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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/1670.txt b/1670.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..34eb9d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/1670.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1035 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Small Catechism of Martin Luther +by Martin Luther, translated by Robert E. Smith. + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Small Catechism of Martin Luther + +Author: Martin Luther + +Translator: Robert E. Smith + +Release Date: March 1999 [EBook #1670] +[Most recently updated December 31, 2004] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SMALL CATECHISM *** + + +Luther's Little Instruction Book: +The Small Catechism of Martin Luther + +Translation by Robert E. Smith From the German text, printed in: +Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Ev. Lutheran Church. +St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, pp. 538-559. + +Note: This version of the Small Catechism is under continuous +revision. Please check your source for this file from time to time to +obtain updated versions of this text. + +Fort Wayne, Indiana: Project Wittenberg, 2004 + +I. The Ten Commandments +The Simple Way a Father Should Present Them to His Household + +The First Commandment + +You must not have other gods. (Exodus 20:3) + +What does this mean? + +We must fear, love, and trust God more than anything else. + +The Second Commandment + +You must not misuse your God's name. (Exodus 20:7) + +What does this mean? + +We must fear and love God, so that we will not use His name to curse, +swear, cast a spell, lie or deceive, but will use it to call upon Him, +pray to Him, praise Him and thank Him in all times of trouble. + +The Third Commandment + +You must keep the Sabbath holy. (Exodus 20:8) + +What does this mean? + +We must fear and love God, so that we will not look down on preaching +or God's Word, but consider it holy, listen to it willingly, and learn +it. + +The Fourth Commandment + +You must honor your father and mother. [So that things will go well for +you and you will live long on earth]. (Exodus 20:12) + +What does this mean? + +We must fear and love God, so that we will neither look down on our +parents or superiors nor irritate them, but will honor them, serve +them, obey them, love them and value them. + +The Fifth Commandment + +You must not kill. (Exodus 20:13) + +What does this mean? + +We must fear and love God, so that we will neither harm nor hurt our +neighbor's body, but help him and care for him when he is ill. + +The Sixth Commandment + +You must not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14) + +What does this mean? + +We must fear and love God, so that our words and actions will be clean +and decent and so that everyone will love and honor their spouses. + +The Seventh Commandment + +You must not steal. (Exodus 20:15) + +What does this mean? + +We must fear and love God, so that we will neither take our neighbor's +money or property, nor acquire it by fraud or by selling him poorly +made products, but will help him improve and protect his property and +career. + +The Eighth Commandment + +You must not tell lies about your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16 ) + +What does this mean? + +We must fear and love God, so that we will not deceive by lying, +betraying, slandering or ruining our neighbor's reputation, but will +defend him, say good things about him, and see the best side of +everything he does. + +The Ninth Commandment + +You must not desire your neighbor's house. (Exodus 20:17) + +What does this mean? + +We must fear and love God, so that we will not attempt to trick our +neighbor out of his inheritance or house, take it by pretending to have +a right to it, etc. but help him to keep & improve it. + +The Tenth Commandment + +You must not desire your neighbor's wife, servant, maid, animals or +anything that belongs to him. (Exodus 20:17) + +What does this mean? + +We must fear and love God, so that we will not release our neighbor's +cattle, take his employees from him or seduce his wife, but urge them +to stay and do what they ought to do. + +The Conclusion to the Commandments + +What does God say to us about all these commandments? + +This is what He says: +"I am the Lord Your God. I am a jealous God. I plague the grandchildren +and great-grandchildren of those who hate me with their ancestor's sin. +But I make whole those who love me for a thousand generations." (Exodus +20:5) + +What does it mean? + +God threatens to punish everyone who breaks these commandments. We +should be afraid of His anger because of this and not violate such +commandments. But He promises grace and all good things to those who +keep such commandments. Because of this, we, too, should love Him, +trust Him, and willingly do what His commandments require. + +II. The Creed +The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household + +The First Article +On Creation + +I believe in God the Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth. + +What does this mean? + +I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. He gave to me: +my body and soul, my eyes, ears and all the other parts of my body, my +mind and all my