SECTION 2 - The Apostles' Creed

   Aaron, it will be very helpful to us, if we can see that God’s gospel is being summarized for us in this special document that we call “The Articles of our Christian Faith”.  This document is a creed beyond doubt, and it is confessed throughout the whole world.’  We can best start this section by asking, ‘what are these articles?’  Aaron, these articles that have been handed down to us, represent our heritage.  They basically describe the specific points of our common Christian faith.  We will start by looking at the first of these documents, which we commonly call The Apostle’s Creed.

 The first part begins like this--

‘I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, and CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.  

 Then the second part is--

I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD, WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY.  HE SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED, AND WAS BURIED; HE DESCENDED INTO HELL.  THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.  HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY.  FROM THERE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD.

And the final part is this--

I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST, THE HOLY CATHOLIC Church, THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND THE LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN. 

Aaron, this Apostles Creed truly defines the details of the essence of our faith.  It represents the truths that God has so graciously revealed to us. 

Now we should begin this first part by asking this question--’in what way are these articles divided?’  The answer to this question is this--’into three parts:

 First, it describes God the Father and our creation.

 Second, it describes God the Son  and our salvation/ or justification.

 Third, it describes God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification.’

  Though this is one of the more difficult areas of study, it is also one of extreme importance in our basic understanding about what it means to be a Christian.  And because we are seeking to understand the hidden mysteries of God, it will be to our advantage to take a little extra time here: In order to look a little closer at just what we are dealing with.  ‘Since there is but one God, just as God does plainly tell us this in His Word, why do we also speak of three distinct characteristics:

 1) God the Father,

 2) God the Son, and

 3) God the  Holy Spirit?’ 

It is ‘because that is exactly how God has revealed Himself in His Word: These three distinct personages are One, True, Eternal God.’

Aaron, I cannot emphasize this point enough--this Apostles Creed that tradition has given us, is so very important to our overall understanding.  We need to examine it, and then re-examine it again and again--line by line by line.

To begin, ‘what do we believe when we say-- “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth”?’  Aaron, we believe ‘that the Eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing (that we ourselves can know or imagine) created the Heavens and the earth and everything in them.  Who still upholds and rules them by His Eternal Counsel and providence.  And He is God and Father because of Jesus Christ His Son. 

Aaron, I want you to know that I trust Him so much--that I do not doubt that he will provide whatever I need for body and soul, and He will work to my good whatever adversity He allows to come my way in this sad world.  He is able to do this because He is Almighty God; He desires to do this because He is our faithful Father.’  I know that these things are difficult to grasp.  But I also want you to know this certainty Aaron, that each and every time that we look at these teachings and study them, we will come to understand them better and better.  God does reward all those who diligently seek Him.

  Here is another question that will help us in understanding this creed--’what do we understand by the providence of God?’  ‘Providence is the Almighty and ever-present power of God.  By which He upholds, as with His very own Hand, the Heaven and the earth and all creatures.  And so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty--all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but all things are held within His Fatherly Hand.’  That is certainly more than a mouth full Aaron.  But especially here, it is very important that you listen carefully to God’s promises. 

Aaron, I think we should look much deeper into this aspect of God, to find out just ‘how does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us?’  And the answer here is quite marvelous--that when we have complete trust in God:

 First, ‘we can be patient when things go against us.

 Second, we can be thankful when things are going well.

 Third, for the future, we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing will ever separate us from His love. 

All creatures are so completely in His hand, that without His will they can neither move nor be moved.’  */*/* See Job / Mk.4:26-29 / Phil.2:27

  Try to answer this question--’Why is the Son of God called Jesus, which has the same meaning as Savior?  Well--Grandpa--I’m not really sure.  I think you really do know the answer, because the answer is right there in His name--Savior: ‘because He saves us from our sins.

Aaron, I want you to know that salvation cannot be found in anyone else.  It is completely hopeless for anyone to look for any salvation elsewhere.’  I really feel sorry for all those people in the world who are trying to get to God in some other way.  You must know that Jesus, because of God’s gracious forgiveness through His atonement on the cross, is positively the one and only way for anyone to get to God.  Now many people in the world reject this idea, that Jesus is the only way: But I can tell you this with complete certainty--this fact is absolutely true.  So whether they believe this truth or not does not really matter, because Christ’s atonement upon the cross fully satisfies all of God’s judgments and allows God’s grace to flow wherever God wills.

