What Do You Believe In?

"And how about you? Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter said, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16: 15-16)

“What do you believe in?” It is a question that gets asked often. In circles of faith, the answer to this question has eternal consequences. In the visually driven world we live in, many answer this question by using symbols.

Think about some well-known symbols such as the Nike swoosh, the ATT logo, Mickey Mouse, and the American flag.

What do symbols say?

Perhaps they tell about status, preference or even a display of belief. Symbols are filled with meaning and can describe a person or group concisely. You may even have some emotions tied up to these symbols.

Are you defined by symbols?

As followers of Jesus we are defined by certain symbols.

As Peter made his confession of Christ that day in Caesarea Philippi, his words became a symbol for his faith. He showed everyone who he believed in and where his trust was. But when you read a bit further you find out that this confession was not something that Peter came up with himself. Jesus tells him that this came from God the Father!

The ancient Church used a particular symbol to show others the faith that had been given to them by the Spirit of God. This symbol was first called the Roman symbol, which eventually became known as the Apostles Creed. When a person would recite the creed before baptism it became a symbol of their new life in Christ. In a way they answered the question, “What do you believe in?” by reciting the Apostles Creed.

What symbols do we use today? Can we still use the Creed as a symbol of faith?

As we use the Creed in worship it should not just be something that transitions us from the sermon to the offering. We need to use the power of the Creed to make a bold statement of the wonderful grace we have been given by our loving God. We should also teach it to our children not only to show them who God is but also to show others what we believe. Next time you say the Creed think of it as a symbol of the faith that has been given you by the work of Jesus Christ. Let us all think of ways to use this symbol to show others not only what we believe, but also who we believe.