“I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
“I 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.” This is how the Nicene Creed, the statement of my beliefs, begins. It is what I truly believe.
This belief ties me together Christians in all times and all places. It affects how I treat the world, and it affects the way I treat my fellow humans. It affects how I feel when I fall short of the ideal set forth by God’s law, and embodied in His son.
I speak these words every week but more than just speaking them, I believe them. For nearly 1,700 years, Christians have proclaimed their faith with these words, and I am one with all of them; one in faith, one in the family of God. This belief is what makes us all one.
Knowing that God is the creator of all things, I am afflicted with a wonder and a sense of responsibility that causes me to think twice before I act. I know that I will be held accountable for the state I leave God’s world in when I am done here.
What of my sisters and brothers here in this world? I have been shown, by the life of Jesus, how I am to treat them, too. If one sister or brother goes uncared-for, I am to blame.
The most wonderful aspect of my belief lies in the consequences for my failures. I know that I will be held accountable for my actions, but I also know that Jesus suffered death for my sake. He gave his life to atone for my short-comings in the reflection of God’s Law. That simple thought gives me hope, while at the same time humbles me. I can do nothing to atone for my sins. I am condemned, if not for the love of God shown through Jesus. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, I am not condemned, but welcomed into God’s presence in heaven.
These things which I believe fill me with such joy that I am driven to act in a way that will make God smile as He makes me smile. I want to reflect the love which God shows to me, so that everyone I come in contact with will know God’s love, too.
I’ll fall short of that goal today, but I believe that I shall do better tomorrow, because God’s spirit abides in me, and works through me to bring glory to Him, and that gives me hope for tomorrow.