Credo
My Personal Credo
1. God is sovereign.[1] He does as He pleases and acts for His own glory. Nothing comes to pass without His decree or permission. As sovereign Lord, God is the author, sustainer, ruler, judge, and redeemer of Creation.
1.1 Author[2] - God is the author of Creation. God spoke all things into existence out of His abundant goodness, as a manifestation of His infinite glory, and in a state of undefiled perfection. He created all things out of nothing and nothing came into being which he did not create.
1.2 Sustainer[3] – God sustains Creation by his common grace. Every aspect of Creation is wholly dependent on God for its continued life and existence.
1.3 Ruler[4] – God rules creation as Lord and King. All of his decrees are righteous and just. God does not change his mind and no being can hinder or thwart His plans. All people are subject to His authority in all matters.
1.4 Judge[5] – God is the righteous judge over all of Creation. No word, thought, or action is hid from His throne of judgment. God actively judges nations and man in history and ultimately judges man on the Last Day.
1.5 Redeemer[6] – God is sovereign over redemption. God, being infinitely superior to man in wisdom, has seen fit to redeem some people for Himself from among every tongue, tribe, people, and nation.
2. God is three persons in one being[7] - The trinity is a profound mystery to man, yet we know that there is one God, revealed as three distinct persons, each of the same substance. The three persons of the trinity are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2.1 Father[8] – God is a loving, gracious, and merciful Father. He shows longsuffering patience with His children and gives protection over them. As a loving Father, God disciplines His children and calls them to Himself through His Son.
2.2 Son[9] – The Son is begotten of the Father from all eternity. The Son covenanted with the Father under the covenant of grace so as to be its mediator. The Son is the perfect representation of the Father.
2.3 Holy Spirit[10] – The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father from all eternity. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity. He applies the work of redemption accomplished by the Son. The Holy Spirit convicts men of sin, regenerates God’s elect, works toward sanctification in God’s elect, and serves as a light, guide, and comfort to all who know Christ.
3. Man is created in the image of God[11] - God created man in His image, namely as a rational and righteous being. As a rationale being man is able to think and act of his own free will. As a righteous being man is able to love God naturally. Because man is created in God’s image he is inherently valuable and capable of knowing God.
3.1 Covenant of Works[12] – Man was created good under the covenant of works. Under this covenant, man, in his original state, was able to obey God’s righteous commandments and thus live.
3.2 The Fall and the Spread of Sin[13]- Although created in a state of righteousness, man chose to reject God’s commandment and thus forfeit the promise of life. Through the first sin of the first man all men became inherently sinful, losing their inherent righteousness. No man is now able to fulfill the requirements of the covenant of works.
3.3 Covenant of Grace[14] – God, in His gracious and loving provision for man, saw fit to establish a Covenant of Grace between man and Himself with Christ as the mediator. Under this covenant, eternal life is offered on the basis of Christ’s atoning work on the cross. God effectively establishes this covenant with His elect. This covenant is applied to God’s children in the following way:
3.3.1 Election[15] – Before the creation of the world God chose a people for Himself and for His glory.
3.3.2 Call[16] – God patiently calls all people to Himself through the message of the Gospel. The Gospel summons all people everywhere to faith in Christ. However, because man is inherently sinful, he considers the Gospel foolish and refuses the call.
3.3.3 Regeneration[17] – Those whom God elects, He regenerates through His Holy Spirit, enabling them to accept the Gospel call. When God regenerates a person, they are made a new creation. The regenerate man is still a sinner, yet he is now capable of faith and given a new desire to love and obey God.
3.3.4 Justification[18] – The regenerate man who accepts the Gospel call by faith is justified by God. This man, although guilty under the covenant of works, is declared righteous by God on account of Christ.
3.3.5 Sanctification[19] – The justified believer begins the process of sanctification, by which he cooperates with the Holy Spirit in obedience and love to God. As the believer progresses in sanctification, he more and more reflects the righteousness of Christ. (Cor. Mirror passage)
3.3.6 Glorification[20] – On the Day of Judgment, the believer, having been justified, will be fully transformed into the image of Christ for the glory of God.
