The Four Characteristics of the Church
8.2 - Foundations of the Christian Faith
The Nicene Creed expands upon the Apostles’ Creed to list four characteristics of the Church: it is “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.” This statement is true for the universal church, not just the Catholic or Orthodox churches. Even if you belong to a small Bible Church in America, you belong to the larger Body of Christ. Again, Paul made this very clear: “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones” (Ephesians 5:30). So, let’s explore what these four things mean to us as believers in Christ.
The Church is one because all its members form the one Body of Christ, having “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:5–6). The Church is called to embody this unity in all relationships between believers. There is glory in this, for if a Baptist meets a Greek Orthodox while out traveling the world, they both have the encouragement to know that they are connected through the Holy Spirit as members of Christ’s Body. Their denominational differences are easily set aside as they glory in their unity in Jesus.
The Church is holy because the Holy Spirit dwells in its members, sanctifying them and setting them apart to God in Christ, and calling them to moral and spiritual holiness of life. About this corporate holiness, Peter wrote the following: “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’“ (1 Peter 1:16).
The Church is called “catholic” (meaning “universal” or “according to the whole”) because it keeps the whole faith it has received from the Lord, in continuity with the whole Church, in all times and places. Additionally, the church is “catholic” or “universal” because, just like the Body of Christ, the Church includes every believer, everywhere, in times present and past, and in Heaven or on earth. There can be no wall between believers since we all drink from the same cup and share the same Holy Spirit. To the believers at Corinth, Paul wrote the following: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Please don’t get caught up in the semantics of the word catholic. The Roman Catholic Church (with a capital “C” is a denomination of Christianity. When we declare that the Church is “catholic,” we do so with a small “c,” meaning universal--in all places at all times, to include both heaven and earth.
The Church is called “apostolic” because it holds the faith of the first apostles sent by Christ. (We note here that the word apostle, which derives from the Greek, means “a sent one.”) In continuity with the apostles, the Church is likewise sent by Christ to proclaim the Gospel and to make disciples throughout the whole world. This great Gospel is unchanging; as such, it is Good News to every new generation. The book of Jude addresses this concern: “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). We are not about the task of adding to or further developing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rather, we are guardians of the faith which was given by the Lord Jesus and told to the world by those first apostles.
Your assignment: Read the following scriptures to see what else the scriptures say about the nature of God’s most holy Church.
Psalm 133
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.
John 17:11
11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
John 17:20–23
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
Ephesians 2:11–22
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Ephesians 4:2–6
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Exodus 19:3–6
3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
Leviticus 19:1–2
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
Leviticus 20:22–26
22 ‘You shall therefore keep all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them, that the land where I am bringing you to dwell may not vomit you out. 23 And you shall not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them. 24 But I have said to you, “You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples. 25 You shall therefore distinguish between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. 26 And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.
Psalm 15
1 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
3 He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.He who does these things shall never be moved.
John 17:17–19
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
Acts 26:16–18
16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
1 Corinthians 3:16–17
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Colossians 3:12–15
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
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