Some treat their strongly held doctrine as if it were on the same level as canonical scripture, potentially prioritizing it over direct biblical texts. It is crucial to recognize that even, say, the Nicene Creed is not scripture but a human-crafted statement derived from the early Church Fathers' interpretation of the Bible. The danger lies in allowing such formulations, or say, the Westminster Confession or, say, a very popular evangelical resource such as the notes in the Scofield Reference Bible, to overshadow the primacy of scripture, potentially leading to a reliance on human interpretations over the direct teachings of the Bible. Christians are encouraged to consistently return to the Bible as the ultimate authority, using creeds like the Nicene Creed to aid in the interpretation and summarization of biblical teachings but not to replace or supplant them. A balanced approach to theology involves honoring creeds as significant guides to understanding Christian doctrine while ensuring that beliefs and practices are firmly rooted in the direct study and application of scripture.