senses. He preserves them as well. He gives me clothing +and shoes, food and drink, house and land, wife and children, fields, +animals and all I own. Every day He abundantly provides everything I +need to nourish this body and life. He protects me against all danger. +he shields and defends me from all evil. He does all this because of +His pure, fatherly and divine goodness and His mercy, not because I've +earned it or deserved it. For all of this, I must thank Him, praise +Him, serve Him and obey Him. Yes, this is true! + +The Second Article +On Redemption + +And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the +Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, +was crucified, died and was buried, descended to Hell, on the third day +rose again from the dead, ascended to Heaven and sat down at the right +hand of God the Almighty Father. From there He will come to judge the +living and the dead. + +What does this mean? + +I believe that Jesus Christ is truly God, born of the Father in +eternity and also truly man, born of the Virgin Mary. He is my Lord! He +redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, bought and won me from all +sins, death and the authority of the Devil. It did not cost Him gold or +silver, but His holy, precious blood, His innocent body--His death! +Because of this, I am His very own, will live under Him in His kingdom +and serve Him righteously, innocently and blessedly forever, just as He +is risen from death, lives and reigns forever. Yes, this is true. + +The Third Article +On Becoming Holy + +I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the community +of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, +and an everlasting life. Amen. + +What does this mean? + +I believe that I cannot come to my Lord Jesus Christ by my own +intelligence or power. But the Holy Spirit called me by the Gospel, +enlightened me with His gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true +faith, just as He calls, gathers together, enlightens and makes holy +the whole Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus in the one, true +faith. In this Church, He generously forgives each day every sin +committed by me and by every believer. On the last day, He will raise +me and all the dead from the grave. He will give eternal life to me and +to all who believe in Christ. Yes, this is true! + +III. The Our Father +The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household + +Introduction + +Our Father, Who is in Heaven. (Matthew 6:9) + +What does this mean? + +In this introduction, God invites us to believe that He is our real +Father and we are His real children, so that we will pray with trust +and complete confidence, in the same way beloved children approach +their beloved Father with their requests. + +The First Request + +May Your name be holy. (Matthew 6:9) + +What does this mean? + +Of course, God's name is holy in and of itself, but by this request, we +pray that He will make it holy among us, too. + +How does this take place? + +It happens when God's Word is taught clearly and purely, and when we +live holy lives as God's children based upon it. Help us, Heavenly +Father, to do this! But anyone who teaches and lives by something other +than God's Word defiles God's name among us. Protect us from this, +Heavenly Father! + +The Second Request + +Your Kingdom come. (Matthew 6:10) + +What does this mean? + +Truly God's Kingdom comes by itself, without our prayer. But we pray in +this request that it come to us as well. + +How does this happen? + +It happens when the Heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that +we believe His holy Word by His grace and live godly lives here in this +age and there in eternal life. + +The Third Request + +May Your will be accomplished. As it is Heaven, so may it be on Earth. +(Matthew 6:10) + +What does this mean? + +Truly, God's good and gracious will is accomplished without our prayer. +But we pray in this request that is accomplished among us as well. + +How does this happen? + +It happens when God destroys and interferes with every evil will and +all evil advice, which will not allow God's Kingdom to come, such as +the Devil's will, the world's will and will of our bodily desires. It +also happens when God strengthens us by faith and by His Word and keeps +us living by them faithfully until the end of our lives. This is His +will, good and full of grace. + +The Fourth Request + +Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11) + +What does this mean? + +Truly, God gives daily bread to evil people, even without our prayer. +But we pray in this request that He will help us realize this and +receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. + +What does "Daily bread" mean? + +Everything that nourishes our body and meets its needs, such as: Food, +drink, clothing, shoes, house, yard, fields, cattle, money, +possessions, a devout spouse, devout children, devout employees, devout +and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, +discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors and other things +like these. + +The Fifth Request + +And forgive our guilt, as we forgive those guilty of sinning against +us. (Matthew 6:12) + +What does this mean? + +We pray in this request that our Heavenly Father will