All material in this document is copyrighted by Ted Rivera, 2013. ©
Introduction
It is difficult for any Christian to overstate the debt we have to prior generations. In
addition, it is all too common for Christians to unfairly disparage aspects of the church in our
own age. We should instead be eager to acknowledge the monumental contributions of
Christians throughout our history, and we should exercise extraordinary patience with believers
today, knowing that we too fall short in many ways. As James puts it, “Everyone should be quick
to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” (Jas 1:19). With that said, there is a time to
bring to light important issues in a pointed way. When Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in his day, he
surely did not mince words, and when he overturned the tables of the moneychangers at the
temple, he did so with a whip in his hand.
The subject at hand requires unflinching candor: the Christian church has fallen far short
in representing a key dimension of biblical truth, and the implications are consequently
staggering. The basis for this concern rises from Jesus’ discussion with the Pharisees in Matthew
22: “‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is
the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as
yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets’” (Matt 22:36–40,
ESV).
The first of these two commandments identified by Jesus is the well-known Deuteronomy
6:5 (“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your might”). For the moment, though, the second commandment highlighted by Jesus warrants
our attention. He here cites Leviticus 19:18, which teaches “You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.” Jesus indicates that this commandment is “like” the first.1 While this comparison
could be scrutinized in various ways, it is evident that Jesus is indicating that this second
commandment is like the first in terms of significance: it is, in fact, the second great
commandment. Jesus makes this plain here by adding, “On these two commandments depend all
the Law and the Prophets.” This is, of course, a synecdoche: all biblical truth can be seen as
connected to and perhaps even in some sense derived from these two monumental truths. So for
example, we might observe the Ten Commandments. The so-called first table of the law—the
first four of the Ten Commandments—are related to the first great commandment, and the
second table of the law—the last six of the Ten Commandments—are related to the second.
None of this is especially controversial. Untold scores of church mission statements have
as their centerpiece the phrase “Love God, Love People” based in no small part on this passage
in Matthew’s gospel. No reputable Christian leader would discount the importance of the second
great commandment. Unfortunately, concepts clearly associated with the second great
commandment are not featured in Christian theology to nearly the same degree as are concepts
associated with the first. Even worse, issues associated with the second great commandment are
often characterized as the “social gospel,” an expression which some consider pejorative. Since
the second great commandment to love one’s neighbor is “like” the first in terms of significance,
and since all biblical truth hinges on these two commandments, our approach to the Christian
faith may be greatly flawed if the issues associated with this second great commandment are not
featured in a profound way in our theological exercises and in the daily habits of our
congregations. But in what ways have we failed to appropriately emphasize the second great
1 See R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament
(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007), 846. France writes, “It is ‘like’ Deut 6:5 not only in that it is equally
important, but also in the formal sense that it uses the same verbal form ‘you are to love,’ and more fundamentally in
that it equally insists that one’s religious duty is focused outside oneself. It might be possible to think even of love
for God as a self-centered spiritual experience, but love for one’s neighbor is inescapably practical and altruistic.”
commandment, this fountainhead of biblical truth? This will be the recurring theme: the problem
is not what is present, but what is missing.
The Second Great Commandment is Missing from our Creeds
Take for example the well-known and highly-esteemed Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God the Father Almighty;
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ his only (begotten) 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 from the dead;
he ascended into heaven;
and sitteth at 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. Amen.2
The Apostles’ Creed is in many ways a quintessential definition of Christian orthodoxy;
it represents the culmination of that fight which took place in the early church to preserve the
pure doctrine handed over from the Apostles.3 There is no doubt that the truths in this famous
creed are accurate, important, and central to expressing the elements of the Christian faith which
are touched on. But as you review this ancient formulation, ask yourself: what proportion of this
ancient creed is focused on issues relating to the first great commandment (to love God), and
what proportion is focused on the second great commandment (to love people)?
2 Philip Schaff, The Greek and Latin Creeds, vol. 2 of The Creeds of Christendom (1931; repr., Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1996), 45.
3 Other creeds will be considered in chapter two.
Clearly, the content of this creed can be seen as primarily or exclusively associated with
the first great commandment as opposed to the second. But even with respect to the first great
commandment—the urgent call to love God with all of our hearts, minds, soul and strength, with
all we are—do we not instead have here only a list of theological propositions to be affirmed? Is
there a danger in constructing a creed which in this way that heightens the possibility we might
elevate the importance of these mental affirmations as disconnected from our obedience, and
even more, the call to love God deeply? At no point in this creed do we affirm that we love God,
the all-glorious Father, Son and Spirit. One could in theory affirm that all of the propositions in
the creed are factual, but live in a way that is wholly inconsistent with Scripture. As James avers,
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (Jas
2:19).
And of urgent importance, we can ask: Is any of this creed focused on the second great
commandment, the commandment that we love our neighbor as ourselves? This may seem to be
an unimportant issue—after all, this creed was formulated in an effort to fight off ancient
heresies. But as time has passed, this creed and others like it have been viewed as essential
summaries of the Christian faith. The very fact that the truths contained in such creeds reflect
hard-fought defenses against heresy make them even more highly esteemed. The implications of
the omission of ideas related to the second great commandment in our creeds may not be
immediately obvious.
The Second Great Commandment is Missing from our Systematic Theologies
The Apostles’ Creed has influenced countless other works, perhaps most notably the
often ponderous tomes known as our systematic theologies. Alister McGrath writes,
The term “systematic theology” has come to be understood as “the systematic
organization of theology.” But what does “systematic” mean? Two main understandings
of these terms have emerged. First, the term is understood to mean “organized on the
basis of educational or presentational concerns.” In other words, the prime concern is to
present a clear and ordered overview of the main themes of the Christian faith, often
following the pattern of the Apostles’ creed [italics mine].4
Wayne Grudem’s systematic theology is among the best-selling and most highly-respected
theological texts available; well over a hundred thousand copies have been sold, which is no
small achievement for a work of this kind.5 It has been one of many systematic theologies which
have long been central to the education of the Christian church’s pastors, teachers, and leaders.
While Christians may differ with Grudem in certain details, the wide acceptance of his work is
evidence of its great value. Also, Grudem is to be commended for connecting the biblical truths
he presents with the call to a vibrant, personal Christian faith. For example, he identifies key
biblical texts that should be memorized, incorporates hymns which highlight the necessity of
worship, and includes questions for personal application even in the midst of an analysis of
biblical truths.
For all of the many strengths of this work, however, it serves as an illustration of this
important point: our systematic theologies do not adequately emphasize the centrality of the
second great commandment, the call to love our neighbor as ourselves. Consider the seven major
sections in Grudem’s work:
Part 1: The Doctrine of the Word of God
Part 2: The Doctrine of God
Part 3: The Doctrine of Man
Part 4: The Doctrines of Christ and the Holy Spirit
Part 5: The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption
4 Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction, 4th ed. (Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing,
2007), 106.
5 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England:
Zondervan, 1994). This volume is typically used in graduate and seminary-level classes. An undergraduate work is
also available which uses the same basic structure. See Wayne Grudem, Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the
Christian Faith (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1999).
