TODAY'S CATECHISM
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WE BEGIN OUR CATECHISM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,
AMEN
TOPIC: THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
=> INTRODUCTION/DEFINITIONS
=> BRIEF HISTORY
=> THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
=> THE PROFESSION OF FAITH BIBLE REFERENCES
=> WHY PROFESSION OF FAITH?
=> CONCLUSION
=> REFERENCE
INTRODUCTION/DEFINITIONS
To profess something is to declare it openly. Usually the term "profession of faith" refers to a public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. This profession showcases a person's intention to follow Christ in all their ways. Romans 10:9–10 says: "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." A public declaration, or confession, of faith is an excellent way to demonstrate the intention of one's heart. Walking out that faith always requires concrete action steps.
In the Roman Catholic Church faith, we profess our believe: in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God,
in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
In the incarnation of God the son through the Virgin Mary,
And in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
The profession of faith is observed using the NICENE OR APOSTOLIC CREED.
BRIEF HISTORY
The Nicene Creed is a statement of belief widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because it was originally adopted in the city of Nicaea (present day İznik, Turkey) by the First Council of Nicaea in 325.
In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople, and the amended form is referred to as the Nicene or the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed.
The Apostles' Creed is also used in the Latin West, but not in the Eastern liturgies. On Sundays and solemnities, one of these two creeds is recited in the Roman Rite Mass after the homily.
An early version of what later became the Apostles’ Creed, called the “Old Roman Creed,” was in use as early as the second century (Kelly, Creeds, 101). The earliest written form of this creed is found in a letter that Marcellus of Ancyra wrote in Greek to Julius, the bishop of Rome, about AD 341. About 50 years later, Tyrannius Rufinus wrote a commentary on this creed in Latin (Commentarius in symbolum apostolorum).
THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
NICENE CREED
I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day 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.
I 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 adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and
I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
APOSTOLIC CREED
I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born from the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried, descended into hell,
on the third day rose again from the dead,
ascended to heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty,
thence 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 eternal life.
Amen.
* THE PROFESSION OF FAITH BIBLE REFERENCES
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth (Gen 14:19),
of all things visible and invisible (Col 1:16).
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God (Jn 1:18),
born of the Father before all ages (Lk 1:35),
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made (Jn 1:1-4).
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and became man (Jn 3:13),
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man (Mt 1:18).
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate (Jn. 19:16);
he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
He ascended into heaven (Lk 24:51)
and is seated at the right hand of the Father (Col 3:1).
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1),
and his kingdom will have no end (Lk 1:33).
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father (Jn 15:26)
and the Son, who with the Father and the Son he adored and glorified (Jn 14:16),
who spoke through the Prophets (1 Pet 1:10-11).
I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church (Mt 16:18).
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Eph 4:4-6),
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come (Rom 6:5).
Amen.
* WHY PROFESSION OF FAITH?
While an outward profession of faith is important, as are actions of faith, these are not what save us ( Matthew 7:21–23 ). We are saved by grace through faith ( Ephesians 2:8–9 ). We must repent of our sins ( Mark 6:12 ; Acts 2:38 ; 26:20 ) and be born again ( John 3:3 ). When we confess our sins and place our faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells us and transforms our hearts ( Ephesians 1:13–14 ; Galatians 5:16 ; Romans 8:29–30 ). As we submit to the Holy Spirit's work in us, our own desires and perspectives begin to shift into alignment with the Word of God. We lay down our fleshly self daily for the sake of Christ ( Luke 9:23 ; Galatians 2:20 ).
The Creed is also part of the profession of faith required of those undertaking important functions within the Catholic Church.
The actual purpose of a creed is to provide a doctrinal statement of correct belief or orthodoxy. The creeds of Christianity have been drawn up at times of conflict about doctrine: acceptance or rejection of a creed served to distinguish believers and deniers of particular doctrines
* CONCLUSION
Our profession of faith begins with God, for God is the First and the Last, the beginning and the end of everything.
Faith in the heart always needs to be accompanied by action. The apostle James says that faith is dead unless it is accompanied by works (James 2:17, 26). You can say you believe in something, but those are just words until you back them up with your actions. Even demons acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, but that doesn't make them saved or surrendered to Him (James 2:19). Early church Christians in Rome were persecuted when they professed faith in Christ. Their profession was met with the need for extreme action, requiring faithfulness to Christ sometimes to the point of death (Acts 2:1–41; 4:1–4; 8:1–3).
* REFERENCE
=> The Holy Bible
=> Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
=> https://www.rca.org
We have come to a conclusion on the topic THE PROFESSION OF FAITH.
Thanks for your participation, support and contributions. May the God in his infinite mercy continue to be bless and grant you more understanding of his words; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
PLEASE WE ARE ENCOURAGE TO CONTRIBUTE AND ASK QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THIS GREAT TOPIC.
