Wat is die Christelike kerk? – Die belydenisskrifte

1. Lees die Apostoliese Geloofsbelydenis 9, die Geloofsbelydenis van Nicea 9, die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis 27-28, en die Heidelbergse Kategismus 54-55 en die Westminster Geloofsbelydenis 25-26. Wat leer jy oor die Christelike kerk? Wat beteken dit vir jou? Wat vra dit van jou?

Apostoliese Geloofsbelydenis 9

Ek glo aan ‘n heilige, algemene Christelike kerk, die gemeenskap van die heiliges.

Geloofsbelydenis van Nicea 9

Ons glo aan een, heilige, algemene en apostoliese kerk.

Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis 27- 28

Artikel 27 DIE ALGEMENE CHRISTELIKE KERK

Ons glo en bely ‘n enige katolieke of algemene kerk, ‘n heilige vergadering van almal wat waarlik in Christus glo, wat almal hulle volle saligheid in Jesus Christus verwag en in sy bloed gewas is, geheilig en verseël deur die Heilige Gees. Hierdie kerk was daar van die begin van die wêreld af en sal tot die einde daar wees, want Christus is ‘n ewige Koning, wat nooit sonder onderdane kan wees nie. En hierdie heilige kerk word deur God teen die woede van die hele wêreld bewaar, alhoewel dit soms ‘n tyd lank baie klein is en dit in die oë van die mense lyk asof dit tot niet gegaan het – soos die Here vir Hom gedurende die gevaarlike tyd onder Agab sewe duisend mense bewaar het wat nie voor Baäl gekniel het nie. Verder is hierdie heilige kerk nie geleë in, gebonde aan of bepaal tot `n sekere plek of sekere persone nie, maar is die oor die hele wêreld versprei en verstrooi. Tog is dit met hart en wil en deur die krag van die geloof in een en dieselfde Gees saamgevoeg en verenig.

Ps. 46:6; Jer. 31:36; Ps. 102:14; Matt. 28:20; 2 Sam. 7:16; Luk. 1:32; Ps. 89:37; 110:4; Gen. 22; Rom. 11; 1 Kon. 19:18; 2 Tim. 2:19; Luk. 17:21; Matt. 11:25; Hand. 4:32; Ef. 4:4; 1 Pet. 3:20; Gen. 22:18; Matt. 16:18; Jes. 1:9; Rom. 9:29; ]oël 2:32; Hand. 2:21.

Artikel 28 ELKEEN IS VERPLIG OM BY DIE WARE KERK AAN TE SLUIT

Ons glo – aangesien hierdie heilige vergadering ‘n versameling is van hulle wat verlos word en daarbuite geen saligheid is nie – dat niemand, wat sy stand en status ook al is, hom in selftevredenheid van hierdie vergadering afsydig mag hou nie; inteendeel, almal is verplig om daarby aan te sluit en hulle daarmee te verenig om die eenheid van die kerk te bewaar deur hulle almal – as lede van een en dieselfde liggaam – aan sy leer en tug te onderwerp, die nek onder die juk van Jesus Christus te buig en volgens die gawes wat God aan elkeen gegee het, die broers in die opbou van hulle geloof te dien. En om dit beter te kan doen, is dit volgens die Woord van God die plig van alle gelowiges om hulle af te skei van hulle wat nie aan die kerk behoort nie, en hulle by dié vergadering aan te sluit, waar God dit ook al gevestig het, selfs al sou regerings en wette van regeerders daarteen wees en daarvoor die dood- of lyfstraf oplê. Daarom handel almal wat hulle van hierdie ware kerk afskei of nie daarby aansluit nie, in stryd met die bevel van God.

Ps. 5:6; 22:23; Ef. 4:12; Heb. 2:12; Matt. 24:28; Jes. 49:22; 52:11-12; Hand. 4:17, 19; Heb. 10:25; Op. 17:2; Hand. 17:7; 18:13.

Heidelbergse Kategismus 54-55

54 Vraag: Wat glo jy van die heilige, algemene, Christelike kerk?

Antwoord: Dat die Seun van God (a) uit die hele menslike geslag (b) vir Hom ‘n gemeente wat tot die ewige lewe uitverkies is (c), deur sy Gees en Woord (d) in die eenheid van die ware geloof (e) van die begin van die wêreld af tot die einde toe (f) vergader, beskerm en onderhou (g) en dat ek daarvan ‘n lewende lid is (h) en ewig sal bly (i).

(a) Ef 5:26; Joh 10:11; Hand 20:28; Ef 4:11-13. (b) Gen 26:4; Op 5:9. (c) Rom 8:29; Ef 1:10-13. (d) Jes 59:21; Rom 1:16; 10:14-l7; Ef 5:26. (e) Hand 2:42, Ef4:3-5. (f) Ps 71:17, 18; Jes 59:21; 1 Kor 11:26. (g) Matt 16:18; Joh 10:28-30; Ps 129:1-5. (h) 1 Joh 3:I4, 19-21; 2 Kor 13:5; Rom 8:l0. (i) Ps 23:6; 1 Kor 1:8, 9; Joh 10:28; 1 Joh 2:19; 1 Pet 1:5.

