By and large, evangelicals are not known for emphasizing the "communion of saints" (i.e., viewing the Church as an interrelated, interactive solidarity comprised of Christians past and present, both in heaven and on earth). While rejected by some as reflecting essentially Catholic understanding (there are nonetheless other bodies of similar persuasion), the concept is not foreign to Scripture - excluding, of course, those extremes that some have sought to pursue, e.g., a quasi-necrological quest for communication with the righteous dead, etc.
As such, Paul perceived the community of faith, not only in terms of a unified Jewish/Gentile constituency (Eph. 2:6; 13-18; 3:6), but even more so as an integrated body of those gone before and those yet present: "I kneel before the Father, from whom the whole family of believers in heaven and on earth derives its name" (Eph. 3:15 NIV; cf. Eph. 1:10; Col. 1:19-22).
Furthermore, in having come to Christ, the believer has "come to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect" - i.e., those passed on to spiritual fullness in the presence of God (Heb. 12:22-24; note also relational aspect of twenty-four elders in heaven presenting the prayers of believers to Christ, Rev. 5:8).
What does this all have to do with the Christmas season? Simply this: As believers "seated with Christ in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 1:3,20; 2:6), the believer's joyous celebration of our Lord's advent finds resonance in the praises of those now in his presence. Not only so, but together with them, we anticipate that day wherein his having come is further brought to fulfillment in "the kingdoms of this world becom[ing] the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ" in everlasting reign (Rev. 11:15: 22:20).
Communion of saints? Surely few of us would delete that long esteemed anthem from our hymns of praise and worship wherein the final stanza reads: "Yet she (the Church) on earth hath union with God, the Three in One, And mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won" ("The Church's One Foundation").
Have we been missing something here?
Burl Ratzsch
