18-7 Biblical Precreedal Statements of Belief

Explanation:

Christians have always declared their faith in Jesus Christ. Nathanael, Peter, Thomas, the eunuch baptized by Philip, Paul, and John each bear testimony that Jesus is the Christ. These statements begin as early individual declarations, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,” but soon become group affirmations, “We know that the Son of God is come.” Each of these testimonies is unique. They are spontaneous utterances of the Spirit; their wording is flexibly formulated. Out of these biblical, precreedal expressions would eventually grow the much more formal and elaborate creeds of Christianity. But originally, these statements were simple, pure, plain, and precious.