Intro to The Apostles Creed and the Fatherhood of God (Heidelberg Catechism LD 9)

"I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of Heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary;
suffered under Pontius Pilate;
was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell;
the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there He shall come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit;
a holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting. Amen."

"When I was a child, we attended and were members of a PCUSA church for a short time. While what we heard from the pulpit was sometimes lacking, it was an older, established area, in a more agricultural community, there were some sound holdouts. My Sunday School teacher was a wee Scottish Presbyterian lady with a thick brogue, and a sweet but firm disposition. She had us memorize Psalm 23, the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles Creed. So, Creeds never seemed odd or foreign to me, being re-exposed to them as a Reforming adult.

Creeds and Catechisms were established for the protection and instruction of the church; the Creeds, to establish essentials, and the Catechisms to instruct on essentials as well as some finer points of Biblical doctrine. They are not held as equal with Scripture, but are derived from it, and should be held in high esteem. Look into them, enjoy them, teach them to your children. They are invaluable resources for your family and the church." ~Gospel Gal: "Creeds & Catechisms"

With regard to church history and our creedal tradition, Michael Horton writes: "'The Latin slogan [sola Scriptura] means “by Scripture alone,” not “Scripture alone” (solo Scriptura). For example, both Lutheran and Reformed churches regard the ecumenical creeds, along with their own confessions and catechisms, as authoritative and binding summaries of Scripture, to which they are all subordinate." (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/horton-canon-and-covenant-sola-vs-solo-scriptura/)

Observing the historical documents: orthodox creeds and Reformed Confessions assists the church by providing structure and clarity. They protect from gross error (heresy) and from unsafe and aberrant practice (heteropraxy), as they align and subordinate to Scripture. They instruct us with and point us to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

'If we close our minds to church history we say in effect that the story of what God has done since that time means nothing to us.' ~quoted. " ~Gospel Gal: "Church History: Orthodox Creeds and Confessions"

Church historian and author, Scott Clark observes, "In our age, in some quarters, the very existence of any orthodoxy is under suspicion ... That there has always been a Christian orthodoxy is evidenced from the various biblical confessional statements, e.g.,

the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4, which was used liturgically in the synagogue and quoted in the New Testament;

Paul’s confessional formula in 1 Timothy 3:16, among other places.

The very early development of creedal formulae, e.g.,
The rule of faith (regula fidei) in the early 2nd century
Aristides’ summary of the faith c. AD 125

...orthodoxy is not only a good thing it is a necessary thing. Christian orthodoxy is neither arbitrary nor an act of political power. It is the recognition of the existence of objective truths revealed in God’s Word and confessed by the church."

In this post, I will briefly look at the Apostles' Creed: historical creedal patterns, the history and purpose of the Creed, and the Reformers' exposition of the Creed, with particular emphasis on the Fatherhood of God.

Creedal Pattern: 

Reformed and Reformation writers observe a creedal pattern in Scripture and other contexts in church history. 

Holcomb: Know the Creeds and Councils: pp. 10-11 (Amazon Kindle):

Horton: We Believe: p. 7:

Holcomb: Know the Creeds and Councils: p. 25 (Amazon Kindle):



History of The Apostles' Creed: 

Justin Holcomb provides helpful insight with regard to the origin of the Creed. 

Holcomb: Know the Creeds and Councils: p. 25 (Amazon Kindle):

Purpose of The Creeds: Protection and Preservation Orthodoxy

Reformed scholars affirm that the Creeds provide the church with necessary protection from heretical error.

Clark: "What is Orthodoxy" Heidelblog:

Horton: We Believe; p. 15:

Holcomb: Know the Creeds and Councils: p.  29 (Amazon Kindle):

Holcomb also observes: "There are plenty of Christians who, out of devotion and sincerity, think we need to get past all this “ritual stuff,” back to the Bible and Jesus. But that’s actually what the creeds do, what they were meant to do! They are the best summaries of the high points of Scripture; they are about the revelation of God in Christ and in Scripture. And most of the creeds, because they were responding to heresies that were about Jesus, are all about Jesus. They’re focused on who he is and what he’s done: the person and work of Christ. Most of the creeds rely on Scripture and many contain summaries of Scripture...

