The Apostles' Creed - Pt 29

 

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self his being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV).

 

Maybe you have had some great times with family and friends, with delicious food to enjoy, and perhaps even a sunny, blue sky overhead, a soft breeze blowing, and the world radiating God’s glory in creation. Times like that can give us a peek at what we mean when we say, with the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in …the life everlasting.” Even so, our fleeting moments of joy in this life pale in comparison to the eternal joy we can look forward to in Christ.

 

Yet this we know with certainty: one day, we will stand before God’s throne with Jesus, surrounded by countless sisters and brothers from around the world, completely freed from all fears, and filled with perfect peace and joy (cf. Revelation 7). There we will be fully doing what we were created for: “to glorify God and enjoy him forever” (Westminster Catechism). Until that time, we may have only fleeting glimpses of our ultimate destiny, and those moments may come in the midst of struggles, challenges, and sometimes even utter defeat. But we are encouraged not to despair in the midst of hard times but to wait with hope for the day when Jesus will be all and all, when his kingdom will come in power and glory.

 

This is the power of a creed that accurately states the truth of Scripture concerning who we are and what we have been given through the grace and mercy of God. Say it again as we finish this series:

 

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.