Part 6: The Doctrine of the Church
Part 7: The Doctrine of the Future6
Grudem’s work, covering these seven major divisions, is over 1,200 pages in length. While the
organization is certainly not identical to the structure of the Apostle’s Creed, a rough correlation
with the subjects presented in that creed seems evident: our God is considered (Father, Son and
Spirit), the forgiveness of sin is considered, the holy catholic Church, the resurrection of the
body, and so forth.7 As you examine this list of major topics, which do you think might be
focused on ideas relating to the second great commandment, the call to “love your neighbor as
yourself?” Parts 3 and 6 seem to be possibilities; but part 3 deals with subjects such as creation,
the nature of man, sin, and God’s covenant with man. What about part 6? Surely, it is not
possible to talk about the church without focusing on the mission of love which is featured so
prominently by our Lord, is it?
Part 6 of Grudem’s work touches on most of the common points of emphasis found in
ecclesiology, which is the study of the church.8 Grudem devotes ten chapters (about 200 pages)
to the doctrine of the church:
Chapter 44—The Church: Its Nature, Its Marks, and Its Purposes
Chapter 45—The Purity and Unity of the Church
Chapter 46—The Power of the Church
Chapter 47—Church Government
Chapter 48—Means of Grace Within the Church
Chapter 49—Baptism
Chapter 50—The Lord’s Supper
Chapter 51—Worship
Chapter 52—Gifts of the Holy Spirit (1): General Questions
Chapter 53—Gifts of the Holy Spirit (2): Specific Gifts9
6 Grudem, Systematic Theology, 7–11.
7 An analysis of the definition of systematic theology, and of the content various systematic theologies, will
be presented in more detail in chapters five and six.
8 Ecclesiology will be considered in greater depth in chapter seven.
9 Grudem, Systematic Theology, 10–11.
For a moment, it is useful to pause and ask: what topics might be associated with the
second great commandment? Justice, poverty, the Christian response to famine, aliens and
strangers (not to mention immigration), ministering to the elderly, the imprisoned, the sick;
adoption, divorce care, battling racism, modeling compassion, ministering to those with drug or
alcohol addition, unselfish living; the list goes on and on.10 Hundreds of biblical truths and
biblical commandments are seen as flowing out of the fountainhead which is the second great
commandment. Where in Grudem’s discussion of the church does it appear as if such topics
might be prominently featured? While this point of analysis is open to interpretation, I would
make the case that mercy ministries we might connect to the second great commandment appear
on only one page in Grudem’s discussion of the doctrine of the church.11 He writes,
Jesus told his disciples that they should “make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19). This
evangelistic work of declaring the gospel is the primary ministry that the church has
toward the world. Yet accompanying the work of evangelism is also a ministry of mercy,
a ministry that includes caring for the poor and needy in the name of the Lord. Although
the emphasis of the New Testament is on giving material help to those who are part of the
church (Acts 11:29; 2 Cor 8:4; 1 John 3:17), there is still an affirmation that it is right to
help unbelievers even if they do not respond with gratitude or acceptance of the gospel
message.12
After noting some helpful Scriptures, in this same context, Grudem adds these significant
remarks:
This should give us encouragement to carry out deeds of kindness, and to pray for healing
and other needs, in the lives of unbelievers as well as believers. Such ministries of mercy
to the world may also include participation in civic activities or attempting to influence
10 I will use the expression “mercy ministry” to represent these ideas and others, as a way to discuss topics
that are related to the second great commandment. In reality, I prefer the expression “evangelical mercy ministry,”
since I believe all social ministries will be most effective when connected with the presentation of the gospel in
some way.
11 Even if the case could be made that mercy ministries were discussed on 100 pages out of the more than
1,200 in this text, it might still be obvious that the second great commandment is still not emphasized to nearly the
same degree as are issues associated with the first great commandment.
12 Grudem, Systematic Theology, 868.
governmental policies to make them more consistent with biblical moral principles. In
areas where there is systematic injustice manifested in the treatment of the poor and/or
ethnic or religious minorities, the church should also pray and—as it has opportunity—
speak against such injustice. All of these are ways in which the church can supplement its
evangelistic ministry to the world and indeed adorn the gospel that it professes. But such
ministries of mercy to the world should never become a substitute for genuine evangelism
or for the other areas of ministry to God and believers mentioned above [italics mine].13
Let’s summarize what we have considered. Grudem’s very popular systematic theology is
among the best available; a conscious effort is evident to connect the doctrines which are
presented with a vibrant Christian life. Grudem’s work follows an organization which is not
dramatically different from the Apostles’ Creed. But only an infinitesimal proportion of the text
is focused on mercy ministry, and on the one page where this emphasis appears, a substantial
caution is presented.
The Second Great Commandment is Largely Missing from our Catechisms
“What is the chief end of man?” If you ask a roomful of Christians this question, it is
often the case that one or more of the people present will be able to provide this ready answer:
“Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”14 John Piper has helped focus the
church’s attention to this idea of man’s chief end, and in particular, has helped raise awareness to
the reality that “enjoying him forever” is a profound and glorious preoccupation.15 With that
said, no catechism includes a question like this: “What is the second chief aim of man?” “You
shall love your neighbor as yourself” would be the obvious answer.
The catechisms do represent an interesting and perhaps unique opportunity, though;
several key catechisms will be explored in chapter three. Catechisms are designed by their very
13 Ibid.
14 Westminster Assembly, Westminster Confession of Faith (1648; repr., Free Presbyterian Publications,
1994), 287.
15 So for example, see John Piper, Desiring God, Rev. ed. (Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2011), 17. Piper
begins this particular book using this question from the Shorter Catechism as his initial illustration.
nature to focus us on our duty to God, but also, our duty to man. It may be that a return to some
of the ideas in the catechisms may prove helpful in elevating the second great commandment to
the place of prominence that Jesus initially established for it. Even here, though, we will be left
to wonder: is the overall emphasis on the second great commandment sufficient?
The Second Great Commandment is Largely Missing from Christendom
A variety of other subjects will be explored to determine whether or not mercy ministries
are adequately represented in the teaching and ministry of the Christian church. Importantly, any
positive lessons which can be obtained will warrant careful examination. Biblical data will be
featured prominently in an effort to ensure that the wisdom of Scripture is presented. So for
example, not long ago, the American Bible Society published a Bible which is intended to
underscore specific themes we might associate with the second great commandment in The
Poverty and Justice Bible.16 In this presentation of the Bible, more than 2,000 verses loosely
associated with just the themes of poverty or justice are highlighted. In addition to poverty and
justice, though, consider all of the other themes that could be explored in connection with the
second great commandment, and which could potentially be integrated into our creeds, our
systematic theologies, or our catechisms.
