A creed is a statement of belief. The word “creed” comes from the Latin credo, which means “I believe.”
The statement: “No creed by Christ” or “No creed but the Bible” are creeds (i.e. statements of belief).
A sermon from a pastor (even from those who claim “No creed but the Bible”) is itself a creed. The pastor doesn’t just open up the Bible, read it to the congregation, and close it. The pastor reads a text and tells you what the text is saying (i.e. what he believe the text is communicating).
Creeds are summary statements about: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Salvation, etc.
You cannot get around the use of creeds.
The Bible speaks of summmary statements regarding doctrine:
Jude 3 (NASB): Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all time handed down to the saints.
1 Timothy 1:2 (NASB) To Timothy, my true son in the faith.
2 Timothy 2:14 (NASB) Protect, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
The fact of the matter is, “We depend greatly on the history of the church and the past. We don’t believe we are beginning new and fresh every day. We are drawing on that past. We are standing on the shoulders of those men who have gone before us.” – C. N. Willborn
“Why would you think so little of what the Holy Spirit has taught others? The Spirit has been at work for the past 6000 years.” – Stephen J. Nichols
WARNING: “There were still giants in the earth in those days, but the giants allowed their children to feed upon that which could never nourish a race of giants!” – Robert Churchill
Presbyterians, Baptists, in fact every church uses creeds. Even though some churches claim “No creed by Christ,” and/or “No creed but the Bible,” or they may ask, “Is it possible to follow the Bible alone without man-made creeds?”
The benefit of Creeds:
You’re able to see and evaluate where a church stands doctrinally. You’re going to ask the question, “With this teaching, is this a place I want to attend?”
You don’t have to guess what a church believes.
In the absence of a confession, the individual pastor’s theology becomes the root of many people’s beliefs.
They help us pass on the Faith to others (discipleship):
2 Tim. 2:2, “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”
2 Tim. 3:14-15, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you have learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings.”
They help fight against ignorance and error (“two pillars in Satan’s kingdom”)