Q.30

  What do you think Aaron, ‘Do those who look for their salvation and security in themselves, or elsewhere really believe in the only Savior Jesus?’  I have the answer here for you--they do not!  Although they boast of being His, by their deeds they deny the only Savior and Deliverer, Jesus.  Aaron, it must be one or the other; Either Jesus is not a perfect Savior or Jesus is a perfect Savior.  It is with absolute certainty that those who **** in true faith accept this Savior “Jesus”--have in Him all they need for their salvation.’

  It is also important in our understanding for us to find out why Jesus is called Christ; which has the same meaning as Anointed or Messiah?  It was because He has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our Chief Prophet, our Teacher and our King.

 First, He perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance.

 Second, He is our only High Priest who has set us free by the one sacrifice of His own body.

 Third, He continually pleads our cause before the Father.

 Forth, He is our Eternal King who governs us by His Word and Spirit.

 Fifth, He guards us and keeps us in the freedom He has won for us. 

Yes, Jesus truly is our Chief Prophet, our High Priest, and our Eternal King.  Grandpa, I still don’t know.  There sure are a lot of things here to remember.  Aaron, I can only suggest and hope that you read these things over a few times—If you stay at it, with God’s help you will eventually understand and remember them.

****Q.31, 32

  Would you like to know why we are called Christians?  Because it is by faith, that we have become members of Christ.  You see, when we become members of Christ, in reality, we become part of His body.  Which means we have become part of the invisible congregation.  Now what we are talking about here, is His Supernatural or Spiritual body.  Aaron, when we are born again--born from above; that is, when we have been regenerated by His Holy Spirit, Jesus literally comes and makes His home within each of us: We become Spiritually connected--we become individually connected into the body of Christ.  When we become a part of the body of Christ, Jesus, at the very same time, becomes a part of us.  Now listen Aaron; it is only through this faith that God gives to us, that we are all brought to the place where we can actually know God. 

This goes beyond just knowing about God.  But that each of us, within this invisible spiritual realm of the supernatural, can personally come to intimately know God as our Abba, Father! 

And because we are members of Christ, and members as well of His invisible body, we also share fully in His anointing.

 First, we are anointed to confess His name.  Which simply means, we are responsible to tell others about the hope and the comfort that we have found in our blessed Savior.  Now Aaron, this hope and comfort that we receive from God, is so wonderful--you feel like you will explode, if you do not tell someone.  The Scriptures explain it this way--’Out of your inward parts shall flow rivers of living water.  Speaking of the Spirit they were to receive.’ Jn.7:38 and 39

 Second, because we are so very thankful for the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on His cross, we are to present ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice of thanks.  This means we are to give ourselves--body and soul, to Jesus.  To serve Him with everything we possess.

 Third, we are to strive with a good conscience against sin and the devil in this life.  What this means Aaron, is that we are to use God’s Word as a mirror for our mind.  A mirror for us to look into that we might examine ourselves and our action in God’s light.  Marvelously, when we each look into the mirror of God’s Word, it is through our conscience that God actually guides us to do those things pleasing to Him.  If we sincerely seek His guidance, God will always warn us when danger is near.  At the same time, I would also like to pass along this warning from God: Do not ignore the Holy Spirit’s guidance. 

Never ignore God when He is telling you no to something you are doing.  Listen to me Aaron!  If you do ignore God often enough, the day will come when you will no longer be able to hear Him: Your nature will have turned you away from God altogether.

Finally, we, as His invisible body, are to reign with Christ over all creation for all eternity.  This is the sum of God’s promise--which is eternal life. 

  Why then is Jesus called God’s only Son when we also are God’s children?  Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God.  We, however, are the adopted children of God--adopted by grace through Christ.

But I want you to know this too Aaron, that even though we are adopted into God’s family, that after the Holy Spirit has regenerated us, we do actually become the true children of God.  Yes, we have been adopted into God’s extended family: But at the very same time, we must remember that we have also been born into God’s immediate family.

It is the gospel of John that gives us these very facts--”But as many as receive Him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on His name: Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” Jn.1:12-13  You see Aaron, to be born of God, we must be born from above where God is presently residing.  So if you have been born of God, then you are positively God’s child and an heir of the kingdom!

