The Apostles’ Creed: Article 3
I Believe in the Holy Spirit
83. Who is the Holy Spirit?
God the Holy Spirit is the third Person in the one Being of the Holy Trinity, coequal and coeternal with God the Father and God the Son, and equally worthy of our honor and worship.
(Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30; Matthew 3:16–17; 28:19; John 15:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
84. What principal names does the New Testament give to the Holy Spirit?
Jesus names the Holy Spirit “Paraclete” (“the one alongside”), which signifies Comforter, Guide, Counselor, Advocate, and Helper. Other descriptions for the Holy Spirit are “Spirit of God,” “Spirit of your Father,” “Spirit of Christ,” and “Spirit of truth.”
(Matthew 10:20; John 14:16–17, 26; Acts 16:7; Romans 8:9)
85. What are the particular ministries of the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit imparts life to every living thing in creation, reveals God’s Word to his people, and calls sinners to a new life of faith in the saving and life-giving work of Jesus. The Holy Spirit unites Christians to Jesus, indwelling them, convicting them of sin, giving them spiritual gifts, and bearing spiritual fruit in their lives.
(1 Samuel 16:13; Psalm 143:7–12; Isaiah 11:2; Joel 2:28–29; John 15:26; 16:7–11; Acts 4:5–31)
86. How does the Holy Spirit strengthen you for life in Christ?
The Holy Spirit bears witness that I am a child of God, stirs my heart continually to worship and to pray, and inspires me to holiness and good works in Christ.
(Job 27:2–4; Matthew 10:19–20; John 14:12; 16:12–15; Acts 6:10; 13:2; Romans 8:15–17, 26–27)
87. How do you receive the Holy Spirit?
The Scriptures teach that, by repenting and being baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, I am forgiven my sins and I receive the Holy Spirit, who gives me new birth in Christ and frees me from the power of sin.
(Luke 11:11–13; John 3:1–7; Acts 2:38; 8:14–17; 19:1–6; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 12:13; 2 Timothy 1:6–7)
88. What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
The fruit of the Holy Spirit is the very character of Jesus developing in us through the work of the Holy Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
(Galatians 5:22–25; see also Matthew 7:15–20; 12:33–35)
89. What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Among the many gifts of the Holy Spirit named in the New Testament are faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, other languages (“tongues”), the interpretation of other languages, and words of wisdom and knowledge. The Spirit distributes gifts to individuals as he wills for the sake of the Body of Christ. Other gifts in the New Testament include administration, service, encouragement, evangelism, teaching, giving, leadership, and mercy. Jesus promises that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.
(Luke 11:13; Romans 12:3–8; 1 Corinthians 12:7–31; Ephesians 4:7–11; 1 Peter 4:10–11)
90. Why does the Holy Spirit give such gifts?
The Holy Spirit equips and empowers believers with gifts for service in the worship of Jesus Christ, for the building up of his Church, and for witness and mission to the world.
(Exodus 31:1–11; Luke 9:1–6; 1 Corinthians 12:12–26; Ephesians 4:12–16)
The Holy Catholic Church
91. What is the Church?
The Church is the whole community of faithful Christians in heaven and on earth, called and formed by God into one people. The Church on earth gathers to worship God in Word and Sacrament, to serve God and neighbor, and to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
(Exodus 19:4–6; Psalm 22:22–23; Matthew 28:19–20; Ephesians 2:11–22; 1 Peter 2:4–10)
92. How does Holy Scripture teach you to view the Church?
Holy Scripture teaches me to view the Church as God’s family, as the Body and bride of Christ, and as the temple where God in Christ dwells by his Spirit.
(Isaiah 54:5–8; Hosea 2:16–20; Matthew 12:46–50; 1 Corinthians 3:16–17; 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1; Revelation 5:9–10; 19:6–10)
93. Why is the Church called the Body of Christ?
The Church is called the Body of Christ because all who belong to the Church are united to Christ as their Head and source of life, and are united to one another in Christ for mutual love and service to him.
(Romans 12:4–5; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 1:22–23; 5:25–30)
94. What are the “marks” or characteristics of the Church?
The Nicene Creed expands upon the Apostles’ Creed to list four characteristics of the Church: it is “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.”
95. In what sense is the Church “one”?
The Church is one because all its members form the one Body of Christ, having “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:5–6). The Church is called to embody this unity in all relationships between believers.
