Remaining Confessional
One of the things I have mentioned concerning my conversion to the Christian faith was that my initial walk with the Lord went hand in hand with church planting. At the time, almost 10 years ago, some of the buzz words were (and still remain) “gospel-centered,” “missional,” and “authentic.” When you fast forward and while those key phrases and words still exist, I think they have matured a bit in their efforts. Recently, another word has started making a comeback and that is “confessional.” Over the last few years, I have seen an increase in the use and embracing of historic creeds and confessions in the Christian faith and for good reason.
And while it is a great time to see churches standing on credal or confessional statements, I would like to make two quick points of what that actually means. In other words, I’d like to define what it means to be confessional and then I’d like to make a case as to why remaining confessional matters.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE CONFESSIONAL?
I think one of the simplest definitions presented is by Joe Thorn when he writes “being confessional means that our community of faith is united around commonly held beliefs that serve to identify who and what we are by explaining what we believe in.” To be confessional suggests that what we believe will shape how we live.
I fear that many churches are “confessional” in that they adopt a historic creed or confession, slap it on their website, and yet never teach, disciple, or encourage their congregations to learn that these doctrines help point them back to the pages of scripture further helping them to grow in their personal sanctification.
Additionally, there are many who resist being formally confessional and use phrases such as “no creed but the Bible” in an effort to keep these historic confessions of faith out of the walls of the church so that they would not be influenced by anything other than the teaching of Scripture. And while I can appreciate the level of protection that may motivate such people or churches, I would like to make a case as to why we, at the Confessional Taco, believe that creeds and confessions actually matter—both culturally and theologically.
CREEDS AND CONFESSIONS: CLARITY AND WORSHIP
While the Bible is certainly more than enough as it is self-authenticating and the inerrant word of God that revives the soul (Psalm 19:7) and creeds and confessions do not replace God’s word, we believe, however, that creeds present us with a number of opportunities for clarity and worship. In this article, we will use the Apostles’ Creed as our primary example:
1. Creeds Point To Scripture
Creeds serve as summaries of the Christian faith. The Apostles’ Creed not only summarizes the Holy Trinity and their distinction and roles, but is almost fully dedicated to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Further, each section of the creed forces us to look back to the pages of Scripture.
2. Creeds Help Defend and Define the Truth
As a summary of the Christian faith, creeds and confessions help to defend against false teaching. In our culture today, truth is preached as something that is subjective. But the Bible teaches that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Creeds and confessions help the church stand on the foundation of scripture during such times of subjectivity by defining what the truth is through proclamation. And while the church in the United States may not be in decline, the gospel is certainly in danger. Creeds help to defend and define the truth of the gospel objectively.
3. Creeds Unite the Church
Creeds and confessions help to unite all believers because the statements made are foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. Creeds and confessions are very important to the Christian community for the sake of unity.
4. The Historical Church
The Apostles’ Creed was recited and affirmed by new converts as they were baptized during the 2nd century; catechisms were developed around creeds and confessions as a result of the teachings of Scripture; martyrs would pray the words of the Apostles’ Creed before being burned at the stake or executed. When the church today says “I Believe” independently, but corporately we are connected to the saints that have gone before us. To them, creeds weren’t just a part of the service, but integral to them personally.
5. Christ-Centered
Creeds and confessions are not simply a summary of facts, but the exaltation of a person: Jesus Christ. There is no Christianity without Jesus. He is not a ideology. If that were true, then Christianity could and would survive without Him at the center just like any other ideological system of beliefs. However, because Jesus is not a system, but the risen King. Creeds and confessions draw a line in the sand by exalting the name of Jesus.
6. Creeds and the Mission of the Church
Creeds and confessions matter culturally in the midst of making disciples. For instance, in our context that is the Rio Grande Valley, a creed such as the Apostles’ Creed is something many people grew up within their homes, not to mention our area is predominantly Roman Catholic. Creeds and confessions serve as an opportunity to meet people where they are without controversy and telling them about the person and work of Jesus.
At The Confessional Taco, we believe that the creeds and confessions of the Christian faith are vital because they unite the church under doctrinal truths that point us back to Christ and His word and because they are a part of our heritage as a family of faith. For The Confessional Taco, we’re all about heritage.
-Marco