neither pay +attention to our sins nor refuse requests such as these because of our +sins and because we are neither worthy nor deserve the things for which +we pray. Yet He wants to give them all to us by His grace, because many +times each day we sin and truly deserve only punishment. Because God +does this, we will, of course, want to forgive from our hearts and +willingly do good to those who sin against us. + +The Sixth Request + +And lead us not into temptation. (Matthew 6:12) + +What does this mean? + +God tempts no one, of course, but we pray in this request that God will +protect us and save us, so that the Devil, the world and our bodily +desires will neither deceive us nor seduce us into heresy, despair or +other serious shame or vice, and so that we will win and be victorious +in the end, even if they attack us. + +The Seventh Request + +But set us free from the Evil One. ( Matthew 6:12) + +What does this mean? + +We pray in this request, as a summary, that our Father in Heaven will +save us from every kind of evil that threatens body, soul, property and +honor. We pray that when at last our final hour has come, He will grant +us a blessed death, and, in His grace, bring us to Himself from this +valley of tears. Amen + +What does this mean? + +That I should be certain that such prayers are acceptable to the Father +in Heaven and will be granted, that He Himself has commanded us to pray +in this way and that He promises to answer us. Amen. Amen. This means: +Yes, yes it will happen this way. + +IV. The Sacrament of Holy Baptism +The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household + +What is Baptism? + +Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water contained within God's +command and united with God's Word. + +Where in the Word of God is this? + +Where our Lord Christ spoke in the last chapter of Matthew (Matthew +28:19): +"Go into all the world, teaching all heathen nations, and baptizing +them in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit." + +What does Baptism give? What good is it? + +It gives us the forgiveness of sins, redeems us from death and the +Devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, just as +God's words and promises declare. + +What are these words and promises of God? + +Our Lord Christ spoke one of them in the last chapter of Mark (Mark +16:16): +"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not +believe will be damned." + +How can water do such great things? + +Water doesn't make these things happen, of course. It is God's Word, +which is with and in the water. Because, without God's Word, the water +is plain water and not baptism. But with God's Word it is a Baptism, a +grace-filled water of life, a bath of new birth in the Holy Spirit, as +St. Paul said to Titus in the third chapter (Titus 3:5-8): +"Through this bath of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He +poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, that we, +justified by the same grace are made heirs according to the hope of +eternal life. This is a faithful saying." + +What is the meaning of such a water Baptism? + +It means that the old Adam in us should be drowned by daily sorrow and +repentance, and die with all sins and evil lusts, and, in turn, a new +person daily come forth and rise from death again. He will live forever +before God in righteousness and purity. + +Where is this written? + +St. Paul says to the Romans in Chapter Six (Romans 6:4): +"We are buried with Christ through Baptism into death, so that, in the +same way Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, thus +also must we walk in a new life." + +V. How You Should Teach the Uneducated to Confess + +What is confession? + +Confession has two parts: First, a person admits his sin Second, a +person receives absolution or forgiveness from the confessor, as if +from God Himself, without doubting it, but believing firmly that his +sins are forgiven by God in Heaven through it. + +Which sins should people confess? + +When speaking to God, we should plead guilty to all sins, even those we +don't know about, just as we do in the "Our Father," but when speaking +to the confessor, only the sins we know about, which we know about and +feel in our hearts. + +Which are these? + +Consider here your place in life according to the Ten Commandments. Are +you a father? A mother? A son? A daughter? A husband? A wife? A +servant? Are you disobedient, unfaithful or lazy? Have you hurt anyone +with your words or actions? Have you stolen, neglected your duty, let +things go or injured someone? + +Please suggest to me a simple way to confess. + +You should speak to your confessor this way: + +Honorable, dear Sir: Would you please hear my confession and pronounce +forgiveness according to God's will. + +He will respond: Yes. Please go ahead. + +Then say: +I confess in the presence of God that I am a poor sinner and guilty of +every kind of sin. I specifically admit to you that I am a servant, +maid, etc., but I'm afraid that I have served my master unfaithfully. +>From time to time, I have not done what I was told to do. I have +angered them and caused them to swear at me. I have neglected my duty +and allowed damage to be done. My words and actions have been shameful. +I have been angry with my peers. I have