ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Falaite Sune 1, 2018

‘Oku taha, tapu, ta‘ehā mo faka‘aposetolo

(church – one, holy, catholic and apostolic)

Fehu‘i #48

Ko e hā ‘a e siasi?

‘Oku vahe‘i mo fakatolonga ‘e he ‘Otuá  ha falukunga kakai ma‘ana, ko ha fa‘ahinga kuo fili ki he mo‘ui ta‘engatá pea fakatahataha‘i ‘i he tui pea ‘oku nau ‘ofa, muimui, ako mo lotu fakataha. ‘Oku fekau‘i atu kinautolu ‘e he ‘Otuá  ke nau malanga‘i ‘a e koosipelí  mo nau fakahaa‘i ‘a e pule‘anga ‘o Kalaisí  ‘i he‘enau to‘onga mo‘uí  mo ‘enau fe‘ofa‘akí.

What is the church?

God chooses and preserves for himself a community elected for eternal life and united by faith, who love, follow, learn from, and worship God together. God sends out this community to proclaim the gospel and prefigure Christ's kingdom by the quality of their life together and their love for one another.

2 TESALONAIKA 2:13

Ka ko kimautolu, ko ‘emau ngāue ke fai, ko e fakafeta‘i ma‘u ai pē ki he ‘Otua koe‘uhi ko kimoutolu, si‘i kāinga ‘ofeina ‘e he ‘Eiki, koe‘uhi ko e fili kimoutolu ‘e he ‘Otua mei he kamata‘anga, ke mou ma‘u ‘a e fakamo‘ui, ‘i he fakamā‘oni‘oni‘i kimoutolu ‘e he Laumālie, pea ‘i ho‘omou tui ki he mo‘oni.

2 THESSALONIANS 2:13

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

JOHN YATES

The ancient creeds describe the church as "one holy catholic and apostolic." It is one because the church is one body under one head. It is holy because the Holy Spirit indwells it and consecrates it, directing the members of the church in the work of God. It is catholic, meaning worldwide, proclaiming the whole apostolic faith to all people to the end of time. And it's apostolic. That means we continue the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, and we're sent out on Christ's mission to all people.

We don't choose who is going to be in the church, just as we have no say in who our brothers and sisters or cousins are. God chooses. Whatever particular denomination or group they may belong to, God's people are part of the church and our brothers and sisters.