FROM THE PASTOR
“one – holy – catholic and apostolic”
Some Christians balk at the idea of saying a creed, or creeds. The attitude is often: “Christians should be more about deeds, not creeds”, or similar, “The church I go to is on about deeds, not creeds”. Interesting attitudes aren’t they? Especially when you compare these attitudes with our Lord Jesus asking his disciples in Matthew 16, “Who do you say that I am?”. We know Peter’s confession, “You are the Messiah”, and Jesus commended him saying, “Blessed are you...”. Creeds such as the Apostles, Nicene, etc., were manufactured when disputes arose about the person of Jesus Christ; some denied Jesus’ humanity and others denied Jesus’ divinity. But a pastor once said, “to deny either one was to break the peace between God and humanity, heaven and earth, which was only made possible in Jesus Christ”.
In the Nicene Creed we say the church is:
“one”
The church is one because all believers of Christ are united as one. The church is one as Jesus and the Father are one (John 17). On the face of it, there isoutward division within the church. But the unity of the church is a gift of God and does not depend on human efforts. The church is made up of all who have been, all who are now, and all who will be members of the body of Jesus Christ. Like when we’re invited to sing or say praise to God in the Holy Communion liturgy, “therefore with angels and archangels and with the whole company of heaven”.
“holy”
I can’t remember how the conversation started, but this week my second son, Brayden, mentioned over the dinner table something about Saints, or someone he referred to, a Saint. It was a great conversation starter, and we summed up in saying “A saint is nothing more than a saved sinner”. Or if you want to get heady about it, try this, “Simul Justis Et Peccator” – meaning that a Christian, is at the same time both justified and a sinner.
So the church, as a human institution, cannot be described as holy, but the church as the Body of Christ is holy because Jesus Christ is holy; this is purely a gift from God and an article of faith. As Luther explains in the third article of the Apostles’ Creed:
‘the Holy Spirit, calls, gathers, enlightens, sanctifies and keeps the church in the one true faith. In this Christian church, day after day, Jesus forgives my sins and the sins of all believers...’.
So we remain sinners living by the grace of God until the day of resurrection.
“catholic”
Not to be confused with the Roman Catholic Church! In the same way as my introduction began, some Christians balk at saying creeds, so some Christians balk at saying the word catholic; maybe, possibly, implies an association with the Roman Catholic church. Now, some, not all of us, may be aware that catholic, with a small ‘c’ is the original word that was used – meaning ‘universal and right’ teaching. We know what universal means, but right teaching? What do we mean by that? Right teaching has to do with the person of Jesus: his humanity and divinity. Jesus is fully human and fully divine. There are some churches that deny the two natures of Christ; they claim to be Christian by name, but they are not catholic. The word ‘catholic’ emphasises that the church exist all over the world wherever Christians gather around word and sacrament; covering all Christian denominations here and abroad. We get a glimpse of the enormity of the universal and international church over time and in eternity (Revelation 7).
“apostolic”
I won’t go into apostolic too much here, but the word means ‘sent’. The task of the church is the preaching and teaching and passing on God’s word and the gospel of grace of Christ to each and every generation. And Christ, through his church, continues in the ongoing mission of the church. Much more could be said. A question to reflect on is perhaps:
Who are we sent to with the gospel message?
How can we relate the gospel message?
To younger generations?
To many and various cultures and sub-cultures?
We Pray For:
† The church, that it may not act out of fear, but always live in faith, hope and love.
† Charity organisations, that they may channel the wealth of our community to those who are most in need.
† People who need patience, especially those who care for a sick and disabled family member and our congregational members.
† Those who are afraid or anxious, that they may put their hope and faith in God.
† People at stages of life when they have particular needs, for infants, teenagers and the elderly.
† All Christians, that we may be ready for the return of the Lord.
Some Christians balk at the idea of saying a creed, or creeds. The attitude is often: “Christians should be more about deeds, not creeds”, or similar, “The church I go to is on about deeds, not creeds”. Interesting attitudes aren’t they? Especially when you compare these attitudes with our Lord Jesus asking his disciples in Matthew 16, “Who do you say that I am?”. We know Peter’s confession, “You are the Messiah”, and Jesus commended him saying, “Blessed are you...”. Creeds such as the Apostles, Nicene, etc., were manufactured when disputes arose about the person of Jesus Christ; some denied Jesus’ humanity and others denied Jesus’ divinity. But a pastor once said, “to deny either one was to break the peace between God and humanity, heaven and earth, which was only made possible in Jesus Christ”.
In the Nicene Creed we say the church is:
“one”
The church is one because all believers of Christ are united as one. The church is one as Jesus and the Father are one (John 17). On the face of it, there isoutward division within the church. But the unity of the church is a gift of God and does not depend on human efforts. The church is made up of all who have been, all who are now, and all who will be members of the body of Jesus Christ. Like when we’re invited to sing or say praise to God in the Holy Communion liturgy, “therefore with angels and archangels and with the whole company of heaven”.
“holy”
I can’t remember how the conversation started, but this week my second son, Brayden, mentioned over the dinner table something about Saints, or someone he referred to, a Saint. It was a great conversation starter, and we summed up in saying “A saint is nothing more than a saved sinner”. Or if you want to get heady about it, try this, “Simul Justis Et Peccator” – meaning that a Christian, is at the same time both justified and a sinner.
So the church, as a human institution, cannot be described as holy, but the church as the Body of Christ is holy because Jesus Christ is holy; this is purely a gift from God and an article of faith. As Luther explains in the third article of the Apostles’ Creed:
‘the Holy Spirit, calls, gathers, enlightens, sanctifies and keeps the church in the one true faith. In this Christian church, day after day, Jesus forgives my sins and the sins of all believers...’.
So we remain sinners living by the grace of God until the day of resurrection.
“catholic”
Not to be confused with the Roman Catholic Church! In the same way as my introduction began, some Christians balk at saying creeds, so some Christians balk at saying the word catholic; maybe, possibly, implies an association with the Roman Catholic church. Now, some, not all of us, may be aware that catholic, with a small ‘c’ is the original word that was used – meaning ‘universal and right’ teaching. We know what universal means, but right teaching? What do we mean by that? Right teaching has to do with the person of Jesus: his humanity and divinity. Jesus is fully human and fully divine. There are some churches that deny the two natures of Christ; they claim to be Christian by name, but they are not catholic. The word ‘catholic’ emphasises that the church exist all over the world wherever Christians gather around word and sacrament; covering all Christian denominations here and abroad. We get a glimpse of the enormity of the universal and international church over time and in eternity (Revelation 7).
“apostolic”
I won’t go into apostolic too much here, but the word means ‘sent’. The task of the church is the preaching and teaching and passing on God’s word and the gospel of grace of Christ to each and every generation. And Christ, through his church, continues in the ongoing mission of the church. Much more could be said. A question to reflect on is perhaps:
Who are we sent to with the gospel message?
How can we relate the gospel message?
To younger generations?
To many and various cultures and sub-cultures?
We Pray For:
† The church, that it may not act out of fear, but always live in faith, hope and love.
† Charity organisations, that they may channel the wealth of our community to those who are most in need.
† People who need patience, especially those who care for a sick and disabled family member and our congregational members.
† Those who are afraid or anxious, that they may put their hope and faith in God.
† People at stages of life when they have particular needs, for infants, teenagers and the elderly.
† All Christians, that we may be ready for the return of the Lord.