The Nicean Creed (主後325 年)
1. 我信獨一上帝,全能的父,創造天地和有形無形萬物的主。
2. 我信獨一主耶穌基督,上帝的獨生子,在萬世以前為父所生,出於神而為神,出於光而為光,出於真神而為真神,受生而非被造,與父一體,萬物都是藉者他造的;
3. 他為要拯救我們世人,從天降臨,因著聖靈,並從童女馬利亞成肉身,而為人;
4. 在本丟彼拉多手下,為我們釘於十字架上,受難,埋葬;
5. 照聖經第三天復活;
6. 並升天,坐在父的右邊;
7. 將來必有榮耀再降臨,審判活人死人;他的國度永無窮盡;
8. 我信聖靈,賜生命的主,從父(和子)出來,與父子同受敬拜,同受尊榮,他曾藉眾先知說話。
9. 我信獨一神聖大公使徒的教會;
10. 我信使罪得赦的獨一洗禮;
11. 我望死人復活;
12. 並來世生命。
The Nicean-Constantinopolitan Creed:
I believe in one God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before All worlds [God of God], Light of Light, very God of very God, beggotten, not made, being of one substance [essence] with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again, according to the scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost (Spirit), the Lord and Giver of Life; who procededth form the Father [and the Son]; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets. And [I believe] one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the ressurection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
尼西亞信經對付的異端:
· 亞流派 (Arianism) :否認三位一體,認為聖子是被父所造,與父不同質。
· 亞波裡那流派 (Apollinarianism) :認為基督的人性與神性相混和,神性吸收人性。
· 馬其頓派(聖靈被造派, Pneumatomachinianism ):認為聖靈是被造的天使。
尼西亞信經幾經演變,出現於主後 325 年,定型於主後 381 年,後者又稱為尼西亞──君士坦丁堡信經。東方希臘教會(後成東正教)只按舊形式承認聖靈是從父而出;而西方拉丁教會(後成天主教)按後者加上聖靈從父(和子)而出,形成後來東西分裂的題目之一。
尼西亞信經中可被解釋成偏差之處 (後來被天主教利用):
· 從使徒信經強調基督的救贖,變到強調基督的國度,並通過教會實現,產生政教合一。
· 強調靈從子而出,忽略了子先從靈而出的經文,造成與東方教會的分裂原因之一。
· 建立「使徒的教會」承傳,倒推至彼得作第一個羅馬教皇,抬高羅馬主教的地位。
· 混淆靈洗與水洗的區別;認為洗禮參與人的得救,使得以後教會禮儀也成為得救的需要。
· 強調聖靈的神性和與父子的同等性,但沒有提到聖靈雖然配得這些榮耀,但他卻不求自己的榮耀,只求榮耀父子。這一點被靈恩派所利用。