complained about my master's +wife and sworn at her, etc. I am sorry for all of this and ask for +grace. I want to do better. + +A master or a lady of the house should speak this way: +I specifically confess to you that I have not faithfully led my +children, servants or wife to God's glory. I have cursed. I have set a +bad example with my obscene words and actions. I have hurt my neighbor +and spoken evil things about him. I have charged him too much, cheated +him and sold him badly made goods. + +Let him also confess any other sins against God's commandments and his +place in life, etc. + +If a person is not burdened with sins such as these or greater sins, he +should not look for other sins or invent them, because that would turn +confession into torture. Instead, he should mention one or two that he +knows about. For example: specifically I confess that I once cursed. +Once I used inappropriate language. Once I neglected to do this or that +thing, etc. Let that be enough. + +If you do not know of anything you have done wrong (which does not seem +possible), do not say anything in specific, but receive forgiveness +based upon the general confession you make to God in the presence of +your confessor. + +After this, the Confessor will say: +May God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith! + +Then he will ask: +Do you also believe that the forgiveness I give is God's forgiveness? + +Then you will answer: +Yes, dear sir. + +After this, he will say: +May what you believe happen to you. And by the command of my Lord +Jesus, I forgive your sins in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy +Spirit. Amen. Go in peace! The confessor will know how to use +additional passages to comfort and to encourage the faith of those who +sorrow, are troubled or whose conscience is greatly burdened. This is +only meant to be a general confession for the uneducated. + +VI. The Sacrament of the Altar +The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to his Household + +What is the Sacrament of the Altar? + +It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under bread and +wine for us Christians to eat and to drink, established by Christ +Himself. + +Where is that written? + +The holy apostles Matthew, Mark and Luke and St. Paul write this: +"Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night on which He was betrayed, took +bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to His disciples and said: 'Take! +Eat! This is My body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me!' +In the same way He also took the cup after supper, gave thanks, gave it +to them, and said: 'Take and drink from it, all of you! This cup is the +New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you to forgive sins. This +do, as often as you drink it, to remember Me!'" + +What good does this eating and drinking do? + +These words tell us: "Given for you" and "Shed for you to forgive +sins." Namely, that the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation are +given to us through these words in the sacrament. Because, where sins +are forgiven, there is life and salvation as well. + +How can physical eating and drinking do such great things? + +Of course, eating and drinking do not do these things. These words, +written here, do them: "given for you" and "shed for you to forgive +sins." These words, along with physical eating and drinking are the +important part of the sacrament. Anyone who believes these words has +what they say and what they record, namely, the forgiveness of sins. + +Who, then, receives such a sacrament in a worthy way? + +Of course, fasting and other physical preparations are excellent +disciplines for the body. But anyone who believes these words, "Given +for you," and "Shed for you to forgive sins," is really worthy and well +prepared. But whoever doubts or does not believe these words is not +worthy and is unprepared, because the words, "for you" demand a heart +that fully believes. + +Appendix I +How a Father Should Teach His Household +to Conduct Morning and Evening Devotions. + +Morning Devotions + +As soon as you get out of bed in the morning, you should bless yourself +with the sign of the Holy Cross and say: + +May the will of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be done! +Amen. +Then, kneeling or standing, say the creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. +If you wish, you may then pray this little prayer as well: +My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved +Son, that You kept me safe from all evil and danger last night. Save +me, I pray, that you will keep me safe today from every evil and sin as +well,, so that all I do and the way that I live will please you. I put +myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy +Angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. +Amen. +After that, with joy go about your work and perhaps sing a song +inspired by the Ten Commandments or your own thoughts. + +Evening Devotions + +When you go to bed in the evening, you should bless yourself with the +sign of the Holy Cross and say: +May the will of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be done! +Amen. +Then, kneeling or standing, say the creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. +If you wish, then you may