Apostolic Confessions of Faith

Following the process of the apostolic preaching and the response of faith, the writers of the New Testament expressed the essential belief elements of that faith in confessions of faith for the early Church.

1 Cor 12:3

And no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the holy Spirit.

Rom 10:9

For, 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.

Phil 2:11

... every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Col 2:6

So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,

1 Jn 2:22

Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.

Mk 8:29

"But who do you say that I am?" Peter said to him in reply, "You are the Messiah."

1 Jn 4:15

Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God.

1 Jn 5:5

Who is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Heb 4:14

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.

In other New Testament writings, increasingly more detailed confessions of faith are found.

1 Cor 15:3-7

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures;

that he was buried;

that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures;

that he appeared to Kephas,

then to the Twelve.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, ...

After that he appeared to James,

then to all the apostles.

Rom 1:3-5

The gospel about his Son,

descended from David according to the flesh, but

established as Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

Through him we have received the grace of apostleship

1 Pet 3:18-22

For Christ also suffered for sins once,

the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,

that he might lead you to God.

Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit.

In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,

... through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God,

with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

1 Tim 3:16

Who was

manifested in the flesh,

vindicated in the spirit,

seen by angels,

proclaimed to the Gentiles,

believed in throughout the world,

taken up in glory.

Last Updated: January 3, 1997