Grace Church
257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105

(262) 763-3021

Everyone is a theologian, some are good, some are... 2 Timothy 2:15 We Believe Sermon Series #1 [Open with Film Clip from Men in Black -- morgue scene] Do you like dead things? A tourist was picked up by a cabbie in New York City on a dark night. The passenger tapped the driver on the shoulder to ask him something. The driver screamed, lost control of the cab, nearly hits a bus, drives up on the sidewalk, and stops inches from a shop window. For a second everything went quiet in the cab, then the driver said, "Look friend, don’t ever do that again. You scared the daylights out of me!"  The passenger apologizes and says he didn’t realize that a "little tap" could scare a cab driver so much. The driver, after gathering himself together replied, "I’m sorry, it’s not really your fault. You see, today is my first day as a cab driver. I’ve been driving hearses for the last 25 years!” Perhaps today is your very first time studying the Apostles’ Creed. It might be a little “scary” for some of you. You might have associated the Apostles’ Creed with high church or formal churches. Or, perhaps even the “T” word – Theology. Let’s be candid, for most Christians the thought of studying or even talking about theology is about as tempting as handling a cadaver. And the Apostles’ Creed is theology. It’s a very boiled-down, succinct theological statement. To study it may be as about as enticing as doing an autopsy or visiting the morgue. When the typical Christian pictures theology, they picture hot, stuffy lecture halls with boring, nasal toned lecturers. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. The study of theology is the privilege to study the wonders and glory of our great and awesome God! 2 Tim. 2:15 commands us, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Over the next several weeks we will be talking about theology through the grid of a study of the Apostles’ Creed. To be honest, I’m a little nervous. These are uncharted waters for me. Some of you have my background. None of the churches that I grew up in quoted the Apostles Creed or even alluded to it. It was the stuff of mainlines. I’d never even heard of it until I was in Bible college. Add to that, the study of theology is not popular today. Church growth experts tell you to dodge the “T” word. Most believers choose a church because their kids like it or because of the music or the programs or the building or the technology. They rarely choose a church for its doctrine or it’s preaching. Church choices are made by the heart, not the head. Not knowing theology though is building a house without a foundation or attempting to drive a car without a steering wheel. Yet while most evangelicals could tell you why they are Republicans, they could not tell you how to become a Christian (not that all evangelicals are Republicans). They could tell you why they dislike the liberal media but could not tell you why they believe the Bible is the Word of God. They could make a defense why they educate their children as they do, but would be speechless if you asked them to explain why they believe that Jesus rose from the grave. They know more about their choice of diet programs than they do about the Trinity. Decades ago British novelist, Dorothy Sayers, said that the average Christian is about as equipped to do battle with a convinced Marxist as a boy with a peashooter facing a nest of machine guns. Today the enemy is unlikely to be Marxism or Communism but it’s pluralism, humanism, secularism, skepticism – and the average believer is a sitting duck. Theology does matter. We’re here this morning because theology mattered to a 16th century monk named Martin Luther. It mattered to the Reformers. It mattered to the early Puritans who founded this nation. It mattered in the struggles with liberalism that our more immediate forefathers engaged in during the earlier decades of the 1900's. And it still matters today. A healthy Christianity cannot survive without theology. We need a compass in this mindless, irrational culture. It needs to matter to those of us who confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and the only way to heaven. Is that just opinion? Or, do we have a basis for such a declaration. Theology matters, as a typical Puritan theologian argued, because it is theology that enables us to live well unto God so that our lives matter. Theology matters so that between the cradle and the grave, our short lives count for something that is timeless and eternal. A study of theology will provide us with a living foundation for our walk with our God, both individually and corporately. You see,every one is a theologian because everyone has a view of God, even an atheist who says that there is no God. The question is: Will I be a good theologian or a bad one? During the coming weeks we want to give you tools to help make you a good one. This morning as we start this series, we want to answer the question: Why do we need theology or creeds? 1. What is theology? C. S. Lewis said, “Theology is practical: especially now...If you do not listen to Theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean [though] that you have a lot of wrong ones—bad, muddled, out‑of‑date ideas.” Our English word theology comes from two Greek words, theos (God) and logos (discourse, speech, line of argument). It simply means God‑talk—or, more fully, thoughts about God expressed in statements about God. But our God‑thoughts are only right when they square with God’s own thoughts about Himself. It really doesn’t matter what I think or you think about God. It only matters what God thinks about God. In Isaiah 55:18 God declares, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.” We will only be competent theologians though when we let God’s revealed truth—that is, Biblical teaching—penetrates our minds. Good theology begins with listening before you start talking.  