Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed
God loves each and every one of us passionately. He pours out his love on us in many ways, spiritually and materially. God never stops loving us. Never. Ever. No matter what!
Many Christians, including Lutherans, use the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed to express our beliefs. We use both in our worship services. Both were developed by leaders of the early Christian Church.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and 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.
*Or, “he descended to the dead,” another translation of this text in widespread use.
** “Catholic” in this context means “universal.”
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,*
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Read Martin Luther’s prayers for daily living, Morning, Evening and at Mealtime
Luther’s Small Catechism – Martin Luther was a Catholic monk in Germany who wanted to reform the Catholic Church in the early 1500s. Church officials resisted and expelled Luther from the church. Yet, Luther persevered, starting the Protestant movement; his followers became known as Lutherans. Luther wrote the Small Catechism for parents to use in teaching their children about the faith.
Luther’s Small Catechism remains an important foundation for Lutheran faith today. Click here to read this translation published by Concordia Publishing House.— sites.cph.org/catechism/10-commandments.asp