Explanation of the Creed – Part 8
Explanation of the Creed – Part 8
Who Spoke by the Prophets:
The Holy Spirit is the source of divine inspiration; He is the one who spoke through the mouths of the prophets. The Apostle said: “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).
And in One Church:
The Church is the community of believers. In this sense, it is said in the Book of Acts: “At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered…” (Acts 8:1).
The word “church” may also refer to the shepherds or the clergy, as the Lord said concerning reconciliation: “If he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17).
It can also mean the building in which the believers gather. About this it is written: “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified” (Acts 9:31).
In the Creed, however, “the Church” means the community of believers under their spiritual leadership.
What does “One Church” mean?
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It is one because it is the Body and Bride of Christ.
Saint Paul explained this extensively in his Epistle to the Ephesians (Ephesians 5:23–32).
He stated that “Christ is head of the church… for we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.” Naturally, there is one body—the Church—under one Head, Christ.
The term “Bride” is also used, as John the Baptist said about the Lord and the Church: “I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him… He who has the bride is the bridegroom” (John 3:28–29; see also Ephesians 5). And naturally, Christ has one Bride: “My dove, my perfect one, is the only one” (Song of Songs 6:9). -
It is one because it is “one flock and one shepherd.”
As the Lord said in John 10:16, and again in His great prayer to the Father: “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 they may be made perfect in one” (John 17:21–23). -
It is one in faith, doctrine, and spirit.
Saint Paul said: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:4–6).
And in Acts we read: “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul” (Acts 4:32).
The Church must have one faith; whoever believes in it enters into the fellowship of believers; otherwise, he is separated from the one body.
The Church is one—both here on earth and in heaven.
Just as all were together on earth (Acts 2:44), so they shall be together in the new Jerusalem, the dwelling place of God with men, where God will be among His people (Revelation 21:1–3).
All are considered one people belonging to Him, one Bride adorned for Him.
It is one Church; the plural “churches” is only used in reference to location, such as “the seven churches which are in Asia” or “the churches were being built and multiplied.”
But in faith, there is only one Church, about which the Scripture says: “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
Holy:
The Church is holy through the blood of Christ in baptism:
“He gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle… but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25–27).
It is holy through the holy anointing (1 John 2:27), the anointing of Myron, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Concerning this holiness, Saint Peter said: “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God… But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:5, 9).
Therefore, believers were called saints in the early Church:
“To the saints who are in Ephesus… He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him” (Ephesians 1:1, 4).
“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling” (Hebrews 3:1);
“Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints” (Hebrews 13:24);
“Greet every saint in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:21–22).
Because the Church was a community of saints, they would remove the wicked person from among them, for there is no fellowship between light and darkness.
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