Anthony Delgado

The Nicene Creed is a foundational statement of Christian faith that emerged from the early church’s need to address theological controversies, particularly Arianism–a heresy that denied the full deity of Christ by claiming He was a created being. Also known as the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, it holds a unique place in Christian history as the only creed universally accepted by Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant churches. While earlier creeds like the Old Roman Symbol existed, the Nicene Creed provides the first detailed affirmation of Christ’s divinity and the Holy Spirit’s deity that gained ecumenical acceptance. The creed systematically addresses key doctrinal issues, carefully articulating orthodox beliefs about the Trinity and the nature of Christ (Christology) in response to various heresies that threatened the church’s understanding of these essential doctrines.

The definition and meaning of the Gospel are examined through the perspectives of the Apostle Paul, Jesus himself, and contemporary theological understanding. While Paul emphasizes Christ's death, resurrection, and lordship, and Jesus focused on announcing God's Kingdom, the full Gospel encompasses both perspectives; it is fundamentally the good news that Jesus is King, bringing God's rule to earth through his incarnation, death, resurrection, and eventual return. The Gospel extends beyond mere historical events to represent God's comprehensive plan to restore all creation through Christ, offering hope of redemption, adoption into God's family, and the promise of cosmic renewal when Christ returns to fully establish his Kingdom.

It’s bigger than you think. The Gospel isn’t merely a message that Jesus died for your sins so you can go to heaven. Indeed, that’s part of it, but the Gospel encompasses the entire biblical narrative from creation to consummation. The Gospel proper is that Jesus is King. From this foundational truth flow various Gospel effects that shape how we understand salvation, transformation, and our place in God's Kingdom.

The term “Gospel” refers to the first four books of the New Testament–Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These foundational texts contain the testimony of Jesus Christ's life, ministry, death, and resurrection. While modern readers might expect conventional biographies, the Gospels are a unique ancient biographical form that aims to demonstrate Jesus’s identity as Israel’s promised Messiah and accomplish their authors’ theological purposes.

The divine identity of Jesus as Yahweh is evident in the New Testament and Second Temple Jewish literature. The New Testament presents Jesus not only as the Messiah but also as Yahweh incarnate, demonstrated through His divine roles, such as creator and forgiver of sins. The concept of the "Two Powers in Heaven" from early Jewish thought, which describes two divine figures sharing authority, aligns with early Christian views of Jesus. Additionally, some Jewish groups during the Second Temple period held expectations of a divine Messiah, as seen in texts like 1 Enoch and the Psalms of Solomon, which depict the Messiah with divine attributes. These sources affirm that Jesus is portrayed as the incarnate Yahweh in both scriptural and Second Temple contexts.

This article, based on Romans 2:17-29, explores the transformative nature of covenant identity through faith in Christ. Paul critiques the Jewish reliance on external markers, such as circumcision and possession of the law, to define their identity as God's people. He argues that true righteousness comes not from lineage or religious rituals, but from an inward change brought about by the Holy Spirit. The message is divided into three key points: (1) Misplaced Confidence in the Law, where Paul challenges self-identification through outward signs without obedience; (2) Failing to Keep the Law, which highlights Jewish hypocrisy and its damaging effect on their witness to the Gentiles; and (3) Redefining Covenant Identity, where Paul reorients covenant membership around inward transformation, fulfilled through faith in Christ and obedience to the Spirit, calling for heart transformation over external rites.

The Bible repeatedly addresses the activities of demons, the devil, Satan, and the powers of darkness. Interpretations and beliefs about these entities may vary. Some believe the demonic powers are mere metaphors for speaking about things we don’t understand. Others believe the ancient people created the idea of spiritual beings to describe evils in the heart of humankind. However, the most natural reading of the scriptures would indicate that there are fallen and evil beings in unseen places that war against righteousness in the cosmos and on earth, potentially through intermediaries. Here are three things the Bible says about demonic activities pertinent to contemporary events. I’ll leave much of the analysis of current events to your imagination, as my intent here is merely to demonstrate ways demonic powers are still on the job.

Three words comprise the term ‘Divine Council Worldview’ (DCW). Divine refers to beings of non-human spiritual, divine, or angelic origin. These beings, it is argued, make up a council in the heavens that operates under the authority of a supreme deity. A worldview is a particular philosophy of life or conception of the world that an individual holds. To say there is a Divine Council Worldview is to say that the presence of a Divine Council governs how you think about the world, mainly how it affects one’s personal life philosophy.