This past weekend, I helped lead a seminar at the church where I’m on staff, about safeguarding children against sexual abuse in the church. At the end of the day, elders, ministers, deacons, lay ministry leaders, and members of the operating committee came together to begin workshopping what we’d learned. The goal is ultimately to update and strengthen church policies to protect kids from both adult predators and peer-to-peer abuse.

Something stood out to me as we conversed about what we were there for. The question was asked: Why do we need to have a written policy? We all agreed that a written policy provides the most solid protections.

First, because a written policy provides uniform definitions and codes of conduct. We don’t have the luxury of quibbling over these crucial matters. Once it is a matter of written policy, certain things aren’t up for debate. We are placing a clear boundary marker here.

Second, the written policy applies across the board. Exceptions aren’t made because of who someone is, their title, how much money they give to the church, or whose ancestors came over on the Mayflower. This written policy, crafted by a committee informed by broad input and best practices, transcends any individual’s personal opinion or whim.

Having a written policy, with uniform definitions and uniform application, is a supremely biblical concept. That’s actually what Old Testament Law was getting at when it commanded equal weights and measures: Do not have differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light. Do not have differing dry measures in your house, a larger and a smaller. You must have a full and honest weight, a full and honest dry measure, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. For everyone who does such things and acts unfairly is detestable to the Lord your God (Deuteronomy‬ ‭25‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭CSB‬‬). And again: Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are his concern … Differing weights are detestable to the Lord, and dishonest scales are unfair (Proverbs‬ ‭16:11; 20‬:‭23‬ ‭CSB‬‬).

This principle applies much more broadly than scales in the marketplace. Just balances apply to all of life, and every measure of justice: Do not act unjustly when deciding a case. Do not be partial to the poor or give preference to the rich; judge your neighbor fairly (Leviticus‬ ‭19‬:‭15‬ ‭CSB‬‬). In other words, you don’t get to make exceptions. That would be a differing weight and a dishonest scale.

A well-written policy supplies a just weight and an equal measure. It supplies standard definitions, so that everyone’s understanding is on the same page; and it applies equally to all who are bound by the policy.

So here’s what stuck out to me: We will rightly have a carefully written, thorough, uniform policy to which all staff and church members must conform. It’s worth it to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.

But many churches shy away from safeguarding Christ’s flock, young and old, from confusion, heresy, and damnation; by refusing to adopt the Ecumenical Creeds: the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Definition of Chalcedon.

The Ecumenical Creeds are simply well-written policies; crafted from broad input from ancient believers, and informed by best practices; that provide uniform definitions for the Trinity, and the two natures of Christ. They are written to safeguard the Church against error and heresy in these matters, and they apply equally to all who would remain in the Church.

To appeal to one of those ancient Creeds is to appeal to an established policy that provides just weights and measures. They are not meant to supplant Scripture or to be authoritative the way Scripture is authoritative.

But neither do they contradict Scripture. Rather, they clarify it in places where experience has proven that the ignorant will misunderstand; and the unscrupulous will twist it to their own destruction—and the destruction of others.

In short, no the Athanasian Creed we’ve been looking at doesn’t stand over, beside, or opposed to Scripture. It doesn’t have more authority than Scripture; but it does have more authority than you.

Lines 27-28 of the Athanasian Creed are the conclusion to its portion on the Trinity. Line 27 reiterates the uniform definitions it has enumerated thus far; and line 28 establishes that there can be no exceptions to abiding by these definitions. Thus, the Athanasian Creed supplies a well-written safeguarding policy, with equal weights and measures.

Lesson from the Creed

So in everything, as was said earlier, we must worship their Trinity in their unity
and their unity in their Trinity.

Anyone then who desires to be saved should think thus about the Trinity.

Athanasian Creed, lines 27-28

Explanation from Scripture

As stated above, these lines aren’t teaching us anything new. Rather, they conclude the portion of the Creed that deals with the Trinity, by summing up two big ideas.

First, line 27 restates the uniform definition of how Christians must contemplate the Triune God: in everything … we must worship their Trinity in their unity, and their unity in their Trinity. In other words, we cannot set aside either the Oneness or the Threeness of the Triune God, but always contemplate both aspects together. It is true that: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬). It is equally true that we have been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭19‬ ‭CSB‬‬). Our very baptism requires us to believe and confess that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Spirit is God. To refuse, then, to worship their Trinity in their unity, and their unity in their Trinity is to worship a false God, and thus be guilty of idolatry; and to speak falsely of God, and thus be guilty of blasphemy.

This is why line 28 is so forceful: Anyone then who desires to be saved should think thus about the Trinity. Here, again, we are given a just weight and an equal measure that applies to all: “Anyone who desires to be saved” must confess the Trinity, as the doctrine has been herein defined. No exceptions. This is neither an arbitrary nor a capricious standard. Why should one be lost if they refuse to confess the Trinity? Because, Hebrews 10:26-27 insists, if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries (CSB‬‬). Again, to refuse to confess the Trinity according to the uniform definition which the Creed has drawn from long and careful consideration of the Scriptures, is to be guilty of idolatry and blasphemy. It is one thing to be guilty from ignorance. It is quite another to be warned, and then to stubbornly go on blaspheming. That is called apostasy.