pray this little prayer as well: +My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved +Son, that You have protected me, by Your grace. Forgive, I pray, all my +sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by Your grace, tonight. I +put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your +holy angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over +me. Amen. + +After this, go to sleep immediately with joy. + +Appendix II +How a Father Should Teach His Household +to say Grace and Return Thanks at Meals: + +The Blessing + +The children and servants should come to the table modestly and with +folded hands and say: +All eyes look to you, O Lord, and You give everyone food at the right +time. You open Your generous hands and satisfy the hunger of all living +things with what they desire. (Psalm 145:15-16) +Note: "What they desire" means that all animals get so much to eat, +that they are happy and cheerful. Because, worry and greed interferes +with such desires. +After this, pray the Lord's Prayer and the following prayer: +Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless us and these gifts, which we receive +from Your generous hand, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. + +Thanking God + +After eating, too, they should modestly fold their hands and say: + +Thank the Lord, because He is kind and His goodness lasts forever! He +gives all creatures food. He gives livestock their food and feeds the +young ravens that call out to Him. A horse's strength does not give Him +pleasure. A man's legs do not give Him joy. People who fear the Lord +and who wait for His goodness please Him. + +After this, pray the Lord's Prayer and the following prayer: +We thank You, Lord God, Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord, for all +Your blessings. You live and rule forever! Amen! + +Appendix III +The Home Chart +A number of passages to use to teach and admonish people in all holy +orders and statuses in life about their +duties. + +For Bishops, Pastors and Preachers: +1 Tim. 3:2-4 +Titus 1: 6 + +What Hearers owe their Pastors: +1 Cor. 9:14 +Gal. 6: 6 +1 Tim. 5:17-18 +Heb. 13:17 + +For Earthly Authorities +Rom. 13:1-4 + +For those Under Authority +Matt. 22:21 +Rom. 13:5-7 +1 Tim. 2:1-3 +Titus 3:1 +1 Peter 2:13-14 + +For Husbands +1 Peter 3:7 +Col. 3:19 + +For Wives +Eph. 5:22 +1 Peter 3:5-6 + +For Parents +Eph. 6:4 + +For Children +Eph. 6:1-3 + +For Servants, Maids, Hired Hands and Workers +Eph. 6: 5-7 +Col. 3:22 + +For the Man and Woman of the House +Eph. 6:9 +Col. 4:1 + +For Young People in General +1 Pet. 5:5-6 + +For Widows +1 Tim. 5:5-6 + +For Everyone in General +Rom. 13:8-10 +1 Tim. 2:1-2 + +If everyone will learn his part, +The whole household will fare well. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +This text was translated in 1994, revised in 2002 and revised and +expanded in 2004 for Project Wittenberg by Robert E. Smith. It has +been placed in the public domain by him. You may freely distribute, +copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to +Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at: + +Concordia Theological Seminary +Email: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu +Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 +USA Phone: (260) 452-3149 Fax: (260) 452-2126 + + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SMALL CATECHISM *** + +***** This file should be named 1670.txt or 1670.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/7/1670 + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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The First Commandment + +You must not have other gods. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. We must fear, love, and trust God more than anything else. + +B. The Second Commandment + +You must not misuse your God's name. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not use His name +to curse, swear, cast a spell, lie or deceive, but will use it to +call upon Him, pray to Him, praise Him and thank Him in all times +of trouble. + +C. The Third Commandment + +You must keep the Sabbath holy. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not look down on +preaching or God's Word, but consider it holy, listen to it +willingly, and learn it. + +D. The Fourth Commandment + +You must honor your father and mother. [So that things will go +well for you and you will live long on earth]. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. We must fear and love God, so that we will neither look down +on our parents or superiors nor irritate them, but will honor +them, serve them, obey them, love them and value them. + +E. The Fifth Commandment + +You must not kill. + +Q. What does this mean? +A. We must fear and love God, so that we will neither harm nor +hurt our neighbor's body, but help him and care for him when he is +ill. + +F. The Sixth Commandment + +You must not commit adultery. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. We must fear and love God, so that our words and actions +will be clean and decent and so that everyone will love and honor +their spouses. + +G. The Seventh Commandment + +You must not steal. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. We must fear and love God, so that we will neither take our +neighbor's money or property, nor acquire it by fraud or by +selling him poorly made products, but will help him improve and +protect his property and career. + +H. The Eighth Commandment + +You must not tell lies about your neighbor. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not deceive by +lying, betraying, slandering or ruining our neighbor's reputation, +but will defend him, say good things about him, and see the best +side of everything he does. + +I. The Ninth Commandment + +You must not desire your neighbor's house. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not attempt to +trick our neighbor out of his inheritance or house, take it by +pretending to have a right to it, etc. but help him to keep & +improve it. + +J. The Tenth Commandment + +You must not desire your neighbor's wife, servant, maid, animals +or anything that belongs to him. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not release his +cattle, take his employees from him or seduce his wife, but urge +they to stay and do what they ought to do. + +K. The Conclusion to the Commandments + +Q. What does God say to us about all these commandments? + +A. This is what He says: + +``I am the Lord Your God. I am a jealous God. I plague the +grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who hate me with +their ancestor's sin. But I make whole those who love me for a +thousand generations.'' + +Q. What does it mean? + +A. God threatens to punish everyone who breaks these commandments. +We should be afraid of His anger because of this and not violate +such commandments. But He promises grace and all good things to +those who keep such commandments. Because of this, we, too, should +love Him, trust Him, and willingly do what His commandments +require. + + + +Part Two: The Creed + + +The Creed: The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household + +I. The First Article: On Creation + +I believe in God the Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. He gave to + me: body and soul, eyes, ears and all the other parts of my body, + my mind and all my senses and preserves them as well. He gives me + clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and land, wife and + children, fields, animals and all I own. Every day He abundantly + provides everything I need to nourish this body and life. He + protects me against all danger, shields and defends me from all + evil. He does all this because of His pure, fatherly and divine + goodness and His mercy, not because I've earned it or deserved it. + For all of this, I must thank Him, praise Him, serve Him and obey + Him. Yes, this is true! + +II. The Second Article: On Redemption + +And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the +Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, +was crucified, died and was buried, descended to Hell, on the third +day rose again from the dead, ascended to Heaven and sat down at the +right hand of God the Almighty Father. From there He will come to +judge the living and the dead. +Q. What does this mean? +A. I believe that Jesus Christ is truly God, born of the Father in + eternity and also truly man, born of the Virgin Mary. He is my + Lord! He redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, bought and won + me from all sins, death and the authority of the Devil. It did not + cost Him gold or silver, but His holy, precious blood, His innocent + body -- His death! Because of this, I am His very own, will live + under Him in His kingdom and serve Him righteously, innocently and + blessedly forever, just as He is risen from death, lives and reigns + forever. Yes, this is true. + +III. The Third Article: On Becoming Holy + +I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the community +of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, +and an everlasting life. Amen. + +Q. What does this mean? +A. I believe that I cannot come to my Lord Jesus Christ by my own +intelligence or power. But the Holy Spirit called me by the Gospel, +enlightened me with His gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true +faith, just as He calls, gathers together, enlightens and makes holy +the whole Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus in the one, true +faith. In this Church, He generously forgives each day every sin +committed by me and by every believer. On the last day, He will raise +me and all the dead from the grave. He will give eternal life to me +and to all who believe in Christ. Yes, this is true! + + + + + Part Three: The Lord's Prayer + + + +The Our Father + +The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household + + +I. Introduction +Our Father, Who is in Heaven. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. In this introduction, God invites us to believe that He is our real + Father and we are His real children, so that we will pray with + trust and complete confidence, in the same way beloved children + approach their beloved Father with their requests. + +II. The First Request +May Your name be holy. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. Of course, God's name is holy in and of itself, but by this + request, we pray that He will make it holy among us, too. + +Q. How does this take place? +A. When God's Word is taught clearly and purely, and when we live holy + lives as God's children based upon it. Help us, Heavenly Father, + to do this! But anyone who teaches and lives by something other + than God's Word defiles God's name among us. Protect us from this, + Heavenly Father! + +III. The Second Request +Your Kingdom come. + +Q. What does this mean? + +A. Truly God's Kingdom comes by itself, without our prayer. But we + pray in this request that it come to us as well. + +Q. How does this happen? +A. When the Heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that we + believe His holy Word by His grace and live godly lives here in + this age and there in eternal life. + +IV. The Third Request +May Your will be accomplished, as it is Heaven, so may it be on Earth. + +Q. What does this mean? +A. Truly, God's good and gracious will is accomplished without our + prayer. But we pray in this request that is be accomplished among + us as well. + +Q. How does this happen? +A. When God destroys and interferes with every evil will and all evil + advice, which will not allow God's Kingdom to come, such as the + Devil's will, the world's will and will of our bodily desires. It + also happens when God strengthens us by faith and by His Word and + keeps living by them faithfully until the end of our lives. This + is His will, good and full of grace. + +V. The Fourth Request +Give us our daily bread today. + +Q. What does this mean? +A. Truly, God gives daily bread to evil people, even without our + prayer. But we pray in this request that He will help us realize + this and receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. + +Q. What does ``Daily Bread'' mean? +A. Everything that nourishes our body and meets its needs, such as: + Food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, yard, fields, cattle, money, + possessions, a devout spouse, devout children, devout employees, + devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, + health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors and + other things like these. + +VI. The Fifth Request +And forgive our guilt, as we forgive those guilty of sinning against us. + +Q. What does this mean? +A. We pray in this request that our Heavenly Father will neither pay +attention to our sins nor refuse requests such as these because of our +sins and because we are neither worthy nor deserve the things for +which we pray. Yet He wants to give them all to us by His grace, +because many times each day we sin and truly deserve only punishment. +Because God does this, we will, of course, want to forgive from our +hearts and willingly do good to those who sin against us. + +VII. The Sixth Request +And lead us not into temptation. + +Q. What does this mean? +A. God tempts no one, of course, but we pray in this request that God + will protect us and save us, so that the Devil, the world and our + bodily desires will neither deceive us nor seduce us into heresy, + despair or other serious shame or vice, and so that we will win and + be victorious in the end, even if they attack us. + +VIII. The Seventh Request + But set us free from the Evil One. + +Q. What does this mean? +A. We pray in this request, as a summary, that our Father in Heaven + will save us from every kind of evil that threatens body, soul, + property and honor. We pray that when at last our final hour has + come, He will grant us a blessed death, and, in His grace, bring us + to Himself from this valley of tears. + +IX. Amen. +Q. What does this mean? +A. That I should be certain that such prayers are acceptable to the + Father in Heaven and will be granted, that He Himself has commanded + us to pray in this way and that He promises to answer us. Amen. + Amen. This means: Yes, yes it will happen this way. + + + + + + + Part Four: Holy Baptism + + + The Sacrament of Holy Baptism: + The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household + + +I. +Q. What is Baptism? +A. Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water contained +within God's command and united with God's Word. + +Q. Which Word of God is this? +A. The one which our Lord Christ spoke in the last chapter of Matthew: +``Go into all the world, teaching all heathen nations, and baptizing +them in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'' + + +II. + +Q. What does Baptism give? What good is it? +A. It gives the forgiveness of sins, redeems from death and the +Devil, gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, just +as God's words and promises declare. + +Q. What are these words and promises of God? +A. Our Lord Christ spoke one of them in the last chapter of Mark: +``Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever +does not believe will be damned.'' + +III. + +Q. How can water do such great things? +A. Water doesn't make these things happen, of course. It is God's +Word, which is with and in the water. Because, without God's +Word, the water is plain water and not baptism. But with God's +Word it is a Baptism, a grace-filled water of life, a bath of +new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul said to Titus in the +third chapter: + +``Through this bath of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit, +which He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our +Savior, that we, justified by the same grace are made heirs +according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying.'' + +IV. +Q. What