Creeds are the boundary markers between what is Christian thought and non-Christian thought. So if you’re beyond this boundary, then you are outside the scope of the Christian faith on dangerous ground. Confessions color within those lines of denominational distinctives using important but not necessarily first order issues." ~Core Christianity: Creeds and Confessions: Q&A with Justin Holcomb

Reformation Writers Exposit the Creed: Ursinus and Olevianus (Heidelberg Catechism)

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord’s Days 9-22 discuss the Creed at length.

The Reformers taught the Creed, emphasizing The Triune nature of God, and His attributes: Eternal, good, pure, incomprehensible, etc.

Of all the descriptive words that speak to the character of God, none so magnifies the intimate relationship He desires and provides for us in Christ as “Father”.  And the Creed begins with our affirmation of that relationship. “I believe in God, the Father…”

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 9, Question 26 asks, 

"What do you believe when you say: I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?" And answers:  "That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and all that is in them,  and who still upholds and governs them by his eternal counsel and providence,  is, for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father.  In him I trust so completely as to have no doubt that he will provide me with all things necessary for body and soul,  and will also turn to my good whatever adversity he sends me in this life of sorrow.  He is able to do so as almighty God,  and willing also as a faithful Father."

Ursinus, writer of the Heidelberg describes the Fatherhood of God, beautifully.

“The name of God is here taken essentially for God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; because the phrase I believe, with the particle in, is referred in the same manner to all the three persons of the Godhead; for the reason that we do not believe in the Son and Holy Spirit less than we do in the Father. When the name of the Father is opposed to the Son, it is taken personally, and signifies the first person of the Godhead, as here in the creed; but when it is opposed to creatures it must be understood essentially, and signifies the whole divine essence, as in the Lord’s prayer, Our Father who are in heaven. In this sense the Son is expressly called by Isaiah, “The everlasting Father.” (Ish. 9:6) The first person is called the Father: 1. In respect to Christ, his only begotten Son. 2. In respect to all creatures, as he is the Creator, and Preserver of them all. 3. In respect to the elect, whom he has adopted as his children, and whom he has made accepted in his beloved Son.

To believe in God the Father, therefore, is to believe in that God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and to believe that he is also my Father, and as such has a fatherly affection toward me, for and on account of Christ, in whom he has adopted me as his son.

And Olevianus; Co-Author of the Heidelberg Catechism wrote:

In closing, consider this question: What are the implications of the Creed? 

It is with great gratitude that we can recall the Creed. In so doing, we remember the work of our forefathers in the faith who helped us summarize our faith and preserve orthodoxy. 

Moreover, we can rejoice in the work of our Triune God for us and with us. We remember "I believe in God, the Father..." In Christ, our relationship and identity have been completely renovated and restored. We are no longer at enmity, no longer slaves. We no longer walk in ignorance or alienation from God, but have been made His Beloved,  just as Our Lord Christ is called. He has become to us, Abba Father," a most generous, compassionate, kind, gracious, faithful God.

Related Resources (and Sourced): 
1. discussing HC 26: LD 9: on adoption/the Fatherhood of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZJqG8ZBSBU&ab_channel=Marissa

2. Heidelberg Catechism: http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/

3. THE COMMENTARY OF DR. ZACHARAIAS URSINUS ON THE HEIDELBERG CATECHISM: http://www.rcus.org/.../UrsinusZ_HC-Commentary-17-NEW-HC.pdf

4. Know the Creeds and Councils (KNOW Series): Justin S. Holcomb

5. We Believe: Recovering the Essentials of the Apostles' Creed: Michael Horton

6. An Exposition of the Apostles’ Creed: by Caspar Olevianus