The Apostles’ Creed is
an early summary of
essential Christian beliefs.
Though not written by the apostles themselves,
it reflects the core teaching they handed down.
It has been used for centuries
in baptism, worship, and instruction
as a concise statement of the faith.
The Creed focuses on
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
and highlights the central events of the gospel.
The Apostles’ Creed stands as one of the oldest and most widely accepted confessions of the Christian church. It emerged in the early centuries as a way to summarize the faith once for all delivered to the saints and to guard against false teaching. While it is not Scripture, it is a faithful echo of Scripture. Each phrase is rooted in the teaching of the Bible and centers on the person and work of the triune God, especially the life, death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus Christ. The Creed has served the church as a tool for teaching, worship, and unity across many times and cultures.
- The Creed is Trinitarian in structure — organized around the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- It emphasizes the historical reality of the gospel: Jesus was conceived, born, suffered, crucified, died, buried, raised, and ascended.
- It affirms both the personal faith of the believer (“I believe”) and the shared faith of the church.
- Though short, it covers creation, the incarnation, the atonement, the resurrection, the church, the forgiveness of sins, and the life to come.
- The Creed has been used as a baptismal confession, a teaching outline, and a regular part of Christian worship.
- It is not exhaustive; many important doctrines are not mentioned. It is a summary of essentials, not a complete systematic theology.
- Because it stays close to the central truths of Scripture, it has been accepted across Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox traditions.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there 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.
- God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth – Affirms one God, the Creator of all things.
- Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord – Declares the unique deity and lordship of Christ.
- Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary – Affirms the incarnation and the virgin birth.
- Suffered under Pontius Pilate… crucified, died, and was buried – Grounds the gospel in real history.
- He descended into hell – Understood in various ways; often taken to mean He truly entered the realm of the dead or experienced the full weight of God’s judgment.
- The third day He rose again – The cornerstone of Christian faith and hope.
- Ascended into heaven… seated at the right hand – Affirms Christ’s exaltation and present reign.
- He will come to judge – Looks forward to the return of Christ and final judgment.
- The holy catholic church – Refers to the universal church, not a specific denomination.
- The communion of saints – The fellowship of all believers, living and dead, in Christ.
- The forgiveness of sins – The heart of the gospel.
- The resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting – The Christian hope of bodily resurrection and eternal life with God.
- Matthew 28:19 – Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – The gospel of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection “according to the Scriptures.”
- Philippians 2:6-11 – Christ’s humility, death, exaltation, and lordship.
- 1 Peter 3:18-22 – Christ’s suffering, death, and exaltation.
- Ephesians 4:4-6 – One body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father.
- Jude 3 – “Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”
- 2 Timothy 1:13-14 – Hold to the pattern of sound teaching and guard the good deposit.
The Apostles’ Creed is a gift from the early church that continues to serve believers today. It is not Scripture, yet it faithfully summarizes the heart of the biblical message. When recited with understanding, it unites the individual believer with the historic church across the centuries and keeps the central truths of the faith before our eyes. Used wisely, it is a valuable tool for teaching, worship, and confession — always pointing beyond itself to the God who has revealed Himself in His Word and in His Son.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.