What you believe determines how you live.
Let me illustrate this for you.
Dr. Semmelweis worked as assistant to the professor of the maternity clinic at the Vienna General Hospital in Austria in the mid 1840's. They had two wards for the women who came in for free care and delivery of their babies. At the first clinic the death rate was 18.3% from what was called childbed fever. The second clinic had a death rate of 4% or less from childbed fever. Women were admitted to the clinic on a daily rotating basis. Women would beg to be admitted to the second clinic. Semmelweis had no idea why this was happening.
Now these were teaching hospitals with many duties for the students. This is before the discover of the germ theory by Louis Pasteur in 1865 began to change rapidly how doctors approached sick patients.
The breakthrough came for Dr. Semmelweis when one of the other doctors who was a close friend of his died after an accident during daily rounds. The doctor was working with a group of medical students doing autopsies on cadavers when he was cut by a scalpel that was used on a cadavers. The Dr. became sick and died. While examining his body it showed the same signs as the women who died of childbed fever. Though he did not understand or know what germs were he determined that cadaver contamination was the cause of the women dying. He suggested that all Dr. wash their hands before contact with sick people to remove the cadaver contamination, especially after having done autopsies.
Why were the women on one day dying at a higher rate than the other. Students did autopsies ever other day, then they went to the maternity ward to examine the expectant mothers. They did this without washing their hands.
When Dr. Semmelweis instituted a policy of washing hands in a special solution before examining living patients. The death rate on both wards dropped to 2%. Now all he had to do was get other doctors in other hospitals to wash their hands and more mothers and babies would live.
Some doctors, for instance, were offended at the suggestion that they should wash their hands; they felt that their social status as gentlemen was inconsistent with the idea that their hands could be unclean. The theory of diseases was highly influenced by ideas of an imbalance of the basic "four humours" in the body, a theory known as dyscrasia, for which the main treatment was bloodlettings. So when women became sick in the other hospitals they were given fresh air (even in winter) and they were bled to put their bodies back in balance.
Dr. Semmelweis died at the age of 47 in a mental hospital from septicemia after a beating by other patients.
What Dr. Semmelwies believed influenced how he lived.
What Other doctors believed influenced how they lived.
What you believe will influence how you live and how you will be viewed when you stand before your creator.
In 2008 Austria produced a Gold coin to commemorate the groundbreaking work of Dr. Semmelweis.
The apostles' creed was first used in the early second century as a statement of belief at baptismal services. It changed very little after the fourth century with the exception of some modern variations. The word creed means symbol. The creed has served as a symbol of what Christians believe. It has traditionally been broken down into twelve parts symbolic of the twelve apostles of Jesus.
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 Spirit,
and born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen
Here are the twelve parts with a scripture reference and a brief note.
#1 - I BELIEVE - In God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
"one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4.6
When we consider that NASA has just found a new green, frog shaped cloud in space that is 650 million light years from earth. That means that traveling 6 TRILLION miles a year it would only take you 650 million years to get there. (you might want to pack a lunch). This was all made by God. That is why the word almighty comes before the word maker.
#2 - I BELIEVE - In Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord
"Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" Mark 9.7
Here is Peter on the mount of transfiguration when Elijah and Moses are seen with Jesus. He wants to build three worship booths for them when God clearly tells Peter to hush. He also declared that Jesus is His son. We need to remember that as God's son He is the anointed one (Christ) and our Lord.
#3 - I BELIEVE - He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Isaiah 7.14 & Matthew 1.23
This is the setting for us to understand that Jesus is all divine and all human. He is a miracle that transcends any other person who has ever lived. This was prophesied over 500 years before it happened.
#4 - I BELIEVE - He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
"When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals-one on his right, the other on his left." Luke 23.33
It is required that sin be paid for by death. We need to remember that Jesus died for our sins. He lived a sinless life. He had a physical body just like you and I. He suffered in our place and we need to always remember His death for us and His victory over death.
#5 - I BELIEVE - He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again from the dead.
" He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." Colossians 1.18
The resurrection is a key to the gospel (good news). He has defeated death and made it possible to show us how to live our lives so that we too can be victorious over death that separated us from God. He appeared for forty days as a testimony to those who had seen him die. Without the resurrection of Jesus there is not Christianity. This is why Easter is such an important holiday in the Christian calendar, and why churches traditionally have held their services on Sunday morning.
#6 - I BELIEVE - He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father almighty.
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on thing above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3.1-2
It is not only the victory over death but his raising up to the position seated beside God the Father. The position he holds is representative of power and victory. This position also places us in direct contact with God the Father.
#7 - I BELIEVE - From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
"All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." Matthew 25.32
We need to remember that judgment is for the righteous and the wicked. The righteous will receive rewards and entrance into heaven eternally. The wicked will receive punishment and be separated from God eternally. The dead are judged as they die and the rest of the living will be judged on the final day when God calls time to an end.
#8 - I BELIEVE - In the Holy Spirit
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord or God will call." Acts 2.38-39
It is vital for the believer to know that they are not alone. Jesus promised that he would send a comforter who would guide and help us day in and day out. We have the Holy Spirit of God living within us.
#9 - I BELIEVE - The holy Christian Church, the communion of the saints
"And god placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1.22-23
Jesus said he would build his church and the gates of hell would not overcome it. There is only one church. It is composed of all believers who call Jesus the Christ their personal savior. Jesus is the final authority for the church and all who are part of it. We may have broken up into small groups (denominations) but God only sees His one church.
#10 - I BELIEVE - In the forgiveness of sins
"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26.27
The death, resurrection, ascension, and the creation of the church are all important to each of us because we can decide to change the direction of our life. But this is only possible because all Jesus did. The forgiveness of our sins was made possible because of his sinless life, sacrificial death, miraculous resurrection and his current position beside God the Father.
#11 - I BELIEVE - The resurrection of the body
"So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." 1 Corinthians 15.452-44
The believer lives life in this world surrounded by pain and suffering. They are not immune to these but they live knowing that there is coming a complete change. They will exchange these physical bodies for spiritual bodies that will last eternally.
#12 - I BELIEVE - The life everlasting
"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21.3-4
For the believer it will be everlasting life, for the non-believer it will be everlasting punishment.
What do you believe?
What you really believe will determine how you live your life, day in and day out.
"The Scripture declared that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe." Galatians 3.22
The Apostles Creed serves as a symbol and a simple statement of the foundation our faith. It is not meant to replace the scriptures but it is founded upon the Word of God. We like Dr. Semmelweis know a truth that many around us do not know or believe. We need to be able to clearly state what we believe to those around us. The Apostles' creed is a simple way for us to present the good news of Jesus in a clear and concise manner. It is an outline of what we believe and it should change how you live your life everyday.
