The Apostles' Creed (Part 2)
Amen ('So Be It')
For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 3:14
Today's Bible Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21.
Yesterday, we looked at the “Apostles' Creed” and it ends with the word “Amen.” When we finish our prayers whether privately of collectively, we end them with “Amen.”
There’s nothing magical about the creed as a statement of the Christian faith. It is not an incantation or a mantra to be said again and again for protection or for gaining some benefit. Based on the Bible’s teaching shared with us by Christ’s apostles, the creed’s clear yet eloquent statements help us remember the truths that Christians have learned and said together for nearly 2,000 years. So in that respect, it is worthwhile to say the creed again and again.
Further, the Apostles’ Creed does not directly teach us how to live out our faith every day. But as a short summary it provides an unshakable foundation for building vibrant churches and shaping godly lives that centre on the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These truths help to shape and guide our thoughts and actions so that we faithfully proclaim who God is and who we are as His people serving Him in the world.
As Paul closes his prayer of praise in Ephesians with “Amen,” the little Hebrew word meaning “So be it”— so the Apostles’ Creed ends on the same note. At the conclusion of this confession about God we appropriately say together, “Amen (‘So be it’).”
Prayer
Dear Lord God, I before You today with a profoundly grateful heart for Your relentless, never-ceasing work in my heart. Thank You for the promises of Your Word, that they are “Yes and Amen.”
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