Apostles' Creed: "resurrection of the body and life everlasting"

"Interestingly, when the Heidelberg Catechism treats the Creed's affirma­tion of "the resurrection of the body," it begins by speaking of this inter­mediate state. In answer to the ques­tion, "What comfort does the resurrection of the body afford you?" the Catechism answers: "That not only my soul, after this life, shall be im­mediately taken up to Christ, its Head; but also that this my body, raised by the power of Christ, shall again be united with my soul, and made like unto the glorious body of Christ." What is interesting about this confes­sion is that it almost "intrudes" into the answer the subject of what be­comes of the believer immediately upon death and the separation of body and soul which death brings.

I place the word "intrudes" in quotation marks because it is really not an intrusion at all. It is a necessary confession of faith and the expression of an important biblical teaching which is the source of great comfort to believers.

This biblical teaching is that the believer's communion with Christ is not broken by death. Believers who have been joined through faith with Christ and who are indwelt by the Spirit of God are, when they die, im­mediately taken into the presence of the Lord. The communion with Christ which they enjoy now is not inter­rupted, but rather intensified, upon the event of their death."



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Pin by Karen Norton on Chosen/Sacraments/creeds | Apostles creed, Creed, Apostles



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