Apostles' Creed: Holy, Catholic, And Together Series

APOSTLES’ CREED: Holy Catholic Together

In our study of the Apostles’ Creed, we come today to, “I believe in the holy catholic church, the communion of saints.”

What place does the church have in our faith?

Some people put the church at the center of their faith. They believe if they go to church and try to be good, they are set for life. They don’t have much interest in what came before: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator…Jesus Christ, the Son, our Lord…the Holy Spirit…” But being active in a church cannot save; God saves. The church would be nothing but a social club without God. It is formed by God’s grace, instituted by Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Other people have an entirely different view of the church. They say, “I am a believer, but I don’t need to go to church. I don’t find it that helpful to my personal faith.”

Both groups of people are the missing point: It’s not about going to church. Church is not a building, not an event, not an organization. The Church is people, formed by God, for God’s glory and purpose. Ephesians 2:19-22 puts it this way: “You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens [of God’s kingdom] with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Church is not an optional add-on for a Christian. (“I’ll accept Christ…Hmm…Do I want church too?”) When you are joined to Christ, you are joined to his church.

So we say, “I believe in the holy catholic church, the communion of saints.” What does the really mean?

GOD’S CHURCH IS HOLY.

“Holy” means, “set apart for a special purpose.” In the Old Testament, items in the tabernacle and temple, priests, and even God’s chosen people were designated as “holy.” They were set apart as special by God, for his purposes.

God’s church is holy, not because the people in the church are better than most, but because God chose them, redeemed them, and set them apart for a purpose. 1 Peter 2:9 spells it out: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a HOLY nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Holy is what we are, and holy is also what we strive to be.

The church in Corinth is a good example. Corinth was a pagan city, and the church reflected the depraved background of the people in it. Immorality and idol worship were issues in the church, and divisions between rich and poor were so bad that even church potlucks were problematic. Paul wrote a letter to address their problems, and he began the letter (1 Cor. 1:2), “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified (literally, “having been made holy”) in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people…” God had made them holy, and now he was calling them to be holy—to act like people special to God.

How do holy people act? Some people think holiness is “Do this, don’t do that.” It does matter what we do, and rules can help, but holiness is much more than following the rules.

Romans 12:1-2 gets to the core of holiness: “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, HOLY and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. DO NOT CONFORM to the pattern of this world, but BE TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind…” Do not be CONFORMED, but be TRANSFORMED as you understand God’s call and purpose for you.

In Colossians 3, Paul addresses the church as “God’s chosen people, HOLY and dearly loved.” When we understand that God has chosen us, how will we live? We will not conform to our lower nature, as Paul goes on to say, “Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” Our words will be transformed: “…rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” We will not treat people as objects to be used for our own benefit, but as precious to God: “As God’s chosen people, HOLY and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”