A Holy Catholic Church

If anywhere in Scripture we are taught that the church of Christ is a holy catholic church, we surely find that truth in Ephesians 2:15 , where Paul wrote, "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace."

"Catholic" means "universal," and the church of Christ is now being gathered out of every nation, tongue, and tribe, as we noted yesterday, and as is presented by Paul in verse 14, where he wrote that Christ made peace, breaking down the wall of partition between us. This unity and separation between believers of different nations God realized through Christ. The seed of the woman is not now merely Abraham's seed, but that seed comes now from every nation, tongue, and tribe.

But not only must we believe that today members of Christ's body, the church, come from people with different color and tongue. The blessed truth is that they are all spiritually alike. When Christ comes and raises up all our bodies, His church is a beautiful body. Our bodies have different kinds of members, lips being of different color and shape than eyes, left hands being different from right hands. So the church, having members from different races and people, will form one beautiful body that can and will serve Christ perfectly. It has been designed by God to be that. Men do not determine its size and members by fulfilling a condition, namely, that they accept Christ. God decides, not man.

A choir consisting of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass singers can present beautiful music. Likewise the church designed by God will show forth His glory and praise Him beautifully. The peace of oneness will be there. And the greatness of God's glory will be displayed as well as His love.

We see this faintly now; but when that body is perfect, we will be thankful and sing God's praises.

Read: I Corinthians 12:12-31

Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
1 Chronicles 15 ; I Chronicles 16:1-36 
Romans 1:18-32 
Psalm 10:1-15 
Proverbs 19:6-7 
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Quote for Reflection:

“For from the error of not knowing, or understanding, what sin is, there necessarily arises another error, that people cannot know or understand what grace is.”   – Martin Luther