  The next question that must be answered is why do we call Him our Lord?  Because we know that it was not with gold or silver, but with His precious blood that He has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil.  He has bought us, body and soul, to be His very own.  You see Aaron, when Jesus suffered and bled on that cross, He paid the full debt for all of our sins--past, present, and future.  By making that one sacrifice, He literally purchased us to Himself for the praise and the glory of His Heavenly Father.  It is exactly like the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Church at Corinth: “Or know you not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God?  And you are not your own; for you were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your bodies.”

  Next, we need to find out exactly what it means when we read that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary?  What this means is that Jesus, the eternal Son of God--who is and remains true and eternal God, took to Himself, through the working of the Holy Spirit, from the flesh and blood of Mary, a truly human nature so that He might become David’s true descendant: And so, He could be like His brothers in every way except for sin.

Aaron, it was because His conception was not that of natural procreation; That is, where a man and a woman are united together: But that a pure virgin was able to conceive through the power of the Most High, through His own Holy Spirit.  It was because of this supernatural act of God, that the sin line that had run all the way from Adam even to this present day was completely broken there in Jesus’ conception.  Now this child Jesus that was born to a young maiden named Mary, was Holy in every respect: And at the same time, He was also human in every respect.  If you think about it Aaron, all of these things sounds absolutely incredible; even unbelievable; and to us, yes, even impossible.   

But I must also tell you this with an added certainty, there was no other observable way in God’s whole creation that all of these things could have been accomplished so perfectly.

To begin, in order to break the sin line that we inherited from Adam, it would seem that natural procreation had to be excluded (ref. Ps.51:5): God had to do something new and wonderful; God had to literally perform a miracle.  So as we look into God’s Word, we find that the gospel of Luke tells us all about this special event.  Luke begins here by telling us that God sent His angel Gabriel down to this young virgin named Mary.

Now listen as Luke tells us what Gabriel said to this young woman: “Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS.”  “And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I have not known a Man?  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you: wherefore also the Holy thing which is conceived shall be called the Son of God.”  You see Aaron, the conception of Jesus had to be immaculate; It broke the sin line of Adam forever. 

And in addition to breaking the sin line of Adam, there is another important reason for this immaculate birth that also becomes evident here.  Since the wages of sin is death: And this was, and still is, the judgment which hangs over the heads of all unregenerate mankind--a perfect sacrifice would have to be found if this judgment against mankind was ever to be satisfied.

Thankfully, for ourselves and for all mankind God Himself has graciously provided us with that perfect sacrifice.  Yes Aaron, the scriptures themselves tell us that God has provided a sacrificial Lamb for us.  It is the book of First Peter that tells us all about this: “Knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; but with the precious blood, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, even the blood of Christ: who was foreordained indeed before the foundation of the world”... 1Pe.1:18-20  “For our Passover also has been sacrificed, Christ:” 1Cor.5:7

We can plainly see here, that God’s ways are far above our ways: Even past finding out, or imagining, or understanding.  Aaron, there are many hidden things concerning God that can only be received by us through His living faith: the faith that God Himself puts within each of us.  Sadly, for the human race on a whole, the natural mind of man does not have the capacity to receive the things of God--for they are foolishness to him. 1Cor.2:14

We must now ask this: “How then does the Holy conception and birth of Christ benefit us?”  And the answer is this--Jesus is our mediator, and with His innocence and perfect holiness He removes our sin from God’s sight: The sin of Adam that has been ours ever since we ourselves were conceived.

  What then can we understand by the word “suffered”?  Aaron, during His whole life on earth, but especially at the end, Christ sustained in body and soul all of the anger that God had against the sin of the whole human race.  This He did in order that, by His suffering as the only atoning sacrifice, He might set us free, body and soul, from the eternal condemnation of God.  Jesus’ one sacrifice did factually gain for us God’s grace, righteousness, and eternal life.  These are the precious promises that God, through Christ, has given to each and every one of us; Those promises that each of us must hold close within our hearts.

  Just why was Jesus made to suffer “under Pontius Pilate” as judge?  So that He, though innocent, might be condemned by a civil judge, and so free us from the severe judgment of God that was to fall upon all of us.  I think we should also remember, that the religious leaders of that day did not have the authority to put anyone to death: So a civil authority was necessary, in this case, if full payment was to be made for our sin debt.  Only the Roman government had the authority to sentence a person to death.

  We should also ask if it was significant that He was “crucified” instead of dying some other way?  The answer to that question is yes.  This death convinces me that He shouldered the curse that lay on me, since death by crucifixion was accursed by God. 

