The prayer used on Ascension Day in the Anglican Prayer Book asks God to “grant... that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell.” May we be enabled, in the power of these three certainties, to do just that.
FURTHER BIBLE STUDY
The significance of the Ascension:
Acts 1:1-11
Ephesians 1:15-2:10
QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION
In what sense did Jesus ascend to heaven?
To what did he return?
What is Christ doing now? What importance has this heavenly ministry for us?
“You also must be ready,
for the Son of Man is coming
at an hour you do not expect.”
MATHEW 24: 44
CHAPTER 13
He Shall Come
The core of the Creed is its witness to the past, present, and future of Jesus Christ: his birth, death, rising, and ascension in the past; his reign now; and his coming at a future date to judge. (“Quick” in “the quick and the dead,” by the way, means living, not fast-moving.) With his coming, Scripture tells us, will come our bodily resurrection and the full everlasting life of which the Creed speaks. A new cosmic order will start then too. There’s a great day coming. (See Matthew 25:14-46; John 5:25-29; Romans 8:18-24; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:11-21:4.)
THE CHRISTIAN’S HOPE
Nowhere does the strength of the Creed as a charter for life come out more clearly. In today’s world, pessimism prevails because people lack hope. They foresee only the bomb or bankruptcy or a weary old age—nothing worthwhile. Communists and Jehovah’s Witnesses attract by offering bright hopes of heaven on earth—following the Revolution in one case, Armageddon in the other. But Christians have a hope that outshines both—the hope of which Bunyan’s Mr. Stand-fast said, “The thoughts of what I am going to... lie as a glowing Coal at my Heart.” The Creed highlights this hope when it declares: “he shall come.”
In one sense, Christ comes for every Christian at death, but the Creed looks to the day when he will come publicly to wind up history and judge all men—Christians as Christians, accepted already, whom a “blood-bought free reward” [from the hymn, “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood”] awaits according to the faithfulness of their service; rebels as rebels, to be rejected by the Master whom they rejected first. The judgments of Jesus, “the righteous judge” (2 Timothy 4:8; compare Romans 2:5-;11), will raise no moral problems.
CERTAIN AND GLORIOUS
Some think this will never happen, but we have God’s word for it, and sober scientists now tell us that an end to our world through nuclear or ecological catastrophe is a real possibility. Christ’s coming is unimaginable—but man’s imagination is no measure of God’s power, and the Jesus who is spiritually present to millions simultaneously now can surely make himself visibly present to the risen race then. We do not know when he will come (so we must always be ready), nor how he will come (why not in the going off of a bomb?). But “we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2)—and that is knowledge enough! “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).
ECLIPSED
The hope of Christ’s return thrilled the New Testament Christians, as witness over three hundred references to it in the documents—on average, one every thirteen verses. But to us it is not so much exciting as embarrassing! The phrase “Cinderella of the Creed,” which was once applied to the Holy Spirit, nowadays fits Christ’s return much more truly. Why is it thus in eclipse? For four main reasons, it seems.
First, this is a time of reaction from a century and a half of intense prophetic study expressing a spirit of prayerless pessimism about the church and doom-watching detachment from the world. This spirit, and the dogmatism that went with it about both the signs and the date of Christ’s coming (despite Mark 13:32 and Acts 1:7!), were quite unjustifiable and have given the topic a bad name.
Second, this is a time of skepticism as to whether Christ personally and physically rose and ascended, and this naturally spawns dithering doubts as to whether we can hope ever to see him again.
We think less and less about the better things that Christ
will bring us at his reappearance because our thoughts are
increasingly absorbed by the good things we enjoy here.
Third, this is a time of timidity, in which Christians, while querying the materialistic self-sufficiency of Western secularism and Marxist ideologies, hesitate to challenge their “this-worldly” preoccupation, lest the counter-accusation be provoked that Christians do not care about social and economic justice. So the fact that Christ will end this world, and that the best part of the Christian hope lies beyond it, gets played down.
Fourth, this is a time of worldly-mindednesss, at least among the prosperous Christians of the West. We think less and less about the better things that Christ will bring us at his reappearance because our thoughts are increasingly absorbed by the good things we enjoy here. No one would wish persecution or destitution on another, but who can deny that at this point they might do us good?
All four attitudes are unhealthy and unworthy. God help us to transcend them.
BE PREPARED
“Be ready,” said the Savior to his disciples, “for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44). How does one get and stay ready? By keeping short accounts with God and men; by taking life a day at a time, as Jesus told us to do (Matthew 6:34); and by heeding the advice of Bishop Ken’s hymn, “Live each day as if thy last.” Budget and plan for an ordinary span of years, but in spirit be packed up and ready to leave at any time. This should be part of our daily devotional discipline. When the Lord comes, he should find his people praying for revival and planning world evangelism—but packed up and ready to leave nonetheless. If Boy Scouts can learn to live realistically in terms of the motto “Be prepared” for any ordinary thing that might happen, why are Christians so slow to learn the same lesson in relation to the momentous event of Christ’s return?
