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God the Son and God the Spirit

Jesus is no zombie. What might tempt someone to think such a profane thought? Whether or not you watch television shows or read books about the undead does not matter as much as how you do or do not connect the undead to God, the Son. This week we round out the discussion of our tri-personal God as we find Him described in the statements of the Apostles' Creed with two very important statements that separate Jesus from zombie lore and legend.

First, the Creed states that after Jesus was resurrected from the dead, He ascended into heaven. Jesus was not simply "undead," but He rose again from the dead. He came out of the state of death into resurrection life. In this life He walked, talked, and ate food just like you and I. Yet He also could appear and disappear in a moment's notice. The beginning of the book of Acts details Jesus' ascension into heaven. Without the ascension, Jesus is simply a very amazing human. But to ascend to heaven means that He was worthy of being there, worthy of living His new life in the proper environment for new life: heaven.

Yet some will say, didn't Elijah ascend too, and he did it in a chariot of fire? Yes, but then we take the next statement: Jesus sat down at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. He ascended to heaven to show us that resurrection life must be lived in the proper environment, but when He sat down at the Father's right hand He showed us that His work was complete. Jesus is not only worthy of heaven, but He is worthy to rule in heaven. More than that, He will return, as the Creed says next, to judge the quick and the dead. (The term “quick” simply means living if you use an older English version of the Creed.) Who has rights to judge but God alone? Here we see again the relationship between the Persons of the Godhead. Jesus sits in subordination to the Father, yet He does the work that only God Himself can do. This is a great mystery to us, but one worthy to consider.

Jesus will return from heaven to judge those who are alive when He comes and those who are already dead. Who has the right to judge humans of all times, all places, and all generations? God alone can judge mankind. He is the only just Judge. Is it not comforting to know that the Judge of all mankind himself suffered unjust judgment at the hands of humans, so that He can know how to judge justly? Jesus is in the best place to know how to be merciful to mankind in His judgment.

So how should I live now in light of the coming of the just Judge? A better way to phrase that question is to say this: where is my power for living now, so that I may be found true to my Master in heaven? Here comes the Creed's next statement: I believe in the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and the Son to empower our living now.

One would think that the Creed should expand on this statement since it deals with where I live today. Who exactly is the Holy Spirit and how exactly does He empower my life? On the one hand we have hints of an answer in the Creed. On the other hand, the Creed is meant to give believers a foundation against which they can weigh their experience. Let me explain.

The Creed uses the word "holy" three times. First, it says that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. This tells us that the Spirit is God as much as the Son and the Father. Second, it states belief in the Holy Spirit. We do not believe in Paul. We do not believe in the Apostles. They are not worthy of the office of being the object of our faith. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity and therefore He can properly be the object of our faith. This answers who the Holy Spirit is. The third time the Creed uses the word "holy" is in relation to the universal (i.e., catholic) church. The Holy Spirit empowers the holy universal church. Anything good that has come out of the church since the ascension and session (sitting down) of the Son has come about because of the power of the Holy Spirit working in the holy church.

In trying to be succinct, the Creed doesn't give us examples. Why not? Chances are that if you're reading and memorizing this Creed then you have experienced the power of the Spirit-empowered life. The purpose of the Creed is to give us a succinct formulation of what it is that we experience daily. So, you want examples of the Spirit's power? Look at your calendar. Look at your personal journal. When did you live this past week in the truth of the Creed (i.e., Biblically true) and you know that it was not because you gutted it out yourself? That was the Holy Spirit at work empowering a member of the holy catholic church.

It is difficult to write succinctly about these statements of the Apostles Creed. So much more could be said. More windows need to be opened by double-clicking on each statement. My hope is that as you think about this Creed you are thankful for its usefulness as a tool against which you can weigh your own experiences as you live your life in Christ.

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