T. Allen Burr Ministries

This post was initially published in Paxton Media Group papers in Southwest Indiana and Southeast Illinois.

 “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me…”

1 Corinthians 15:3 (NLT)

Last week, I encouraged believers to try to mend the bridges between denominations that have lain in disrepair for so long. I suggested that we focus on what we share in common rather than harping on what divides us. But that’s just it: What do we share in common? There are two places where we can find the answer. The first comes straight from the Bible:

“Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-9 (NLT)

This account of our belief is one of the oldest creedal statements in our faith, and it captures the basis of what the majority of Christians believe. A few centuries later, these beliefs would be more formally recognized through the Nicene Creed, as it’s commonly known. This creed also gives us a greater sense of clarity as to what binds us together. It is quite long, so for the sake of space, I’ll cut down on some extraneous verbiage.

“We believe in one God, the Father, the almighty … We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father … begotten, not made, of one being with the Father … for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary … he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again … he ascended into heaven … He will come again … We believe in the Holy Spirit … who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified … We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”

The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed

In brief, these are the beliefs that have defined Christianity for centuries. In an era when politics, ecology, ethics, and more divide us, we should cling to what binds us together. We may not agree on the nature of the Eucharist, the method of baptism, the timing of Christ’s return, or any number of things, but I urge you to ask yourself, “Is this a salvation issue?” Christ told his disciples: “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35, NLT)  How well do you love those whose beliefs differ from your own?