FURTHER BIBLE STUDY
The Christian’s attitude toward Christ’s return:
Luke 12:35-48
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
2 Peter 3
QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION
In what way is Christ’s future coming reason for hope?
When Christ returns, what will he do? What are your reactions to knowing this?
What does the Bible not tell us about Christ’s return? Why do you think God withholds this information?
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you
another Helper, to be with you forever,
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world
cannot receive, because it neither sees him
nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells
with you and will be in you.”
JOHN 14: 16-17
CHAPTER 14
I Believe in the
Holy Spirit
I believe in the Holy Spirit”: so starts the Creed’s third paragraph. From the creating work of the Father and the rescue work of the Son, it turns to the re-creating work of the Spirit, whereby we are actually made new in and through Christ. So we hear of church (new community), forgiveness (new relationship), resurrection (new existence), and everlasting life (new fulfillment). But first comes a profession of faith in the Spirit himself.
THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST
He is divine (“Holy,” says this). He is an active Person, the Executive of the Godhead. Yes, but doing and aiming at what? Misbelief abounds here. Some associate the Spirit with mystical states and artistic inspirations, both Christian and pagan. Others link the Spirit only with unusual Christian experiences—feeling “high” (to use the world’s word), seeking visions, receiving revelations, speaking in tongues, healing. But these are secondary elements of the Spirit�
��s work, where they derive from the Spirit at all.
The Old Testament mentions the Spirit in connection with creation, both divine (Genesis 1:2) and human (Exodus 31:1-;6); the inspiring of God’s spokesmen (Isaiah 61:1; the Nicene Creed states that the Spirit “spoke by the prophets”); the equipping and enabling of God’s servants (judges, kings, etc.; e.g., Judges 13:25; 14:19; Isaiah 11:2; Zechariah 4:6); and the evoking of godliness in individuals and in the community (Psalm 51:11; Ezekiel 36:26ff.; 37:1-;14; Zechariah 12:10). All this gains deeper meaning in the New Testament, where the Spirit is shown to be a personal agent distinct from the Father and the Son and is spoken of as “the Spirit of Christ” (Romans 8:9; 1 Peter 1:11).
The Spirit shows Jesus to us through the gospel, unites us
to him by faith, and indwells us to change us “into [his]
image” by causing “the fruit of the Spirit” to grow in us.
The key to understanding the New Testament view of the Spirit’s work is to see that his purpose is identical with the Father’s—namely, to see glory and praise come to the Son. Accordingly—
First, the Spirit serviced the Son throughout his earthly life from the moment when, as the Creed says, he was “conceived by the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). The Spirit’s dove-like descent on him at his baptism showed not only that Jesus was the Spirit-giver, but also that he was himself Spirit-filled (Luke 4:1; cf. verses 14, 18). It was “through the eternal Spirit” that he offered himself in sacrifice for us (Hebrews 9:14).
Second, the Spirit now acts as Jesus’ agent—“another Helper” (John 14:16; helper, supporter, advocate, encourager). He shows Jesus to us through the gospel, unites us to him by faith, and indwells us to change us “into [his] image” by causing “the fruit of the Spirit” to grow in us (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22ff.).
“He will glorify [not himself but] me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:14). Jesus’ words indicate the self-effacing character of the Spirit; he functions as a floodlight trained on Christ, so that it is Christ, not the Spirit, whom we see. In the gospel message, Jesus is set before us throughout, saying: “Come to me; follow me.” In our conscience as we hear the gospel with the inner ear of faith, the Spirit, standing behind us as it were to throw light over our shoulder onto Jesus, constantly urges, “Go to him; deal with him.” So we do—and it is this that makes our life Christian.
WITNESS AND MINISTRY
The Spirit is witness and teacher (1 John 5:7; 2:27; cf. 4:2ff.) inasmuch as, first, he convinces us that the Jesus of the gospel, the New Testament Christ, really exists and is what he is “for us men, and for our salvation” [Nicene Creed]; second, he assures us that as believers we are God’s children and heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16ff.); third, he moves us to bear witness to the Christ whom his witness led us to know (cf. John 15:26). What the Spirit’s witnessing effects is not private revelation of something hitherto undisclosed but personal reception of God’s public testimony that was there all along in the Scriptures but went unheeded. Paul is describing the Spirit’s work of witness when he speaks of “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened” (Ephesians 1:18).
