阅读经文 

我们用了整个月的时间专注思考使徒信经，现在以“阿们”来结束，实在非常恰当。

作为基督教的信仰宣言，使徒信经并没有什么魔法。它不是一篇人们可以重复念诵来祈求保佑或得福祉的符咒或祷文。这信经是建基于圣经的教导，由基督的使徒传给我们的，它清楚而又传神的宣言，帮助我们铭记近两千年以来，基督徒曾一同领受和宣告的真理。所以，从这一角度看来，这信经是值得我们反复念诵的。

此外，使徒信经没有直接教导我们怎样天天去过信心的生活。然而，这个简洁的教义摘要提供了一个稳固的根基，来建立活力充沛的教会，并塑造信众以圣父、圣子和圣灵为中心的圣洁生活。这些真理帮助我们塑造和引导我们的思想和行为，好叫我们能够忠心传达神是怎样一位神，以及我们这些在世上服侍祂的人是一群怎样的人。

保罗以“阿们”来结束他在以弗所书的赞美祷告，这个词的意思是希伯来文“诚心所愿”这个简短的表达。使徒信经也是以同样方式结束的。在结束这篇关于神的信仰宣言时，让我们一同来说“阿们（‘诚心所愿’）”，这是最恰当不过的。

As we come to the end of our month-long focus on the Apostles’ Creed, it’s appropriate to wrap up with the closing word "Amen."

There’s nothing magical about the creed as a statement of the Christian faith. It’s not an incantation or a mantra to be said again and again for protection or for gaining some benefit. Based on the Bible’s teaching shared with us by Christ’s apostles, the creed’s clear yet eloquent statements help us remember the truths that Christians have learned and said together for nearly 2,000 years. So in that respect, it’s worthwhile to say the creed again and again.

Further, the Apostles’ Creed does not directly teach us in how to live out our faith every day. But this short summary provides an unshakable foundation for building vibrant churches and shaping godly lives that center on the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These truths help to shape and guide our thoughts and actions so that we faithfully proclaim who God is and who we are as his people serving him in the world.

As Paul closes his prayer of praise in Ephesians with "Amen"—the little Hebrew word meaning "So be it"—so the Apostles’ Creed ends on the same note. At the conclusion of this confession about God we appropriately say together, "Amen (‘So be it’)."