224 – Do you have to believe in the Nicene Creed to be a true Christian?

This is a pretty heavy duty topic. And people have been arguing over this for about 1,700 years.  So this is not the final answer or discussion on the topic.

But is incredibly important to think about what it means to be a Christian. Is it based on what you believe or how you put into practice the teachings of Jesus?

Or is it a combination of the two?

This week, I share my thoughts on the Nicene Creed and some of the problems I have with it. And as always, you are free to disagree with me. And I'd love to hear your perspective, whether you agree or not with what I say. I'm always open to another perspective. We have so much to learn from each other.

Here are the two main reasons I cannot adhere to the Nicene Creed.

• The way Athanasius and others who supported the Creed were ruthless and vindictive toward those who disagreed with them. They did not act in a Christ-like way
• There is nothing in the Creed that talks about obeying God, following Jesus, loving your neighbor, being humble and loving.

Jesus says we are to judge a tree by its fruit. The "fruit" of those who supported the Nicene Creed, as well as the fruit of those who opposed it, prove to me they didn't really believe in the Jesus of the Bible. Otherwise they would have followed Jesus's approach and done the mighty works of healing he did.

If you believe in the Nicene Creed, I totally respect your choice to do so. But I think it's important to know the history of how this Creed came down through history. And be aware of what it does not include.

For me, my approach to having a creed is simple: I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that God is good and made us in His image and likeness. And I add to that my commitment to seek and do God's will, follow Christ the best I can, love my neighbor as myself, and be guided by the Holy Spirit.

And I invite you to join me.

Book referred to:
When Jesus Became God: The Struggle to Define Christianity During the Last Days of Rome by Richard E. Rubenstein. *

Previous episode mentioned:
# 223 The Bible as a Verb with Polly Castor

Show notes:
Full transcript and Bible quotes: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/224

* Amazon affiliate link

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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life.

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