Feb. 7 2010

No Creed But Christ

1 Cor. 15:1-11

I began by emphasizing Paul’s reminder that he proclaimed and they received that in which he handed on to them. “That Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared….” This was a creed, yet we so often say "No Creed but Christ" as Disciples of Christ.

I reminded us that the Communion Table and/or membership in a congregation depended on saying the correct creed in the denominations that the founders came from. And no matter how well worded a creed might be or how simple, it was still a human restriction on Jesus’ table. That is why we do not require a specific creed for membership or the table.

However, Paul makes a point to write how important it is that the believers in Corinth received the basic creed for their belief. How does it apply to our non-creedal stance? Well I am reminded of another 19^th century slogan from the Stone-Campbell movement, “In essentials, Unity; In non-essentials, Liberty; and in all things, Charity.” Thus we must admit there are some essentials, but we may not agree what they are (with Charity I pray), and we all need to use our liberty to develop our own stance on the non-essentials. Therefore, I encourage all of us to know the creeds and our history (the denomination and Christianity's) so we are able to answer simple questions such as: Why are you a Christian? Why FCC? And those answers depend on each person’s interpretation of the history that is handed down to them in creeds, traditions, people, etc…

I then read the preamble of our Design which is the closest thing to a Creed we have for the denomination but it is not used to determine membership or to limit the table. It is:

As members of the Christian Church,

We confess that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of the living God,
and proclaim him Lord and Savior of the world.
In Christ's name and by his grace
we accept our mission of witness
and service to all people.
We rejoice in God,
maker of heaven and earth,
and in God’s covenant of love
which binds us to God and to one another.
Through baptism into Christ
we enter into newness of life
and are made one with the whole people of God.
In the communion of the Holy Spirit
we are joined together in discipleship
and in obedience to Christ.
At the Table of the Lord
we celebrate with thanksgiving
the saving acts and presence of Christ.
Within the universal church
we receive the gift of ministry
and the light of scripture.
In the bonds of Christian faith
we yield ourselves to God
that we may serve the One
whose kingdom has no end.
Blessing, glory, and honor
be to God forever. Amen.

And each person will read these same words and there is unity in essentials if they understand that there must be liberty in the non-essentials, and above all charity. For each person it is a personal relationship with Jesus and therefore their creed will be personal. So for someone to go to the Lord’s Table there are many creeds but only one Christ.