The Universal Church

9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God

The Christian faith is deeply personal. At the same time, it is also deeply communal. When we say, with the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in . . . the holy catholic church,” we are declaring that the church, the body of Christ, includes all who belong to the people of God throughout history.

Let’s be clear, though, that this statement does not single out or promote a particular church within the body of all who believe in Christ. The word “catholic” here means “universal,” indicating that the church of Christ includes all of God’s people from all times in history. The breathtaking vision in Revelation captures the scope of Christ’s church gathered “from every nation, tribe, people and language.” Can you imagine a more awe-inspiring sight?

And what unites this astonishing multitude of people from every time and place? Since the early centuries of the church, the teaching of statements like the Apostles’ Creed has played a central role in uniting Christians around the true faith anchored in Scripture and inspired by the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

May the truth and witness of the universal church comfort, encourage, and challenge you to love and serve the God whom countless believers have served through the ages.

Lord, we are humbled and grateful to belong to your church, and we look forward to praising and serving you forever. Amen.