It is an attempt to hear what the Westminster Confession calls “the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture” and then to apply what Scripture says to correct and direct our lives. We bring our doubts, questions and values to the Bible’s teaching for resolution. We allow God in and through that same teaching to question us about the way we think and live. Theology then is the study of God, His nature, attributes, character, abilities, revelation, etc. True theology is only found in the Bible, which is the self‑revelation of God. Theology involves and engages all that we are and all that we do. It demands our attentiveness to everything around us. Theology is the essential business of faithful reflection on human life lived consciously in the presence of God. We all do theology on a regular basis, whether or not we are aware of it. This study is designed to help us do it better. 2. Why do we have such brain freeze when it comes to theology? If we know that theology is important. If we know that it is critical for us to have a healthy walk with our God, then why are we so resistant to learn theology? Why do we treat it like a cadaver? Let me suggest several reasons. A) We’ve been taught that that which has value is material. In the early eighties, one of Madonna’s first hits was, Material Girl. She sang, “'cause everybody's living in a material world.” We tend to value what we can physically touch. It reminds me of the story of the young mother who ducked into an exclusive dress shop leaving her five‑year‑old son in charge of his one year old sister. When she finally emerged, there was her son pushing a different stroller, her daughter nowhere in sight. "Daniel?  What are you doing?" she said. "That's not your sister!" "Shhhhh, Mother." he replied. "This is a much better stroller." The little fellow valued the material, the stroller, but his Mom rightly valued the relationship, her daughter. Yet we tend to value our strollers or cars, houses, jobs, children, friends, spouses, etc – because they are tangible. Theology though is heady. It’s more philosophical than physical. It demands abstract thinking. And we have been so programmed to value the physical, that we disdain theology. But we do value the philosophical and abstract. We value Love. While love has physical manifestations, it is not tangible or physical. In fact, in order for love to be love it must be, much of the time, useless in any terms that can be practically handled or defined. It does not belong to the realm of the material. B) We’ve been taught that that which has value is measurable. Nearly every high school math teacher has been asked, “Why do I need to study Algebra? I’ll never use it.” Pragmatism is a dominant philosophy of our day. We buy computers, cars and even can openers based on how well they work. And the results have to be measurable. This past week a motorcyclist in Minnesota was caught going over 200 mph. When it gets out what brand of motorcycle it was, don’t you think that that company’s sales on that particular bike will soar? Absolutely. It had measurable results (plus a lot of free advertising). In a few weeks Americans will choose a president primarily based on whom they believe will work out best for our country, on what he will do for them. The value of theology though is hard to measure. As a result, it’s underrated. How do you measure justification or propitiation? By the same yardstick, what value is the Mona Lisa? The Gorslines just returned from seeing the Grand Canyon. A few years ago our family saw it. It is one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. But how do you measure its value? What practical use does it have?   C) We’ve been taught that that which has value is individualistic and emotive. The current Conventional Wisdom is: Don’t fit into a religion, find that one that fits you. The main measure of if a religion or church fits is, “How does it make me feel?” American Christianity is so feeling oriented that we will put up with poor and even shallow preaching as long as we feel good when we leave the service. That’s why music is one of the driving factors of the contemporary church. Right theology will end up with right feelings, but it begins in the head, not the heart. Something can feel great but be totally wrong. Sin feels good to begin with. It’s pleasurable. Why do you think that so many people love it? D) We’ve been taught that that which has value is simple. We like easy steps...1, 2, 3 or the A, B, C’s. We pay actors millions and teachers thousands because we want to be entertained rather than stretched. We watch TV instead of reading because we do not want to have to think. We’ve convinced ourselves that we are too busy, too tired, too stressed or too whatever to think. And we are poor stewards of the wonderful intelligence that God has entrusted to each of us. Theology is not simplistic. It requires effort, some holy sweat. E) We’ve been taught that that which has value is valued by all. Rom. 12:2 commands us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world.” Our