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diff --git a/old/xlsct10.txt b/old/xlsct10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..eba2870 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/xlsct10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7014 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism +by Joseph Stump + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism + +Author: Joseph Stump + +Release Date: February, 2006 [EBook #9912] +[This file was first posted on October 30, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, AN EXPLANATION OF LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM *** + + + + +E-text prepared by Charles Aldarondo, Keren Vergon, David King, and Project +Gutenberg Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + + + +AN EXPLANATION OF LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM + +A Handbook for the Catechetical Class: an Outline and Analysis for +the Pastor's Oral Instruction, and a Summary for the Catechumens' +Study and Review at Home + +BY JOSEPH STUMP, D.D. + +1910 + + + + + + + +PREFACE + + +This book aims to present both an analysis of Luther's Small Catechism +and a clear, concise, yet reasonably full explanation of its contents. +It is an attempt, upon the basis of twenty years' experience and a study +of the literature of the subject, to meet the peculiar wants of the +catechetical class in our Lutheran Church in America. The object of the +book is twofold: first, to furnish an outline of teaching which the +pastor may use as a guide in his oral explanation and questioning; and +secondly, to furnish a sufficiently complete summary by means of which +the catechumens may review the lesson and fix its salient points in +their minds. No text-book can, of course, adequately supply the +parenetical side of the catechetical instruction or take the place of +the living exposition by the pastor. But it can and should support his +work, so that what he explains at one meeting may not be forgotten +before the next meeting, but may be fixed in the minds of the +catechumens by study at home. + +Since the task of the pastor in catechization is not only to impart +religious instruction, but to impart it on the basis of that priceless +heritage of our Church, Luther's Small Catechism, the explanation here +offered follows the catechism closely. The words of the catechism are +printed in heavy-faced type and are used as headings wherever possible; +and thus the words of the catechism may be traced as a thread running +through the entire explanation. + +Wherever he deemed it necessary, the author has added a fuller +explanation of the text of the catechism than that which Luther gives, +and has supplemented its contents with such additional matter as the +needs of our catechumens require. He does not agree with those +catechetical writers who maintain that the pastor, in his catechization, +must confine himself to an explanation of _Luther's explanation_. Such a +principle would exclude from the catechetical class much which our +catechumens should be taught. But all such additional matters are +introduced under an appropriate head as an organic part of the whole +explanation, thus preserving its unity. + +This book is written in the thetical form instead of the traditional +form of questions and answers. There is nothing in the nature of +catechization which would require the use of the interrogative form in +such a text-book, and accordingly the thetical form has for years been +employed by numerous writers of text-books for the catechetical class in +Germany. While questions have an important place in catechetical +instruction, the matter and not the form is the vital thing. +Catechization is _not a method_ of instruction by means of questions and +answers. Neither the original meaning of the word nor the history of +catechization justifies such a definition. (See my article, "A Brief +History of Catechization," in the Lutheran Church Review, January, 1902; +comp. v. Zezschwitz: System der christl.-kirchl. Katechetik, vol. i. pp. +17 seq., and vol. ii., 2. 1., pp. 3 seq.) And since Christian truth is +not something to be brought forth from the mind of the child by means of +questions, but something divinely revealed and hence _to be +communicated_ to the child, the most natural form in which to set it +before him in a text-book is the thetical. Luther's catechism itself is, +indeed, in the form of questions and answers. But his catechism is +confessional as well as didactic, and its words, memorized by the +catechumen, are to become a personal confession of faith. The +explanations of a text-book, on the other hand, are not to be memorized, +but are meant to aid the catechumen in grasping the _thoughts_ of the +catechism. For this purpose, the thetical form is better than the +interrogative, because the explanation is not continually broken by +questions, and is thus better adapted to give the catechumens a +connected idea of the doctrines taught. + +Each chapter of this explanation is followed by a number of questions. +After the pastor has explained a lesson at one meeting, the catechumens +should prepare themselves to give an answer to the printed questions _in +their own words_ at the next meeting. The pastor may, of course, +substitute other questions, assign additional ones, or eliminate some. +The proof passages for the teachings set forth are cited in the margin. +The more important passages, particularly those which the catechumens +may be expected to memorize, are specially indicated by a dagger (+), +and are printed in full at the end of the chapter. The use of a +Scripture lesson is, of course, optional with the pastor. One is +indicated, however, for each chapter, and may be read in class or be +assigned to the catechumens to be read at home. The Scriptural +illustrations are cited for the convenience of the pastor in his oral +exposition. The division into chapters has been regulated by the +subject-matter, and will, it is hoped, aid in the survey of the contents +of the book as a whole. It is not intended that each chapter shall +necessarily constitute one lesson. Some lessons will doubtless include +only a part of a chapter, while others will include several chapters, as +the pastor may determine. + +While the author, in the preparation of this explanation of Luther's +catechism, has gone his own way, careful consideration has been given to +the voice of those whose study of the problems involved entitled them to +be heard. Luther's other catechetical writings, the standard theoretical +works on Catechetics, and numerous monographs have been constantly at +hand. Explanations of the catechism for the use of pastors and teachers +have been freely consulted,--among others, those of Schuetze, Fricke, +Mehliss, Kahle, Zuck, Kaftan, v. Zezschwitz, Palmer, Harnack, Nissen, +Hempel, Schultze, Th. Hardeland, O. Hardeland, Nebe, Buchrucker, and +Cremer. Acknowledgment is due also to the authors of numerous American +and German text-books and helps for the catechetical class, whose works +have been carefully scanned, in order that the fruits of past experience +and the best results of former labors in this field might, if possible, +be embodied in this work. + +May the Lord bless this explanation of Luther's Small Catechism to the +upbuilding of His kingdom and the glory of His name. + +JOSEPH STUMP. + +PHILLIPBURG, N. J., + +REFORMATION DAY, 1907. + + + + +LUTHER'S PREFACE + + +_Martin Luther to all faithful and godly Pastors and Preachers: Grace, +Mercy and Peace, in Jesus Christ, our Lord!