My intention is not to debate the legitimacy and role of creeds, although the arguments surrounding this topic have been so ridiculous that I suppose I would win regardless of what position I wish to take. Here I only wish to consider the above image, which I have seen several times over the years. The image is clear in what it tries to convey, so I will not explain that part. It asserts man-made creeds and confessions as necessary for a proper interpretation of the Bible. They are supposed to prevent people from wandering off into errors and heresies.

However, the thing I immediately noticed was how much of the Bible these creeds and confessions cover up, so that the individuals trapped by them are in fact forbidden from venturing into those portions of Scripture. I took measurements with a ruler, and discovered that the creeds and confessions cover up about 35% of the Bible. If we were to take this image seriously, and those who use it to advance their view wish that we would, then we would conclude that creeds and confessions forbid people from believing more than a third of the word of God.

Instead of tools to promote and protect the word of God, wouldn’t this make the creeds and confessions some of the greatest enemies of the word of God in history? Indeed, creeds and confessions have been used for this purpose, to suppress and even condemn a large portion of divine revelation. Thus we find damnable tendencies toward cessationism, ritualism, and others in the creeds and confessions.

By using this image to promote man-made tools to control the word of God and to control the people of God, you condemn yourself. God will hold you accountable in the judgment. By this appeal to “history,” you admit that you join with those who forbid the people of God throughout history to believe and obey all of the word of God. They could believe and obey only what you approve; otherwise, they are regarded as heretics, even when they follow what is expressly written in the word of God. You are the heretic that you claim to fight.

If creeds interpret the Bible, then who will interpret the creeds? If the creeds and confessions are “useful tools” to interpret the Bible, then what tools are there to interpret these creeds and confessions? There are indeed arguments about what the creeds and confessions mean. And when the creeds and confessions are exposed as contrary to Scripture on multiple points, their followers would take effort to explain how these creeds and confessions are misinterpreted, so that the original intent was agreeable to Scripture after all. Thus they themselves are the “useful tools” to prevent people from venturing outside the boundaries of the creeds. Perhaps they should add themselves to the image!

Christians, do you want to follow people who are so stupid? Do you want these people to choose your creeds and confessions, and interpret them for you? They use this image to try to manipulate you, but they cannot even do a proper scam. You should feel insulted. When you interpret the Bible in a way that they do not like, then they appeal to the creeds to refute you. You look around and say, “What? Is this real life? Are we Catholics now? The biblical text is right here in front of us.” When you complain, they appeal to some famous author. But who will interpret that author? Wait, is the game to create more and more distance from the biblical text? Is that the scam?

If you interpret the Bible in a way they do not like – for example, if you believe what it says – then they appeal to the creeds to refute you. If you interpret the creeds in a way they do not like, or if you disagree with the creeds, then they appeal to some historical figure or even to their own academic credentials to refute you. Thus in the end, they are the ones who rule over your faith. If you are willing to accept this manipulation, then you deserve to be controlled.

They show you right in their promotional materials that they would cover up more than a third of Scripture to trap you in their man-made religion. Perhaps they prevent you from believing in the doctrines on faith and prayer, on healing the sick and casting out demons, on prophecy and speaking in tongues, on financial prosperity and the kingdom of God, and on a hundred other things that God wants you to believe and obey. They refuse to enter into God’s promises, and they forbid you to enter. What will you do about it?

Am I against creeds and confessions now? I said that this was not the topic, but let me make a fair statement. If you wish to assert the legitimacy of creeds and confessions, make proper arguments, arguments that humble everything under the word of God and that promote the word of God more than the creeds and confessions themselves. Concede that it is the word of God that judges the creeds and confessions rather than the creeds and confessions that determine the interpretation of the word of God. Then concede the fact that the historic creeds and confessions contain inventions that are foreign to the word of God and that are against the word of God. Admit that people have the biblical right to dissent and change the creeds and confessions. If you are willing to do this, then there is room for discussion. If not, then there is only room for your excommunication.