pluralistic world values conformity. The world around us will gladly tolerate a nondoctrinal Christianity. It will gladly allow for a gospel emptied oftheological content and meaning, but why would the church want a gospel like that? Such a gospel would be devoid of the biblical emphasis on sin, judgment, and satisfaction for sin. While no doubt such a gospel would be welcomed by many who now stand aloof from the church. But this would not be because the world had been brought into the church but because the church had been merged into the world. A truth not worth defending soon becomes a truth not worth professing. An undogmatic Christianity is not Christianity. Jesus’ statement “I am the way, the truth, and the life” is not popular in a pluralistic world. No one is to make an exclusive claim on truth in our tolerant world...it isn’t tolerated. We’re urged to sacrifice doctrine for unity because doctrine is divisive. We’re taught that the only way to preserve community is to replace the quest for truth with the pursuit of tolerance. Just a cursory look at the world around us with its division, anger and bloodshed – quickly demonstrates though that pluralism is an abysmal failure. 3. What is the Apostles’ Creed? Church Historian, Earle Cairns writes that “A creed is a statement of faith for public use; it contains articles needful for salvation and the theological well-being of the church. Creeds have been used to test orthodoxy, to recognize fellow believers, and to serve as convenient summary of the essential doctrines of faith. They presuppose a living faith of which they are the intellectual expression.” The Apostles’ Creed is the oldest summary of the essential doctrines in Scripture that we have. Some think that the Apostles’ Creed grew out of that brief statement by Peter concerning Christ in Matthew 16:16, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” More Christians have memorized the Apostles’ Creed than any other creedal formula. It’s a summary of our beliefs as Christians. It’s kind of a pledge allegiance for the Church. Were the Apostles the originators of it? We don’t know. It is more likely that the Apostles’ Creed grew out of the apostles teaching as the early church tried to systematize Christian thought. At a time when the Scriptures were still not available to the masses, the Apostles’ Creed stated core Christian beliefs in a simple manner, easily memorized and transferred from person to person. It’s been a faithful doctrinal foundation for centuries. It’s passed the test of Scriptural integrity and crosses denominational boundaries. It’s passed freely through generations and people groups. It’s also transcended worship styles, as it is used in services ranging from highly liturgical to non-liturgical. Even churches that do not recite it as part of their worship generally subscribe to what it says. Because of its faithfulness to Scriptural teaching and its long history, the Apostles’ Creed has a unifying effect for Bible believers. 4. Why do we need a creed? In the early church creeds were necessary to combat heresy. Early in Church History a false view developed about Christ’s nature. At first Peter’s great confession was sufficient. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” But error crept into the church, and Peter’s confession had to be amplified. What kind of man was this Christ, the Son of God? Not until the middle of the fifth century was the theological statement about the nature of Christ complete. By then, various councils had dealt with heretical views that surfaced from time to time. Two of the most important were the Nicene Council of A.D. 325 and the Council of Chalcedon in A.D. 451. The Nicene Creed defended the doctrine of the deity of Christ against Arius, an early heretic. The Chalcedon Creed affirms what Christians have always believed, that Christ had two natures in one person. That He is the God-man. Still today the Apostles’ Creed defends believers against those who would water down truth. Someone might be saying, “Isn’t the Bible enough?” Without question or apology the Bible is our foundational and primary document. If any creed ever departs from the Bible, follow the Bible, not the creed. And there are believers and churches that reject creeds with the assertion that the Bible is enough. Yet, while “no creed but the Bible” is well intentioned, it’s a gross over‑simplification. If I were to say, “Fine, you believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible word of God, and that It’s the only sufficient rule for all of faith and life. So do I. But tell me please, what specifically do you believe about the Trinity or about the deity of Christ?” That person would then have to give me a summary of the teaching of the Bible on that particular subject. Their statement would be their creed. It’s a statement of what he or she believes. The lack of a written creed also makes us more vulnerable to theological error. Let me hasten to say that written creeds and confessions are not a guarantee of continued orthodoxy. There is no guarantee that merely having written standards will preserve us from theological error. But not having written standards is far more likely to lead to theological error. Let me suggest Four Reasons that we need Creeds. A) Creeds are designed to define the Faith. Church historian Philip Schaff wrote in his book The Creeds of Christendom that “the first object of creeds was to distinguish the Church from the world, from Jews and