The first half of the second article of the Nicene Creed is considered to be the most important expression of orthodox Christology: 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, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; was incarnate of the Holy Spirit from the Virgin Mary, and became truly human.
While the first half of the second article is undoubtedly the most significant expression of the church’s confession of the truth of the incarnation to communicate that salvation through Jesus Christ is from God, the final statement in the second article is also an extremely important statement about the identity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. This final statement is eschatological (“the last things”) whereas the first half of the second article is mostly protological (“the first things”). The final statement is, He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
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