55 Vraag: Wat verstaan jy onder die gemeenskap van die heiliges?

Antwoord: Ten eerste dat die gelowiges, almal saam en elkeen afsonderlik, as lede met die Here Christus gemeenskap en aan al sy skatte en gawes deel het (a). Ten tweede dat elkeen verplig is om sy gawes gewillig en met vreugde tot nut en saligheid van die ander lede aan te wend (b).

(a) 1 Joh 1:3; Rom 8:32; 1 Kor 12:12, I3; 1 Kor 6:17. (b) 1 Kor 12:21; 13:1, 5; Fil 2:4-8.

Westminster Geloofsbelydenis 25-26

Chapter 25 The Church

1. The catholic or universal church is invisible and consists of all the elect who have been, are, or ever will be gathered into one under Christ, the head. The church is his body and spouse, the fullness of God, who fills all in all.¹

1. Eph 1.10, 22-23, 5.23,27,32, Col 1.18.

2. The visible church is also catholic or universal under the gospel, i.e., it is not confined to one nation as previously under the Mosaic Law. It consists of everyone in the world who professes the true religion²together with their children.³The visible church is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ⁴and the house and family of God,⁵outside of which people cannot ordinarily be saved.⁶

2 1 Cor 1.2, 12.12-13, Ps 2.8, Rv 7.9, Rom 15.9-12.

3. 1 Cor 7.14, Acts 2.39, Ez 16.20-21, Rom 11.16, Gn 3.15, 17.7, Gal 3.7,9,14, Rom 4, Mk 10.13-16.

4. Mt 13.47, Is 9.7, Col 1.13, Mt 13.31, Ps 72.

5. Eph 2.19, 3.15, Prv 29.18.

6. Acts 2.47, Mt 28.19, Acts 2.38, 1 Cor 12.13, Mt 26.26-28,10.32-33.

3. In order to gather and perfect the saints in this life until the end of the world Christ has given the ministry, Scriptures, and ordinances of God to this universal visible church, and by his own presence and Spirit he enables the church to function in this way according to his promise.⁷

7. 1 Cor 12.23, Eph 4.11-13, Mt 28.19-20, Is 59.21.

4. This universal church has been sometimes more and sometimes less visible.⁸Particular churches, which are members of it, are also more or less pure, depending on how the gospel is accepted and taught, how the ordinances of God are administered, and how public worship is performed.⁹

8. Rom 11.3-4, Rv 12.6,14, Acts 9.31.

9. Rv 2 and 3, 1 Cor 5.6-7, Acts 2.41-42.

5. The purest churches under heaven are subject both to impurity and error.¹⁰Some churches have so degenerated that they are not churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan.¹¹Nevertheless, there will always be a church on earth to worship God according to his will.¹²

10. 1 Cor 5, 13.12, Rv 2 and 3, Mt 13.24-30, 47-48, 1 Cor 1.2.

11. Rv 18.2, Rom 11.18-22, Rv 2.9.

12. Mt 16.18, Ps 102.28, Mt 28.19-20, Ps 72, 17.

6. There is no other head of the church than the Lord Jesus Christ.¹³

13. Col 1.18, Eph 1.22.

Chapter 26 The Fellowship of the Saints

1. All believers are united to Jesus Christ, their head, by his Spirit and by faith, and have fellowship with him in his grace, suffering, death, resurrection, and glory.¹United to one another in love the saints have fellowship in each other’s gifts and grace²and are obliged to perform those public and private duties which nourish their mutual good, both spiritually and physically.³

1. 1 Jn 1.3, Eph 3.16-19, Jn 1.16, Eph 2.5-6, Phil 3.10, Rom 6.5-6, 2 Tm 2.12, Rom 8.17.

2. Eph 4.15-16, 1 Cor 12.7, 3.21-23, Col 2.19, 1 Jn 1.3,7.

3. 1 Thes 5.11,14, Rom 1.11-12, 14, 1 Jn 3.16-18, Gal 6.10.

2. By their profession of faith saints are bound to maintain a holy fellowship and communion with each other in the worship of God and in the performance of other spiritual services for their mutual improvement.⁴They are also bound to help each other in material things according to their different abilities and needs. This fellowship is to be offered, as God gives the opportunity, to everyone in every place who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus.⁵

4. Heb 10.24-25, Acts 2.42,46, Is 2.3, 1 Cor 11.20.

5. Acts 2.44-45, 1 Jn 3.17, 2 Cor 8 and 9, Acts 11.29-30.

3. This communion which the saints have with Christ in no way means that they share in his godhead or are equal with him in any respect—to affirm either is impious and blasphemous.⁶Neither does their communion with each other take away or infringe the right each person has to own and possess goods and property.⁷

6. Col 1.18-19, 1 Cor 8.6, Is 42.8, 1 Tm 6.15-16, Ps 45.7, Heb 1.8-9, Ps 14.7.

7. Ex 20.15, Eph 4.28, Acts 5.4.

2. Loof die Here in gebed vir die spesifieke wysheid en insig wat die geloofsbelydenisse jou gee oor die Christelike kerk.