Read: Revelation 7:9-17
There before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. (v. 9 NIV)
The Christian faith is deeply personal—Jesus offers salvation to each person who follows him. Yet at the same time, it’s also deeply communal. When we say, with the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in . . . the holy catholic church,” we are declaring that the church, the body of Christ, includes all who belong to the people of God throughout history and is part of our identity as believers in Jesus.
Let’s be clear, though, that this statement does not single out or promote a particular church within the body of all who believe in Christ. The word catholic here means “universal,” indicating that the church of Christ includes all of God’s people from all times in history, not a denomination. The breathtaking vision in Revelation captures the scope of Christ’s church gathered “from every nation, tribe, people and language” (v. 9).
And what unites this astonishing multitude of people from every time and place? Since the early centuries of the church, the teaching of statements like the Apostles’ Creed has played a central role in uniting believers in Jesus around the true faith anchored in Scripture and inspired by the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
May the truth and witness of the universal church comfort, encourage, and challenge you to love and serve the God whom countless believers have served through the ages.
As you pray, thank God for the gift of the church, and for believers from every nation, tribe, people, and language.
Rev. Titus Baraka is the executive director of Words of Hope Uganda. With more than forty years of experience as an evangelistic preacher and pastor, he is passionate about sharing the gospel.
Through radio programs of all types, from music, to Bible studies, to counseling, Words of Hope Uganda is claiming all assets of Ugandan society and culture for Christ. Words of Hope is empowering Ugandan pastors and churches to effectively nurture their people in the life of Christian discipleship. In the midst of this hard place, radio is bringing truly life-changing good news. To learn more about Words of Hope Uganda, visit our ministry pages.
