The Nicene Creed is one of the most authoritative and comprehensive statements of the Christian faith, setting out clearly and firmly the true deity of Christ and of the Holy Spirit. It arose at a time of great controversy over who Jesus truly is, in particular in answer to the error of Arius, who denied that Jesus is truly God. It was first adopted by the Council of Nicaea (325) and was completed at the Council of Constantinople (381); the words "and the Son" were later added in the Western church. It is received by the Reformed churches as one of the three ecumenical creeds (Belgic Confession, Article 9).
The Nicene Creed
(The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, AD 381)
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;
and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the prophets.
And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
What the Creed Confesses
- One God — the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one in being and three in persons.
- The Son is very God of very God — of one substance with the Father, begotten and not made; not a creature, but the eternal Son.
- The incarnation — for our salvation the Son became truly man, suffered, died, rose again and will return in glory.
- The Holy Spirit is the Lord and Giver of life — worshipped and glorified together with the Father and the Son.
- The church, baptism and the hope to come — one holy, catholic and apostolic church, and the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting.