The Apostle's Creed

EMG radio, or today's culture and timeless truths come together it's reasoned relevant content apologetics worldview and answers to the questions that you need to know from Alex McFarlane ministries. This is true for a new generation radio and now the man who preached in 50 states and 50 days speaker, writer, and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarlane.

The story is told of a certain man was facing some great struggles of life growing up in England. The man had dreams of becoming an attorney achieving success accumulating lots of money, but by the time he was young adult demanded reach many of his goals. Already he had earned her degree had a job in a prestigious law firm.

He married will purchase the car of his dreams.

But despite his many successes he had this lingering sense of emptiness and futility and when several unexpected circumstances, put his family and his career in a crisis. He thought about turning to God. So this man was walking through a London park and he sat down on a bench and he stared at a patch of flowers and landscapers had decorated the Parks gardens with a number of brightly colored sticks painted wooden sticks and the man watched as a caterpillar inched upward climbing up one of the decorative sticks.

He reached the top and the caterpillar had nowhere else to go, and he groped in the air for for anything more that it could reach the caterpillar finally inched its way back down and the man watched as the worm crawled over to the next painted stick and it dawned on the man that this was pectoral of his own life. He'd climbed many of his "painted sticks only to realize that they didn't really lead anywhere. Hi Alex McFarlane, do you listing to treat for new generation, and I want to begin talking with you about 12 timeless truths of Christianity and I'm going to draw from the apostles Creed. This is an ancient document. I'll tell you about that in a moment, but my point is where in the time of covert. We got a new administration in Washington. The economy is fluctuating up and down what the future's going to look like people are uncertain. People are apprehensive and you know a lot of people are spiritually hungry. I know because we hear from hundreds of people week that are asking about where they stand with God asking about eternal security in Christ is the Bible true.

You know what about all these things and just like the man in the story the accomplishments the wealth the purchases the goals so many of the things that we tell us will bring us fulfillment ultimately leave this empty and we find that their very very fragile and can be taken away and now we're at a point where our nation itself. We have got to realize that we must turn back to God. It is imperative after the sexual revolution of the 60s, abortion, no-fault divorce, the mainstreaming of homosexuality, taking God out of schools. You can't pray campus the 10 Commandments as one scholar said 20 years ago and how much more true this is. Today we are paying the price for having banished God from American life that relates to the pastor of the historic Moody Church in Chicago. A dear friend and a frequent speaker at our tree for new generation conferences.

He said once how sad to climb the ladder of success in reaching the top.

At the end of one's life discover that the latter you climbed was leaning against the wrong wall in note, the brevity of life. Just a few days ago we saw the passing of Larry king, the famous broadcaster, goodness.

He was, he interviewed they said in his 60 year career 50,000 interviews. I was a very shy college student, I was such an introvert.

I was very socially backward and I'd become a Christian and I never knew God would call me to the ministry, but I was in Greensboro North Carolina and I saw this book, how to talk to anyone anywhere at any time. The secrets of good communication and I read that book and it begin to bring me out of my shell and Larry King's book really made a big impact on my life at that time on how to communicate and it's been my privilege as an evangelist apologist broadcaster to interview you know everybody from just regular people to famous Christian leaders to candidates for office and aspiring vice president and aspiring presidents of interviewed a lot of people that were running for president and musical celebrities and just different people, and I learned so much from that that book and I often prayed for Larry King II have no idea where he was spiritually. I know that he had a very close friendship with Franklin Graham and the late Jerry Falwell and he had heard the gospel many times he interviewed Billy Graham and I pray that in his heart he did come to know Christ. But during covert.

We've seen the passage of many celebrities within the passage of many people.

A lot of people have died and sadly will die, but Luther's words and the illustration of the man in the park. What is life worth anyway. If all that we have this in this world posted in first Corinthians 15 we of all people are most miserable if in this life only we have hope, or joy, and an honest evaluation of our heart and life can lead us to the realization that without God we have nothing without a relationship to Christ. The one dependable constant in our otherwise unpredictable lives without Christ, we have nothing. No centuries ago. Christian leaders saw the need to clearly spell out the basic truths of Christianity, and I frequently come back to this, regardless of all the things that we broadcast and we write in and out, got the book out now America under assault.

What we must do to save our nation before it's too late, I would urge you to read this book, you can find it at Barnes & Noble or anywhere.

But regardless of of where we are in history.