_ + +The deplorable condition in which I found religious affairs during a +recent visitation of the congregations, has impelled me to publish this +Catechism, or statement of the Christian doctrine, after having prepared +it in very brief and simple terms. Alas! what misery I beheld! The +people, especially those who live in the villages, seem to have no +knowledge whatever of Christian doctrine, and many of the pastors are +ignorant and incompetent teachers. And, nevertheless, they all maintain +that they are Christians, that they have been baptized, and that they +have received the Lord's Supper. Yet they cannot recite the Lord's +Prayer, the Creed, or the Ten Commandments; they live as if they were +irrational creatures, and now that the Gospel has come to them, they +grossly abuse their Christian liberty. + +Ye bishops! what answer will ye give to Christ for having so shamefully +neglected the people, and paid no attention to the duties of your +office? I invoke no evil on your heads. But you withhold the cup in the +Lord's Supper, insist on the observance of your human laws, and yet, at +the same time, do not take the least interest in teaching the people the +Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Ten Commandments, or any other part of the +word of God. Woe unto you! + +Wherefore I beseech you in the Name of God, my beloved brethren, who are +pastors or preachers, to engage heartily in the discharge of the duties +of your office, to have mercy on the people who are entrusted to your +care, and to assist us in introducing the Catechism among them, and +especially among the young. And if any of you do not possess the +necessary qualifications, I beseech you to take at least the following +forms, and read them, word for word, to the people, on this wise:-- + +In the first place; let the preacher take the utmost care to avoid all +changes or variations in the text and wording of the Ten Commandments, +the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Sacraments, etc. Let him, on the +contrary, take each of the forms respectively, adhere to it, and repeat +it anew, year after year. For young and inexperienced people cannot be +successfully instructed, unless we adhere to the same text or the same +forms of expression. They easily become confused, when the teacher at +one time employs a certain form of words and expressions, and, at +another, apparently with a view to make improvements, adopts a different +form. The result of such a course will he, that all the time and labor +which we have expended will be lost. + +This point was well understood by our venerable fathers, who were +accustomed to use the same words in teaching the Lord's Prayer, the +Creed, and the Ten Commandments. We, too, should follow this plan when +we teach these things, particularly in the case of the young and +ignorant, not changing a single syllable, nor introducing any variations +when, year after year, we recur to these forms and recite them anew +before our hearers. + +Choose, therefore, the form of words which best pleases you, and adhere +to it perpetually. When you preach in the presence of intelligent and +learned men, you are at liberty to exhibit your knowledge and skill, and +may present and discuss these subjects in all the varied modes which are +at your command. But when you are teaching the young, retain the same +form and manner without change; teach them, first of all, the Ten +Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, etc., always presenting the +same words of the text, so that those who learn can repeat them after +you, and retain them in the memory. + +But if any refuse to receive your instructions, tell them plainly that +they deny Christ and are not Christians; such persons shall not be +admitted to the Lord's Table, nor present a child for baptism, nor enjoy +any of our Christian privileges, but are to be sent back to the pope and +his agents, and, indeed, to Satan himself. Their parents and employers +should, besides, refuse to furnish them with food and drink, and notify +them that the government was disposed to banish from the country all +persons of such a rude and intractable character. + +For although we cannot, and should not, compel them to exercise faith, +we ought, nevertheless, to instruct the great mass with all diligence, +so that they may know how to distinguish between right and wrong in +their conduct towards those with whom they live, or among whom they +desire to earn their living. For whoever desires to reside in a city, +and enjoy the rights and privileges which its laws confer, is also bound +to know and obey those laws. God grant that such persons may become +sincere believers! But if they remain dishonest and vicious, let them at +least withhold from public view the vices of their hearts. + +In the second place; when those whom you are instructing have become +familiar with the words of the text, it is time to teach them to +understand the meaning of those words, so that they may become +acquainted with the object and purport of the lesson. Then proceed to +another of the following forms, or, at your pleasure, choose any other +which is brief, and adhere strictly to the same words and forms of +expression in the text, without altering a single syllable; besides, +allow yourself ample time for the lessons. For it is not necessary that +you should, on the same occasion, proceed from the beginning to the end +of the several parts; it will be more profitable if you present them +separately, in regular succession. When the people have, for instance, +at length correctly understood the First Commandment, you may proceed to +the Second, and so continue. By neglecting to observe this mode, the +people will be overburdened, and be prevented from understanding and +retaining in memory any considerable part of the matter communicated to +them. + +In the third place; when you have thus reached the end of this Short +Catechism, begin anew with the Large Catechism, and by means of it +furnish the people with fuller and more comprehensive explanations. +Explain here at large every Commandment, every Petition, and, indeed, +every part, showing the duties which they severally impose, and both the +advantages which follow the performance of those duties, and also the +dangers and losses which result from the neglect of them. Insist in an +especial manner on such. Commandments or other parts as seem to be most +of all misunderstood or neglected by your people. It will, for example, +be necessary that you should enforce with the utmost earnestness the +Seventh Commandment, which treats of stealing, when you are teaching +workmen, dealers and even farmers and servants, inasmuch as many of +these are guilty of various dishonest and thievish practices. So, too, +it will be your duty to explain and apply the Fourth Commandment with +great diligence, when you are teaching children and uneducated adults, +and to urge them to observe order, to be faithful, obedient and +peaceable, as well as to adduce numerous instances mentioned in the +Scriptures, which show that God punished such as were guilty in these +things, and blessed the obedient. + +Here, too, let it be your great aim to urge magistrates and parents to +rule wisely, and to educate the children, admonishing them, at the same +time, that such duties are imposed on them, and showing them how +grievously they sin if they neglect them. For in such a case they +overthrow and lay waste alike the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the +world, acting as if they were the worst enemies both of God and man. And +show them very plainly the shocking evils of which they are the authors, +when they