heathen, [and] afterwards orthodoxy from heresy.” Creeds define with great care the beliefs of a community of churches. They form a common understanding of what the Bible teaches. They reiterate the doctrines of God and the Trinity. They state their understanding of the person and work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They also present teaching of the authority of Scripture, of salvation, of the church, and so on. The Apostles’ Creed is a clear statement of what believers through the ages and around the world all believe. B) Creeds are designed to defend the Faithful. Creeds seek to protect the faithful from false teaching. Some church confessions explicitly present and then refute false doctrines. All implicitly seek to defend believers by presenting Biblical truth. Creeds are short summaries of biblical truth. They help protect Christians from the misuse of one verse of Scripture pulled out of context. Representatives of a cult dialoguing with a Christian may seem to have a few Bible passages to support their heresy. But Biblical truth, defined in a creed or doctrinal statement will provide the Christian with a solid defense against error. C) Creeds are designed to declare to the World. Creeds declare to a lost world what the Church believes. They present a clear Biblical interpretation of the Scriptures of Bible-believing churches everywhere. Sometimes making that testimony is dangerous. In the 16th century Dutch Calvinists summarized their faith in the Belgic Confession. This confession was thrown over a city wall as a testimony to the Roman Catholic authorities. Its author, Guido de Bres, was later martyred for his faith. Today creeds are usually not that dangerous, but they do summarize clearly what a church believes for any inquirer. Churches are fundamentally communities of faith, and doctrinal congruity is an essential element of that faith. D) Creeds are designed to be Doxological. Creeds have a place in our worship services because they not only express the common beliefs of the faithful, they also offer those beliefs to God as an act of praise. Orthodoxy means literally "the right kind of glory." The Apostles’ Creed does far more than define doctrine accurately; it helps to glorify the God Who has revealed Himself to us in Jesus Christ. A creed recited in unison is a kind of prayer that properly ends with “Amen.” As Charles de Foucauld said: "Prayer is thinking about God while loving Him." When we quote, understand and live out the Apostles’ Creed, we are expressing our love to God. Creeds do not have to be dry. We make them dry. They need to be discussed and lived out in the community of faith. The community is where we see the Trinity at work. It is where we practice the forgiveness of sins. It is where the dry bones of theology receive flesh and bones. It’s where the breath of the Spirit provides life‑giving energy. We need to know and also teach our children what we believe. The Apostles Creed is a concise statement of the Christian faith, which makes it easy to learn, memorize and apply. Conclusion: We often say, “You are what you eat.” You are also what you believe. We need right teaching and we need to understand it, because we become what we believe. James Michener, writing in his book, The Source, tells the story of a man named Urbaal, who was a farmer living about 2200 B.C. He worshiped two gods, one a god of death, the other a goddess of fertility. One day, the temple priests told Urbaal to bring his young son to the temple to be sacrificed, if he wants good crops. Urbaal obeys, and on the appointed day drags his wife and boy to the scene of the boy’s “religious execution” by fire to the god of death.    After the sacrifice of Urbaal’s boy and several others, the priests announce that one of the fathers will spend the next week in the temple with a new temple prostitute. Urbaal’s wife is stunned as she notices a desire written more intensely across his face than she had seen before, and she is overwhelmed to see him eagerly lunge forward when his name is called. The ceremony over, she walks out of the temple with her head swimming, concluding that “if he had different gods, he would be a different man.” The Apostles’ Creed helps us comprehend what kind of God we have and what kind of people that we should be. It give us an outline of what we should meditate on and a pattern for thinking and viewing the world. It challenges our assumptions and forces us to re‑evaluate our thoughts and values. Sadly, most people, even Christians, operate and think according to “folk theology.” We pick up spiritual clichés and sayings from the culture which we adopt as our basis of truth. We often fail to critically examine our thoughts. The Apostles’ Creed forces us to think through our assumptions and lies that the world has told us. Adhering to a creed should encourage spiritual growth. Once we commit to a standard of beliefs we have to live them out. Often we have to defend them. Our beliefs get tested and tried in the real world. Theology is about truth, the truth about God. Because God commands us to diligently seek the truth about Him, He commands us all to be theologians. Developing a sound theology is not a cakewalk, otherwise we would not be told to persevere in it. For nearly two millennia our brothers and sisters in Christ have clung to the Apostles Creed as a vital part of a healthy, growing church and church members. Let’s join them in committing ourselves to knowing and comprehending the fundamentals of our faith.