Regula Fidei or Rule of Faith is a brief summary of Christian faith. You might have come across these during a baptism service or a church membership ceremony. Essentially these statements function as a guideline for how we are to understand the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Also, they are a way for the Church to affirm right teaching concern the faith from the apostles to the present. Finally, they stand as a witness to the world about the reality of God revealed in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
What follows is a comparing and contrasting of the Rule of Faith cited by Justin Martyr and Ireneaus, Bishop of Lyon. These two Christian leaders lived during the 2nd Century. Therefore their articulations of the Rule of Faith represent what the Early Church and Christian would believe concerning God, Jesus, salvation and Christian living.
Justin Martyr: First Apology, Chapter 13; Irenaeus: Against Heresies, 1.10.1
1. The role of the Trinity
Justin: God the Father is first among the Trinity and is Creator and Maker of all things. The Son of God is Jesus Christ who has revealed who God is to man and how man should live before God. The Spirit is third member of the Trinity and is described as “prophetic” potentially meaning the one who delivers the word of the Lord.
Irenaeus: One God, the Father Almighty, Creator. The Son of God is Christ Jesus who has been given the power to execute justice for his life and work in obedience to God the Father. The Holy Spirit is described as “proclaiming” through the prophets all that God had in mind to do through Jesus.
2. The Specific work and roles of Jesus
Justin:
Work – He was born for the purpose of teaching humanity about how God would want them to live. He deserves worship because he was crucified.
Roles – teacher of humanity, Son of God
Irenaeus:
Work – He was incarnate for humanities salvation. He was born of a virgin, suffered the “passion”, resurrected, ascended into heaven and will come again. All things will be subject to him in the end and he will judge all humanity.
Role – Christ, Son of God, Judge of all Humanity
3. The Means of Salvation
Justin: Eternal life through faith in the “Maker of this universe” which has been taught to us by Jesus Christ who was born and crucified for this purpose.
Irenaeus: Through the apostles and their disciples, we have received the faith by which we know that Jesus was incarnate for our salvation. And that Jesus accomplished the work of salvation through his life, death, resurrection and glorification.
4. The Life and Proper Response of Faith.
Justin: The life of the faithful is marked by using that which God has created not for sacrifice to Him but for the nurture of ourselves and the needy. We are also called to lift to Him prayers and hymns of gratitude and petition Him for eternal life through faith in Him (i.e. be continually penitent).
Irenaeus: The life of the faithful is marked by keeping God’s commandments and persevering in His love.
How does this match up against what you believe about God, Jesus, salvation and Christian living? Is there anthing that surprises you regarding their articulations of the Rule of Faith?
