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.
|
The
"catholic church" means the
"universal church" and
not the Catholic Church.
8. Creed ideas
9. Creed ideas
10. Fort Benning
1 Poles
2 Poles unchanged
3 Poles changed
4 Poles changed again
In 1976, at Airborne school at Fort Benning, GA, there were West Point cadets and Air Force Academy cadets in the same group. There were 30 foot poles around a training field. Each had a letter that together spelled "
AIRBORNE".
One night, some Air Force cadets climbed the poles and changed some letters. Later that night some West Point cadets climbed a pole and changed one letter. It was very hot and humid those weeks. It was not clear how those cadets had the energy to do this at night.
11. Typing
12. Follow the leader
Matthew 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. [kjv]
και λεγει αυτοις δευτε οπισω μου και ποιησω υμας αλιεις ανθρωπων [gnt]
What is translated as "
follow me" is, in the Greek, "
come behind me".
Jesus does not call us to be "
leaders" in the human sense. We are to "
do" what Jesus wants us to "
do".
13. Matthew 4:19
KJV: And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Greek: και λεγει αυτοις δευτε οπισω μου και ποιησω υμας αλιεις ανθρωπων
14. Leader for God
Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. [kjv]
ελεγεν δε προς αυτους ο μεν θερισμος πολυς οι δε εργαται ολιγοι δεηθητε ουν του κυριου του θερισμου οπως εργατας εκβαλη εις τον θερισμον αυτου [gnt]
Where does Jesus say to be a "
leader"? That term is very ambiguous.
How about "
I am a worker for the Kingdom of God" or "
I am a worker for Jesus"?
The word "
leader" is ambiguous. In a human context, a "
leader" is someone who fits into a human system to do what the person in charge wants. If you fit into that system, for a good or bad system, you are called a "
leader".
Church as the universal collection of believers
Local church as local collection of believers
15. Luke 10:2
KJV: Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Greek: ελεγεν ουν δε προς αυτους ο μεν θερισμος πολυς οι δε εργαται ολιγοι δεηθητε ουν του κυριου του θερισμου οπως εκβαλλη εργατας εκβαλη εις τον θερισμον αυτου
16. Rock and sand
Build your house on the granite
rock of Jesus and not on the human sand (or stones) of man, Matthew 7:24-27. Sand is a chip off the old block of granite and made in the image of granite.
Church of believers built on the rock of Christ .
Church of believers built on the sand of man .
The higher one goes up the human
sand hierarchy or
sand tree, the more the temptation to ignore the foundation of the
rock and to start to "
influence" or "
manipulate" others as "
leaders" for one's own purposes.
To the extent that the Church of believers built on the sand of man helps one do what Jesus wants them to do, it is good. To the extent it does not, it is not good.
Some
birds will make "
stones" (sand on which to build their birdhouse) appear as "
bread". That is, give "
bad" "
gifts" or "
houses" to their "
children".
17. Ready to serve
One is to "love your neighbor as yourself" If one leaves out the "as yourself" there is no negative feedback loop. This can be used to get people to do things that go against God's laws.
So, although we are to "help" others and "love" others, we are not really to "serve" others as in doing exactly what they want. Satan would like us to "serve" him. How do we know the difference?
18. Two laws
19. Matthew 22:37
KJV: Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Greek: ο δε ιησους ειπεν εφη αυτω αγαπησεις κυριον τον θεον σου εν ολη τη καρδια σου και εν ολη τη ψυχη σου και εν ολη τη διανοια σου
20. Matthew 22:38
KJV: This is the first and great commandment.
Greek: αυτη εστιν πρωτη και η μεγαλη και πρωτη εντολη
21. Matthew 22:39
KJV: And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Greek: δευτερα δε ομοια αυτη αγαπησεις τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον
22. Love is the only way
The ancient Greek word
"αγάπη" ≈ "totally devoted to, love" from which we get the word
"agape".
The difference between "
God is love" and "
Love is god" can be subtle and deceptive - especially when spoken without the distinction between the one and only creator "
God" and a "
god" as in an idol or a desire.
This fallacy is common, covered extensively by Aristotle, and called the
converse fallacy as one of many names describing it.
23. Influence
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [kjv]
πορευθεντες ουν μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη βαπτιζοντες αυτους εις το ονομα του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος [gnt]
We are to "
teach" others. We are not asked to "
influence" others in the human sense of "
manipulation" where the ends justify the means. This has happened throughout history.
This starts at home and in the neighborhood but there is no geographical limit to this commandment. Traditionally, churches sent and/or supported missionaries to help do this. When was the last time you heard about missionaries from your church and what they have done?
24. Matthew 28:19
KJV: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Greek: πορευθεντες ουν μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη βαπτιζοντες αυτους εις το ονομα του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος
25. Influence
The idea of "
influence" is that of "
manipulation". This is done in the marketing field. We are not trying to "
influence" or "
manipulate" others. The word "
influence" is what is called a "
loaded word".
At some point, one starts to hear what is called a
multi-level marketing scheme where people are mesmerized into following the leader in selling whatever it is that the leader wants sold and using whatever methods will work to sell it.
2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. [kjv]
και εν πλεονεξια πλαστοις λογοις υμας εμπορευσονται οις το κριμα εκπαλαι ουκ αργει και η απωλεια αυτων ου νυσταζει [gnt]
26. 2 Peter 2:3
KJV: And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Greek: και εν πλεονεξια πλαστοις λογοις υμας εμπορευσονται οις το κριμα εκπαλαι ουκ αργει και η απωλεια αυτων ου νυσταζει
27. Worship
The English word
"worship" comes, in part, from the "
worthiness" of that being venerated. We are not to look down on God by valuing "
our time" more important than "
God's time" as in "
I will try to make time for God". How much is my time and focus worth?
What is the difference in the following?
God is "worthy" to be "worshiped".
It is "worth" my time to "worship" God.
28. Word
Learning God's Word is very important. Be careful that you do not pick and choose, or "
cherry pick", what parts of God's word you learn.
Deception is
not usually done with false facts. Deception is usually done by presenting selective facts.
What Bible translation is being used in church services? A red flag is that versions are switched to support the opinion of the pastor and/or no indication is provided to the congregation of which version is being used.
29. God's Word
Whenever learning God's Word, study the context of the verses, the background of the verses, and the original meanings of the words - which may not always be easy since over time the meanings of these words both changed and were changed to what people wanted those words to mean and not what they may have meant when originally spoken and/or written.
30. Encouragement and reputation
Jesus did not protect reputations. The idea of "
reputation" appears to be connected with a pre-occupation over an individual worldly human "
legacy". No where does God or Jesus appear to be concerned with one's "
legacy".
One should pass on "
God's legacy" to your children. Joshua states this before the people enter the promised land.
31. Teach your children
Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: [kjv]
6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. [kjv]
6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: [kjv]
6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. [kjv]
32. Deuteronomy 6:4
KJV: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Hebrew: שמע ישראל יהוה אלהינו יהוה אחד׃
Greek: και ταυτα τα δικαιωματα και τα κριματα οσα ενετειλατο κυριος τοις υιοις ισραηλ εν τη ερημω εξελθοντων αυτων εκ γης αιγυπτου ακουε ισραηλ κυριος ο θεος ημων κυριος εις εστιν
33. Deuteronomy 6:5
KJV: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Hebrew: ואהבת את יהוה אלהיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך׃
Greek: και αγαπησεις κυριον τον θεον σου εξ ολης της καρδιας σου και εξ ολης της ψυχης σου και εξ ολης της δυναμεως σου
34. Deuteronomy 6:6
KJV: And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Hebrew: והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום על לבבך׃
Greek: και εσται τα ρηματα ταυτα οσα εγω εντελλομαι σοι σημερον εν τη καρδια σου και εν τη ψυχη σου
35. Deuteronomy 6:7
KJV: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Hebrew: ושננתם לבניך ודברת בם בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך ובשכבך ובקומך׃
Greek: και προβιβασεις αυτα τους υιους σου και λαλησεις εν αυτοις καθημενος εν οικω και πορευομενος εν οδω και κοιταζομενος και διανισταμενος
36. Dogs
If the church is lead by a "
wolf dog", or a "
sheep dog" that does not really understand the word of God, does one have the obligation to "
declare the truth" even if that "
truth" does not protect a "
legacy" or "
reputation"? One should be careful not to give proxy approval to the "
sheep dog", as a "
wolf dog", to cast your "
pearls" (holy access rights) to "
swine" (outsiders) to, say, increase attendance and revenue at the church.
Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. [kjv]
μη δωτε το αγιον τοις κυσιν μηδε βαλητε τους μαργαριτας υμων εμπροσθεν των χοιρων μηποτε καταπατησουσιν αυτους εν τοις ποσιν αυτων και στραφεντες ρηξωσιν υμας [gnt]
7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. [kjv]
προσεχετε απο των ψευδοπροφητων οιτινες ερχονται προς υμας εν ενδυμασιν προβατων εσωθεν δε εισιν λυκοι αρπαγες [gnt]
37. Matthew 7:6
KJV: Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Greek: μη δωτε το αγιον τοις κυσιν μηδε βαλητε τους μαργαριτας υμων εμπροσθεν των χοιρων μηποτε καταπατησωσιν καταπατησουσιν αυτους εν τοις ποσιν αυτων και στραφεντες ρηξωσιν υμας
38. Matthew 7:15
KJV: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Greek: προσεχετε δε απο των ψευδοπροφητων οιτινες ερχονται προς υμας εν ενδυμασιν προβατων εσωθεν δε εισιν λυκοι αρπαγες
39. Throwing pearls build
1 Gates
2 Gates with ask
3 Gates with sheep-dog
4 Gates with wolf-dog
5 Gates with thrown pearls
6 Gates with swine
This chart build is to summarize Matthew 7.
The end result of giving what is "
holy", control of the group, to a wolf-dog and having white and then gray "
pearls" cast to "
swine" to be trodden down to become black pearls is to divide the group into "
few" and "
some". Only the "
few" who have otherwise ignored the "
wolf" will find and knock on the gate to life and have it opened.
40. Forgiven
Are you sure you are "
forgiven"? Does just saying that make it so? How do you know? Do you need to anything to be forgiven? You need to apply. You need to ask.
Are you "
perfect"? There is an ambiguity in the English in that the Greek word often translated as "
perfect" does not mean "
without error". It means "
complete" and, sometimes, "
purpose" as in an "
end result".
41. Blessed
Are you "
blessed" by God? Are you a "
blessing" to others? There is a confusion in English in that the words for "
bless" and "
bliss" were conflated. The English word
"bless" originated with word for "
blood" as a rite of (pagan) sanctification. Thus, "
bless" and "
bled" are related words.
A better way might be to acknowledge that you have received grace/favor from God and you will help let others share in that grace/favor (by teaching, etc.). God gives the grace/favor. It is not yours to give. What you can do is love their neighbor
as yourself.
42. A blessed comparison
Matthew 11:6 And blessed is he, who soever shall not be offended in me. [kjv]
και μακαριος εστιν ος αν μη σκανδαλισθη εν εμοι [gnt]
… happy … offended … [ty]
Latin has one word for which Greek has two separate words:
"blessed" as in "happy" or "content" (used here)
"blessed" as in "fortunate" or receiving a "good word" as in "eulogy".
In English, the word "
blessed" comes from the word for "
bloody" as in a ritual sacrifice. The meaning for "
bliss" was merged with "
blessed" and associated with "
getting something" and with "
joy" (another word mistranslated from the Greek).
43. Matthew 5:8 Bless your heart
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. [kjv]
μακαριοι οι καθαροι τη καρδια οτι αυτοι τον θεον οψονται [gnt]
The phrase
"bless" your
"heart" is a
southern saying that has several meanings.
It might express sympathy.
It might be said before an insult - to soften the blow as in "well bless her heart".
It might be used as a nice way to say "you are not very smart" as in "well bless his heart".
One might hear it used about children who are not well-behaved.
44. Talents
45. A joyous thank you for the grace of a gaudy favor
The Greek word often translated as "
joy" can be mistaken as meaning "
merry" or "
great happiness" or "
bliss". The word "
joy" comes, through French, from the Latin
"gaudia" ≈ "joy" and which became
"gaudy".
The ancient Greek word
"χαρά" ≈ "favor, grace" was the word used to translate the Hebrew word. Following Jesus is not all "
joy" in the modern English sense of the word.
Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; [kjv]
At the time, the meaning of "
suffer" was to "
passively endure". So much of this endurance was painful persecution that the word took on the meaning it has today. Another Greek word meant "
suffer" as in "
to allow".