Paul tells us in Galatians that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:” Gal.3:13/Deut.21:23

  So why did Christ have to go all the way to death?  Simply because God’s justice and truth demand it.  Only if Jesus was declared “dead” could the debt for our sins ever be fully paid.  Again Aaron, you must always remember this one thing for sure--that the wages of sin is death.  NOW IF WE TRY TO PAY OUR OWN SIN DEBT, THE FULL PRICE IS ETERNAL DEATH FOR US ALL: BUT IF JESUS IS ALLOWED TO PAY OUR SIN DEBT FOR US, WE ALL RECEIVE A FULL PARDON.

  And why is it important for us to know that He was “buried”?  Because His burial testifies to us that He really died.

  Grandpa since Christ has died for us, why do we still have to die?  Well Aaron, if we do die physically, we must surely know that our deaths do not, and cannot, pay the debt of our sins.  Rather, our death puts an end to our sinning and is surely the first stage of our entrance into eternal glory.

  Consider this, what further advantage might we receive from Christ’s sacrifice and death on the cross?  The Bible tells us that through Christ’s death, our old self (which holds all of our natural desires) is also crucified.  That is, we are symbolically put to death and buried with Christ, so that the evil desires of the flesh may no longer rule over us.  Instead of being slaves to sin, we are to dedicate ourselves as an offering of gratitude to Him.  Aaron, I hope you are beginning to see that any unrestrained sin that is allowed to remain active in our lives, can naturally become a dominating force within us. Nevertheless, the ago-old struggle between the flesh and the spirit goes on.

  Why then does the creed add, “He descended into Hell”?  Aaron, this statement assures me in times of personal crisis and temptation.  That Christ my Lord, by suffering unspeakable anguish, pain, and terror of soul--especially on the cross but also earlier and later as well, has forever delivered me, along with all of the elect, from the anguish and torment of eternal Hell.

  Answer this question, how does the fact that on “the third day He rose again from the dead” also benefit us?

 First, by His resurrection Jesus has overcome death, so that He might make us share in the righteousness that He won for us by His death.

 Second, by His power of regeneration, we too are already now Spiritually resurrected to a new life.  Aaron, this is what being “born again” really means.  That is, when we heard the voice of the Son of God (Jn.5:25) we came alive: Our souls were resurrected from the death of our unregenerate state to the new life of regeneration.  This is the promise--eternal life.

 Third, Christ’s resurrection is a guarantee of our own glorious resurrection: In that day, when our corruptible beings will have become incorruptible; when these mortal bodies will become immortal bodies; when even creation is delivered from the bondage of corruption-into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.

  What do we mean by saying, “He ascended into Heaven”?  We mean that Christ, while His disciples watched, was actually lifted up bodily from off the earth and visibly taken up into the Heavens.  He will remain there for our good until (the beginning of) that day, when He shall return in the clouds of glory to gather His resurrected priesthood to Himself. “And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.”  Mk.13:27

  How can we understand that Christ is also with us until the end of the world as He promised?  It is because Christ is truly human and truly God that He is with us.  In His human nature Christ is not now on earth; But in His divinity, majesty, grace, and Spirit, He is not absent from us for a moment.

 Aaron, even with this blessed truth in hand, for our own endurance, we must yet keep our eyes firmly fixed on this next event that is promised for the invisible Christian Church.  The promised coming of Jesus in that day.  When He will send forth His angels to gather together His own resurrected priesthood to Him.     

Now listen Aaron, the exact promise which is given to this resurrected supernatural priesthood, is to meet our Lord Jesus in the air, where we shall remain with our Lord forever. 1Thes.4:16  You must know that our nature will always want us to worry about the here and now, but if we are able to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and His soon coming, we just may be able to avoid some of the many pit-falls of life.  These same pit-falls that our brethren have also experienced throughout the nearly two millennia of time that they have also sojourned upon this same sad earth.

  Aaron, I know that this is not easily understood.  If Jesus’ humanity is not present wherever His divinity is, then are the two natures of Christ separated from each other?  The answer to that question is no.  Since divinity is not limited and is present everywhere (omnipresent), it is evident that Christ’s divinity is surely beyond the bounds of the humanity He has taken on.  But at the same time His divinity is in and remains personally united to His humanity.