4. Christ is the mediator of the Covenant of Grace[21] - The terms of this covenant of grace were established in the council of the trinity before the creation of the world. Christ, as mediator of the Covenant, reigns with God the Father over all Creation.
4.1 Promise of Christ in OT[22] – Christ is spoken of throughout the Old Testament as the fulfillment of God’s promises to His people. The Old Testament tells us that Christ will be born of a virgin, fulfill the laws of righteousness, suffer and die for the sins of His people, return to life, and reign as rightful King over creation.
4.2 Born of a Virgin[23] – In Christ lie the mysteries and fullness of the Godhead perfectly united with man. Christ’s virgin birth reveals both his divinity and his humanity.
4.2 Fulfills the Law of Righteousness[24] – Christ committed no sin and thus met the requirements of the covenant of works.
4.3 Christ Atoned for Sins on the Cross[25] – Christ satisfied the wrath of God against the elect by bearing their sins and their punishment. Although Christ committed no sin, he died on behalf of those who would believe in Him by faith. Salvation is found in no one but Christ.
4.4 Resurrection[26] – Three days after Christ died He came back to life, defeating the power of death and making possible eternal life for believers.
4.5 Ascension and Reign[27] – After the resurrection, Christ ascended into heaven where He reigns in sovereignty at the right hand of God and intercedes to God on behalf of believers.
5. The Church is God’s Covenant Community[28] – As God has chosen a people for Himself for eternity, so too has he chosen this people for Himself in the present. The Church is God’s covenant community. As such, the Church is called by God to live for Him in this world. Christ is its head and the Church is being continually sanctified and perfected for the day when it will be united with Christ as His bride.
5.1 The Body of Christ[29] – The Church is the body of Christ. Under His headship the Church represents Christ to the world and reflects His character to one another.
5.2 The Purpose of the Church is to glorify God[30] – As God does all things for His glory, so too does He gather together a people for Himself. The end of God’s people is eternal worship, therefore on this earth God’s Church is called to worship Him in all things.
5.3 The Mission of the Church[31] – Only the Church, as the body of Christ, can bring Christ to the world. The Church’s mission is to go into all the world, teaching and baptizing in the name of Christ.
5.4 The Marks of the Church – The Church is identified by certain marks, without which it would no longer be the body of Christ under His headship. These marks are 1) preaching of the Word; 2) administration of the sacraments; 3) exercising of discipline.
5.4.1 The Preaching of the Word[32] – The church must preach Law and Gospel, the Law as a call to holy living and as an indicator that no man can fulfill all its requirements, and the Gospel as a call to faith and a revelation of God’s great mercy’s and grace toward man.
5.4.2 The Administration of the Sacraments[33] – The sacraments are visible signs of God’s work in the lives of His people. The sacraments are seals, attesting to the validity of God’s work. The Sacraments of the Church are baptism and the Lord’s supper. Baptism is the initiation of a person into God’s covenant community. Baptism indicates both the judgment and forgiveness of God. As God’s promises are to His elect and their children, so too should baptism be administered to the elect and their children. The Lord’s supper is a meal of remembrance and celebration. Christ initiated the supper as a remembrance of His broken body and spilt blood. Christ initiated the supper as a celebration because of the promise of life made effective through His suffering. In both sacraments God is present and active spiritually with His people.
5.4.3 The Exercising of Discipline[34] – As the Church is called to prepare itself as Christ’s bride, it must necessarily discipline those who are unrepentant. The purpose of discipline is to restore the believer to a fuller fellowship with God and others.
6. The Final Judgment[35] – One day all people will stand before God’s judgment seat. This day will be both terrible and glorious. On this day God will separate those who by faith live under the Covenant of Grace, and those who reject Christ and thus live under the covenant of works.
6.1 The Return of Christ[36] – On the final day Christ will return in glory to judge. The hour of His return is known only by God. On this day God will pour out His judgments on the world and ultimately Creation will be both destroyed and renewed.