The implications of this realization are potentially staggering. We wonder why
seminarians sometimes lose their faith; it may be that, in part, we fail to adequately connect their
schooling with the human service which Scripture emphasizes. We seek ever new and more
progressive and more effective evangelism and missions approaches, failing to realize that by
sharing the gospel while also sharing the love of God in tangible ways we may help bring about
greater fruit in these efforts. We marvel that congregation members seem stagnant in the faith,
16 American Bible Society, The Poverty and Justic Bible (New York: American Bible Society, 2008).
and we fail to connect this reality with a lack of emphasis on mercy ministries in our preaching.
Why would we be surprised by any of this? We’ve taught our seminarians, preachers, teachers
and congregations to study from materials which do not highlight these biblical truths, and in
fact, we’ve even taught them to be wary of them. John MacArthur’s comments are typical of
such warnings:
When the social gospel replaces the true gospel, sin becomes widespread. It happens
because false doctrine removes the doctrine of Christ as taught in the Word of God. It
teaches different doctrine about the inspiration of Scripture, the deity of Jesus Christ, His
blood atonement, and His second coming. When the true gospel is watered down by false
doctrine and the social gospel, sin is the natural result.17
Such warnings are helpful in the sense that they ensure that the church’s focus on presenting the
undiluted gospel remains central: there is no doubt that John MacArthur is an excellent preacher
and teacher. Unfortunately, such warnings can do harm as well, though, because they have given
many Christians the sense that social ministries are somehow suspicious. If our desire is to see
men and women, boys and girls trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, the church will be more effective
if we show them Christian love, rather than simply telling them what they need to believe. As
William Booth would sometimes put it, it’s difficult to hear the gospel when you have a
toothache. As John Flowers and Karen Vannoy explain, “Someone once said, ‘Morality begins at
1500 calories a day. This means that we cannot expect that people are going to make sound
moral decisions if they are hungry.”18
17 John MacArthur, “The Church in Prophetic Perspective,” Grace to You,
http://www.gty.org/resources/study-guides/40-5115/The-Church-in-Prophetic-Perspective (accessed March 28,
2012).
18 John Flowers and Karen Vannoy, Not Just a One Night Stand: Ministry with the Homeless (Nashville,
TN: Discipleship Resources, 2010), 69.
Chapter 1
Scientists say that many of the things we perceive through our sense of smell are likely to be
more deeply imprinted on our memories than the impressions we receive through virtually any
other means.19 I’m hopeful that at least once in your life you have been in a church setting where
incense was in use. Try to draw on that memory now and remember what you felt in such a
moment. For some, that smell of burning incense produces a profoundly positive effect: a sense
of the unknown, of wonder, of ritual, even a sense of the divine presence—veritable Shekinah
glory. For others, though, the smell of incense is an offense, an odious relic of false religion, a
stench in the nostrils of man and God.
Your attitude about incense may well mirror your attitude toward the creeds. There is surely as
wide a disparity of opinion about the value and propriety of creeds as there is about the use of
incense in church settings—and these views are often held passionately. For the moment,
consider several key questions that can help frame our reflection about the creeds:
When we are talking about the creeds, what exactly are we talking about? What is a
creed?
Which creeds are most important historically?
How influential have the creeds been?
Do we need creeds any longer?
Would it make sense to write new creeds?
Each of these questions will be considered in turn, but as we progress, remember our immediate
aim: we are trying to determine if the second great commandment—the call to love our neighbor
as ourselves—is represented adequately in the creeds. If it is not, what possible implications are
there?
What is a Creed?
Throughout this work, it will become evident that defining terms precisely is a critical
prerequisite to understanding whether there may be a real problem to address. In this light,
understanding what a creed is, then—or what it purports to be—is no incidental matter. Grenz,
Guretzki and Nordling assert, “A creed is a summary statement of Christian faith and belief.”20
They add, “The purpose of the earliest creeds was to present a short summary of Christian
doctrine, which baptismal candidates affirmed at their baptism. Later, creeds became tools for
instruction of new converts, for combating heresy, and for use in corporate worship.”21 Creeds
19See for example John Medina, “The Sweet (Or Not so Sweet) Smell of Memory,” Psychiatric Times 23,
no. 3 (March 2006): 50, 52.
20 Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms
(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1999), 33; italics mine.
21 Ibid.
are “A summary of the beliefs of a person or group, often a denomination.”22 There is therefore
an expression of essential truth that is intended to be captured in the creeds: the most
fundamental of all doctrines are presented. We might assume that no vital doctrines are
overlooked. The very essence of Christianity is intended to be featured: “A creed is a concise,
formal, and authorized statement of important points of Christian doctrine.”23 A creed is “a
summary statement of the chief items of Christian belief.”24 In sum, “A creed is an authoritative
statement of the main articles of the Christian faith to which believers are expected to assent.”25
These basic elements of the Christian faith are presented in a way that requires a response: “A
creed is a statement beginning ‘I believe’ (Lat. credo).”26 These truths are therefore so important
that they must be subscribed to and affirmed; if understood correctly by the congregant, the creed
is in this way a most serious and sober pledge. The precision and formality of creedal statements
are therefore noteworthy features: “Creeds are formal statements of belief to which members of a
church are expected to give their intellectual assent.”27 This practice is rooted in the very
beginnings of church history and continues to the present day. A creed is “a formal statement of
belief. Christian churches from the early church period to the present have often constructed
summary statements of Christian beliefs.”28 The creeds were not produced in isolation, but were
carefully crafted by the church’s leadership: “‘Creed’ refers to a concise statement of Christian
doctrine, typically produced by a council of the early church.”29 John Bowden affirms these
points and describes their typical pattern: “Creeds are short summaries of central tenets of the
Christian religion. The English term creed itself goes back to the Old English créda, which is
derived from Latin credo, ‘I believe.’ Creeds usually have a threefold structure in accordance
with the three persons of the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and are recited in worship.”30
22 Millard J. Erickson, The Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology, rev. ed. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway
Books, 2001), 44; italics mine.
23 F. L. Cross and E. A. Livingstone, eds., The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford,
England: Oxford University Press, 1997), 430; italics mine.
24 J. D. Douglas, Walter A. Elwell and Peter Toon, The Concise Dictionary of the Christian Tradition
(Grand Rapids, MI: Regency Reference Library, 1989), 111; italics mine.
25 Sinclair B. Ferguson, David F. Wright, and J. I. Packer, eds., New Dictionary of Theology (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1988), 179; italics mine.
26 Daniel Patte, ed., The Cambridge Dictionary of Christianity (New York: Cambridge University Press,
2010), 285.
27 J. Gordon Melton, ed., The Encyclopedia of American Religions: Religious Creeds (Detroit, MI: Gale
Research Co., 19880, xxi.
28 Donald McKim, Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox
Press, 1996), 66.
29 Erwin Fahlsbusch et. al., eds., The Encyclopedia of Christianity (Grand Rapids, MI: William B.
Eerdmans, 1999), 1:636.
30 John Bowden, ed., Encyclopedia of Christianity (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2005), 299.
Alan Cairns offers a definition of creed which is, I believe, extremely accurate and precise, but
which must be recognized as a minority viewpoint:
From the Latin credere, “to believe,” a statement of faith, not necessarily comprehensive
or complete, but containing articles that cover matters that are fundamental and that have
been called into dispute. The reference to dispute is important. “While the doctrine of the
atonement must be reckoned a fundamental part of the apostles’ doctrine, it is yet not in
the Apostles’ Creed as a doctrine. Hence some infer that it was not believed, though the
more obvious inference would be that it was not disputed.”31
The unique contribution Cairns presents here is his observation that the creeds are “not
necessarily comprehensive or complete.” As we will see, this is surely accurate—the illustration
of the atonement’s omission is striking—but in virtually all other definitions, creeds are thought
of as summary statements: “First and foremost they are designed to express the basic faith
commitment of every believer, to which he or she subscribes at baptism. ...... The creeds can also
serve as a syllabus of instruction and a way of insisting on uniformity of doctrine. ...... The early
creeds were designed to summarize and safeguard the true understanding of Scripture.”32
A creed, as defined, can therefore be thought of as portraying all of the very basic facts that
believers must be conversant with. But is the second great commandment represented in any of
the important creedal statements?
Which Creeds are the Most Important Historically?
The Apostles’ Creed is among the earliest of all the creedal statements; although it was not
crafted by the apostles themselves, “it teaches apostolic doctrine.”33 We read:
I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth;
31 Alan Cairns, ed., Dictionary of Theological Terms (Belfast, Northern Ireland: Ambassador-Emerald
International, 1998), 108.
32 Maurice Wiles, “Creeds,” in Adrian Hastings, Alistair Mason and Hugh Pyper, eds., The Oxford
Companion to Christian Thought (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2000), 145.
33 J. I. Packer, Affirming the Apostles’ Creed (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008), 11. Jensen comments, “In the
Western church, the paradigm of a full-fledged creed is ‘the Apostles’ Creed.” Robert W. Jensen, Canon and Creed
in Interpretation: Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press,
2010), 43. More generally, Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling remark, “Three of the most famous creeds established in
the first five centuries of church history are the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene (or Niceno-Constantinopolitan) Creed
and the Athanasian Creed.” See Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling, Pocket Dictionary, 33–34. Cross and Livingstone
assert that “the classical instances [are] the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed.” See Cross and Livingstone,
Oxford Dictionary, 430. Cairns asserts, “When reference to The Creed is made, it is usually the Apostles’ Creed that
is meant. The Apostles’ Creed is one of the three great creeds of the ancient church, the others being the Athanasian
Creed and the Nicene Creed.” See Cairns, Dictionary of Theological Terms, 108. And Maurice Wiles observes,
“Three ‘ecumenical’ creeds, dating from those early centuries, still figure in the formularies and the worship of
many churches today—the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.” See Hastings, Mason and
Pyper, eds., The Oxford Companion, 144.
And 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, dead and buried. He
descended to hell, on the third day rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven, sits at
the right hand of God the Father almighty, thence 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. Amen.34
The Apostles’ Creed is simple, clear, concise, and has an evident Trinitarian formulation. It is
right and good that God is featured prominently throughout; in effect, this honors the reality of
the first great commandment, that you would “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt 22:37). The Nicene Creed has a similarly well-
established pedigree, as well as a similar form:
We believe in one God, the Father All Governing, creator of all things visible and
invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father as only begotten,
that is, from the essence of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from
true God, begotten not created, of the same essence as the Father, through whom all
things came into being, both in heaven and in earth; Who for us men and for our salvation
came down and was incarnate, becoming human. He suffered and the third day he rose,
and ascended into the heavens. And he will come to judge both the living and the dead.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit.
But, those who say, Once he was not, or he was not before his generation, or he came out
of nothing, or who assert that he, the Son of God, is of a different hypostasis or ousia, or
that he is a creature, or changeable, or mutable, the Catholic and Apostolic church
anathematizes them.35
While more detail is presented here in the Nicene formulation about the Son of God, the overall
content is quite similar to that of the Apostles’ Creed. Finally, the Constantinopolitan Creed is
also accepted as particularly influential:
We believe in one God, the Father All Governing, creator of heaven and earth, of all
things visible and invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten from the Father
before all time, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not created, of the
34 John H. Leith, ed., Creeds of the Churches (Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1982), 24–25. Note that
the specific wording of the creeds presented here may vary from other formulations; Leith’s representations captured
here, though, are based on sound historical research and careful translation.
35 Ibid., 30–31.
same essence as the Father, through Whom all things came into being, Who for us men
and because of our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy
Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human. He was crucified for us under Pontius
Pilate, and suffered and was buried, and rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures,
and ascended to heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father, and will come again
with glory to judge the living and dead. His kingdom shall have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver, Who proceeds from the Father, Who is
worshiped and glorified together with the Father and Son, Who spoke through the
prophets; and in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We confess one baptism for
the remission of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the
world to come. Amen.36
All three of these creeds focus almost exclusively on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
although the church and the resurrection to life are also presented to some degree. The
Athanasian Creed is also often accepted as important historically, and like the Apostles’ Creed,
the Nicene Creed, and the Constantinopolitan Creed, it is focused almost exclusively on
articulating precisely the nature of each of the members of the Triune Godhead. Near the end of
the Athanasian Creed, though, Christ’s return is in view in a way which is distinct from the other
creedal statements: “At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; and shall give
account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and
they that have done evil, into everlasting fire.”37
This assertion—“they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done
evil, into everlasting fire”—appears to be a reference to the final destiny spoken of for the sheep
and the goats in Matthew 25:31–46. It is the only point in any of these creeds which draws
attention to actions that can be considered to be an outgrowth of the second great commandment,
here emphasizing the importance of loving our neighbor as ourselves as a commandment with
eternal consequences. In relative terms, a very minimal level of attention is paid to issues that
flow from the second great commandment, given the understanding of the creeds as representing
a succinct summary of Christian doctrine. Even more, as is evident, there are no allusions to the
second great commandment in any of the three major creeds presented here nor any of the
implications of loving one’s neighbor, and there is only one minor allusion to issues relating to
the second great commandment in the Athanasian Creed—a creed that, it must be acknowledged,
no longer has substantial influence.
How Influential Have the Creeds Been?
36 Ibid., 33. The Definition of Chalcedon could also be reproduced here, but the primary distinction from
these other creedal statements is its further clarification and refinement of Christological issues.
37 Philip Schaff, ed., The Creeds of Christendom, ed. David S. Schaff, 6th ed. (1931; repr. Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Books, 1996), 2:63–64.
Proving that the creeds have been influential is likely no more difficult a task than proving that
the sky is blue: the point seems evident. Berard Marthaler offers some specific insight into the
attention and impact that the creeds have had:
Almost from the beginning creedal formulas, in one form or another, have had a
prominent place in the rites of baptism. From the ancient church we have a number of
commentaries, among them the catechetical lectures attributed to St. Cyril of Jerusalem,
St. Augustine’s Enchiridion, and the introduction to the Apostles’ Creed by Rufinus of
Aquileia. The Creed was the centerpiece of medieval catechesis, and drew the attention
of the best scholastic theologians, including Alexander of Hales, Bonaventure, and
Thomas Aquinas. While Renaissance scholars such as Erasmus were questioning the
apostolic origins of the Apostles’ Creed, Protestant and Catholic authorities alike
explained it article by article in their catechisms. In the modern period, church historians
and patristic scholars, from the great Philip Schaaf in the United States to the Germans
Adolf von Harnack, A. Seeberg, and Hans Leitzmann, and the English C. H. Turner, have
studied every conceivable aspect of the origins, wording, and early use of the Creed. Nor
has the flow of commentaries abated in our time; one thinks of authors such as Karl
Barth, Hans von Campenhausen, Oscar Cullman, Gustav Wingren, Joseph Ratzinger,
Wolfhart Pannenberg, and Henri de Lubac, to mention only a few. The magisterial study
by J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Creeds, introduced many in the English-speaking
world to the richness of the creeds. .....
38
As will be demonstrated in chapters four and five, the creeds have had a tremendous influence on
how theology is done. But the significance of the creed extends far beyond its influence on
theology; it also extends into the regular practice of worship: “Jarislov Pelikan states that the
creed is ‘not in the first instance the business of the professional and learned theological elite; it
is meant to be prayed, right alongside the Lord’s Prayer, as an act of adoration and worship.’
Neither is saying the Nicene Creed like reading an ‘instruction manual, simply following a set of
instructions in order to construct a product.’ Rather, the ancient creeds are more like ways of
speaking and seeing doxologically.”39 Although the use of creeds in worship tends to be a part of
mainline denominations—denominations where overall attendance is in decline—millions and
millions of people around the world every week repeat the words of one creed or another. The
creeds are a part of the groundwater of the Christian landscape: they are inescapable.
Do We Need Creeds any Longer? Would it Make Sense to Write New Creeds?
So far as the current study is concerned, it is a matter of urgent importance to recognize that none
of the three most widely recognized creedal statements includes any information that can be
connected to the second great commandment—to love our neighbor as ourselves—this despite
the fact that creedal statements are portrayed as providing a summary of essential Christian
doctrines. The early church was embroiled in controversies that threatened its very survival,
38 Berard L. Marthaler, The Creed (New London, CT: Twenty-Third Publications, 2008), iv.
39 Elizabeth Newman, “Practicing the Nicene Faith,” in Evangelicals and Nicene Faith, ed. Timothy
George (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2011), 139.
controversies that centered around the nature of the Son of God and the Spirit of God in
particular, and so perhaps it’s quite reasonable to understand their restricted content.
Unfortunately, the implications on the church’s understanding of precisely what it is that
constitutes the most basic Christian truths are substantial.
As we have seen, except for mainline denominational churches, the use of creeds has largely
fallen out of fashion, and as a result, any proposal that new creedal statements might be written
(or old ones augmented) must be tempered by this reality. Even more, “Some, who have exalted
the role of Scripture as the utterly distinct Word of God, have classed all creeds in the category
of human words which have no right to control the believer’s faithful reading of Scripture.”40 But
Carl Trueman offers necessary perspective on this point:
A colleague of mine loves to tell the following story about a church he used to visit. The
pastor there had a habit of standing in the pulpit, seizing his Bible in his right hand,
raising it above his head, and pointing to it with his left. “This,” he declared in a booming
voice, “is our only creed and our only confession.” Ironically, the church was marked by
teaching that included the five points of Calvinism, dispensationalism, and a form of
polity that reflected in broad terms its origins as a Plymouth Brethren assembly. In other
words, while its only creed was the Bible, it actually connected in terms of the details of
its life and teaching to almost no other congregation in the history of the church. Clearly,
the church did have a creed, a summary view of what the Bible taught on grace,
eschatology, and ecclesiology; it was just that nobody ever wrote it down and set it out in
public. That is a serious problem.41
He adds,
All Christians have a creed or a confession; all Christians think the Bible means
something and that its teaching can be summarized in a different form to that in which it
was originally given. The only difference is whether one writes the confession down, so
that others may scrutinize it and judge whether its teaching is consistent with Scripture,
or whether one refuses to do so. ...... Today even those who judge the creeds overall to
have provided a much-needed shape to Christian faith, exercising a salutary check on the
vagaries of Christian understanding that are only too evident in the record of the church’s
history, are faced with new questions about the role and appropriate use of creeds in the
present age. 42
40 Hastings, Mason and Pyper, eds., The Oxford Companion, 145. It must be noted, though, “that the
function of neither ‘canon/Scripture’ nor ‘creed’ can be grasped without reference to the other ....... This alienation
from one another in some modern scholarship and in the consciousness of some parts of the church is, ironically,
blatantly ahistorical.” See Jensen, Canon and Creed, 18.
41 Carl R. Trueman, The Creedal Imperative (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 12.
42 Ibid., 187.
Contrary to this perspective, though, Luke Johnson and others would point out that there are
many topics that are not addressed by the creeds; this in itself, they would assert, is no real
deficiency:
The creed likewise says nothing about the Lord’s Supper or other sacraments. Did the
shapers of the creed regard them as unimportant? Not at all, but they are not essential,
and if they are not essential, then definition should be avoided and a plurality of
observance should be allowed for--even cultivated—as the earliest Christians did in their
Eucharistics. The creed says nothing about prayer or other forms of piety, not because
prayer is unimportant but because defining it is not essential. The same can be said for
the creed’s total silence concerning the moral life and the relationship of the church to
the state.43
On the surface, Johnson’s argument appears to be perfectly logical. In one sense, he is absolutely
correct: we should not expect the creed to be held accountable for addressing issues it is not
intending to address. Furthermore, I would agree with J. I. Packer’s assertion that “there is
nothing in the Creed that is not part of the gospel,” but I would not agree that the gospel can be
expressed fully without the second great commandment: our love for human beings is evidence
that we really do love God.44 The difficulty, though, is that the creeds have been seen as
summaries of Christian doctrine, so much so, that our theology uses the creedal statements as
skeletons upon which to construct textbooks that are used to teach pastors, missionaries,
theologians, and others about all doctrine. The “total silence concerning the moral life” has
therefore resulted in imbalanced teaching in our Bible colleges and universities and in our
seminaries: the creeds’ omission of such attention to the moral life is omitted from our
theological ruminations.
Elizabeth Newman’s exceptional essay “Practicing the Nicene Faith” attempts to connect our
deeds with the creeds.45 She eloquently portrays how this might happen through something she
describes as an “economics of love.”46 She writes,
An economics of love might sound simple or idealistic. But, as Michael Bowling, pastor
of Englewood Christian Church in Indianapolis, describes it, the economics his church
seeks to embody is based not on getting rich people to give money but on how you
envision the kingdom of God in the concrete place where you are. For Englewood
Christian, this has meant remaining in its ‘declining’ neighborhood (after many moved
away), befriending its neighbors, helping them become homeowners, and creating local
businesses in which they could share.”47
43 Luke Timothy Johnson, The Creed (New York: Doubleday, 2003), 320; italics mine.
44 J. I. Packer, Affirming the Apostles’ Creed, 22.
45 Elizabeth Newman, “Practicing the Nicene Faith,” in Evangelicals and Nicene Faith (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic, 2011), 133–146.
46 Ibid., 144.
47 Ibid.
Newman’s point is compelling: whether Christians affirm the use of creeds or eschew them, this
kind of behavior and this disposition of mind are necessary features in the Christian life. The
trouble is this: because of their widespread influence, the creeds’ silence on moral matters has
likely resulted in a reduced emphasis on moral matters. It is either the second great
commandment, or it is not.
Chapter 2
It may seem unusual to give catechism a full chapter in a review of this kind for one simple
reason: catechisms seem increasingly passé. Whereas it seems hard to pin down precisely where
systematic catechisms remain in use, very likely it would be not be grossly inaccurate to suggest
that only in a few small Presbyterian circles—even here, increasingly rare—and in a few old-
fashioned Roman Catholic schools, perhaps, catechism remains in vogue.
Whether used broadly or rarely, though, catechetical statements reflect the core teachings of
various groups and warrant consideration. Here, at least, there will be an effort to cover the
essential doctrines that maturing Christians will need to grasp. The goal, after all, is to ensure
that a foundation of Christian truth is well understood. At the outset, one focused point of
reflection may provide some helpful context.
There is little doubt that the Westminster Shorter Catechism is the most famous of these
catechetical documents: “By far the most influential catechisms in English are those that arose
from the Westminster Assembly, the Larger and Shorter Catechisms.”48 Some Presbyterians—or
others who cannot keep their opinions to themselves—will point to the fourth question as
incomplete:
Q. 4. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power,
holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
Critics will suggest that this answer is deficient because the attribute of love is not featured.
Defenders of the catechism will respond that God’s love is featured in other questions and
answers or that it can be seen in the notion of goodness. My critique of this catechism lies
elsewhere, although it must be acknowledged that the omission of the attribute of love in this
particular question does seem noteworthy. Even in the Westminster Larger Catechism—the more
comprehensive partner catechism to the Westminster Shorter Catechism—the response in answer
to this same question (What is God?) also omits love:
A. God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection;
all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty,
knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-
suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.
Since 1 John 4:8 famously asserts that God is love, it can be argued that love should surely be
featured more prominently not only in this pair of questions and answers, but in the catechism as
a whole.
48 Tom J. Nettles, ed., Baptist Catechisms: to Make Thee Wise Unto Salvation (n.p.: Tom J. Nettles, 1983),
3.
More generally, though, the very first pair of questions and answers in the Shorter Catechism is
far and away the most famous question and answer found in any catechism, often recognized as
presenting soaring and majestic truths:
Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
No doubt that this question and answer are brilliant, and the Westminster Divines are surely
worthy of the high praise lavished on them for its creation. It would be quite reasonable to
support this question and answer through not only the biblical texts typically offered (Ps 73:25–
28, Rom 11:36, and particularly 1 Cor 10:31), but through the use of Matthew 22:36–38,
“‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and
greatest commandment.”
What is striking here is that there not a corresponding question—anywhere in this catechism—
that expounds on Matthew 22:39–40: “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” In this light, a
proposed question and answer such as this would seem biblically necessary:
Q. 1a. What is man’s second great end?
A. Man’s second great end is to love and serve his neighbor as himself.
Since Jesus refers to this as the second great commandment, it would appear as if this must be a
fountainhead from which as many implications follow as flow from the first. After all, the
Westminster Divines unraveled the first with as much detail as can be imagined. The following
triad of questions and answers from their Larger Catechism will help illustrate the depth of this
analysis:
Q. 134. Which is the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill.
Q. 135. What are the duties required in the sixth commandment?
A. The duties required in the sixth commandment are, all careful studies, and lawful
endeavors, to preserve the life of ourselves and others by resisting all thoughts and
purposes, subduing all passions, and avoiding all occasions, temptations, and practices,
which tend to the unjust taking away the life of any; by just defense thereof against
violence, patient bearing of the hand of God, quietness of mind, cheerfulness of spirit; a
sober use of meat, drink, physic, sleep, labor, and recreations; by charitable thoughts,
love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, kindness; peaceable, mild and courteous
speeches and behavior; forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and
forgiving of injuries, and requiting good for evil; comforting and succoring the distressed,
and protecting and defending the innocent.
Q. 136. What are the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are, all taking away the life of
ourselves, or of others, except in case of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defense;
the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of preservation of life;
sinful anger, hatred, envy, desire of revenge; all excessive passions, distracting cares;
immoderate use of meat, drink, labor, and recreations; provoking words, oppression,
quarreling, striking, wounding, and whatsoever else tends to the destruction of the life of
any.
Positively, two duties required in reflecting on the sixth commandment are worth attention:
“comforting and succoring the distressed, and protecting and defending the innocent.” Such
minor notes do appear throughout the Westminster Shorter Catechism and the Larger Catechism.
The overriding focus, though, is doctrinal. A catechumen will learn about God, the Lord Jesus,
the Holy Spirit, creation, justification, sanctification, adoption, angels, sin, grace, the church,
effectual calling, the elect, repentance, assurance, the resurrection to come, prayer, baptism, the
Lord’s Supper, and other such issues. An extended section then follows regarding the duties of
men, organized around the Ten Commandments. As has been illustrated by means of the sixth
commandment, there are echoes of our duty to other men that appear in this list. In point of fact,
there is one question in particular that presents this matter plainly:
Q. 122. What is the sum of the six commandments which contain our duty to man?
A. The sum of the six commandments which contain our duty to man, is, to love our
neighbor as ourselves, and to do to others what we would have them do to us.
Such a question and answer seems to undercut any charge that the Westminster catechisms do
not adequately address the notion that we are commanded to “love your neighbor as ourselves”
(Matt 22:39). And indeed, the focus that appears in the Larger Catechism on “the six
commandments which contain our duty to man” does provide, as has been seen, direction for
catechumens in this regard.
With that said, there are two points of concern worth mention. First, the Westminster Larger
Catechism is used in practice far less than the Shorter Catechism, and the Shorter Catechism
does not include the summary of the six commandments containing our duty to other men in as
clear or succinct a form. Second, though, and far more noteworthy, is the matter of proportion.
19 of the 196 questions in the Larger Catechism, for example, are on just the subject of prayer.
There are 27 on the six commandments containing our duty to other men. As has been suggested,
great energy is expended on doctrinal matters—justification, sanctification, and the like—and
proportionally less energy spent unfolding the implications of our duty to other men. In the
Larger Catechism, 121 questions and answers appear before our duty to other men is presented.
As has been suggested, if Jesus spoke of this duty as “like” the first great commandment, it
seems essential that it be emphasized in a similar manner.
Still, there can be no doubt that discussion of the second great commandment does appear and
that there is some emphasis on the second great commandment in the material presented in the
Shorter and Larger Catechisms. Even more, it is evident that substantially much more attention is
paid to our duty to men in these two catechisms than in any of the creeds, as we have seen.
Baptist Catechisms
There is no doubt that a number of Baptist catechisms have been produced over the years, most
in either the 17th or 19th century. The real question, though, is whether these catechisms have
any ongoing impact at present: “Many contemporary Baptists would consider the juxtaposition
of the words ‘Baptist Catechism’ an oxymoron.”49 When Tom Nettles produced the volume
Teaching Truth, Training Hearts: the Study of Catechisms in Baptist Life, D. A. Carson
remarked, “This book . . . dispels the mistaken notion that Baptists have eschewed confessions
and catechisms. Nothing could be further from the truth.”50 While Baptists may not have
“eschewed” catechisms, it is clear, though, that Baptists have not widely embraced them.
Keach’s Catechism is representative of a number of Baptist catechisms that relied on the
Westminster Shorter Catechism, differing primarily in issues associated with baptism. Spurgeon
leveraged Keach’s Catechism, displaying a similar affinity for the manner of expression of
doctrine presented in the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Nettles remarks, “E. B. Underhill’s
contention that this catechism ‘continues to be the only catechism of value among Baptists’
would be difficult to dispute. If the claim, however, is hyperbolic, one must recognize that the
catechism’s influence was extended exponentially by C. H. Spurgeon’s utilization of it.”51 The
Philadelphia Association advocated the use of Keach’s Catechism at varying points in the late
18th century, and the Baptist Catechism printed by the Charleston Association in 1813 reflects a
similar dependence. An exception to the dependence on Baptist catechism to the Westminster
Shorter Catechism is the Orthodox Catechism produced by Hercules Collins; this catechism was
dependent on the Heidelberg Catechism.52 As such, insofar as the second great commandment is
concerned, Baptist catechisms that rely on the Westminster Shorter Catechism or the Heidelberg
Catechism generally share the strengths or weaknesses of their parent’s approach.
W. W. Everts’s method illustrates the form that changes to existing catechisms typically
followed:
Unlike Bunyan’s catechism but in harmony with Broadus’s, Keach’s, and others, Evert
unapologetically affirms a baptistic ecclesiology. He includes seven questions on
baptism, one of which rejects infant baptism; six questions on the Lord’s Supper
49Ibid., 1.
50 Tom J. Nettles, Teaching Truth, Training Hearts: the Study of Catechisms in Baptist Life (Amityville,
NY: Calvary Press, 1998).
51 Ibid., 51.
52 Nettles, Baptist Catechisms, 69.
affirming its symbolic, memorial import, limiting it to baptized believers only, and
denying that it is a test of Christian fellowship; twenty-one questions on the church
dealing with its authority, officers, purity, perpetuity, and ministries.53
A consistent concern in Baptist catechisms becomes evident: doctrines associated with matters
related to ecclesiology and the sacraments must be clarified. It is rare that Baptist catechetical
documents have broken new ground, although Everts’s inclusion of the beatitudes in his
catechism is comparatively unique.54 James Boyce’s A Brief Catechism of Bible Doctrine covers
topics that are familiar in systematic theology and is representative of the themes generally
covered in Baptist catechisms. These major headings are present:
The Bible
God
Providence
Original and Present Condition of Man
Jesus Christ—A Man
Jesus Christ—God
The Trinity
The Mediator
The Sacrifice of Christ
The Offer of Salvation
Election
Regeneration and Sanctification
Repentance and Faith
Justification
Good Works
Assurance and Perseverance
The Future Life
Baptism
The Lord’s Supper
The Sabbath55
Of the 162 questions in this catechism, the eight associated with “Good Works” are the only ones
potentially advocating action associated with one’s beliefs, actions that might be consistent with
the second great commandment. Consider these questions and answers:
Q. (1) Has not God offered life and happiness upon the performance of good works?
A. He has.
Q. (2) Have any of mankind ever been justified in that way?
53 Ibid., 170.
54 Ibid., 170–194. Evert’s catechism, Compend of Christian Doctrines Held by Baptists, reviews the
beatitudes in questions 44 through 64. Some of the themes noted in the beatitudes bear echoes of the second great
commandment.
55 Ibid., 229–244.
A. None have been thus justified.
Q. (3) Why is this?
A. Because, having a sinful nature, no man can perform good works in an acceptable
manner.
Q. (4) Since, then, we are saved by faith alone, does God still require good works?
A. He does, and gives us grace to help us do them.
Q. (5) Are they to be performed with any hope of attaining salvation?
A. They are not; for we can never perfectly perform them in this life.
Q. (6) From what motive then?
A. From a spirit of love and obedience.
Q. (7) What, then, is the position of works in God’s way of justification?
A. They are the fruits and evidence of a change of heart and of love to God.
Q. (8) With what motive should we let men see our good works?
A. With the hope that thus they may be led to glorify God.56
While this cannot be considered a stirring call to obedience to the second great commandment,
nor are any specific examples of good works noted, those who were catechized using Boyce’s
Catechism are made aware of good works and of a proper motivation to perform them. In
proportion and emphasis, though, the more conventional theological themes dominate Boyce’s
Catechism.57
Other Catechisms
Roman Catholic catechisms do not have this same measure of success highlighting the second
great commandment. The Catechism of Trent follows the doctrinal material that appears in the
creeds, the sacraments, a review of the Ten Commandments, and the subject of prayer. In the
same way that the Larger Catechism draws attention to the positive implications of our duty to
other men in the review of the fifth commandment, for example, proportionally still more
material is paid to doctrinal matters (e.g., in an extended discussion of the sacraments) than to
our duties to other men. The Baltimore Catechism, it can be argued, devotes a still smaller
proportion of material to such matters and does not highlight the duties that are required of men
in reviews of the Ten Commandments such as “You shall not murder,” but the sins to be
avoided.
56 Ibid., 240.
57 See also Ibid., 245–275. John Broadus’s Catechism of Bible Teaching is presented in this section, and
although the overall structure differs from other baptistic catechisms, no particular emphasis on themes associated
with the second great commandment is present. Lesson XIII, entitled “Some Duties of the Christian Life,” is
disappointing in this light; it focuses primarily on sins to be avoided (e.g., lying, profane speech, theft, envy,
revenge).
The more recent Catechism of the Catholic Church does go so far as to explicitly include a
section on social justice, and an effort to group seven of the Ten Commandments under the
organizing principle is evident, that “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”58 While the issue
of proportion can again be raised, such an innovation is noteworthy.
Heidelberg
Of note, the Heidelburg Catechism, while different in its approach and noteworthy for its
comparative warmth, touches on similar themes as the Westminster Shorter and Larger
Catechisms, with similar degrees of emphasis. It too shares the Reformed orientation of the
Westminster Catechisms. There is a promising question that appears near the beginning of the
catechism:
Q4. What does God’s law require of us?
A. Christ teaches us this summary in Matthew 22—
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your mind
and with all your strength.
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it:
Love your neighbor as yourself.
All the Law and the Prophets hang
On these two commandments.
It is encouraging to see the explicit introduction of the second great commandment in this way.
Unfortunately, there is comparatively little emphasis on issues associated with the second great
commandment in the rest of this catechism, which largely touches on the same themes observed
in the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms. In the same way that the second table of the
law is addressed, however, the Heidelberg Catechism does touch lightly on actions that
Christians can undertake to not only avoid sin, but also to love their neighbor. My contention
would be this: the manifold implications of the second great commandment should be unpacked
in the same way that the great doctrines of the faith are unpacked. It is good to know that we are
enjoined to “contribute to the relief of the poor” (a part of the answer to question 103), but on
balance, such themes are rarely expressed.
58 “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM (accessed
May 19, 2013).
Conclusion
John Murray, a Presbyterian theologian, offered perspective on the value of catechism:
It is surely an indictment of the Church today that in dealing with the subject of
catechizing we have to begin by explaining the very meaning of the term. What was
looked on as a necessary and beneficial practice by the early church and by the
Reformers has now fallen into such disuse among Christian people that very few seem to
have any understanding or appreciation of the subject. And yet we believe it is to the
discontinuance of this practice that we can trace much of the doctrinal ignorance,
confusion and instability so characteristic of modern Christianity.59
At one time, at least, catechism was perceived to be a valuable tool in the establishment of a
foundational understanding in new believers and a means by which doctrinal consistency could
be obtained. And so, I would agree with Murray that catechism can indeed be a valuable tool in
the church, not merely an antiquated relic. But we will need new catechisms, organized not only
around pristine doctrine, but calls to love our neighbor that arise out of that good doctrine.
Remember the admonition of James: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless
is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted
by the world” (Jas 1:27). Keeping one’s self untainted by doctrinal error does not preclude,
evidently, caring for orphans and widows. Our catechetical statements should incorporate such
imperatives.
59 John J. Murray, “Catechizing—A Forgotten Practice,” Banner of Truth 27 (October 1962): 15.
Chapter 3
Most of the chapters in this book review material in a given area of theology, with the idea of
demonstrating that the second great commandment receives comparatively insufficient treatment.
In this chapter, a different approach will be brought to light at the outset: the identification of a
section within a doctrinal statement that is intriguing. There are eighteen short chapters in the
Baptist Faith and Message (2000), and section XV on “The Christian and the Social Order” in
particular is the one that warrants consideration:
All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own
lives and in human society. Means and methods used for the improvement of society and
the establishment of righteousness among men can be truly and permanently helpful only
when they are rooted in the regeneration of the individual by the saving grace of God in
Jesus Christ. In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed,
selfishness, and vice, and all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery,
homosexuality, and pornography. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the
needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We should speak on behalf of the
unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death.
Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under
the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love. In order to promote
these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good
cause, always being careful to act in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty
to Christ and His truth.60
While people who are not Southern Baptists might not agree with every aspect of this doctrinal
statement, this by itself shouldn’t be surprising: the reason doctrinal statements exist is because
Christians disagree about various doctrinal matters. With that said, we find here a statement that
touches on a great many Christian paths of service that are potentially fruitful. While the critique
can be made that proportionally, far less material is given over to mercy ministry, social
engagement, or similar paths we might associate with the second great commandment than is
spent on issues relating to the first great commandment, this is a heartening discovery: evidently,
those who drafted this doctrinal statement (and presumably Southern Baptists in general) believe
that service to others is not contradictory to the proclamation of the gospel, and may instead be
complementary.
As a point of contrast, consider the doctrinal statement of faith that the Christian and Missionary
Alliance employs. Mind you, I have been a part of the Alliance previously, and have a great
affection for this denomination. Still, there is a particular feature of this denominational
statement of faith that demonstrates a crucial point. In addition, since the statement is
comparatively concise, it is helpful for purposes of illustration. First, read it carefully to see if
love for one’s fellow man is featured (in any way other than salvation which, granted, is vital):
There is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.
60 “The Baptist Faith and Message,” SBC.Net, accessed July 22,
2013,http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp.
Jesus Christ is the true God and the true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and
born of the virgin Mary. He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust, as a
substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His
shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures. He is now at the right
hand of Majesty on high as our great High Priest. He will come again to establish His
kingdom, righteousness and peace.
The Holy Spirit is a divine person, sent to indwell, guide, teach, empower the believer,
and convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God
and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the
divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.
Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God: he fell through
disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a
sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the
atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The portion of the unrepentant and unbelieving is
existence forever in conscious torment; and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and
bliss.
Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all men; and those who repent and
believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life, and
become the children of God.
It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be
sanctified wholly, being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will
of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service. This is both a crisis
and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion.
Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the
mortal body. Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are
privileges for the Church in this present age.
The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed
through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body,
the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness,
preaching the gospel to all nations. The local church is a body of believers in Christ who
are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for
prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and observance of the ordinances of
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a
resurrection unto life; for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.
The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal, visible,
and premillennial. This is the believer’s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an
incentive to holy living and faithful service.61
While there are a couple of distinctive elements in this statement of faith, by and large, it is
typical of many Christian doctrinal statements. The purpose of the local church, wherein we
might expect to see service, is described in this way: “the worship of God, for edification through
the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and observance of the
ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.” In many respects, this doctrinal statement seems
to follow structurally the themes in the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed. But I would draw
your attention to one word in the final paragraph: premillenial.
Eschatology is a domain in which there is often a wide variation of viewpoints (even, for
example, within premillenialism). What seems troubling in this one word is this: one’s
eschatological position—a comparatively minor doctrine in the grand scheme of things—is
covered, and a specific position is established. Meanwhile, whether or not one loves her neighbor
is overlooked entirely. Love for neighbor is not identified as a part of the work of the local
church in any specific way, much less in an emphatic way, in a profound way, in an urgent way.
Now, because I spent time as a part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, I know personally
that there are many individuals and church leaders who are intimately engaged in acts of love
and mercy. In addition, the word Missionary in the title of this denomination is no formality:
missions are at the heart of this denomination’s purpose. And missions, by necessity, will often
bring one into contact with broken people. But for the moment, we are using the example of a
doctrinal statement from this one comparatively small denomination to make a point: most
doctrinal statements will cover a great many topics, including even minor points of theology, but
will overlook the place of justice and mercy, of loving one’s neighbor as himself.
The Spectrum
There is a spectrum of viewpoints within Christendom on many different topics. One topic in
particular is intriguing to consider: a particular Christian’s view of the inerrancy of Scripture.
Here is the irony: the higher a particular group’s affection is for the inerrancy of Scripture, the
less likely they are to be noted for mercy ministry. Since there are thousands of Scripture verses
that talk about one kind of mercy ministry or another, the irony here is substantial. Chapter 11,
on the Social Gospel and the Gospel, explores the primary causes for this. But test this premise
out for yourself: consider one or two groups on either end of this spectrum, and then review their
statements of faith. Do you see evidence of this premise?
*61 “The Alliance Stand,” The Alliance: Living the Call Together, July 22, 2013, accessed July 22, 2013,
http://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/doctrine.
