“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ‘I believed, and so I spoke,’ we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.” —2 Corinthians 4:8-15
We are a work in progress. God is not finished with us. We are in the process of becoming who God has created us to be. Yes, as a church and as a people we have a lot of “baggage” because we have been serving Jesus Christ for a long time in a hostile culture. But we are not defined by our history. We are defined by God’s calling to be who He has created us to be in Christ. We have not arrived yet, but we are on our way. So who is it that God has called His people to be?
The ancient, traditional, and eternal understanding of God’s church, God’s people, is that we are to proclaim and manifest God’s eternal covenant promise to be one, holy, apostolic, orthodox, reforming, and evangelical people. The goal is to be all of these things, not just some of them. We confess that we are not there yet, so like Paul, we
“press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
evangel
Noun: Middle English evangile, from Anglo-French evangeile, from Late Latin evangelium, from Greek euangelion good news, gospel, from euangelos bringing good news, from eu- + angelos messenger.
The beginning of the church is found in Genesis 3:15:
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Introduced here are two elements previously unknown in the Garden of Eden, elements that are basic to Christianity—the curse on mankind because of Adam’s sin, and God’s provision for a Savior from sin who would take the curse upon Himself.
The enmity or hostility and hatred indicated here is between Satan and Christ. This protoevangel is a promise of God’s salvation given in seed form. This promise is the first covenant promise made by God for the sake of humanity. This covenant promise is the creation of God’s church, God’s people.
The seed of the serpent, evil men and demonic forces, would one day strike at the heel of the Savior. That day came when Judas, the Pharisees, the rabble, and the Romans, conspired to condemn Jesus to be crucified. But His “wound” was not the final act. He rose the third day, having paid the price for the sin of all who would ever believe in Him. The ultimate victory will be His, and He has crushed the head of Satan, removing forever his rule over humanity. The power of Christ will eventually destroy Satan and all his principalities and powers, confound all his schemes, and ruin all his works. The power of the cross is crushing Satan’s whole empire, stripping him of his authority, particularly his power over death, and his tyranny over our bodies and souls. Of course the final culmination of this process is yet to come with the return of Jesus Christ.
Thus, the church is the eternal proclamation of good news, the evangel of Jesus Christ.
one
Note the lack of capitalization: one. That is intended to suggest that we are not the only one, but are one of many. Another word for one is universal or catholic. It means that Jesus Christ is the Lord of the earth, Lord of all humanity. Thus, His call to faithfulness is universal, it is a call to all humanity to renounce our sin, both individual and corporate, and to take up the yoke of Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-30).
holy
We continue the lack of capitalization for the same reasons. To be holy is to be whole. Holiness is more than being set apart for service to God, because service to God is the life-blood of God’s people. All of God’s people are called to service. Service to the the institutional church(es) is only one avenue of service. We follow Martin Luther’s teaching about Christian vocation.1
The doctrine of justification by faith removed the distinction between traditional ideas of sacred and secular employments. Luther taught that one’s work, whether church-related or otherwise, was never determinative of one’s salvation. Nor did Scripture require men and women to neglect their regular employment or the needs of their neighbors in order to perform church related good works in order to attain salvation. Because justification is based solely on Christ’s righteousness received by faith, there is no need to seek infused grace by engaging in sacramental ritual in the church or retreating from the world into a monastery.
The clear implication of the doctrine of justification is that there are no unique spheres of religious activity that provided exclusive access to certain kinds of works that are pleasing to God. Rather, when sinners are declared righteous apart from works, they are not only free, but are called to perform good works in every area of life: in the home, at the job, in the community, and in the public square—wherever. In Freedom of the Christian Luther said that a Christian
“should be guided in all his works by this thought and contemplate this one thing alone, that he may serve and benefit others in all that he does, considering nothing except the need and advantage of his neighbor.”