(Psalm 133; John 17:11, 20–23; Ephesians 2:11–22; 4:2–6)
96. Why is the Church called “holy”?
The Church is holy because the Holy Spirit dwells in it and sanctifies its members, setting them apart to God in Christ and calling them to moral and spiritual holiness of life.
(Exodus 19:3–6; Leviticus 19:1–2; 20:22–26; Psalm 15; John 17:17–19; Acts 26:16–18; 1 Corinthians 3:16–17; Colossians 3:12–15)
97. Why is the Church called “catholic”?
The Church is called “catholic” which means “according to the whole” because it keeps the whole faith it has received from the Lord, in continuity with the whole Church, in all times and places.
(Micah 4:1–4; Acts 2:1–11; 1 Corinthians 15:1–8; 2 Timothy 1:13–14; Jude 3; Revelation 5:9–10)
98. Why is the Church called “apostolic”?
An apostle is one who is sent. The Church is called “apostolic” because it holds the faith of the first apostles sent by Christ. In continuity with them, the Church is likewise sent by Christ to proclaim the Gospel and to make disciples throughout the whole world.
(Matthew 10:1–4, 40–42; 28:18–20; Acts 2:42; 13:1–4; Ephesians 2:19–21)
The Communion of the Saints
99. Who are the saints?
The saints are all those in heaven and on earth who place their faith in Jesus Christ, who are set apart, holy to God in Christ, and transformed by his grace.
(Leviticus 19:1–2; Deuteronomy 7:6; Psalm 16:1–3; 1 Peter 2:4–10; Revelation 7:9–17)
100. What does the word “communion” mean?
“Communion” means being “one with” someone in union and unity. For Christians, it refers to the unity of the three Persons within the one Being of God, to our union with God through our union with Christ, and to our unity with one another in Christ.
(Psalm 85; Ezekiel 37:24–28; John 17:20–26; 2 Corinthians 13:11–14; 1 John 1:1–3)
101. What is the “communion of the saints”?
The communion of the saints is the fellowship of all those, in heaven and on earth, who are united in Christ as one Body, through one Spirit, in Holy Baptism.
(Psalm 149; Ephesians 2:13–22; Hebrews 12:1–3)
102. How do you participate in the communion of the saints?
I live as a member of the communion of saints through faith in Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit by gathering to worship God with my fellow Christians, by praying for and encouraging one another, and by coming to one another’s aid in times of trouble, sickness, or grief.
(Psalm 133; Acts 2:42–47; Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11–18; Hebrews 10:24–25; James 5:13–20)
103. How are the Church on earth and the Church in heaven joined in worship?
Through union with Christ, as celebrated in the sacrament of Holy Communion, the Church on earth participates with the Church in heaven in the eternal worship of God.
(Exodus 24:9–11; Psalm 148; 1 Corinthians 10:16–17; Hebrews 12:18–29; Revelation 19:1–9)
The Forgiveness of Sins
104. What are sins?
Sins are intentions, acts, or failures to act that arise out of my corrupted human nature and fall short of conformity to God’s revealed will.
(Psalm 53; Isaiah 59:1–15; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23; James 4:17; 1 John 3:4–10)
105. How does God respond to human sin?
All sin is opposed to the righteousness of God and is therefore subject to God’s holy condemnation; yet God in his mercy offers me forgiveness and salvation from sin through his Son, Jesus Christ, the only Savior.
(Psalm 130; Isaiah 1:2–4; Micah 7:18–19; John 3:17–21; Romans 1:18–2:4; 3:24–26; 5:6–10)
106. How does God forgive your sins?
By virtue of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, in which I put my trust, God sets aside my sins, accepts me, and adopts me as his child and heir in Jesus Christ. Loving me as his child, he forgives my sins whenever I turn to him in repentance and faith.
(Leviticus 26:40–45; Psalm 78:35–39; Matthew 26:27–28; Luke 15:11–32; 2 Corinthians 5:16–21; Galatians 4:1–7)
107. How should you respond to God’s forgiveness?
Trusting in God’s continual forgiveness, I should live in continual thanks, praise, and obedience to him; and as I have been loved and forgiven by God, so I should love and forgive those who sin against me.