  Then how does Christ’s ascension into Heaven actually benefit us? 

 First, He pleads our cause in Heaven in the presence of His Father.  For Jesus is “at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Rom.8:34

 Second, we ourselves have had our own essence in Heaven: for God has “made us alive together with Christ...and raised us up with Him, and made us to sit with Himself in the Heavenly places, in Christ Jesus” Eph.2:6.  A guarantee that Christ our Head has taken and will take us, His invisible members, to Himself in Heaven.  You can surely see that the promised gathering stands in full force.

Aaron, do you ever remember being in Heaven?  I cannot remember that precise moment that I sat in Heaven myself, but I do know for certain that I must have been there--otherwise Heaven would not be so absolutely real to me.  I am not kidding!  Heaven is a real place!  And Aaron, I really hope that Heaven is as real to you too.

 Third, He sends His Spirit to us on earth as a further guarantee: As an earnest of our inheritance.  By the Spirit’s power we should make the goal of our lives, not earthly things, but the things that are above where Christ is--sitting at God’s right hand.

  And what is the meaning of these words: “and is seated at the right hand of God”?  Aaron, we know from the words of the apostles that Christ ascended into Heaven: there, to show that He is not only the reigning King but the Head of His Church.  Just as the Father also now rules all things through Him.

  How then does this heavenly glory of Christ our head benefit us? 

 First, through His Holy Spirit, He pours out His gifts from Heaven upon us who are a part of His chosen priesthood.

 Second, by His power, He defends us and keeps us safe from all enemies.

  Then why should Christ’s return “to judge the living and the dead” comfort us as well? 

Aaron, this is that exact return of Christ that we have been talking about.

 First, in all my distress and persecution, I turn my eyes to the heavens and confidently await as Deliverer the very One who has already stood trial in my place before God: And so, has removed the whole curse from me.  This is looking to (the commencement of) that day and the promised gathering of (His elect priesthood) the invisible Christian Church: When the dead in Christ will rise first, and we who are alive will be immediately taken up into the clouds of glory.  For all of us will meet our Lord in the air, and so shall we forever be with our Lord: as it is so clearly stated in this following point-

 Second, all His chosen ones and me He will take along with Him into the joy and the glory of Heaven.  Aaron, this part of God’s promise is also necessary for our understanding.  We can see that the Scriptures have predicted many events for the world: Events that must be fulfilled during that day.  We must also know for a fact, that the fulfillment of these many predictions must precede this next event-

 Third, coming as Judge, all His enemies and mine He will condemn to everlasting punishment.  And if any are found written in the Book of Life, those also will be taken into God’s Eternal Kingdom prepared for them.

 Forth, we then look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness.

There is a definite sequence to be followed throughout the end time events.  Aaron, it is the resurrection and the gathering of His glorified invisible priesthood, that marks the beginning of this final phase in God’s historic plan for mankind.

“For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1Thes.4:16 and 17

This is a very special promise that Jesus has revealed just for the invisible priesthood  /Christian Church.  To exactly understand this promise, we need to understand the difference between the physical and the supernatural: the difference between the visible and the invisible.  So for further clarification, the apostle Paul wrote again to the Church at Corinth on this same matter:

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; neither can corruption inherit incorruption.  Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep (die), but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?  The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: but thanks be to God, who gave us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1Cor.15:50-57

Sadly, a great deal of confusion continues within today’s Church over this issue of the end times.  But simply put, these passages are explaining the next event pictured for the invisible priesthood /Christian Church.  When God told His Church that “This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all nations; and then shall the end come”, He means exactly that.  The end that is being referred to here, is that time when Jesus will come again to sit on His glorious throne as the reigning judge--there to judge the living and the dead.  First of all, He will judge the living--for judgment begins at the house of God, and then at the end of the day of the Lord He will indeed judge the dead--for before Him shall be gathered all the nations; all the dead, the great and the small.  But Aaron, even with this great truth that we have here before us, we must not allow ourselves to overlook, nor disregard the many specific promises that are also contained within the pages of the Holy Scriptures.  I am referring, of course, to those promises sighted by the apostle Paul in his letters to the Corinthians and the Thessalonians.  These are some very special things that are promised just to those who belong to His invisible elect priesthood--to all those who are in Christ.

  Well Aaron, with these six remaining questions on the Apostles Creed, we will be examining the final six statements which summarize the declaration of our Christian faith:

  To begin the last portion of this section, what do we believe concerning “the Holy Spirit”? 