6.2 Judgment of reprobate according to their works[37] – Those who are not in Christ will be judged according to their works. These have no hope of salvation and for them the day of judgment will be terrible.
6.3 Judgment of elect according to finished work of Christ[38] – Those who are in Christ will be judged righteous, based on the imputed righteousness of Christ. To these God will say, “Well done good and faithful servant,” and they will be granted entrance into heaven as the bride of Christ.
6.4 Hell[39] – For those who are not in Christ, their end is eternal punishment. Any offense to the eternal God must require a punishment reflective of the magnitude of the offense.
6.5 Heaven[40] – For those who are in Christ, God has graciously prepared a place for these to dwell. Here, God’s people will enjoy His presence forever and glorify Him for all of eternity.
7. Scripture Reveals God’s Eternal Truths[41] – I know these truths concerning God and man because God’s Word is His inspired, infallible, inerrant, reliable, and sufficient communication to man.
[1] Is 45:7, 46:10; Ps 115:3, 135:6.
[2] Gen 1:1-2:3; Col 1:16-17; Dan 4:3-35; John 1:3.
[3] Acts 17:25, 28; Mt 6:26; Gen 8:22
[4] Job 1:21; Is 66:1; Mal 3:6
[5] Ps 58:11, 94:11; Deut 32:36; I Chron 16:33; Heb 12:23
[6] Gal 3:13; Luke 1:68
[7] II Cor 13:14;
[8] I Cor 8:6; Heb 12:9;Ex 34:6-7
[9] John 1:14, 18, 49; Rom 1:4, 8:3, 32.
[10] John 3:5-8, 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7-15; I Cor 2:10; Gal 4:6, 5:16-18; Rom 8:26-27
[11] Gen 1:26-27; Col 3:10.
[12] Gen 1:31, 2:16-17.
[13] Gen 3:1-13; Rom 3:10-12, 5:12, 15-19; Eph 2:2-3 1 Cor 15:21-22, 45, 49; Ps 51:5.
[14] Jer 31:31-34; Mal 3:1; Lk 22:20; Heb 8:6, 13, 12:24, 12:20.
[15] Rom 8:29; Eph 1:4-6, 11-12; 2 Thess 2:13, 2 Tim 1:9.
[16] 2 Tim 1:9; Eph 4:4; Mt 9:13; Acts 2:39.
[17] Ezek 36:26; John 6:44; Acts 16:14.
[18] Rom 5:1,16;
[19] 1 Thess 4:3;2 Thess 2:13; Eph 5:26; Heb 10:10;
[20] Rom 8:30; 2 Cor 3:18
[21] Heb 8:6, 12:24
[22] 2 Cor 1:20; Gen 3:15; Is 7:14; Is 53;Ps 16:10; Gen 49:10
[23] Phil 2:6-8; John 1:14; Col 1:19
[24] 2 Cor 5:21
[25] 2 Cor 5:21; John 1:29; Heb 9:28; Rom 8:4; Gal 3:13; Acts 4:12.
[26] 1 Cor 15:20; Rom 6:5; Phil 3:10-11.
[27] Luke 24:51; Eph 1:22, 4:10; Ps 110:1; Acts 7:56; Rom 8:34
[28] Eph 1:22-23; Eph 2:19; Rev 7:9-17
[29] I Cor 12:12-14
[30] Rev 7:15; I Cor 6:20; 10:31; Rom 11:36
[31] Mt 28:19-20
[32] 2 Tim 4:2
[33] Acts 2:39-42;
[34] Tit 1:13, 2:15
[35] Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 20:11-12
[36] 2 Pet 3:10; 2 Tim 4:1; Rev 21:1
[37] Rev 6:16-17, 20:12, 15
[38] Rom 4:6, 11, 23; Mt 25:21
[39] Rev 20:15; Mt 5:22; Mk 9:43-48
[40] Heb 12:22-23; John 14:2, 17:24; 1 Thess 4:17; Rev 21:3;
[41] 2 Tim 3:16-17; Ps 19:7-8
