Barth pointed out that the preposition “in” in the Apostle’s Creed does not merely designate the content of our belief or the direction in which we believe (ie. the purpose or object of belief). Rather, the “in” must also include the ground from which we believe. As Christians we have been brought into the fellowship of Father, Son, and Spirit. It is from that status and location that we are even able to begin to say “I believe…” Our faith is not only “in” God in the sense that He is the object of our faith, it is also “in” God in the sense that it is the origin of our faith. The Church confesses its faith from within the Triune communion of God. “In Him we live and move and have our being” and “In Him all things consist”.
One implication is simply God’s dedication to us. He brings us into his fellowship, into his communion, into his being, and from that place we are taught the words, “I believe…” Like parents bringing a child home from the hospital, we are brought home even before we know the words. We are taught faith from the shadow of his wings.
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