A-la-carte

The last section of the Creed was also expanded in 381. The original Creed (325) stopped after the line, “and the Holy Spirit.” The last section of the Creed has a similar form to the Apostles Creed. One might call this section ‘a-la-carte;’ a mis-mash of one-liners. However, the last lines of the Nicene Creed speak of the Church and its believers. It ties the first word of the Creed, ‘We,’ to the rest of the Creed. Sadly, many people who once might have called themselves Christians are seemingly ‘deconstructing’ their faith. However, many of their frustrations are not with orthodox theology but organized church culture. Although hard to know the inworking’s of many of these people; they seem to want to find the true Christ and the true church. However, often they look to the culture around them rather than to the Word of God.

Believers need orthodox theology, which includes a correct understanding of God but also his Church. The only thing that was not good in Genesis 1 was that man was alone. God then creates for Adam the woman to make sure he is not alone. The Church should be the same. Many times, people looking to deconstruct step away from the church but do so by themselves. However, that statement still rings true. It is not good for man to be alone. The last section repeats the important truth of the words ‘we believe…” Although she has her faults and flaws, just as believers do until the day of the resurrection. The church is still the bride of Christ; she gets her beauty not from the sinners but her savior. She is lovely because Christ, her groom, is lovely. Those who walk away from the Church, sadly, walk away from the Bride of Christ. As the Hymn, the Church’s One foundation explains, that Christ is the foundation of the church and also those in the church are made new because of Christ:

“The church’s one foundation
is Jesus Christ, our Lord;
we are a new creation
by water and the Word.”