refuse their aid in training up children to be pastors, +preachers, writers, etc., and set forth that on account of such sins God +will inflict an awful punishment upon them. It is, indeed, necessary to +preach on these things; for parents and magistrates are guilty of sins +in this respect, which are so great that there are no terms in which +they can be described. And truly, Satan has a cruel design in fostering +these evils. + +Finally; inasmuch as the people are now relieved from the tyranny of the +pope, they refuse to come to the Lord's Table, and treat it with +contempt. On this point, also, it is very necessary that you should give +them instructions, while, at the same time, you are to be guided by the +following principles: That we are to compel no one to believe, or to +receive the Lord's Supper; that we are not to establish any laws on this +point, or appoint the time and place; but that we should so preach as to +influence the people, without any law adopted, by us, to urge, and, as +it were, to compel us who are pastors, to administer the Lord's Supper +to them. Now this object may be attained, if we address them in the +following manner; It is to be feared that he who does not desire to +receive the Lord's Supper at least three or four times during the year, +despises the Sacrament, and is no Christian. So, too, he is no +Christian, who neither believes nor obeys the Gospel; for Christ did not +say: "Omit or despise this," but "This do ye, as oft as ye drink it," +etc. He commands that this should be done, and by no means be neglected +and despised. He says: "This do." + +Now he who does not highly value the Sacrament, shows thereby that he +has no sin, no flesh, no devil, no world, no death, no danger, no hell; +that is to say, he does not believe that such evils exist, although he +may be deeply immersed in them, and completely belong to the devil. On +the other hand, he needs no grace, no life, no Paradise, no heaven, no +Christ, no God, no good thing. For if he believed that he was involved +in such evils, and that he was in need of such blessings, he could not +refrain from receiving the Sacrament, wherein aid is afforded against +such evils, and, again, such blessings are bestowed. It will not be +necessary to compel him by the force of any law to approach the Lord's +Table; he will hasten to it of his own accord, will compel himself to +come, and indeed urge you to administer the Sacrament to him. + +Hence, you are by no means to adopt any compulsory law in this case, as +the Pope has done. Let it simply be your aim to set forth distinctly the +advantages and losses, the wants and the benefits, the dangers and the +blessings, which are to be considered in connection with the Sacrament; +the people will, doubtless, then seek it without urgent demands on your +part. If they still refuse to come forward, let them choose their own +ways, and tell them that those who do not regard their own spiritual +misery, and do not desire the gracious help of God, belong to Satan. But +if you do not give such solemn admonitions, or if you adopt odious +compulsory laws on the subject, it is your own fault if the people treat +the Sacrament with contempt. Will they not necessarily be slothful, if +you are silent and sleep? Therefore consider the subject seriously, ye +Pastors and Preachers! Our office has now assumed a very different +character from that which it bore under the Pope; it is now of a very +grave nature, and is very salutary in its influence. It consequently +subjects us to far greater burdens and labors, dangers and temptations, +while it brings with it an inconsiderable reward, and very little +gratitude in the world. But Christ himself will be our reward, if we +labor with fidelity. May He grant such mercy unto us who is the Father +of all grace, to whom be given thanks and praises through Christ, our +Lord, for ever! Amen. + +WITTENBERG, A.D. 1529. + + + + +THE SMALL CATECHISM + + + + +PART I. + +THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. + + +_In the plain form in which they are to be taught by the head of a +family._ + +THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. + +I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. + +[Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of +anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or +that is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to +them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting +the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth +generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of +them that love Me, and keep my commandments.] + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +_Answer_. We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things. + +THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. + +Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord +will not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to curse, swear, conjure, +lie, or deceive, by His Name, but call upon Him in every time of need, +and worship Him with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. + +THE THIRD COMMANDMENT. + +Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. + +[Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is +the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, +nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, +nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six +days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, +and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, +and hallowed it.] + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to despise His Word and the +preaching of the Gospel, but deem it holy, and willing to hear and learn +it. + +THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. + +Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land +which the Lord thy God giveth thee. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to despise nor displease our +parents and superiors, but honor, serve, obey, love, and esteem them. + +THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT. + +Thou shalt not kill. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to do our neighbor any +bodily harm or injury, but rather assist and comfort him in danger and +want. + +THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT. + +Thou shalt not commit adultery. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as to be chaste and pure in our +words and deeds, each one also loving and honoring his wife or her +husband. + +THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. + +Thou shalt not steal. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to rob our neighbor of his +money or property, nor bring it into our possession by unfair dealing or +fraudulent means, but rather assist him to improve and protect it. + +THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. + +Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not deceitfully to belie, +betray, slander, nor raise injurious reports against our neighbor, but +apologize for him, speak well of him, and put the most charitable +construction on all his actions. + +THE NINTH COMMANDMENT. + +Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to desire by craftiness to +gain possession of our neighbor's inheritance or home, or to obtain it +under the pretext of a legal right, but be ready to assist and serve him +in the preservation of his own. + +THE TENTH COMMANDMENT. + +Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his +maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy +neighbor's. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to alienate our neighbor's +wife from him, entice away his servants, nor let loose his cattle, but +use our endeavors that they may remain and discharge their duty to him. + +_What does God declare concerning all these Commandments?_ + +_Ans._ He says: I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the +iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth +generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of +them that love Me and keep my commandments. + +_What is meant by this declaration?_ + +_Ans._ God threatens to punish all those who transgress these +commandments. We should, therefore, dread His displeasure, and not act +contrarily to these commandments. But He promises grace and every +blessing to all who keep them. We should, therefore, love and trust in +Him, and cheerfully do what He has commanded us. + + + + +PART II. + +THE CREED. + + +_In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family._ + +FIRST ARTICLE.--OF CREATION. + +I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. + +_What is meant by this Article?_ + +_Ans._ I believe that God has created me and all that exists; that He +has given and still preserves to me my body and soul with all my limbs +and senses, my reason and all the faculties of my mind, together with my +raiment, food, home, and family, and all my property; that He daily +provides me abundantly with all the necessaries of life, protects me +from all danger, and preserves me and guards me against all evil; all +which He does out of pure, paternal, and divine goodness and mercy, +without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I am in duty bound +to thank, praise, serve, and obey Him. This is most certainly true. + +SECOND ARTICLE.--OF REDEMPTION. + +And in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the +Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was +crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He +rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the +right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to +judge the quick and the dead. + +_What is meant by this Article?_ + +_Ans._ I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father +from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord; +who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, secured and +delivered me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, +not with silver and gold, but with His holy and precious blood, and with +His innocent sufferings and death; in order that I might be His, live +under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, +innocence, and blessedness; even as He is risen from the dead, and lives +and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true. + +THIRD ARTICLE.--OF SANCTIFICATION. + +I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian Church, the Communion of +Saints; the Forgiveness of sins; the Resurrection of the body; and the +Life everlasting. Amen. + +_What is meant by this Article?_ + +_Ans._ I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in +Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me +through the Gospel, enlightened me by His gifts, and sanctified and +preserved me in the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers, +enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and +preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the true faith; in which +Christian Church He daily forgives abundantly all my sins, and the sins +of all believers, and will raise up me and all the dead at the last day, +and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ. +This is most certainly true. + + + + +PART III. + +THE LORD'S PRAYER. + + +_In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family._ + +INTRODUCTION. + +Our Father Who art in heaven. + +_What is meant by this Introduction?_ + +_Ans._ God would thereby affectionately encourage us to believe that He +is truly our Father, and that we are His children indeed, so that we may +call upon Him with all cheerfulness and confidence, even as beloved +children entreat their affectionate parent. + +FIRST PETITION. + +Hallowed be Thy Name. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +_Ans._ The Name of God is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this +petition that it may be hallowed also by us. + +_How is this effected?_ + +_Ans._ When the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, +as the children of God, lead holy lives, in accordance with it; to this +may our blessed Father in heaven help us! But whoever teaches and lives +otherwise than as God's Word prescribes, profanes the Name of God among +us; from this preserve us, Heavenly Father! + +SECOND PETITION. + +Thy kingdom come. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +_Ans._ The kingdom of God comes indeed of itself, without our prayer; +but we pray in this petition that it may come unto us also. + +_When is this effected?_ + +_Ans._ When our Heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His +grace we believe His holy Word, and live a godly life here on earth, and +in heaven for ever. + +THIRD PETITION. + +Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +_Ans._ The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our +prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done by us also. + +_When is this effected?_ + +_Ans._ When God frustrates and brings to naught every evil counsel and +purpose, which would hinder us from hallowing the Name of God, and +prevent His kingdom from coming to us, such as the will of the devil, of +the world, and of our own flesh; and when He strengthens us, and keeps +us steadfast in His Word, and in the faith, even unto our end. This is +His gracious and good will. + +FOURTH PETITION. + +Give us this day our daily bread. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +_Ans._ God gives indeed without our prayer even to the wicked also their +daily bread; but we pray in this petition that He would make us sensible +of His benefits, and enable us to receive our daily bread with +thanksgiving. + +_What is implied in the words: "Our daily bread"?_ + +_Ans._ All things that pertain to the wants and the support of this +present life; such as food, raiment, money, goods, house and land, and +other property; a believing spouse and good children; trustworthy +servants and faithful magistrates; favorable seasons, peace and health; +education and honor; true friends, good neighbors, and the like. + +FIFTH PETITION. + +And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against +us. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +_Ans._ We pray in this petition, that our Heavenly Father would not +regard our sins, nor deny us our requests on account of them; for we are +not worthy of anything for which we pray, and have not merited it; but +that He would grant us all things through grace, although we daily +commit much sin, and deserve chastisement alone. We will therefore, on +our part, both heartily forgive, and also readily do good to those who +may injure or offend us. + +SIXTH PETITION. + +And, lead us not into temptation. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +_Ans._ God indeed tempts no one to sin; but we pray in this petition +that God would so guard and preserve us, that the devil, the world, and +our own flesh, may not deceive us, nor lead us into error and unbelief, +despair, and other great and shameful sins; and that, though we may be +thus tempted, we may, nevertheless, finally prevail and gain the +victory. + +SEVENTH PETITION. + +But deliver us from evil. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +_Ans._ We pray in this petition, as in a summary, that our Heavenly +Father would deliver us from all manner of evil, whether it affect the +body or soul, property or character, and, at last, when the hour of +death shall arrive, grant us a happy end, and graciously take as from +this world of sorrow to Himself in heaven. + +CONCLUSION. + +For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and +ever. Amen. + +_What is meant by the word "Amen"?_ + +_Ans._ That I should be assured that such petitions are acceptable to +our Heavenly Father, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded +us to pray in this manner, and has promised that He will hear us. Amen, +Amen, that is, Yea, yea, it shall be so. + + + + +PART IV. + +THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM. + + +_In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family._ + +I. _What is Baptism?_ + +_Ans._ Baptism is not simply water, but it is the water comprehended in +God's command, and connected with God's Word. + +_What is that Word of God?_ + +_Ans._ It is that which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as it is recorded +in the last chapter of Matthew, verse 19: "Go ye, and teach all nations, +baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the +Holy Ghost." + +II. _What gifts or benefits does Baptism confer?_ + +_Ans._ It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, +and confers everlasting salvation on all who believe, as the Word and +promise of God declare. + +_What are such words and promises of God?_ + +_Ans._ Those which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as they are recorded in +the last chapter of Mark, verse 16: "He that believeth and is baptized, +shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." + +III. _How can water produce such great effects?_ + +_Ans._ It is not the water indeed that produces these effects, but the +Word of God which accompanies and is connected with the water, and our +faith, which relies on the Word of God connected with the water. For the +water, without the Word of God, is simply water and no baptism. But when +connected with the Word of God, it is a baptism, that is, a gracious +water of life, and a "washing of regeneration" in the Holy Ghost; as St. +Paul says to Titus, in the third chapter, verses 5-8: "According to His +mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the +Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our +Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs +according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying." + +IV. _What does such baptizing with water signify?_ + +_Ans._ It signifies that the old Adam in us is to be drowned, and +destroyed by daily sorrow and repentance, together with all sins and +evil lusts; and that again, the new man should daily come forth and +rise, that shall live in the presence of God in righteousness and purity +forever. + +_Where is it so written?_ + +_Ans._ St. Paul, in the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 6, verse 4, says: +"We are buried with Christ by Baptism into death; that like as He was +raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also +should walk in newness of life." + + + + +OF CONFESSION. + + +_What is Confession?_ + +_Ans._ Confession consists of two parts: the one is, that we confess our +sins; the other, that we receive absolution or forgiveness through the +pastor as of God himself, in no wise doubting, but firmly believing that +our sins are thus forgiven before God in heaven. + +_What sins ought we to confess?_ + +_Ans._ In the presence of God we should acknowledge ourselves guilty of +all manner of sins, even of those which we do not ourselves perceive; as +we do in the Lord's Prayer. But in the presence of the pastor we should +confess those sins alone of which we have knowledge, and which we feel +in our hearts. + +_Which are these?_ + +_Ans._ Here reflect on your condition, according to the Ten +Commandments, namely: Whether you are a father or mother, a son or +daughter, a master or mistress, a manservant or maidservant--whether you +have been disobedient, unfaithful, slothful--whether you have injured +any one by words or actions-whether you have stolen, neglected, or +wasted aught, or done other evil. + + + + +PART V. + +THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR, + +OR, THE LORD'S SUPPER. + + +_In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family._ + +_What is the Sacrament of the Altar?_ + +_Ans._ It is the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the +bread and wine, given unto us Christians to eat and to drink, as it was +instituted by Christ Himself. + +_Where is it so written?_ + +_Ans._ The Holy Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, together with St. +Paul, write thus: + +"Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took +bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and gave it to His +disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my Body, which is given for you: +this do, in remembrance of Me. + +"After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, gave +thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it: this cup is the +new testament in my Blood, which is shed for you, for the remission of +sins: this do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me." + +_What benefits are derived from such eating and drinking?_ + +_Ans._ They are pointed out in these words; "given and shed for you, for +the remission of sins." Namely, through these words, the remission of +sins, life and salvation are granted unto us in the Sacrament. For where +there is remission of sins, there are also life and salvation. + +_How can the bodily eating and drinking produce such great effects?_ + +_Ans._ The eating and the drinking, indeed, do not produce them, but the +words which stand here, namely: "given, and shed for you, for the +remission of sins." These words are, besides the bodily eating and +drinking, the chief things in the Sacrament; and he who believes these +words, has that which they declare and set forth, namely, the remission +of sins. + +_Who is it, then, that receives this Sacrament worthily?_ + +_Ans._ Fasting and bodily preparation are indeed a good external +discipline; but he is truly worthy and well prepared who believes these +words, "given and shed for you, for the remission of sins." But he who +does not believe these words, or who doubts, is unworthy and unfit: for +the words: "FOR YOU," require truly believing hearts. + + * * * * * + +MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER. + +_In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family_. + +MORNING. + +PP _In the Morning, when thou risest, thou shalt say:_ + +In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen. + +PP _Then, kneeling or standing, thou shalt say the_ Apostles' Creed _and +the_ Lord's Prayer. + +PP _Then mayest than say this Prayer_: + +I give thanks unto Thee, Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Thy dear +Son, that Thou hast protected me through the night from all danger and +harm; and I beseech Thee to preserve and keep me this day also, from all +sin and evil; that in all my thoughts, words, and deeds, I may serve and +please Thee. Into Thy hands I commend my body and soul, and all that is +mine. Let Thy holy angel have charge concerning me, that the wicked one +may have no power over me. Amen. + +PP _And then shouldst thou go with joy to thy work, after a Hymn, or the_ +Ten Commandments, _or whatever thy devotion may suggest._ + +EVENING. + +PP _In the Evening, when thou goest to bed, thou shall say:_ + +In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. + +PP _Then, kneeling or standing, thou shalt say the_ Apostles' Creed _and +the_ Lord's Prayer. + +PP _Then mayest thou say this Prayer:_ + +I give thanks unto Thee, Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Thy dear +Son, that Thou hast this day so graciously protected me, and I beseech +Thee to forgive me all my sins, and the wrong which I have done, and by +Thy great mercy defend me from all the perils and dangers of this night. +Into thy hands I commend my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let Thy +holy angel have charge concerning me, that the wicked one may have no +power over me. Amen. + +PP _And then lie down, in peace, and sleep._ + + * * * * * + +BLESSING AND THANKSGIVING AT TABLE. + +_In the plain form in which they are to be taught by the head of a +family._ + +BEFORE MEAT. + +PP _Before meat, the members of the family surrounding the table +reverently and with folded hands, there shall be said:_ + +The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord: and Thou givest them their meat +in due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of +every living thing. + +PP _Then shall be said the_ Lord's Prayer, _and after that this_ Prayer: + +O Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless unto us these Thy gifts, which of Thy +tender kindness Thou hast bestowed upon us, through Jesus Christ our +Lord. Amen. + +PP _After meat, reverently and with folded hands, there shall be said:_ + +O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for +ever. He giveth food to all flesh; He giveth to the beast his food, and +to the young ravens which cry. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that +tear Him; in those that hope in His mercy, + +PP _Then shall be said the_ Lord's Prayer, _and after that this_ Prayer: + +We give thanks, to Thee, O God. Our Father, for all Thy benefits, +through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth, for +ever and ever. Amen. + + * * * * * + +TABLE OF DUTIES. + +_Or, certain passages of the Scriptures, selected for various orders and +conditions of men, wherein their respective duties are set forth._ + +BISHOPS, PASTORS, AND PREACHERS. + +A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of +good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no +striker, not greedy of filthy lucre: but patient, not a brawler, not +covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in +subjection with all gravity; not a novice, but holding fast the faithful +word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both +to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.--I Tim. 3:2-6; Tit. 1:9. + +WHAT DUTIES HEARERS OWE THEIR BISHOPS. + +Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should +live of the Gospel.--[I Cor. 9:14.] Let him that is taught in the Word +communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things,--Gal. 6:6. Let +the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially +they who labor in word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt +not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy +of his reward.--I Tim. 5:17, 18. Obey them that have the rule over you, +and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must +give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief; for that +is unprofitable for you.--Heb. 13:17. + +MAGISTRATES. + +Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power +but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God; for rulers are not a +terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of +the power? do that which is good, and thou shall have praise of the +same; for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do +that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for +he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that +doeth evil.--Rom. 13:1-4. + +WHAT DUTIES SUBJECTS OWE MAGISTRATES. + +Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's.--Matt. 22:21. +Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, etc. Wherefore we must +needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For +this cause pay ye tribute also; for they are God's ministers, attending +continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues; +tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom +fear; honor to whom honor.--Rom. 13:1, 5. I exhort, therefore, that, +first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of +thanks be made for all men; for kings and for all that are in authority, +that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and +honesty.--I Tim. 2. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and +powers, etc.--Tit. 3:1. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for +the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king as supreme; or unto governors +as unto them that are sent, etc.--I Pet. 2:13. + +HUSBANDS. + +Ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor +unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of +the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.--1 Pet. 3:7. And +be not bitter against them.--Col. 3:19. + +WIVES. + +Wives submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord--even as +Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose daughters ye are, as long +as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.--Eph. 5:22; I +Pet. 3:6. + +PARENTS. + +Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the +nurture and admonition of the Lord.--Eph. 6:4. + +CHILDREN. + +Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy +father and thy mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that +it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.--Eph. +6:1-3. + +MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS AND LABORERS. + +Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the +flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto +Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of +Christ doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing +service as to the Lord, and not to men; knowing that whatsoever good +thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he +be bond or free.--Eph. 6:5-8 + +MASTERS AND MISTRESSES. + +Ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening; +knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of +persons with Him.--Eph. 6:9 + +YOUNG PERSONS IN GENERAL. + +Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you +be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God +resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves +therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due +time.--I Pet. 5:5, 6. + +WIDOWS. + +She that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and +continueth in supplications and prayers night and day; but she that +liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.--I Tim. 5:5, 6. + +CHRISTIANS IN GENERAL. + +Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. Herein are comprehended all the +commandments.--Rom. 13:9, 10. And persevere in prayer for all men.