(Psalm 51:7–17; Isaiah 44:21–23; Matthew 6:12; 18:21–35; Ephesians 4:32)
108. What is grace?
Grace is God’s undeserved gift of his love, mercy, and help, which he freely offers to us who, because of our sin, deserve only condemnation.
(Genesis 50:15–21; Psalm 106; Joel 2:12–13; Luke 7:36–50; Romans 5:15–21; Ephesians 2:4–9; Hebrews 4:14–16)
109. For what purpose does God give you grace?
God gives me grace in Christ for the forgiveness of my sins, redemption from sin’s power, healing of sin’s effects, and growth in holiness, to my final transformation into the likeness of Christ.
(Psalms 25:6–12; 119:29–32; Jonah 3; Matthew 9:1–8; Romans 6:1–11; 2 Corinthians 3:16–18; Titus 3:4–7)
110. Can you earn God’s grace?
No. God gives his grace freely and enables me to receive it. Everything I do for God should be in response to his love and grace made known in Christ, for “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” and “we love because he first loved us.”
(Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:19; see also Exodus 34:5–10; Psalm 23; John 10:7–18; Ephesians 2:1–10; 2 Timothy 1:8–10)
111. Is God’s grace only for your religious or spiritual life?
No. God wants to redeem every aspect of my life, and his grace in Christ is at work in all of it.
(Psalm 40; Isaiah 1:13–20; Matthew 6:25–33; Titus 2:11–14)
112. Does God give grace only to Christians?
No. God’s common grace can be seen in his provision for all people. “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust”. However, he shows his saving grace by granting salvation to those who place their faith in Christ.
(Matthew 5:45; Psalms 65:5–13; 145:8–9; Acts 14:15–17; Romans 5:1–11)
The Resurrection of the Body
113. What does Holy Scripture tell you about your body?
Holy Scripture tells me that my body, though tainted by sin, was created good, bearing the image of God and endowed with great dignity. Therefore, from the moment of conception to natural death, every human body and every human life should be cared for, protected, and loved.
(Genesis 1:26–28; Psalm 139:7–18; Matthew 11:2–5; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20; James 3:8–10)
114. Why will you die?
Because sin and death now corrupt this world, my body will degenerate and die. But, by the will of God, my soul will be with the Lord, and I will rise bodily from death when Jesus Christ returns to judge the living and the dead.
(Genesis 2:15–17; 3:22–24; Psalm 82:7; Ecclesiastes 2:16; John 6:35–40; Romans 5:12–14; 1 Corinthians 15:13–28)
115. What is the resurrection of the body?
When the risen Lord Jesus returns to judge the earth, he will raise all the dead to bodily life. The wicked will then receive eternal condemnation, and the righteous eternal life in the glory of God.
(Psalm 16; Ezekiel 37:1–14; Daniel 12:1–3; Matthew 25:31–34, 41, 46; John 5:25–29; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17; Revelation 20:11–15)
116. What do you know about the resurrected bodies of believers?
They will be fully renewed and glorified in the image of Christ, perfected after the manner of his own resurrected and ascended body.
(Job 19:25–27; John 11:23–27; 1 Corinthians 15:35–58; Philippians 3:20–21)
117. How should you live as you await the resurrection of your body?
Because I put my hope in God’s resurrection of my body, I should honor and care for it. I should refrain from any violence, disrespect, or sin that would harm, demean, or violate either my body or the bodies of others.
(Psalm 35:9–10; Matthew 25:35–45; Romans 6:5–14; 1 Corinthians 6:9–20; 1 John 3:1–3)
And the Life Everlasting
118. What do you know about the unending resurrected life of believers?
I know that it will be an eternal life of joyful fellowship with our triune God, together with all his saints and angels, singing his praises and serving him in the renewed creation.
(John 17:20–24; Revelation 7:9–17; 21:1–4; 21:22–22:5)
119. How should you live in light of this promise of unending life?
I should live in joyful expectation of the fullness of my transformation, soul and body, into the likeness of Christ. In the midst of suffering or in the face of hostility and persecution, I am sustained by the hope of a new heaven and earth, freed from Satan, evil, suffering, and death.
(Psalm 21:1–7; John 14:1–7; Romans 13:11–14; 2 Corinthians 4:16–5:11; Philippians 3:7–21; 1 Peter 1:3–9; 5:6–11)