The Apostles' Creed: The Communion of Saints

The Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

Amen.

The Word

Hebrews 10:24-25 (CSB) And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

The Belief

We Belong to One Another: We are One Body

1 Corinthians 12:26 (CSB) So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Ephesians 1:22-23 (CSB) And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

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We Belong to One Another: Love One Another

John 13:34–35 (CSB) “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Matthew 22:34–40 (CSB) When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him: “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

Look at this passage: Christ equates loving God with loving your neighbor. The two are inseparable.

If we are called to love one another, then we belong to one another. The world might do its best to love each other but that is where the similarities begin and end there. The world does not belong to one another. We, as the church, belong to one another. And out of the belonging, because of what Christ has done, we get to not only love each other but love our neighbors in the world.

In our ministry and love in that, think of the grace of God and think of us belonging to one another. From there, love each other.

We Belong to One Another: Sit Under the Proclamation of the Word of God

Hebrews 10:24-25 (CSB) And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

Acts 2:42 (CSB) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

Acts 20:7 (CSB) On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread. Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight.

1 Corinthians 14:26 (CSB) What then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything is to be done for building up.

Colossians 3:16 (CSB) Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.