Some final words...

Apostles' Creed...Conclusion Pastor Terry Dashner (www.ffcba.com) I pray this series on the Apostles' Creed has informed and blessed you. Someone once said that a man who believes in nothing will fall for anything. With that admonition I've endeavored to explain what the universal church has believed since its inception by universal creed. There is much more to be covered but too much to cover in a devotional series; therefore, I hope this devotional series, although brief, has nevertheless stirred you. I hope you will study further the great doctrinal truths stated in the Apostles' Creed. With this concluding lesson I'm going to highlight certain excerpts from the ending statements of the Apostles' Creed: "...I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic (universal) church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting." I begin with the statement regarding "the holy catholic church." To believe in the universal church is to believe not only in Jesus Christ but also in the church which is His spiritual body. Not simply in churches that line the highways of American streets but in the church. The Bible teaches that when a man comes to Jesus for salvation, he is reborn in spirit and is placed supernaturally in the invisible body of Christ, the church. Thus when the church moves forward to minister to the world, it becomes the hands and feet of Jesus. The church has the potential to conduct ministry like Jesus did while on earth by the power of the Holy Spirit. Also, it is important to know that the universal church is as diverse as God's whole creation. That's why there are many different denominations of churches. We, as the body of Christ are the universal church, but we are by local church affiliation diverse--some are Roman Catholic, some are Reformed, some are Holiness, some are Pentecostal--but the universal church is not disjointed because of diversity. The next statement declares "...the communion of the saints ..." The communion of the church is described in the New Testament by the word Koinonia. This is a Greek word and yet one which is coming more and more to be used in English. It simply means "fellowship." This concept supports the doctrine of local fellowships or local churches. It has been true since the church's beginning that fellow believers met together in small groups to encourage one another in the faith. From those small beginnings blossomed local churches that met regularly for song, scripture reading, Holy Communion, Baptism, collections and alms giving received for the distressed, and encouragement in the face of persecution. Fellowship is still important for those stated reasons. The New Testament tells us to "Forsake not the gathering of yourselves together" Next we move to the statement "...the forgiveness of sins..." Thank God the church believes in forgiveness or I wouldn't be writing about this topic. I'd be somewhere still in bondage for my sins. Thank God that Jesus died to redeem me from sin by forgiving me. I'm forgiven because the blood (life) of Jesus washed away my sins on the Cross! I'm now free to forgive others, thus releasing their debt to me. The Bible states that we are to forgive others as we are forgiven. This one doctrine alone would change the world if all men, everywhere, were willing to forgive other men of their wrongs against them. (I've no authority to forgive by third party. I can't forgive a murderer of murdering someone close to me by forgiving the culprit on their victim's behalf. I may forgive only those who have wronged me so that I don't hold them in contempt and bind them from the loving fellowship of God and His people. The dilemma of the convicted murderer is that his victim is no longer alive to forgive him of his wrong against them. The murderer must seek forgiveness from God alone. The state has the responsibility to bring justice on behalf of the victim and to protect society as a whole from murderers. If the state exonerates the one charged and he wants to seek fellowship with the church, I'm accountable before God to show him compassion as God has shown me compassion.) I must forgive anyone who has sinned against me. If I refuse to forgive someone, then I nullify the grace of God to that person and to me. I need God's grace desperately; therefore, I choose to forgive men their trespasses. The resurrection of the body and life everlasting are certainties because Jesus died on the Cross for my sins, was buried, and rose from the grave on the third day. Jesus is the "first fruits of them that are raised." What does that mean? It means that Jesus was the first one of the resurrection harvest to be raised from the dead. The others will follow in their season. One day all men will be raised from the dead. Those who have placed their faith in God for salvation will be raised to live everlasting. Those who died without faith in God--who all their lives rebelled against God--they, too, will be raised to stand before the "great white throne judgment." The ungodly will stand before Jesus in a resurrected body to be judged according to their works. This is the last judgment. A man found guilty in this judgment will be cast into outer darkness forever. What about you? Will you be raised to live forever with Jesus in the Kingdom that He has prepared for those who love Him, or will you be raised to be consigned to hell? I pray that this becomes your day of salvation. I pray that you call upon the Lord while He may be found. I believe it is true. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are one in purpose and have worked throughout the history of mankind to woo and offer every man and woman eternal life in paradise if they would only humble themselves and call upon the name of Jesus. Keep the faith. Stay the course. Jesus is coming again! Pastor T