is the meaning of such a water Baptism? +A. It means that the old Adam in us should be drowned by daily +sorrow and repentance, and die with all sins and evil lusts, +and, in turn, a new person daily come forth and rise from death again. +He will live forever before God in righteousness and purity. + +Q. Where is this written? +A. St. Paul says to the Romans in chapter six: +``We are buried with Christ through Baptism into death, so +that, in the same way Christ is risen from the dead by the +glory of the Father, thus also must we walk in a new life.'' + + + + + + +Part Five: Confession + + +How One Should Teach the Uneducated to Confess + + +I. +Q. What is confession? +A. Confession has two parts: + +First, a person admits his sin + +Second, a person receives absolution or forgiveness from the confessor, +as if from God Himself, without doubting it, but believing firmly that +his sins are forgiven by God in Heaven through it. + +II. +Q. Which sins should people confess? + +A. When speaking to God, we should plead guilty to all sins, even +those we don't know about, just as we do in the ``Our +Father,'' but when speaking to the confessor, only the sins we +know about, which we know about and feel in our hearts. + +Q. Which are these? + +A. Consider here your place in life according to the Ten +Commandments. Are you a father? A mother? A son? A daughter? +A husband? A wife? A servant? Are you disobedient, unfaithful +or lazy? Have you hurt anyone with your words or actions? Have +you stolen, neglected your duty, let things go or injured someone? + + + + + + +Part Six: The Sacrament of the Altar + + +The Sacrament of the Altar: + +The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to his Household + +I. +Q. What is the Sacrament of the Altar? + +A. It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under +bread and wine for us Christians to eat and to drink, +established by Christ Himself. + +II. Q. Where is that written? + +A. The holy apostles Matthew, Mark and Luke and St. Paul write this: + +``Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night on which He was +betrayed, took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to His +disciples and said: ``Take! Eat! This is My body, which is +given for you. Do this to remember Me!'' In the same way He +also took the cup after supper, gave thanks, gave it to +them, and said: ``Take and drink from it, all of you! This +cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you +to forgive sins. This do, as often as you drink it, to remember Me!'' + +III. +Q. What good does this eating and drinking do? + +A. These words tell us: ``Given for you'' and ``Shed for you to +forgive sins.'' Namely, that the forgiveness of sins, life and +salvation are given to us through these words in the sacrament. +Because, where sins are forgiven, there is life and salvation as well. + +IV. +Q. How can physical eating and drinking do such great things? + +A. Of course, eating and drinking do not do these things. These +words, written here, do them: ``given for you'' and ``shed for +you to forgive sins.'' These words, along with physical eating +and drinking are the important part of the sacrament. Anyone +who believes these words has what they say and what they +record, namely, the forgiveness of sins. + +V. +Q. Who, then, receives such a sacrament in a worthy way? + +A. Of course, fasting and other physical preparations are +excellent disciplines for the body. But anyone who believes +these words, ``Given for you,'' and ``Shed for you to forgive +sins,'' is really worthy and well prepared. But whoever doubts +or does not believe these words is not worthy and is unprepared, +because the words, ``for you'' demand a heart that fully believes. + + + + +Morning Prayer + + +My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your +beloved Son, that You kept me safe from all evil and danger last +night. Save me, I pray, today as well, from every evil and sin, so +that all I do and the way that I live will please you. I put +myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your +holy Angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power +over me. Amen. + +Evening Prayer + + +My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your +beloved Son, that You have protected me, by Your grace. Forgive, I +pray, all my sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by Your +grace, tonight. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all +that I have. Let Your holy angels be with me, so that the evil +enemy will not gain power over me. Amen. + + + + +This text was translated in 1994 for Project Wittenberg by Robert E. +Smith and has been placed in the public domain by him. You may freely +distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or +suggestions to Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at: + + +Concordia Theological Seminary +E-mail: bob_smith@ctsfw.edu +Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA +Phone: (219) 452-3149 Fax: (219) 452-2126 + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Martin Luther's Small Catechism + diff --git a/old/smlct10.zip b/old/smlct10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d04e041 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/smlct10.zip |