Third, the Spirit gives to every Christian one or more gifts (i.e., capacities to express Christ in serving God and man), so that every-member ministry in the church, which is Christ’s body, may become a reality (1 Corinthians 12:4-;7; Ephesians 4:11-;16). This manifold ministry is itself Christ’s own ministry continuing from heaven, through us as his hands, feet, and mouth; and the Spirit’s bestowing of gifts should be seen as further servicing and glorifying Christ on his part, inasmuch as it is the means whereby Christ’s personal ministry to men is able to go on.
SIGNS OF THE SPIRIT
What then are the signs that Christ’s self-effacing Spirit is at work? Not mystical raptures, nor visions and supposed revelations, nor even healings, tongues, and apparent miracles; for Satan, playing on our psychosomatic complexity and our fallenness, can produce all these things (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9ff.; Colossians 2:18). The only sure signs are that the Christ of the Bible is acknowledged, trusted, loved for his grace, and served for his glory and that believers actually turn from sin to the life of holiness that is Christ’s image in his people (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Corinthians 3:17). These are the criteria by which we must judge, for instance, the modern “charismatic renewal” and Christian Science (reaching, perhaps, different verdicts in the two cases).
So when I say, as a Christian, “I believe in the Holy Spirit,” my meaning should be, first, that I believe personal fellowship, across space and time, with the living Christ of the New Testament to be a reality, which through the Spirit I have found; second, that I am open to being led by the Spirit, who now indwells me, into Christian knowledge, obedience, and service, and I expect to be so led each day; and, third, that I bless him as the author of my assurance that I am a son and heir of God. Truly, it is a glorious thing to believe in the Holy Spirit!
FURTHER BIBLE STUDY
The Spirit’s ministry:
John 7:37-39; 14:15-26; 16:7-15
Romans 8:1-17
QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION
How does the work of the Spirit differ from that of the Father and the Son?
What does the Holy Spirit do as “Jesus’ agent”?
What would you say to a professed Christian who doubted if he had ever experienced the ministry of the Holy Spirit?
You yourselves like living stones are being
built up as a spiritual house, to be a
holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ... you
are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people for his own possession,
that you may proclaim the excellencies of
him who called you out of darkness
into his marvelous light.
1 PETER 2: 5,9
CHAPTER 15
The Holy Catholic
Church
It is by strict theological logic that the Creed confesses faith in the Holy Spirit before proceeding to the church and that it speaks of the church before mentioning personal salvation (forgiveness, resurrection, everlasting life). For though Father and Son have loved the church and the Son has redeemed it, it is the Holy Spirit who actually creates it, by inducing faith; and it is in the church, through its ministry and fellowship, that personal salvation ordinarily comes to be enjoyed.
Unhappily, there is at this point a parting of the ways. Roman Catholics and Protestants both say the Creed, yet they are divided. Why? Basically, because of divergent understandings of “I believe in the holy catholic church”—”one holy catholic and apostolic church,” as the true text of the Nicene Creed has it.
ROMAN VERSUS PROTESTANT
Official Roman Catholic teaching presents the church of Christ as the one organized body of baptized persons who are in communion with the Pope and acknowledge the teaching and ruling authority of the episcopal hierarchy. It is holy because it produces saintly folk and is kept from radical sin, catholic because in its worldwide spread it holds the full faith in trust for everyone, and apostolic because its ministerial orders stem from the apostles, and its faith (including such non-biblical items as the assumption of Mary and her immaculate conception, the Mass-sacrifice, and papal infallibility) is a sound growth from apostolic roots. Non-Roman bodies, however church-like, are not strictly part of the church at all.
Protestants challenge this from the Bible. In Scripture (they say) the church is the one worldwide fellowship of believing people whose Head is Christ. It is holy because it is consecrated to God (though it is capable nonetheless of grievous sin); it is catholic because it embraces all Christians everywhere; and it is apostolic because it seeks to maintain the apostles’ doctrine unmixed. Pope, hierarchy, and extra-biblical doctrines are not merely nonessential but actually deforming; if Rome is a church (which some Reformers doubted) she is so despite th
e extras, not because of them. In particular, infallibility belongs to God speaking in the Bible, not to the church or to any of its officers, and any teaching given in or by the church must be open to correction by “God’s word written.”1
Some Protestants have taken the clause “the communion of saints,” which follows “the holy catholic church,” as the Creed’s own elucidation of what the church is; namely, Christians in fellowship with each other—just that, without regard for any particular hierarchical structure. But it is usual to treat this phrase as affirming the real union in Christ of the church “militant here on earth” with the church triumphant, as is indicated in Hebrews 12:22-24; and it may be that the clause was originally meant to signify communion in holy things (Word, sacrament, worship, prayers) and to make the true but distinct point that in the church there is a real sharing in the life of God. The “spiritual” view of the church as being a fellowship before it is an institution can, however, be confirmed from Scripture without appeal to this phrase, whatever its sense, being needed.
Affirming the Apostles ’ Creed Page 6