Creed 25b We believe in one, holy, universal (catholic) and apostolic church

I believe in one, holy, universal, and apostolic Church 1.The Church in God’s plan: A.Names and Images of the Church B.The Church’s origin, foundation, and mission C.The mystery of the Church 2.The Church: people of God, body of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit 3.The Church is: one, holy, universal, and apostolic 4.The Church: Christ’s faithful

1. The Church in God’s plan C. The mystery of the Church The church both visible and invisible: the invisible, spiritual side of the church is the invisible divine graces that make us children of the heavenly Kingdom. The visible, external side as the group of believers in Christ.

1. The Church in God’s plan The visible side in the church: 1.The Head of the church, the Lord Christ, the Founder, appeared in the flesh. 2.Faith should be confessed externally (by mouth) and that mysteries are given in a visible form. 3.The religious authority in the church is a tangible, visible authority. 4.The apostolic succession 5.The members of the church are visible members, both sinners and righteous (the parable of the wheat and tares in Matt 13:24). The heretics would be excommunicated from the members of the church.

1. The Church in God’s plan The union between the visible and the invisible sides of the church reflect the unity between Christ’s divinity and humanity. The Protestant would emphasize the invisible side of the church While the catholic church emphasize the visible side of the church over the invisible side..

1. The Church in God’s plan Mysteries of salvation: “mystery” = hidden grace, “sacramentum” = the visible sign of the hidden reality of salvation. “For there is no other mystery of God, except Christ” (St. Augustine). The church’s first purpose is to be the sacrament or the mystery of the inner union of men with God..

2. The Church: people of God, body of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit I. People of God Members of the church: the church in the New Testament was established as a continuation of the Old Testament We can distinguish 3 stages in the membership of the church: 1.From Adam to Moses 2. From Moses to Christ 3. The perfect covenant

2. The Church: people of God, body of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit Although the new covenant church is a continuation of the old covenant church, there are essential differences between the two: 1.Nationalistic vs. not of this world 2.for Israelites alone vs. universal 3.membership was attained by physical birth vs. by faith in Christ and baptism 4.external purity vs. internal purity 5.a shadow and symbol of the New Testament church (the real church)

2. The Church: people of God, body of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit Characteristics of the people of God: priestly: They can offer spotless offerings of devotion on the alter of the heart. Prophetic: When they unfailingly adhere to the faith royal people: By serving the poor and the suffering the people of God fulfills its royal dignity as they serve with Christ.

2. The Church: people of God, body of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit II. The Church, the Body of Christ: 1.One body: by baptism a person is united to Christ death and resurrection. By the Eucharist we are taken up into communion with Him and with one another. 2. Christ “is the Head of the body, the church” (Col 1:18). 3. The church is the Bride of Christ (Eph 5: 25-26)

2. The Church: people of God, body of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit III. The Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit makes the church “the temple of the living God” (2 Cor 6:16; 1 Cor 3:16-17; Eph 2:21). “What the soul is to the human body, the Holy Spirit is to the body of Christ, which is the church.” “To this Spirit of Christ, as an invisible principle, is to be ascribed the fact that all the parts of the body are joined one with the other and with their exalted head; for the whole Spirit of Christ is in the head, the whole Spirit is in the body, and the whole Spirit is in each of the members” (St Augustine).

2. The Church: people of God, body of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit The charisms can be: 1.extraordinary: supernatural (healing, speaking in tongues, clairvoyance, etc.) 2.Simple and humble (teaching, prophecy, ministry, giving, showing mercy, exhortation and leadership)