The Holy Christian Church - by God's mercy

Beautifully expressed:

"We teach that the Holy Spirit creates one Holy Christian Church, which consists of all believers in Christ who, by God's mercy, were from eternity appointed in Christ for eternal life. Faith in Christ makes one a member of the Holy Christian Church. Since we cannot see faith in the heart, it is impossible for us to determine which individuals are members of Christ's Church. Therefore we cannot identify this Church with a particular organization or church body. Only God, who has the ability to look into the heart, knows who the members of His Church are. For this reason we speak of the Holy Christian Church as "invisible".

The Holy Spirit promises to gather the members of His Church by the "Means of Grace" (the Gospel in the Word and Sacraments). We can be certain that believers will be present wherever the Gospel is in use.


Acts 13:48 "Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal lift believed."

2 Timothy 2:19 "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

Ephesians 1:3-6 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved."

Isaiah 55:11 "So shall my Word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void. But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."


V. The Holy Christian Church (The Church of the Lutheran Confession) via H.P/S:t Th. luth. förs.

http://www.sanktthomas.org/

Photo: K.L (a rose in our garden)