 First, He, as well as the Father and the Son, is eternal-now emanating from the Father and from the Son.

 Second, He has been given to us personally, so that, by true faith (our God given Justifying faith), He makes us share in Christ and all His blessings, comforts us, and remains with us forever.

  Next, what do we believe concerning “the holy Catholic Church”?  We believe that the Son of God through His Spirit and Word, out of the entire human race, FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO ITS END, gathers, protects, and preserves for Himself a community that is made up of both the called and chosen for eternal life and united in true faith.  United into the visible and invisible congregation of God--united with visible Israel and into the invisible Israel of God.  So now, “the holy Catholic Church”, in order to meet these specifics that are mentioned above, must itself be more specifically defined by its root meaning--as “the holy universal congregation”.  And we, as true members of the body of Christ, will always be members of this very special elect community and an integral part of the visible corporate peoples of God as well.

  Then, what do you understand by “the communion of the saints”? 

 First, that believers one and all, as members of this invisible elect community, share in Christ and in all His treasures and gifts: And likewise, we are also to share in His sufferings as well.

 Second, that each member should consider it a duty to use these gifts readily and cheerfully for the service and enrichment of the other members-especially the sheep.

Basically, it is the uniting of all true believers in voice, heart, and Spirit--in the proclamation of our Lord’s death.  This is done through the partaking of the bread and the wine of the sacraments--until our blessed Lord’s return: When He surely will unite all of His saint to Himself.

  And what must we now believe concerning “the forgiveness of sins”? 

 First, we believe that God, because of Christ’s atonement, will hold against us none of our sins or our sinful nature which we need to struggle against all through our lives.

 Second, rather, in His grace, God grants us the righteousness of Christ that frees us forever from His judgment.

  How then does “the resurrection of the body” comfort us?  Aaron, not only our souls will be taken immediately after this life to Christ its head, but even our very flesh:

Because in the dawn of that day, our resurrected body--raised by the power of Christ, will be reunited with our soul and made like unto Christ’s glorious body.

  Finally, how does the article concerning “life everlasting” comfort us?  Aaron, even as we already now experience in our hearts the beginnings of this eternal joy, so after this life we will have perfect blessedness such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human heart has ever imagined.  A blessedness, in which we will be able to praise God eternally.

  So now Aaron, what good does it do us to believe all of these things?  And you can see right here, that we have been brought back to the main point that we made very early on: Aaron, in Christ we are right with God and confident heirs of everlasting life.

  And precisely how are we right with God?  It is only by the justifying faith of Jesus Christ.  This is in spite of the fact that the devil accuses us of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments and of never having kept any of them.  And even though our natures are still inclined toward all evil:  Nevertheless, without our deserving it at all, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to us the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ.  When we completely trust in the atoning work of Christ, it is as if we ourselves had never sinned or been a sinner.  It is as if we had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for us.  Now listen to me!  All we need to do here--is to accept this blessed gift of grace from God and deposit it for safe keeping into a believing heart.

  Aaron, for us to better understand the providential work of God, we must come to fully understand that our conscience is an indispensable part of God’s communication system.  Our individual conscience is our own Spiritual guide.  So we must never allow ourselves to be confused by the feelings associated with sin.  That is, the unsettling feelings that are generated within us by God’s Holy Spirit.  Each of us must learn to be sensitive to God’s guidance.  Now one distinctive communication given by God, is when His Spirit is telling us no to something.  We all know the feeling!  That sudden jab in the pit of our stomach; An empty feeling down deep inside that gives us that unsettled feeling in the vicinity of our heart.  It would seem that, in these decisive situations, God literally removes His peace from us.  And yes Aaron, if we do obey God’s guidance, we will again sense the return of His peace.  But if we refuse God’s guidance, the emptiness and the disquietness continues on until we do obey.  When we receive this special guidance, God is simply telling us to stop doing the things we are doing which are contrary to His Word.  I hope you can understand this Aaron.  That what God is really trying to do in these situations, is to protect us from the temptations that we are often confronted with in this life.  He is trying to protect each of us from ourselves.  He is trying to protect the spiritual part of us from the natural part of us, as they struggle on together throughout our entire lives.

  Aaron, you also need to understand that the whole process does not stop at salvation’s wondrous grace, but God mandates continued growth in the lives of all believers.  For by the faith of justification, this mandated growth carries us onward--down the road of sanctification toward holiness.

