Reading With the People of God #13 Nicene CreedSample

Focus of the month: The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Kingdom of God: Present and Coming

In 2 Kings 20:12-21, King Hezekiah’s pride leads him to show off his treasures to a foreign envoy, disregarding God’s warning. The prophet Isaiah reveals that Babylon will one day come to take it all, showing that earthly kingdoms are temporary and fleeting. Hezekiah’s story serves as a reminder that worldly power and wealth cannot save us.

In Matthew 25:31-26:5, Jesus teaches about the final judgment, where the Son of Man will come in glory to separate the righteous from the wicked. This passage points to the Kingdom of God, where Christ, the true King, will reign eternally. Jesus is the King who will return in glory to judge and bring justice. We are called to live with His return in mind, serving the least of these as an expression of our faith in Him.

The Nicene Creed affirms that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead, establishing His eternal kingdom. These passages challenge us to recognize that, unlike the fleeting power of earthly kings, the reign of Christ is eternal. Are we investing in His Kingdom, living in light of His return, or are we distracted by the temporary things of this world?