All of life is to be holy because holiness is wholeness. Human wholeness is incomplete apart from Christ, nor is it a special category of activity. Each individual needs Christ, as does each community, state, and nation. Human wholeness includes all of Christ and all of His people. Prayer, Bible study, Christian morality, and service are to be foundational to all of life and human activity.
apostolic
As Protestants we believe that the true understanding is that apostolic succession is a matter of teaching, not of office. It is the Apostles’ teachings that guarantee the truth, not the person in Apostolic office. The Apostles never taught the Apostolic succession of offices. They did, however, teach the Apostolic succession of truth or doctrine—teaching, which was to be preserved in, by, and through the Scriptures. So, we believe in Apostolic succession, not of office, but of the Apostolic teaching of the Apostles’ Creed.
orthodox
The Great Schism of 1054 A.D. marked the first major split in the history of Christianity, separating the Orthodox Church in the East from the Roman Catholic Church in the West. Prior to this, all of Christendom existed under one body, but the churches in the East had developed distinct cultural and theological differences from those in the West. Tensions gradually increased between the two branches, and finally boiled over into the Great Schism of 1054, also called the East-West Schism.
There were many differences, but prominent among them were the procession of the Holy Spirit (Filioque), whether leavened or unleavened bread should be used in the Eucharist, the use of icons, and the Pope’s claim to universal jurisdiction.
Orthodoxy is not to be identified with Roman Catholicism or the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church has no unified hierarchy, no pope, no magisterium. Its doctrinal basis is the seven ecumenical councils, referring principally to the Trinity and Christology, the vast majority of which Protestants agree with. While at the popular level some teachings about Mary are accepted, but they are not accorded official status. Particularly distinctive is its visual worship; icons fill its churches. Its ancient liturgy, rooted in the fourth century, is central to its theology and life.
The Reformed churches don’t side with either the Orthodox or the Roman Catholic churches. The Reformed teachings accept some of each and reject some of both. The Reformed teachings provide a third option, a third way. And because the word orthodox means right or correct belief, the Reformed churches use the term orthodox, without capitalization to suggest, not an institution or particular church or denomination, but right belief or correct understanding.
reforming, transforming, and conforming
Again notice the lack of capitalization of the word reforming. It lacks capitalization because there are a variety of Reformed churches and teachings.
The motto of the Reformation was ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda (the church reformed, always reforming). The basic idea is that the part of religion that always needs reforming is the human heart. It is vital religion and true faith that must be constantly cultivated. It is not a finished process.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
Paul tells us that we need to be transformed, but he also said that we need to be conformed:
“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).
Reforming, transforming, and conforming; The point to be made is that Christians need them all because growth and maturity in faithfulness, also known as sanctification, is a ongoing process.
Our sanctification as individuals and as churches is an eternal process for two reasons: 1) new people are being born every day and need Christ’s salvation and sanctification, and 2) individual sanctification is not completed in this life. It will be complete only in eternity, following Christ’s return. So we find that it is more accurate to describe Christ’s church as reforming rather than Reformed.
Evangelical
Here we capitalize the word because it refers to a specific tradition that arose in Germany in the 1500s, and that is St. Paul’s tradition. A brief review of that history is found in The Heritage of St. Paul’s Evangelical Church.
Thus, Christ’s Church is one, holy, apostolic, orthodox, reforming, and Evangelical. We make no apologies for who we are, but we celebrate and commend who we are becoming. And we pray that you also become part of Christ’s Church (at St. Paul’s or elsewhere), to the glory of God!
Mission Opportunity
Missionaries are artists, doctors, pastors, teachers, baristas, farmers and just about anything else you can imagine. Missionaries further the mission of Christ.
Missionaries are born-again Christians who are captivated by the unfolding gospel of Jesus Christ in the contemporary world. God is on the move! He doesn’t need your help, He needs your service, your dedication, your passion and commitment to growth and maturity in Christ.
We need to get the story right before we get the story out. An inadequate story will produce inadequate disciples. The story of Jesus is long and convoluted, yet it is compelling at the same time. Jesus is not finished writing people into HisStory.
God’s kingdom has made important advances which need to be recognized. But the greatest chapters of HisStory are yet to be written. These stories will be written on the hearts of His people by the deeds and lips of His people, who are living stones in His building, His church.
Become a local missionary! You don’t need to leave home or travel to a foreign land. The greatest mission tool for evangelism is to simply be faithful—not by yourself, but as Christ’s church.
The whole Christian Church is “caught up” in the local church. Vitality in the One means vitality in the other. God is on the move!
1https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-doctrine-of-vocation/