Is The Nicene Creed Biblical?

A Summary of The Creed:

In 325, the First Council of Nicaea is the first ecumenical council. This council was called in a city called Niceae where it gets its name. In today's world, it is the city of İznik, Turkey. This council was called by Constantine the First who hoped to settle down the dispute over the Trinity. If it was indeed biblical or not. One side, the Arians, practiced a doctrine known as Arianism. It gets its name from Arius of Alexandria, the man who invented it. In this doctrine, Jesus is not divine but a created being. During this council, the Trinity was affirmed and the word homoousios was used. This term homoousios means of one substance, so Jesus is of the same, or one substance as the Father and Spirit.

Analysis:

"We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ," 

Is there one God who is the Father? He who is almighty, the maker of all things and one Lord? Certainly, we see this in the Bible here: "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him," (1 Corinthians 8:6 KJV).

"the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten," 

Is the son begotten of the Father? We see this in John: "No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him," (John 1:18 KJV). 

  "Not made"

Is Jesus made? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men," (John 1:1-4 KJV). As the verse says, in the beginning, the word whom was God, was with God. Who is the word? Well, later in the chapter we read, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ," (John 1:14-17 KJV).

"of one Being with the Father," 

Is Jesus one with the Father? "I and my Father are one," (John 10:30 KJV). See more about this topic here.

"through him all things were made."

Did Jesus make all things? "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist," (Colossians 1:13-17 KJV).

 "For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,"

Did Jesus come down and provide salvation? "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," (Romans 5:8 KJV). 

"was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. 

Was Jesus incarnate of the Spirit and conceived of Mary becoming a man?

"But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost," (Matthew 1:20 KJV).

"For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,"

Was Jesus crucified under Pontius Pilate?

"But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar," (John 19:15 KJV). 

 "he suffered death"

Did Jesus die?

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," (Romans 5:8 KJV). 

"and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures," 

Was Jesus buried but then resurected in three days?

"And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures," (1 Corinthians 15:4 KJV).

 "he ascended into heaven"

Was Jesus ascended into Heaven?

"Now when He(Jesus) had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven,” (Acts 1:9-11 KJV).

"and is seated at the right hand of the Father."

"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," (Hebrews 1:3 KJV).

"He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,"

Will Jesus judge the living and dead?

"I charge thee therefore before(or in the presence of) God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick(or alive/living) and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom," (2 Timothy 4:1 KJV).

"and his kingdom will have no end."

Will Jesus' kingdom have no end?

 "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever," (Revelations 11:15 KJV).

"We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,"

"It is the spirit that quickeneth(or gives life); the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life," (John 6:63 KJV).

"We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life who proceeds from the Father(Roman Catholics add "and son"),"

Does the Spirit exist, gives life, and proceeds from the Father?

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me," (John 15:26 KJV).

"who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,"

Is the Spirit worshiped?

There is no direct verse that states this, but we can make an argument for why. 

Premise 1: One ought to worship God:

"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably(or worship) with reverence and godly fear," (Hebrews 12:28 KJV).

Premise 2: The Spirit has personhood:

The Spirit can speak: "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them," (Acts 13:2 KJV).

The Spirit has emotion: "For it seemed(or pleased) good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things" (Acts 15:28 KJV). The verse says that something was good to the Spirit, if it was not conscious, how could it feel something? 

"Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30 NASB1995). How can an unconscious being be sad or grieve?

The Spirit testifies: "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16 NASB1995). The Spirit himself is doing something by his own will, not by any other.

Premise 3: The Spirit is God based on the prior verses.

Conclusion: We ought to worship the Spirit.

Is the Father worshiped?

  "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him," (John 4:23 KJV).

Is the Son worshiped?

"And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world(the Son, Jesus), he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him," (Hebrews 1:6 KJV).

"who has spoken through the prophets," 

Did God speak through prophets?

"And God said unto Moses, I Am That(or who) I Am(or Yahweh, the divine name): and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you," (Exodus 3:14 KJV).

" I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets," (Hosea 12:10 KJV).

"We believe in one holy catholic(or universal. This refers to believers not Roman Catholicism) and apostolic(of the Apostles) Church,"

Is there one body of believers that is of the Apostles?

"There is one body(the church), and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling," (Ephesians 4:4 KJV).

"We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins," 

Is there one baptism for our sins?

"And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission(or removal) of sins," (Luke 3:3 KJV). 

"We look for the resurrection of the dead,"

Will there be a resurrection of the dead?

"And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust," (Acts 24:15 KJV).

"and the life of the world to come. Amen."

Will there be a new world?

"And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel," (Matthew 19:28 KJV). 

Just The Creed:

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten not made, one in being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven;

by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

Work Cited:

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.