Day 246 -FOUNDATION STONES IN A YEAR

by King's Cross Training November 12, 2022

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4: 16

Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:16; John 6:39

Have we given the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead enough airtime in our modern preaching, teaching and general Christian understanding?

We realize how important it was not only to the early apostles but also to the Church fathers who followed them. They wrote everything that the apostles had taught them into what later became known as the Apostles Creed.

Look out for the seven foundational doctrines, including the resurrection of the dead, as you read through 3 versions of the Apostles Creed. Tomorrow, we’ll talk further about this important document.

The Apostles' Creed in Modern English

(From the Book of Common Prayer)

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate
was crucified, died, and was buried;
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

The Apostles' Creed in Traditional English

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic* Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.

Old Roman Creed

I believe in God the Father almighty;
and in Christ Jesus His only Son, our Lord,
Who was born from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,
Who under Pontius Pilate was crucified and buried,
on the third day rose again from the dead,

ascended into heaven,
sits at the right hand of the Father,
whence he will come to judge the living and the dead;
and in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Church,
the remission of sins,
the resurrection of the flesh,
[life everlasting].

*The word "catholic" in the Apostles' Creed refers not to the Roman Catholic Church, but to the universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Father, thank You for this intense focus on the resurrection of the dead that is helping me to see how important it is – and inspiring me to learn more.