how is the church holy, one, apostolic, catholic?

Got to get that homework done tonight?

There is NO "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic" church any more. Regardless of the denomination, there is no church that stands on the principles of faith. Twenty years ago, it would have been laughable to suggest that Christians would have a hard time calling something the Bible clearly condemns as sin "a sin." Now, they form committees to "discuss" what to do regarding sexual sins (adultery, fornication, etc.). Worse, I saw a poll that said 79% of Christians of all denominations, and 57% of evangelicals, believe that there are many ways to Heaven (in other words, denying the words of Christ who said HE was the only way).

FOUR MARKS OF THE TRUE CHURCH

If we wish to locate the Church founded by Jesus, we need to locate the one that has the four chief marks or qualities of his Church. The Church we seek must be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

The Church Is One (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17, 12:13, CCC 813–822)

Jesus established only one Church, not a collection of differing churches (Lutheran, Baptist, Anglican, and so on). The Bible says the Church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:23–32). Jesus can have but one spouse, and his spouse is the Catholic Church.

His Church also teaches just one set of doctrines, which must be the same as those taught by the apostles (Jude 3). This is the unity of belief to which Scripture calls us (Phil. 1:27, 2:2).

Although some Catholics dissent from officially-taught doctrines, the Church’s official teachers—the pope and the bishops united with him—have never changed any doctrine. Over the centuries, as doctrines are examined more fully, the Church comes to understand them more deeply (John 16:12–13), but it never understands them to mean the opposite of what they once meant.

The Church Is Holy (Eph. 5:25–27, Rev. 19:7–8, CCC 823–829)

By his grace Jesus makes the Church holy, just as he is holy. This doesn’t mean that each member is always holy. Jesus said there would be both good and bad members in the Church (John 6:70), and not all the members would go to heaven (Matt. 7:21–23).

But the Church itself is holy because it is the source of holiness and is the guardian of the special means of grace Jesus established, the sacraments (cf. Eph. 5:26).

The Church Is Catholic (Matt. 28:19–20, Rev. 5:9–10, CCC 830–856)

Jesus’ Church is called catholic ("universal" in Greek) because it is his gift to all people. He told his apostles to go throughout the world and make disciples of "all nations" (Matt. 28:19–20).

For 2,000 years the Catholic Church has carried out this mission, preaching the good news that Christ died for all men and that he wants all of us to be members of his universal family (Gal. 3:28).

Nowadays the Catholic Church is found in every country of the world and is still sending out missionaries to "make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:19).

The Church Jesus established was known by its most common title, "the Catholic Church," at least as early as the year 107, when Ignatius of Antioch used that title to describe the one Church Jesus founded. The title apparently was old in Ignatius’s time, which means it probably went all the way back to the time of the apostles.

The Church Is Apostolic (Eph. 2:19–20, CCC 857–865)

The Church Jesus founded is apostolic because he appointed the apostles to be the first leaders of the Church, and their successors were to be its future leaders. The apostles were the first bishops, and, since the first century, there has been an unbroken line of Catholic bishops faithfully handing on what the apostles taught the first Christians in Scripture and oral Tradition (2 Tim. 2:2).

These beliefs include the bodily Resurrection of Jesus, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, the sacrificial nature of the Mass, the forgiveness of sins through a priest, baptismal regeneration, the existence of purgatory, Mary’s special role, and much more —even the doctrine of apostolic succession itself.

Early Christian writings prove the first Christians were thoroughly Catholic in belief and practice and looked to the successors of the apostles as their leaders. What these first Christians believed is still believed by the Catholic Church. No other Church can make that claim.

According to Saint Paul you do. The word Catholic means "all embracing," or "according to the whole." Holy means "set aside for God," and the communion of saints is clearly in Revelations and implied in the Gospels. Paul asks for the saints to pray for him. Any church which splits off is by definition not all embracing, it rejects embracing all hence the 4200 independent Protestant denominations in the US, all of which have been invited back into the Catholic Church. According to the whole means the belief must have been held across all time and place, anyone who splits from these beliefs is not Catholic. The word Catholic was well in use by the year 100 and seems to be a synthesis of what Paul taught. Further, 2 John prohibits changes from tradition. For example, you do not get to make up your own service since the apostles left services for use which are still in use to this day. I am not Christian, but I have read all of the ancient documents. Except to Protestants, because Luther removed them, it is clear that starting your own group is strictly forbidden or changing the leadership of the group from the apostolic leadership created by Jesus and the Twelve (see for example the ordination of Mathias in Acts). It isn't optional. In what of Jesus' sayings is there a statement you can stop sharing brotherly love and communion with another over intellectual differences on the importance of foot washing (to give an example from the Anabaptists). In what of Jesus' sayings are you permitted to stop sharing communion, except the excommunication one? That one would imply self excommunication makes one non-Christian by the act of being Protestant. This isn't a creedal issue, this is a scriptural issue and clearly is forbidden by all the early writings both inside and outside scripture. It is the only way, until Luther. As a neutral outsider, the answer is absolutely clear, yes this must be believed to be Christian. It must also be practiced to be Christian.

The Four Marks of the Church, sometimes referred to as the Marks of the Church or the Marks of the True Church, are a group of four characteristics describing the Universal or Catholic Church as established by Jesus Christ. They were constantly reinterated by the Church Fathers, and they are also acknowledged by several Protestant denominations, as they are included in the creeds. The marks are often listed as follows: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. They refer to four aspects that are intrinsic to the true Church: unity, sanctity, catholicity (or universality), and apostolicity.

The Church that Christ founded and His Apostles nurtured is not the same as the Roman Universal church.

The Christ's Church is Holy because her Master is the Almighty and her Savior is the Christ.

She is Apostolic because it was the Christ's true Apostles that nurtured and tended to His Church for His return.

It is most certainly not Catholic because she teaches doctrine other than that of the Almighty, proving that she is false.

Be Blessed:-)

It goes back to Christ, & is Lead By the Holy Spirit. It is Apostolic because the Papacy can be traced to St. Peter, & is Catholic, because Catholic means universal.

Catholic - meaning universal. This is a definition of the word.

Apostolic - meaning that there is succession based on the Apostles, going back through time. This is why the Roman Catholic Church recognizes the Orthodox Churches. While we split, they can trace their lineage back in time. The Apostles (and later Church leaders) would appoint others by laying on of the hands.

Holy - because the Church that Christ created must be holy like Christ. It is run by humans, who are wretched sinners, but the Church itself is holy.

One - we are to be unified like Jesus and His Father in heaven - they was the express desire of Christ.

the catholic church describes itself as holy, catholic, and apostolic. "Holy" in that it is the church of the Christian faith, "catholic" means "the whole, as it is supposed be the single church of the Christian faith, and "apostolic" which means that the hierarchy of the church,from the pope on down, descended from the original apostles.

You are referring to the Nicene Creed, yes? The Apostolics and Catholics are denominations of Christianity and have nothing to do with the Nicene Creed. You should reference the meanings of the words Apostolic and Catholic. Holy should be self-explanatory.

It sounds like you may be referring to the Apostles Creed. Are you?

I am Pentecostal and I do believe the apostles creed is good and inspired but I may interpret it differently than some. I don't think that when they say "the holy catholic church" it is referring to the Catholic church. It is referring to the body of Christ. If you check the dictionary, you see the catholic (small c) means the worldwide church of Christ, the body of Christ.