  Well then, why do we say that by faith alone we are right with God? 

You must understand this first, it is not because of any value found in our faith that God is pleased with us.  Only Christ’s satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness make us right with God.  And we can receive this righteousness and make it ours in no other way than by God’s justifying faith alone.  The process is actually very simple.  All anyone has to do is to believe in Jesus enough to ask Him for help: To ask Him to come into their hearts and their lives. 

  Then what stops the good things that we do from making us right with God, or at least help to make us right with God?  Because the righteousness which can pass God’s scrutiny must be entirely perfect and must in every way measure up to the divine law.  At this point when considering all that has been said, I think that we both must know without any doubt, that even the very best that we do in this life is imperfect and stained with sin.

  So how can we say that the good we do does not earn anything when God promises to reward it in this life and in the next?  This important reward of grace, of which God is speaking, is not and cannot be earned by us at all--it is the gracious gift of eternal life from God Himself.

  It may help us to understand these difficult things, if we could more clearly recognize these two distinctions--

 1) SALVATION as an event.  An event when we receive our justifying faith as a gift  from God--which is simply our justification.

 2) SANCTIFICATION as a process; It is only through the process of time that, with God's help,  we might grow and mature in our Christian walk.

A very important difference must be recognized here.

  Now this is the reason why we must be able to DISTINGUISH between the works done before salvation and the works that are done after salvation. 

 1) It is in the parable of the “penny a day” Mat.20:1-16 that this DISTINCTION can be most conclusively seen.  Where the wages are equal no matter what time the workman started.  2) Also the parable of the talents--Mat.25:14-30; Where all of the gifts are freely given.  But each gift here, is given with the expectation that they would increase through their use.  1) Though we know that we cannot obtain our salvation by works, 2) we do work out our salvation with fear and trembling--Phil.2:12 and 13.  We must never come to the conclusion that our works, in all instances, are excluded from any reward at all.  That would represent the total amalgamation of JUSTIFICATION and SANCTIFICATION, which seems to be the direction that today’s Church has gone.

We must separate 1) the works one would associate with salvation--which is only the complete work of Christ on the cross.  We can claim no credit whatsoever for ourselves--”For by grace have you been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory.” Eph.2:8 and 9 

2) And the works which God mandates for us after we have been saved through the propitiatory work of Christ.  These works that are clearly outlined for us in James.2:14-26.

  But some have asked concerning this teaching--does it (God’s free and unmerited grace) not make people indifferent and wicked?  No, not at all!  It must be impossible for those who are grafted into Christ, not to produce the fruits of gratitude.  Remember, “you will know them by their fruit.”  I also tell you this one thing with absolute certainty.  There is no other way of measuring, not others nor ourselves, than by the fruit we produce.  God has graciously given us this measuring stick, that we might even check ourselves.  Now we find this special help principally in Galatians 5:22 and 23 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, MEEKNESS, and SELF-CONTROL.  And whatever we do Aaron, whether in thought, word, or deed, must, in every instance, reflect these fruit of God’s Spirit that does reside within each and every one of His children.

****Q.30

  It is here in question thirty that we can see their works doctrine supplanting God’s free and unmerited grace.  The work that we have in view here is reflected in “those who in true faith accept this savior”.  The word “accept” that is used here has the connotation of a positive action or response on the part of the recipient.  This is the exact reason why the Baptist Church does not baptize infants.  They believe that only adults are capable of performing this act of acceptance.  The confusing problem that we have here is in the fact that this Baptist understanding has some truth with respect to the Churches evangelical role: but wholly excludes the efficacy that we find in the visible characteristic of the Abrahamic Covenant itself. Ref. Gen.17

 ****Q.31 and Q.32

  Questions thirty-one and thirty-two are prime examples of the catechism’s slant towards God’s invisible dispositions.  These two questions are defining God’s peoples as just His invisible priestly line.  This is the exact problem that we are trying to expose.  And the real difficulty continues to be in the fact, that the manifestation of God’s invisible dispositions is a present reality within the New Testament Church.  Then this present difficulty for the Protestant Catholic Church, has been in their failure to keep God’s visible dispositions in an active state as well.  That is, understanding that the visible characteristics of God’s peoples and the invisible characteristics of God’s peoples are always coexistent within God’s whole reconciliation.