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God and the Incarnation
I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity. (From the 39 Articles of Religion) There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker, and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in the unity of this Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Catechism (From the 1979 American Prayer Book) *This means that the universe is good, that it is the work of a single loving God who creates, sustains, and directs it. (p.846) *It means that the world belongs to its creator; and that we are called to enjoy it and to care for it in accordance with God's purposes. (p.846) *It means that all people are worthy of respect and honor, because all are created in the image of God, and all can respond to the love of God. (p.846) II. Of the Word or Son of God, which was made very Man. The Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal God, and of one substance with the Father, took Man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance: so that two whole and perfect Natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one Person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God, and very Man; who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men. Catechism *The Messiah, or Christ, is Jesus of Nazareth, the only Son of God. (p.849) *What do we mean when we say that Jesus is the only Son of God? We mean that Jesus is the only perfect image of the Father, and shows us the nature of God. (p.849) *By God's own act, his divine Son received our human nature from the Virgin Mary, his mother. (p.849) *The divine Son became human, so that in him human beings might be adopted as children of God, and be made heirs of God's kingdom. (p.850) *By his obedience, even to suffering and death, Jesus made the offering which we could not make; in him we are freed from the power of sin and reconciled to God. (p.850) III. Of the going down of Christ into Hell. As Christ died for us, and was buried; so also it is to be believed, that he went down into Hell. Catechism *What do we mean when we say that he descended to the dead? We mean that he went to the departed and offered them also the benefits of redemption. (p.850) IV. Of the Resurrection of Christ. Christ did truly rise again from death, and took again his body, with flesh, bones, and all things appertaining to the perfection of Man's nature; wherewith he ascended into Heaven, and there sitteth, until he return to judge all Men at the last day. Catechism *By his resurrection, Jesus overcame death and opened for us the way of eternal life. (p.850) *What do we mean when we say that he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father? A We mean that Jesus took our human nature into heaven where he now reigns with the Father and intercedes for us. (p.850) *The Christian hope is to live with confidence in newness and fullness of life, and to await the coming of Christ in glory, and the completion of God's purpose for the world. (p.861) *We believe that Christ will come in glory and judge the living and the dead. (p.862) *By the coming of Christ in glory, we mean that Christ will come,not in weakness but in power, and will make all things new. (p.862) *What do we mean by the resurrection of the body? We mean that God will raise us from death in the fullness of our being, that we may live with Christ in the communion of the saints. (p.862) V. Of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God. Catechism The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, God at work in the world and in the Church even now. (p.852) *The Holy Spirit is revealed in the Old Covenant as the giver of life, the One who spoke through the prophets. (p.852) *The Holy Spirit is revealed as the Lord who leads us into all truth and enables us to grow in the likeness of Christ. (p.852) *We recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit when we confess Jesus Christ as Lord and are brought into love and harmony with God, with ourselves, with our neighbors, and with all creation. (p.852) *We recognize truths to be taught by the Holy Spirit when they are in accord with the Scriptures. (p.853) Next - SCRIPTURE AND THE CREEDS |
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