ReformationUCC.org

Missiologist George Patterson makes an important observation in his book “Church Multiplication Guide”:

A Westerner’s witness often emphasizes Anselm’s theory of the atonement and neglects other vital aspects of the gospel. This ancient definition of the atonement focuses on the substitution of a sacrificial victim for the sinner in Jesus’ death; He died in our place. As usually explained however, it overlooks Jesus’ resurrection as an essential part of His redemptive work. His resurrection is just as ‘vicarious’ as His death because all that are saved participate in it. Scripture shows that we are mortal… we take on Christ’s immortality by being risen in Him (1 Corinthians 15:12-18, 42-57; John 5:24-29; 11:23-26; 1 Peter 3:21; Rom. 8:11: Eph.1:18-2:7; and others).

Many Westerners dwell on Christ’s death and consequent forgiveness of the sinner which are precious truths, but not the whole truth. They teach our justification by faith through Jesus’ death as found in Romans up to chapter5, but stop there. That does not prepare a covert for the new, Spirit-filled [life] he will live in the power of Jesus’ resurrection, as explained in [Romans] chapters 6-8. These chapters reveal the new life we have by participating in Christ’s resurrection.

Patterson goes on to discuss how the resurrection of Christ forms the climax of the Apostolic preaching in Acts. In modern North America though, the resurrection almost seems an afterthought to be defended against skeptics, but not essential to the Gospel. Patterson is correct in noting this problem; it DOES plague modern non-creedal “evangelicalism” and has reduced biblical “repentance” to a “decision” that all too often is the equivalent of a “non binding referendum”.

This problem did not, however, plague the creedal and sacramental evangelicalism of the Reformation in either the Reformed or Lutheran branches. There, the resurrection of Christ and the new life imparted was retained in the basic proclamation of the Gospel. Patterson’s observation though, highlights the importance of keeping prominent in our Apostles’ Creed in our worship and discipleship.

Before turning to those reformation texts, the unique nature of the the Apostles’ Creed (and the Nicene Creed for that matter) should be noted. The Creed is not first and foremost a statement of religious theory in abstract form, such as “I believe God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent”. Instead the Creed is a historical recitation of God’s mighty acts of Creation and Redemption as they unfold historically. Unlike other “religious statements” of the world that assert one thing or another without reference to history, the Creed makes the breathtaking claim that the Living God has acted dramatically and irreversibly in human history to bring salvation to His people. The Creed mirrors longer detailed recitations of God’s covenant faithfulness such as Psalm 105, but from the perspective of Christ’s New Covenant work instead of the details of the Old Covenant and summarizes the Bible.

Those who internalize the Creed cannot help but include the resurrection in their proclamation of the Gospel. The effects of Christ’s death are not discussed in the Creed until after the declaration of Christ’s victory over death, His exaltation at the Father’s right hand and the announcement of His Second Coming. As in Scripture, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit follows Christ’s exaltation. The Spirit’s outpouring results in the following effects of Christ’s saving works: the creation of a new people, the church; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and life everlasting.

Creedal or Confessional Evangelicals who guided by the Apostle’s Creed as they unfold the Gospel message will avoid the very real problems Patterson sees. That way, we will avoid the difficulties that come when we effectively separate repentance and belief, faith and obedience – the hallmark problems of non-creedal Evangelicalism that Patterson identifies in his work.

As mentioned previously, Reformation summaries of the faith (the catechisms) likewise avoided the problem Patterson notes because they functioned to explain the Apostles’ Creed to the churches of their day. Their example is worth remembering today as we seek to build up our own churches.

In Luther’s Small Catechism entering into the “resurrection life” of Christ after receiving the forgiveness of sins is discussed under the topic of baptism. This is only a surprise for non-creedal evangelicals who likewise tend to be non-sacramental. For non-creedal evangelicals, baptism is a initial testimony about what the new Christian believes. For Luther, however, baptism is a testimony about the transforming grace God daily gives to those who believe:

What does such baptizing with water signify?–Answer.

It signifies that the old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts, and, again, a new man daily come forth and arise; who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Where is this written?–Answer.

St. Paul says Romans, chapter 6: We are buried with Christ by Baptism into death, that, like as He was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Likewise, the Heidelberg Catechism is an exposition of the Apostles’ Creed and directly presents the resurrection of Jesus as the foundation of both justification and sanctification or forgiveness and transformation.

Question 45. What does the “resurrection” of Christ profit us?

Answer: First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, that he might make us partakers of that righteousness which he had purchased for us by his death; secondly, we are also by his power raised up to a new life; and lastly, the resurrection of Christ is a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection.

As George Patterson reminds us, the Gospel is incomplete unless we present what the Apostles did – the resurrection and it’s crucial importance for human history in general and for our personal transformation specifically. Non-creedal evangelicalism has lost this to one degree or another with bad results. In the regular use of the Apostles’ Creed in worship and personal meditation and reference to the catechisms based on it, we are delivered from the temptation to separate the Resurrection from the Cross.

---

Related Articles regarding the most difficult phrase in the Apostles’ Creed, Christ’s “Descent Into Hell”:Calvin on the “Descent into Hell”Also, the confusion caused by talking about a descent into “Hell” is somewhat lessened by other translations that recognize the underlying Greek term to be “Hades”… the abode of the dead, not Hell or “Gehenna” per se.The Westminster Larger Catechism deals with the topic in this way:

Q. 50. Wherein consisted Christ’s humiliation after his death?

A. Christ’s humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried,and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day; which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell.

The Apostle’s Creed In Relation To Bible Story Telling