"A couple of summers ago, I read through a whole stack of books about why the church is lame. True at times, but the church, we must not forget, was Christ's idea (Matthew 16:18), not to mention His bride (Ephesians 5:25-33). There is no New Testament evidence of churchless Christians. New converts in the early church were baptized in Christ and into a body. Acts tells us the Lord added daily to their number those who were being saved (2:47). The Lord wasn't saving random people into individual saving relationships. He was adding people to the already visible, identifiable body of Christ." Kevin DeYoung. The Good News We Almost Forgot. 107.

Question 54: What do you believe concerning "The Holy Catholic Church"?

Answer: I believe that the Son of God through His Spirit and Word, out of the entire human race, from the beginning of the world to its end, gathers, protects, and preserves for Himself a community chosen for eternal life and united in true faith. And of this community I am and always will be a living member.

Question 55: What do you understand by "the communion of saints"?

Answer: First, that believers one and all, as members of this community, share in Christ and in all His treasures and gifts. Second, that each member should consider it a duty to use these gifts readily and cheerfully for the service and enrichment of the other members. 

Question 56: What do you believe concerning "the forgiveness of sins"?

Answer: I believe that God, because of Christ's atonement, will never hold against me any of my sins nor my sinful nature which I need to struggle against all my life. Rather, in His grace God grants me the righteousness of Christ to free me forever from judgment.