During the 2nd to 6th Centuries the Church was facing a war against heterodox (heretical, erroneous) cults that were forming from Nestorians and their radical view of spiritual and physical worlds, to the Arians who denied who Jesus Christ really is, to the mystical Gnostics that dabbled in occultic powers, and beyond. The Church to contend with these heresies held serval councils, and at these councils they summarize theology, doxology (doctrine), and teachings that were essential to being a Christian. Here are those creeds. The first was the Apostle's Creed:
The Apostle's Creed (100-250 A.D.)
The origin of the Apostles' Creed is less clear than that of the Nicene Creed. The most common view is that it was originally developed in the first or second century and was influenced later by the Nicene Creed. The earliest historical evidence of the creed's existence is in a letter written by the Council of Milan in 390 A.D.
Almost every denomination has a slightly different version of the Apostles' Creed. Below is the ecumenical version of the English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC).
The Creed:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the 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 second Creed was the Nicene Creed which was written at Council of Nicea under the auspices of Constantine the Great and The Bishops:
Nicene Creed (325 A.D.)
We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son,(filoque) who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe 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.
Next was the Athanasian Creed which goes into minute detail about the Doctrine of Trinity:
The Athanasian Creed (500 A.D.)
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled; without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance [Essence] of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Substance [Essence] of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood into God. One altogether; not by confusion of Substance [Essence]; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.
Though not always called a Creed, the Chalcedon Creed or Confession pertained to Doctrine of Jesus being God and Man perfectly, a one time event where Creator took on form of the Created (John 1:3, John 1:14):
The Creed of Chalcedon (A.D. 451) -Sometimes Called Confession
We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable (rational) soul and body; consubstantial (coessential) with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather of the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God, the Word the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets from the beginning (have declared) concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.
Chaldedon, Bib Sac, 138:552:326
This Creed came against Nestorius and Nestorain Christianity which taught there were two christs, one flesh and one spirit.
The Creeds are actually very Scriptural when you check them out: Colossians 2:9, Colossians 1:16, Colossians 1:19, Colossians 2:2-3, John 1:3, John 8:58, John 17:20-23, John 10:30, John 20:28, Titus 2:13, Philippians 2:10-12, 1 John 4:1-3, 2 John 1:17, Romans 1:1-10, Matthew 3:14-17, Hebrews 1:1-14, Hebrews 2:5-18, Hebrews 7:22, Hebrews 9:15, Genesis 1:26, Genesis 3:22. I know that many reading this post may be wondering, aren't these creeds of Cathollic and Orthodox Churches? Yes they are, but Protestant read them aloud as well. Lutherans often read The Apostle's and Nicene Creed during service. At an Evangelical Church I attend for many years all the Creeds were considered worthy, even Chalcedon Confession and Creed was consider important. I also recently discovered Calvary Churches uphold the Nicene Creed. While I always will say and believe Solae Scriptura, Scripture must test all creeds, spirits, and ideas that come along to see if they are in alignment or antithetical to the Truth of Jesus, The Gospel, and Christian Living. I am not saying to hold these Creeds above Scripture, I am not promoting Prima Scriptura, that is Scripture and Church Tradition being equal, but I am sharing these Creeds because in these times when mystical religions are knocking at door of many disciple's hearts (yoga and beyond) and confusing cultic Christianities are on rise, it helps to know these Creeds which refute the false religions that claim either a historical Jesus who is a man or prophet, or spirit Jesus, when the Truth is Jesus Christ is God and Man (Colossians 2:9, Colossians 1:9, 1 John 4:1-3, John 1:14). Jesus is the LORD God, One with Father (John 10:30) and Holy Spirit (John 20:19-21); One God and Three Persons. Amen.
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