I keep reiterating these truths that the basics God exists, the biblical God.

The Bible is the word of God.

Jesus is deity, the son of God. He died on the cross to pay for our sins by the blood he shed on Calvary.

Our sins are washed.

What I keep reiterating these basic truths because in spite of the noise of culture and the changing headlines and just the sociologists call it white noise. The the life that we live amidst unrelenting media.

These timeless truths of Christianity do not go out of date. Now when we come back I'm going to read the very widely accepted apostles Creed that presents the message of Christ and early Christians would memorize it. We read it in church. To this day, and I want to bring out 12 timeless truths about Christianity from the apostles Creed that point us to the Lord Jesus Christ one that our nation, our world and maybe even you listening now so desperately need state to entry for new generation will be back after this brief break. Christians don't necessarily agree with one another when it comes to questions of religious pluralism, homosexuality, the role of government abortion and war.

Too often, we manage these disagreements by ignoring them, yet were called to engage the world for the sake of Christ. How can we be effective if we avoid society's most pressing questions 10 issues that divide Christians Alex McFarlane challenges us to drill down to the biblical core of 10 current issues such as social justice evil and suffering, photography, and environmentalism as he echoes the biblical invitation, this reason together only by engaging the Scriptures deeply thinking clearly and speaking truthfully can we, in God's family address our differences and discover the peace that comes with unity of purpose.

10 issues that divide Christians find this book and many others@alexmcfarlane.com welcome to the podcast I hear you. We are so excited that you joined us, and this is just going to be a great new podcast dealing with issues around race issues around friendship and how do we deal with the tough issues and also excited to be here with my good friend Alex to do with you Adele in on the I hear you podcast we talk about race. We talk about culture. We talk about politics, and sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, but we find resolution and common ground near what's really cool. Not only do we learn new things. We make friends would grow and that's good for all of us with just two friends why why one black and we just invite everyone to come and join to share with us is a big difference between hearing and listening and show love and look forward to it. An audience thank you so much for giving us a chance, I hear you. When Alex and Odell every get you podcast timeless cruise soundbite culture for a new generation radio. Welcome back to treat her new generation Alex McFarlane here in I want to read the apostles Creed. Many churches read this in the worship service and you know it's interesting, oftentimes reading a Creed in church is maybe associated with high church kind of you know that old dead orthodoxy, but in reality this creed is just amazingly relevant for today.

For one thing, it's God's eternal timeless truth of the gospel message. You know what I remember when I was in graduate school and I had a church history course at the grad level and the professor. The first assignment, and I was little apprehensive you are going to work on a Masters program you know a little little intimidating.

The professor for the first assignment, one of the class to memorize the apostles Creed while having grown up in Buffalo Presbyterian Church in North Carolina. I'd memorize the apostles Creed since about first grade and it reads this way, it says not listen carefully. Quote I believe in God the father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his only son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 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 on the right hand of God the father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead with the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen. Now just a word of clarity. The word Catholic here does not refer to the Roman catholic church.

It denotes believers worldwide. The universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ were Catholic means whole or universal and in Latin the word Creed credo CRED other means.

I believe a Creed is what you believe know many Christian creeds and statements of doctrine have been developed over the centuries and all have been attempts by different groups to codify or clearly state to summarize the basics of what they believe he knows I was reading the apostles Creed just now. No doubt many of you listening if you grew up in a church where you memorize the apostles Creed. You had a dear mother and daddy that taught you the apostles Creed. You might've set it along with me.

I believe in God the father Almighty, and from memory you recited that and it's a wonderful thing.

Now listen stating our Christian beliefs is an ancient tradition, Christian creeds have influence people for hundreds of years within the Bible certain verses appear to be brief but organized creeds, statements of words indicating that believers had been in the habit of preserving and teaching specific Christian truths since the very beginning of the church now one of my dear friends and ministry. Michael like kinda is a professional historian. He and Gary have amassed have written a number of books about the creedal statements that are in the New Testament because think about this Jesus rose Jesus ascended, Peter preached a Pentecost the church was birthed, but the New Testament wasn't finished yet and they didn't have printed Bibles like we do now, obviously. So part of what worship and discipleship was included memorization and you know as I teach the Bible and as I travel. And as I see the great need for a movement of God in our nation, we need an awakening so desperately. We really really did it on. We need the Scripture because there's never a true authentic move of God without the word of God and I would encourage preachers preach the word, teachers, leaders, small group overseers teach the word and encourage your your constituency to memorize the word of God. They did this goes back to the the very earliest times of Christianity. And I think about into first Corinthians 15 three through fourth. This is an example of one of the creedal statements in the New Testament posit. I delivered unto you, that which I first received, how that Christ died, was buried, according to the Scriptures, the third day rose again from the dead.

