When using the Apostle’s Creed, we confess that we believe in the holy catholic Church. People balk at this statement. However, it is a wonderful thing to confess. Note that we are not confessing that we believe in the Roman Catholic Church, but one holy catholic church. We believe in one glorious body, under one glorious head. What does it mean to confess belief in a catholic church?

The catholic Church is universal in time. Throughout history, from Adam to today’s believer, the Church is one holy people under Christ. There is no limit to her in time, and there will be no end to her in eternity. Every soul that believes in Christ, either in promise before or in proclamation after, is gathered into one glorious Church. When you confess the Apostle’s Creed, you acknowledge that you are joined together with Enoch, Noah, Abraham, David, Josiah, Peter, Augustine, Luther, M’Cheyne, and the Christian in your neighborhood.

The catholic Church is universal in nationality. Though sadly the Church has fallen prey to racism, to confess one holy catholic church is to confess that people of all nations are part of that same blessed Church. In response to the Davidic Covenant, David would praise God for His profound love for Israel in redeeming them from Egypt¹, and yet has the Lord not done even greater things in the Lord Jesus Christ? He has ransomed many people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. Wherever you go, from Asia to Africa, or the United States to the United Kingdom, or Nigeria to New Zealand, every saint that calls upon the name of the Lord is part of that glorious holy catholic church.

The catholic Church is universal in sex. There are two distinct sexes in creation (regardless of what some people might think!) created differently with different functions and yet both are fully included and welcomed in the Catholic Church. In the pre-feminist age, there was a temptation for people to look down upon women, and in the present age, there is a temptation to look down upon men, and yet in Christ, both are gloriously equal in worth, celebrated in dignity, and included in the Catholic Church. In Christ, we are all one!

Much more could be said about the glorious nature of the holy catholic church. But let Paul’s words suffice, “And [God] put all things under [Christ’s] feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all²…And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.³…There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.⁴…[Therefore,] peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.⁵“

1. 2 Samuel 7:23 ↩︎
2. Ephesians 1:22-23 ↩︎
3. Ephesians 2:17–22 ↩︎
4. Ephesians 4:4-6 ↩︎
5. Ephesians 6:23–24 ↩︎