Some people assume that a high regard for the historic Christian creeds must compete with devotion to Christ. In fact, the creeds can be held firmly as faithful summaries of shared Christian belief, while worship and trust belong to Christ alone. In the essentials the aim is unity, in the non-essentials freedom, and in all things love.
Across the centuries, the Christian church has sought to express its faith in clear and faithful words. Out of this desire came the great creeds of the church, such as the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. These statements were written to protect the truth of the gospel and to unite believers around the essentials of the faith. They are a reminder that the Christian faith is not a new invention, but a living continuation of what the people of God have believed from the beginning.
The truth expressed in these ancient creeds is worth holding firmly. The creeds keep Christians anchored in historic and orthodox Christianity. They help believers confess with one voice that there is one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They affirm that Jesus Christ is both truly divine and truly human, that He was born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, died, rose again, ascended into heaven, and will one day return to establish His eternal kingdom. And they call every believer to remember that the Christian faith is not built on emotion or modern opinion, but on the unchanging truth of God revealed in Scripture and affirmed by the church through every generation.
Yet honouring the creeds does not mean making them greater than Christ. The creeds are not the centre of the Christian faith. They point to the centre, which is Jesus Himself. Salvation is not found in any document or declaration, but in the person of Jesus Christ who lived, died, and rose again for us. The creeds are valuable because they direct attention to Him. They are like signposts that lead to the living Saviour. To place a creed above Christ would be to mistake the map for the destination.
There is an old saying that captures the spirit of this way of living and believing: In the essentials, unity. In the non-essentials, freedom. In all things, love. This simple phrase has guided countless Christians through history, helping them to distinguish what is central to the faith and what is not. The essentials are the truths that define Christianity itself — the nature of God, the divinity and humanity of Christ, the authority of Scripture, the reality of sin and salvation through grace. These are not open to redefinition or compromise, because they form the framework of the Christian faith.
In other matters, such as style, structure, and secondary doctrines, there is room for freedom. Within the family of God there will always be a variety of interpretations, traditions, and expressions. This diversity can be a strength when it is rooted in love and humility. Christians can disagree without being divided. They can seek understanding without losing their sense of unity in Christ.
And above all, in every matter and in every conversation, the call is to choose love. Love must shape the way Christians hold their convictions and the way they treat those who differ from them. Truth without love becomes harsh and cold. Love without truth becomes shallow and directionless. But when truth and love walk together, the gospel shines with beauty and power.
The right response, then, is to affirm the creeds but to worship the Christ they proclaim. The words of the creeds still matter, not because they replace Scripture, but because they faithfully echo its message. Unity in Christ is greater than uniformity of opinion. And every act of faith, every expression of worship, every discussion of doctrine must be marked by love — the kind of love that Christ Himself showed when He gave His life for the world.
The goal for every Christian is not simply to repeat ancient words, but to live out their truth in daily life. To know God, to follow Jesus, and to walk in the Spirit. To be shaped by Scripture, guided by the wisdom of those who came before, and devoted above all to the One who is above every creed — Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Saviour.