In Colossians Colossians chapter 112 through 20, which talks about by him were all things created, and through him all things consist or hang together scholars like Lacombe and I have amassed and others recognize this was a creedal statement of Philippians 2 Jesus talks about his divinity and the incarnation. It's called the divine canconnote assessments to empty. He emptied himself, not of deity. He was always and will always be divine, but he voluntarily subordinated his divine powers while he was here on earth and it says he was made a little lower than the angels, and for the glory set before him endured the cross, even going all the way to Calvary's cross Philippians 252 11 one of the creedal statements now about this apostles Creed.

It's 1/4 century statement of belief quote" which remains the basic doctrinal statement for many churches the content of the apostles Creed dates from probably around 150 A.D. now tradition church tradition says that these words were derived from Christ's 12 apostles, hence the name the apostles Creed but godly leaders are concerned that the church maintained purity of belief. They set forth the summary statement on the essential truths of Christianity. The these the nonnegotiable's by the way, if you ever hear people in the news. Oftentimes politicians speaking very politically, though say will you and I'm a Christian, but I respect that other beliefs have truth to people say that and somebody also will yeah I'm a believer but I understand that other people have different opinions without Bill give a caveat. You know, like we all are working for the same place, quote unquote, I was gonna cringe when people say things like that because these are nonnegotiable's Jesus Christ virgin born God incarnate, and remember Christ in verses like John 824 and John 14 six. He said that he was the only way to be saved. Mark chapter 2 Jesus said that he had the power to forgive sins.

The, the purity of what we teach what we believe the church must ever strive to preserve and maintain in the writers of the apostles Creed and those that promoted it in here.

We in the 21st-century.

We still recited. They endeavored to come to agreement on most basic core beliefs of the Christian faith and to preserve these and perpetuate these get a brief break were going to come back going to talk about the really apologetics and worldview content emanates from this blessing and beautiful statement of belief points us to Jesus. The way you know Alex is writing for many years, and one of his classic books is still great. Today is a basic introduction to the Christian faith. It's called Stan courtrooms must know for unshakable faith.

This book will help you help your teens get off the roller coaster of doubt onto solid ground will read about the six pillars of biblical Christianity. They are one inspiration of the Bible to the virgin birth. Three.

The deity of Christ for atonement. Five. Christ's resurrection and six.

Christ's return know Alex mixes it up with humor and stories gleaned from decades of working with youth and encourages things to build a foundation of faith that will stabilize their lives and help them take a stand for Christ. Simple and straightforward. Stan courtrooms you must know for an unshakable faith available wherever Christian books are so American today is like a patient struggling to live yet is being forcibly euthanized by her quote doctors. The life force within the patient fighting for survival is the honest citizens like yourself team of quote caregivers are the local and national leaders actually contributing to the demise of the patient economy is crashing crime is exploding.

The Constitution is being abolished the assault on America how to defend our nation before it's too late. By Alex the farmer has one single purpose to get you prepared the real source of America's current problems that no one else is talking about and what you can do now to face tomorrow. Regardless of what tomorrow brings. The assault on America how to defend our nation before it's too late. Available now at Amazon or Barnes & Noble and local Christian bookstores in the midst of a culture obsessed with relativism. Alex McFarland is a voice you can trust to speak the timeless truths of Christianity in a timely way. You're listening to the truth for a new generation radio.

Welcome back to truth for a new generation Alex Pearson wanted that your listing were going to begin to unpack the 12 timeless truths about Christianity from the apostles Creed. By the way, NR is it's all around the country of the last 23 years we've given out a little book of what does God say about my relationship with him. Now the first half of this book is a book it's about another 25 pages.

The first half explains how to have a relationship with Christ. The second half contains much of what were going over regarding the apostles Creed we try to help people get grounded Christianity 101, just the basics of the faith, how to not only understand what you believe how to share what you believe and even explain and defend what you believe. Now I will. I don't know 1/4 million people have gotten this little booklet over the last 23, 24 years.

I want to send you one. If you write to us.

You can write to us either@alexmcfarland.com just go online Alex McFarland.com or you can write to us.

PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313 that's PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313 we want to send you this little booklet just to help us cover expenses if you could send a contribution of at least five dollars and that will help us with this little booklet postage and I'll send you a couple copies, one for you to read one of you to give way might lead somebody to Christ, but also I want to make you aware that we got the new book out the assault on America how to defend our nation before it's too late. I would encourage you if you would to go to Amazon.com, Google my name Alex McFarland you'll find that book you will also find a number of other books and products that the Lord is allowed me to create and write. You can also get our books at any Barnes & Noble in America part of the reason that I that I like to drive traffic to Barnes & Noble, even if they don't have one of my books in stock. Frequently they do. But if you have them order my book they'll get several in the put it on the shelves and people will stumble across these books without maybe they weren't even looking and they'll end up finding a Christian book in Barnes & Noble and then finally at AF, a store.net as an American family Association and on the radio every day Monday through Friday with exploring the word and we got a lot of products that I've created with my friend Bert Harper and AFA store.net then the last thing before we get back to the teaching June 25-27.

I'm going to be at the Cove, the Billy Graham training center at the Cove. It's in western North Carolina. Just beautiful right near Asheville were going to go to the book of acts. The New Testament book of acts verse by verse will go through acts and going to look at the principles of revival and spiritual awakening from the book of acts. Their website is the Cove.org the Cove Seo VE.org. It's wonderful. My friend Will Graham is Executive Director. I would encourage you to check it out. I'd love to see you at our seminar there are any the other great seminars they have at the Cove will the apostles Creed. It begins with this great statement and it really is the foundational fundamental presupposition. Either you believe it or you don't and whether or not you do will shape everything else about your life. I believe in God the father Almighty. Now you know my friend Ken ham of answers in Genesis, wonderful, brilliant, amazing leader, unit Genesis 11 says in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Ken ham has said and I agree. You either start assuming the belief of God or you don't. Many people don't their influential atheists today. Do you know what I sadly I just read a statistic about Germany. Recently, a survey was done in Germany of thousands of people that were 28 years old and younger. How they came up with that number.

I don't know but in Germany about two years ago. This survey revealed that the surveyors could not find anyone under the age of 28 that believed in God. Now certainly, there are there survey was an exhaustive of every single citizen in the nation of Germany. But the vast majority and it's fast becoming that way in America as well.

I just recently spoke to a group of middle school and high schoolers and I asked how many have a friend or you know somebody your age that would claim to be an atheist and many, many, many hands went up 10 years ago, even it would've been zero and so this presupposition. I believe in God so many people today because they've been conditioned by media secular education. They've not grown up where mom and dad took them to church and that they've not really had the discipline of going to church and ultimately being groomed to be a disciple. This first precept of the apostles Creed, which is so powerful and so significant nations individuals entire denominations rise or fall with whether or not you. You truly accept all that this implies I believe in God the father Almighty. That's the first line of the apostles Creed now what we believe about God is called theology's from the word Diaz T8 GUS the ancient word theorized means God now theology Stewart log, Goss and Diaz Elledge US logon's Greek word for word. So theology is a word about God. The Christian faith is built on the foundation of trust in Almighty God who has revealed himself to humanity and as our heavenly father God is the one who created the universe and who sustains it word Almighty means that God is sovereign over his creation with wisdom, love, and in power and in complete control. God presides over all things God's sovereignty. We use the word sovereignty. It's a source of comfort and truth. For the believer we know that nothing happens without God's knowledge or God's permission. While it goes on and it says he's the creator of the heavens and the earth and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord now want you to stay tuned because in the in the next couple of programs were going to continue to unpack the wonderful truths of the apostles Creed but it begins with this God. We often talk about creation conscience scripture Savior. These things are best understood in terms of God.

Existing, we hope that you believe in God, we have the you have a relationship with God and we want all that we can help you grow and experience all the wonderful things God has for you is your his child and hopefully you rise to the call to be his witness. Thanks for listening to this edition of transferring generation TMG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland ministry, PO Box 10231 is Burrell, NC 27404.

That's PO Box 10231, Greensboro, NC 27404 call us at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God, and the number one or give online@alexmcfarland.com while you're there, listen the program. Our guys read Alex's blog invite Alex to speak at your event or contact Alex with a question or comment, Alex McFarland.com. Thanks for listening today and join us again next time. As we bring you more true for a new generation TMG radio