--I +Tim. 2:1, 2. + + + + +AN EXPLANATION + +OF + +LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE BIBLE. + +THE BIBLE is the inspired and unerring record of what God has revealed +to men concerning Himself and the Way of Salvation. [II Tim. 3:16+, Gal. +1:8] Hence, if we ask, "What must I do to be saved?" the answer to our +question must be sought in the Bible. It tells us what to believe and +what to do in order that we may belong to God's kingdom on earth and in +heaven. [Matt. 6:33+, Acts 16:30+, John 5:39+] It is the only rule and +standard of Christian faith and life. + +WHY NEEDED. Even without the Bible, men know that there is a Higher +Being. Their own conscience tells them that there is a God who will +punish them if they do wrong; [Rom 2:14, 15] and the works of nature +proclaim that there is an Almighty Being who created them. [Ps. 19:1+] +But the knowledge of God which men gain from their own conscience and +from nature is insufficient. Neither nature nor conscience can tell us +anything about the Way of Salvation which God has prepared for us in +Jesus Christ. It is only from the Bible that we can learn how we shall +be saved. + +ITS INSPIRATION. The Bible is the Word of God. It was written by holy +men whom God inspired. [II Pet. 1:21+] It contains knowledge which no +man could have discovered by his own power. It foretells events which no +uninspired man could have foreseen. It contains teachings so exalted and +holy that they could not have originated in the heart of man. It +possesses a power such as no merely human book ever did or could +possess. [Heb. 4:12] + +ITS OBJECT is to make us wise unto salvation. [II Tim. 3:15+, Prov +9:10+] It is to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path [Ps. +119:105+] to guide us safely through this world to our heavenly home. It +contains all that we need to know and all that we ever shall know in +this world concerning God and His will. [Luke: 6:31] It is the final and +absolute authority in all matters of religion. We should, therefore, pay +most earnest heed to its teachings, believe them with all our heart, and +apply them in our lives. + +ITS CONTENTS. It consists of sixty-six "books," written between the +years 1500 B.C. and 100 A.D., and contains the History and the Doctrines +of the Kingdom of God. + +OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. The Bible consists of two parts: The Old +Testament and the New Testament, The Old Testament reaches from Creation +to about 400 B.C., and shows how God prepared the world for Christ's +kingdom. The New Testament reaches from the birth of Christ to the end +of the world, and shows how Christ came and established His kingdom. + +LAW AND GOSPEL. The Bible contains Law, [Micah 6:8+] telling us what we +must do, and Gospel, [John 3:16+] telling us how we are to be saved. The +Old Testament contains principally Law, and the New Testament contains +principally Gospel. But there are Law and Gospel in both. The Gospel in +the Old Testament is prophetical. The Old Testament prepared the way for +the New; the New Testament is the fulfilment of the Old. With the New +Testament, God's revelation to men was completed; [Heb. 1:1, 2+, Heb. +2:1-3] no further revelation will be given. + + +THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. + +_Historical._ + +Genesis, +Exodus, +Leviticus, +Numbers, +Deuteronomy, +Joshua, +Judges, +Ruth, +I Samuel, +II Samuel, +I Kings, +II Kings, +I Chronicles, +II Chronicles, +Ezra, +Nehemiah, +Esther. + +_Poetical._ + +Job, +Psalms, +Proverbs, +Ecclesiastes, +Song of Solomon. + +_Prophetical._ + +Isaiah, +Jeremiah, +Lamentations, +Ezekiel, +Daniel, +Hosea, +Joel, +Amos, +Obadiah, +Jonah, +Micah, +Nahum, +Habakkuk, +Zephaniah, +Haggai, +Zechariah, +Malachi. + +The _historical_ books of the Old Testament give an account of the +creation of the world and of man, of the entrance of sin and death, of +God's covenant with Israel to save them, and of the history of Israel as +God's chosen people. The _poetical_ books give the teachings of the Old +Testament covenant in prayers, proverbs and hymns. The _prophetical_ +books contain many instructions, admonitions and prophecies (especially +concerning Christ who should come to save men) which God sent to the +Israelites through the prophets. The first four prophets are called the +Major Prophets; and the last twelve, the Minor Prophets. + +THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. + +_Historical._ + +Matthew, +Mark, +Luke, +John, +Acts. + +_Didactical._ + +Romans, +I Corinthians, +II Corinthians, +Galatians, +Ephesians, +Philippians, +Colossians, +I Thessalonians, +II Thessalonians, +I Timothy, +II Timothy, +Titus, +Philemon, +Hebrews, +James, +I Peter, +II Peter, +I John, +II John, +III John, +Jude + +_Prophetical._ + +Revelation. + +The _historical_ books of the New Testament give an account of the life +of our Lord Jesus Christ and of some of His apostles. The _didactical_ +books (the epistles or letters) explain the Gospel of Christ more fully, +and show how we are to believe in Him aright and live aright. The +_prophetical_ book tells in figurative language what shall take place in +the Church of Christ up to the time when there shall be new heavens and +a new earth. + +CANONICAL BOOKS. The sixty-six books enumerated above are inspired, and +are called the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testaments. The +so-called Apocryphal Books, printed in some editions of the Bible, are +not a part of the Bible: they are not inspired. + +OUR ENGLISH BIBLE. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, +and the New Testament in Greek. Our English Bible is a translation from +the Hebrew and the Greek. The English Bible which is in ordinary use is +called the Authorized Version, or King James' Version. It is a +translation made by a body of learned men and published in England in +1611, during the reign of James I. The Revised Version is an improved +translation made by a body of learned men in England and America and +published in 1881-1885. The Bible in whole or in part has been +translated into more than three hundred languages. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What is the Bible? 2. What does it tell us? 3. Why do we +need it? 4. Why do we say that the Bible is the Word of God? 5. What is +its object? 6. What does it contain? 7. Of what two parts does the Bible +consist, and how far do they reach? 8. What do we mean by Law and +Gospel, and where are they found? 9. What is the relation between the +Old and New Testaments? 10. Name the books of the Old Testament. 11. +What do the historical, poetical and prophetical books of the Old +Testament contain. 12. Name the books of the New Testament. 13. What do +the historical, didactical and prophetical books of the New Testament +contain? 14. How many canonical books of the Bible are there? 15. In +what languages was the Bible originally written? 16. Tell what you know +about the English Bible? 17. Into how many languages has the Bible in +whole or in part been translated? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--II Tim. 3:16, 17. All Scripture is given by +inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for +correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be +perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. + +Matt. 6:33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and +all these things shall be added unto you. + +Acts 16:30, 31. What must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on +the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. + +John 5:39. Search the Scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal +life: and they are they which testify of me. + +Ps. 19:1. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament +showeth his handiwork. + +II Pet. 1:21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: +but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. + +II Tim. 3:15. From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which +are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in +Christ Jesus. + +Prov. 9:10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. + +Ps. 119:105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. + +Micah 6:8. He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the +Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk +humbly with thy God. + +John 3:16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, +that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting +life. + +Heb. 1:1, 2. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in +time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days +spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by +whom also he made the worlds. + +READING.--The Child Jesus in the Temple, Luke 2:41-52; or Mary sitting +at Jesus' Feet, Luke 10:38-42. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Study of the Scriptures:_ Jesus and the Apostles at +home in them, Matt. 4:4-10, Acts 2: 14 _seq._ Timothy, II Tim. 3:15. The +Bereans, Acts 17:10-12. _Variously received:_ The Parable of the Sower, +Luke 8:5-15. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE CATECHISM. + + +The object of catechetical instruction is to fit us for communicant +membership in the Church. Those who were baptized in infancy are members +of the Church; but they are not admitted to the Lord's Supper, and hence +do not become communicant members, until they have been instructed and +confirmed. + +Luther's Small Catechism is our text-book for catechetical instruction. +It is not only the best book for this purpose, but is one of the +Confessions of our Church, and should become our personal confession of +faith, it is called Luther's _Small_ Catechism, because Luther wrote a +larger one also. + +THE AUTHOR of our catechism was Dr. Martin Luther (b. 1483, d. 1546), +the great Reformer, through whom God effected the Reformation of the +Church, in the sixteenth century. He began the Reformation with his +Ninety-five Theses against the sale of indulgences, contended against +the many errors and abuses that had crept into the Church, and preached +and taught the pure truth of the Gospel, until his death. (Ninety-five +Theses, 1517; Translation of the Bible into German, 1522-34; Larger and +Smaller Catechisms, 1529; Augsburg Confession adopted 1530.) + +THE CATECHISM Contains the principal teachings of the Bible,--those +things which we need to know in order to be saved and to lead a right +Christian life. [Acts 16:30, Matt. 6:33] It is not meant to displace the +Bible, but to fit us to read and study the Bible with greater profit. +[John 5:39] + +THE FIVE PRINCIPAL PARTS of the catechism are 1. The Ten Commandments. +2. The Creed. 3. The Lord's Prayer. 4. The Sacrament of Holy Baptism. 5. +The Sacrament of the Altar[1]. To these are added Questions on +Confession, Morning and Evening Prayers, Thanksgiving before and after +Meat, and A Table of Duties. + +[Footnote 1: Luther says that three things are necessary for every one +who would be saved. Like a sick person, 1. He must know what his +sickness is. 2. He must know where the medicine is which will cure him. +3. He must desire and seek the medicine, and have it brought to him. Our +sickness (sin) is revealed to us by the Ten Commandments. The medicine +(God's grace) is made known to us in the Creed. We seek and ask for it +in the Lord's Prayer. It is brought to us in the Sacraments.] + +QUESTIONS.--1. What is the object of catechetical instruction? 2. What +is to be said about the relation of baptized children to the Church? 3. +What is Luther's Small Catechism, and what should it become for us? 4. +Who was the author of our Catechism? 5. What does our Catechism contain? +6. Name the five principal parts of the catechism, and the additions to +them. + +SCRIPTURE READING.--Paul confesses his Faith, Acts 26. + + + + +PART I. + +THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE LAW. + + +The Ten Commandments are called the _Moral Law_, or more briefly the +Law, and sometimes the Decalogue or the Ten Words. They make known to us +God's will, which is the law for all His creatures. Each commandment has +a _negative_ side, and _forbids_ something; each has also a _positive_ +side, and _commands_ or enjoins something. + +The Giving Of The Law. The Law of God was originally written in man's +heart at creation. [Rom. 2:15] We call that law in the heart, +Conscience. After the fall into sin, the conscience became darkened, and +men did not always know right from wrong, and fell into gross idolatry. +[Rom. 1:21-23] God, therefore, through Moses at Mount Sinai, gave men +His law anew, [Exod. 20:1] written on two Tables of stone. [Exod. 31:18] +He also gave the Israelites national and ceremonial laws. These, being +meant for a particular people and a certain era of the world, are no +longer binding upon us. But the Moral Law has been expressly confirmed +by our Lord Jesus Christ as valid for all time and binding upon all men. +[Matt. 22:37-40+] + +The substance of the law is, "Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all +thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind." and "Thou shalt +love thy neighbor as thyself." + +The purpose of the law is, 1. To put a check upon wicked men, [I Tim. +1:9] 2. To convince us of our sinfulness [Rom. 3:20+] and our need of +the Saviour, [Gal. 3:24+] and 3. To be our rule and guide for Christian +conduct. [John. 14:15+, Matt. 7:12+] It is especially with respect to +the second purpose here mentioned, that the Ten Commandments were +assigned by Luther to the first and not to a later place in his +catechism. + +The Two Tables. The Ten Commandments may be divided into two parts, +called the Two Tables of the Law. [Exod. 31:18] The First Table includes +the first three commandments, and teaches us our Duty to God. The Second +Table Includes the last seven commandments, and teaches us our Duty to +our Fellow-men.[2] + +[Footnote 2: The Ten Commandments are not numbered in the Bible. A +two-fold numbering is found among Christians. The first is that which is +given in our Catechism, and which is accepted by the majority of +Christians, The other numbering makes two commandments of our first (the +second being the command not to make any images), and joins our ninth +and tenth into one. This makes a difference in the numbering of all the +commandments except the first.] + + * * * * * + +Questions.--1. What other names are given to the Tea Commandments? 2. +What do they make known to us? 3. What two sides are there to each +commandment? 4. Where was the law of God originally written? 5. Why and +when was the Law given anew? 6. Why is the Moral Law binding upon us, +while the national and ceremonial laws of Israel are not? 7. What is the +substance of the Law? 8. What is the threefold purpose of the Law? 9. +Into how many Tables is the Law divided, and what does each Table teach? +10. How many commandments does each Table include? + + * * * * * + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 22:37-40. Jesus said unto him, Thou shall love +the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all +thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is +like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two +commandments hang all the law and the prophets. + +Rom. 3:20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be +justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. + +Gal. 3:24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto +Christ, that we might be justified by faith. + +John 14:15. If ye love me, keep my commandments. + +Matt. 7:12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do +to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. + +Reading.--The Giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, