THE FIRST PART: I believe in God the Father almighty
THE FIRST PART
I believe in God the Father almighty
Let us first consider the manner of speaking. To believe in God signifies more than mere mental assent; it implies acceptance, devotion, and commitment to Him and His Word. The phrase originates from the Hebrew language, which equates "to believe in God" with "to believe God" and have faith in Him. The faithful, in uttering this confession, declare their acceptance and acknowledgment of God as their own, binding themselves to Him as His devoted servants. This covenant enables them to join in exclaiming, "You have been our God from the beginning; therefore, we will not perish" (Habakkuk 1:12). When we claim God as our own, we secure life and salvation in Him. The appellation "Father" is coupled with "God" to reinforce this assurance. Through His beloved Son, upon whom His divine favor rests (Matthew 3:17), God reveals Himself as our Father, inviting us into a spiritual relationship from which all heavenly and earthly bonds derive, as affirmed by St. Paul (Ephesians 3:14). Through faith, we not only approach God but also encounter Him as our Father, for we cannot know Him apart from His Son, who conveys to us this extraordinary privilege. With God as our Father, we become His cherished children, and as His children, we also become heirs (Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 6:18).
In attributing to God the attribute of almightiness, we do not subscribe to the sophists' notions of impotence and inertia. On the contrary, we recognize His power as active, effective, and allencompassing. God is deemed "almighty" not because He remains passive while capable of performing all things, but because He exercises dominion over all creation. Through His providence, He orchestrates the affairs of heaven and earth, executing His divine plan and counsel (Psalm 115:3). As He accomplishes His desires and nothing escapes His watchful gaze, all transpires by His divine decree and authority. While we touch on this concept briefly now, a more extensive examination will be undertaken later. Through faith, we glean a twofold consolation in God's omnipotence. Firstly, we grasp His boundless ability to do good and ensure the salvation of His faithful. His hand governs and oversees all creation; heaven and earth are under His sovereign rule, and every creature is subject to His command. Secondly, faith finds solace in His protective care, as everything that could endanger us is subject to His will. Even the devil, with all his malevolent schemes, is restrained by the divine will. In essence, all forces opposing our salvation are under God's command.
Creator of Heaven and Earth
As we contemplate the Creator of heaven and earth, the wicked are compelled by the mere observation of the world to acknowledge His existence. However, faith provides a distinct perspective for contemplating God as the Creator, as mentioned in Hebrews 11:3: "By faith we understand that the world was created by God's word." Indeed, comprehending the significance of designating God as the "Creator of the world" requires faith. Although it might seem that we comprehend this truth within our minds and confess it with our words, our earthly minds typically cease their contemplation at recognizing God's power in creation. These minds, when striving their utmost, merely acknowledge the power and wisdom He employed in the act of creation. Subsequently, these earthly minds vaguely grasp a general act of sustaining and directing the creations, attributing the motion of all creatures to this.
Nevertheless, faith ascends to higher realms. Beyond acknowledging God as the Creator of the world, faith recognizes Him as the Sustainer and Everlasting Ruler. This goes beyond a universal force guiding the cosmic framework; faith apprehends His meticulous providence, which sustains, preserves, and imparts life to all His creations, down to the smallest birds of the sky. While the distinction may appear subtle, human wisdom scarcely reaches the profundity of this insight, a reflection exemplified in Psalm 104. In this psalm, David meditates on the intricate divine care underlying creation, especially evident in verses like, "All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground" (Psalm 104:27-30). Similar expressions are woven throughout Scripture. We learn that life itself is sustained by God, as emphasized in Acts 17:28, while dew and rain originate from His hand to nourish the fields. At His command, the heavens turn as hard as iron. From Him emanate both peace and war, life and death, light and darkness, plagues and health, abundance and famine, all expressions of His goodness and justice.
Through these teachings, the faithful conscience derives a particular solace. If God provides sustenance to the raven, creatures that beseech His aid (Psalm 147:9), how much more will He nourish us, His people and the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 79:13)? If He takes note of a sparrow's fall through His knowledge and will (Matthew 10:29), how much more will He safeguard our salvation? He pledges to preserve us as the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8). Recognizing that life transcends mere physical sustenance and depends on the life-giving word from God's mouth (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3), we find reassurance in His promise of unwavering assistance, ensuring our needs are met. When we encounter barrenness, famine, or disease, our perspective shifts from attributing such circumstances to chance, acknowledging them as expressions of God's wrath. In summary, understanding God as our Creator, Protector, and Nourisher compels us to recognize our identity as His, our lives as lived according to His will, and our actions as directed by His grace.
Ascribing the glory of creation to the Father in no way excludes the Son and the Holy Spirit. Instead, this attribution is to be understood in the context of the personal characteristics of the Divine, as we have previously expounded. As the Father is designated as the beginning of all things, we acknowledge Him as the Maker of all. However, this creation occurs through His Wisdom and by His Spirit. To truly fathom God as the Creator of heaven and earth and as the almighty Father, we must place our trust in His providence. We must meditate on His mercy and paternal benevolence, magnifying Him in our hearts and expressing honor, reverence, and love for our heavenly Father. Wholeheartedly devoted to His service, we accept all things from His hand, even those that appear contrary to our wellbeing. Believing that His providence orchestrates adversities and trials for our salvation, we find solace in the midst of challenges. Therefore, regardless of circumstances, we must never doubt His favor, love, and unwavering commitment to our well-being, as the first part of the creed imparts the lesson of fostering such unwavering confidence.