The Apostles’ Creed

With Annotations by Christopher Hoops

Dr. R.J. Rushdoony, late president of Chalcedon Foundation, writes “The Apostles’ Creed is like no other creed. …The faith of all other religions is in a body of ideas or claims concerning reality. … The Apostles’ Creed is radically different: it offers a synopsis of history, created by God the Father Almighty, requiring salvation by Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, who entered the world, lived, died, and was resurrected in history, and is now the Lord and Judge of history. His holy congregation is operative in history, which culminates in the general resurrection and everlasting life. The whole Creed therefore is a declaration concerning history.”¹

The following is a recitation of that great creed with added Scripture annotations from the Old Testament. These annotations illustrate that the Gospel—as described I Corinthians 15:1-4—originated in the Old Covenant, was believed on by the early church, and was truly the Faith of “the Fathers” (Acts 24:14; Mal. 4:6). Some New Testament references in italics highlight the fact that the New Testament writers frequently cite the Old Testament.

A creed is a statement of belief. Please understand, early Christians believed in something. They stood for something. As you read, note the first person pronoun “I” used in The Creed. The early Christian made a profession of Faith; he would say “I believe…” Believers often recited the Apostle’s Creed as a baptismal confession. Under Roman rule, this affirmation could lead to one’s death. For the Creed asserts salvation was to be found not in Rome or Caesar but in Christ alone and His rule over the nations of men. Ponder this fact as you consider the Creed.

I believe in GOD THE FATHER²

• Genesis 1:1—”In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
• Exodus 3:14—”And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”
• Deuteronomy 6:4—” Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.”
• Isaiah 9:6—”For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
• Psalm 68:6—”God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.”

ALMIGHTY…

• Almighty means all powerful or sufficient. It is used no less than 57 times in the KJV of the Bible
• Genesis. 17:1—”And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”
• Genesis 35:11—” And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins.”
• Ruth 1:20—”And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.”
• Ezekiel 10:5—”And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even in the outer court, like the voice of Almighty God when He speaks.”
• (Note that 35 times throughout the Book of Job, God is referred to as “The Almighty.”)

Maker of heaven and earth…

• Genesis 1
• Exodus 20:11—”For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
• Proverbs 8:22-29—”The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:  When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth…”
• Psalm 8:3—”When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained…”
• Psalm 95:6—”Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.”

In the first Article we see God, the Father, as creator, “the Maker of heaven and earth.” He is the Maker, sustainer and upholder of all things. He is revealed as “the Father.” Though He made all things from nothing, “God the Father” is shown to be our divine parent and a personal God. Besides being Creator, Preserver, and Governor of His creation, our world, He is “Our Father” and we were created in His image, we are His children. He is called “the Almighty,” the one true God and as such is our Sufficiency, Defender, Provider, Protector and Law-Giver. He is “all mighty.” No one—nor all things together—is mightier than He. He made them and therefore all creation is subject to Him. In this article, an allusion to the Fourth Commandment is made (Ex. 20:11, “In six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth…”), and therefore the whole Law may be inferred.

And in JESUS CHRIST, His only Son…

• Isaiah 7:14—”Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
• Isaiah 9:6
• Psalm 2:7—”I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”
• I Chronicles 22:10-11 (Heb. 1:5)—”He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.”

Our LORD…

• Psalm 110:1 (Matt. 22:14; Mk. 10:36; Lk. 20:42; Acts 2:34)—”The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Who was conceived by the holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary…

• Isaiah 7:14—”Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
• Isaiah 9:6

Suffered under Pontius Pilate…

• Isaiah 50:6—”I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.”
• Isaiah 53:5—”But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Was crucified…

• Psalm 22:1—”My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”
• Psalm 6:1-7—”O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long? Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.”
• Isaiah 53:7-9—”He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”
• Deuteronomy 21:23 (Gal. 3:13)—”His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God); that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.”

Dead and buried…

• Isaiah 53:9

He descended into Hell³…

• Psalm 68:18 (Eph. 4:10)—”Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.” (“He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.”)

The third day He rose from the dead…

• Psalm 16:8-11 (Acts 2:34-35)—”I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”

He ascended into heaven…

• Psalm 68:18
• Psalm 110:1

And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty…

• Psalm 16:8
• Psalm 110:1  

From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead…

• Psalm 96:10-13 (John 5:25-29; Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5)—”Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” (e.g. “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom” 2 Timothy 4:1.)
• Psalm 67:4—”O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.”

In this second article the whole life and ministry of Christ is depicted as an historical record. The Christ is revealed to the world, “He came unto his own” and as the gospel accounts tell us He suffered, died, rose from the dead and ascended to the throne of God. Moreover, just as the Scriptures foretold, the Savior would be both God and man, Jesus is revealed as “the Son of God,” “the suffering servant,” the “Lamb of God,” the resurrected Lord, “Judge of all men” ruler of “the nations” as prophesied in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the man Christ Jesus in the New Testament (1 Cor. 15:1-4).

I believe in the HOLY GHOST…

• Genesis 1:2—”And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
• Psalm 51:11—”Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.”

The Holy catholic⁴ Church…

• Psalm 40:10 (Romans 1:16)—”I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.” (“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”)

The communion of saints…

• Deuteronomy 33:3—”Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.”
• Psalm 50:5—”Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

The forgiveness of sins…

• Jeremiah 31:34—”And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

The resurrection of the body…

• Job 19:26—”And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.”
• Isaiah 26:19—”Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
• Daniel 12:2—”And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
• Hosea 13:14 (John 5:25-29; I Cor. 15:55)—”I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” ( John 5:25-29: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”)

And the life everlasting…

• Daniel 12:2 (In the NT the phrase “everlasting life” appears no less than 16 times in the Gospels and epistles. It is no doubt taken from Daniel 12:2.)