46. Glory
Does God want anything besides "
time", "
talents" and "
treasures"? God wants as to give "
glory" to God. The Greek word translated as "
glory" means "
opinion". We give "
glory" to God not by standing up and making some physical gestures. We give "
glory" to God by deferring our personal "
opinion" to the "
opinion" of God. We take away God's "
glory" by substituting our "
opinion" for that of God. This means that determining what God's word actually says is very important. Without God's word, it is just our "
opinion" or "
glory".
47. Body of Christ
We may be the Body of Christ currently here on earth, but hopefully (in the Biblical expectation sense) not always on earth.
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. [kjv]
τα ανω φρονειτε μη τα επι της γης [gnt]
48. Colossians 3:2
KJV: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Greek: τα ανω φρονειτε μη τα επι της γης
49. Elizabethtown
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [kjv]
πορευθεντες ουν μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη βαπτιζοντες αυτους εις το ονομα του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος [gnt]
We are here to "
love our neighbor as ourself". We are not here to compete with the world which will love it's own and hate any Christian because they hate Jesus. One way to get the world to love you is to become of the world and like the world.
50. Love and hate
John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another. [kjv]
ταυτα εντελλομαι υμιν ινα αγαπατε αλληλους [gnt]
… mando … diligatis … [v]
15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. [kjv]
ει ο κοσμος υμας μισει γινωσκετε οτι εμε πρωτον υμων μεμισηκεν [gnt]
15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. [kjv]
51. John 15:17
KJV: These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Greek: ταυτα εντελλομαι υμιν ινα αγαπατε αλληλους
Latin: haec mando vobis ut diligatis invicem
52. John 15:18
KJV: If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Greek: ει ο κοσμος υμας μισει γινωσκετε οτι εμε πρωτον υμων μεμισηκεν
53. John 15:19
KJV: If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Greek: ει εκ του κοσμου ητε ο κοσμος αν το ιδιον εφιλει οτι δε εκ του κοσμου ουκ εστε αλλ εγω εξελεξαμην υμας εκ του κοσμου δια τουτο μισει υμας ο κοσμος
54. We are the church
55. Communication sequence
1 Say
2 Deceive
3 Misinterpret
A "
false Christ" is not just someone who says "
I am Christ. Do this.". Someone who says "
Christ says to do this" is functionally equivalent to someone who says "
I am Christ. Do this.". The Greek word translated as "
glory" has a meaning of "
opinion". Giving "
glory" to God means deferring one's own opinion to the opinion of God. Taking glory from God means substituting one's own opinion for God's opinion. One way to do this is to change the Bible to fit one's own opinion.
56. Comparison
There is little functional difference between the two scenarios.
wolf dog deliberately deceiving
sheep dog deceiving by misinterpretation
Jesus warns of this in Matthew 11:6. In the next chapter, Matthew 12, Jesus warns of "
idle words" that, for whatever reason, do not "
work for Christ". In a top-down manner this is connected to the "
unpardonable sin" and Jesus states a decision procedure to separate the above two, functionally similar, scenarios.
57. False teaching as poison
Talking about false teachers, early church father
Ignatius writes the following to the
Trallians (part 6.2, underlining added).
The Greek for "
unsuspecting" is "
ignorant". One needs to study the truth to not be "
ignorant".
English: ... these people, while pretending to be trustworthy, mix Jesus Christ with themselves - like those who administer a deadly drug with honeyed wine, which the unsuspecting victim accepts without fear and so with final pleasure drinks down death. Holmes, M. (2007). The Apostolic Fathers. 3rd Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, p. 219.
What is the
functional difference between the following?
Someone who says "I am Christ. Do this." (false Christ).
Someone who says "I represent Christ. Christ says to do this.".
58. Puffed up with pride
After warning about the poison of false teachers, Ignatius tells the Trallians in the very next line that being puffed up with pride makes one susceptible to such false teachers (part 7.1).
English: Therefore be on your guard against such people. And you will be provided that you are not puffed up with pride ...
Holmes, M. (2007).
The Apostolic Fathers. 3rd Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, p. 208.
Such prideful people think (know) that they know the answers without even checking to verify them. They will proclaim "
I am" followed by assertions or oaths of their self-exalted position.
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. [kjv]
59. End of page
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [kjv]
22:38 This is the first and great commandment. [kjv]
22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. [kjv]