In this third article of the Creed the third Person of the Holy Trinity is introduced and confessed. Clearly the work of the Holy Spirit may be found in the catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the body and life everlasting. The New Testament tells us that Jesus would send “another helper,” a “Comforter,” the Holy Spirit, and it is His work in the earth among men to build a church and prepare them for eternity and “life everlasting.”

What Doctrines are addressed in The Creed?⁵

• The Doctrine of God (monotheism). The one all-powerful personal Creator God.
• The Trinity. God is one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is revealed to us in the Creed by the three “Articles.” Article One, God the Father. Article Two, God the Son, Article Three, the Holy Spirit.
• Christology. Doctrine of Christ, His incarnation, His earthly life and ministry, sacrifice on the cross, Christ’s resurrection and ascension to the God’s throne and  glory as the current ruling and reigning Heavenly Monarch over all creation. (Rev. 2:26-27)
• Anthropology. the creation of man (with all other things), his (Adam’s) fall and the effects of it on his posterity.
• Pneumatology. Gr. pneuma, wind or Spirit, or doctrine of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. No doubt the reference is to the “office and work of the Holy Spirit.”⁶
• Ecclesiology. “The fifth part of Theology”⁷ the doctrine of the Church, the church is viewed as a community, a “holy nation,” a “royal priesthood” a “priesthood of believers.”
• Soteriology.⁸ The doctrines of Grace, Salvation and forgiveness of sins.
• Eschatology,⁹ or doctrines of final things. Notice that there is no mention of a future “millennium.” As well, no other ancient Church Creed mentions a future “reign of Christ.” They do proclaim that He is presently “sitting at the right hand of God” (Ps. 110:1; which Scriptural fact is a fundamental tenet of post millennialism). The New Testament refers to the risen Christ as the “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15), and that He currently “rules” over the nation of the earth. Furthermore, the Creed specifically mentions “Second coming of Christ,” the resurrection of both the just and unjust simultaneously, eternal life (and death), with Christ as judge over all men, “the quick and the dead” (see Daniel 12:1-3; Hosea 13:14, 1 Cor. 15:55; John 5:25-29).

The Creed is the first Symbol of the Christian Church. It is the foundation of all Christian doctrine and faith. It is not the whole of our faith, but the “symbol” of it. The Creed has played no little part in the life of the Church catholic. It is the first symbol of the Eastern Church, the Coptic, Ethiopic, Western Roman and the Church of the Reformation. It is the one Creed which the universal Church agrees on, and the first of our two thousand years history to represent our holy Faith to the world. It offers to those who appreciate it the orthodoxy and unity of the catholic¹⁰ church. One of the sad events of the last century has been the almost universal non-use of the Creed in public worship. Many reformed churches and the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Church still recite it, but the protestant churches, and Baptist churches almost never do. One of the great problems of Christendom today is it too often stands for nothing and is open to many foreign ideas. Orthodoxy, the true doctrines of the Christian Faith, is no longer dogmatic. A Christian form of relativism has become part of the Churches faith. We must stand for something—truth, dogmatic orthodoxy—or we will accept anything. There is only one faith, one God, one Savior. Stand therefore.

About the Author:  Christopher Rory Hoops was Nordskog Publishing’s founding theology editor and dear friend. He was also pastor to our present theology editor, who finds big shoes to fill therein. See more about Chris Hoops here on our website: https://www.nordskogpublishing.com/staff.shtml

1. Dr. R.J. Rushdoony, Foundations of Social Order; p. 4.
2. Dr. Rushdoony refers to this version as The Received Form, or Textus Receptus, adopted by the Western Church c. 700. We have taken this version of the Creed from The Foundations of Social Order, p. 3.
3. The phrase, “descended into hell” did not appear in the Creed until after AD 500, there is no reference to it in the Nicene Creed and is considered by some not a part of the original. See Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Chap. 16, regarding this article of the Creed. He goes into great length to defend it, give historic background to it, and show its critics their shortcomings in rejecting it.
4. Catholic in this sense means universal, not Roman Catholic
5. The following is not intended to be an exhaustive list of doctrines. Volumes have been written using the Creed as their outline, and Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion is one such example. There are many commentaries on The Apostles’ Creed. My aim is to point out that the Church has always believed the doctrines handed down to us by the Apostles’. For the idea of “No doctrine but Christ” or “I do not believe in doctrine, only Jesus and the Bible,” are nonsense and divisive tools of ignorance.
6. Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology,  Eerdman’s Pub. Co., 1970, Chapter VIII, The Holy Spirit, Vol. I. page 523-24.
7. Ibid. page 32, “The idea or nature of the Church; its attributes; its prerogatives, its organization.”
8. Ibid., “Including the purpose and plan of God in reference to the salvation of man; the person and work of the Redeemer; the application of redemption of Christ to the people of God, in their regeneration, justification, sanctification; and the means of grace.”
9. Ibid., “The doctrines which concern the state of the soul after death; the resurrection; the second advent of Christ; the general judgment and end of the world; heaven and hell.”
10. See footnote #4, catholic refers to the world wide or universal church not the western Roman Catholic Church with its Pope and cardinals.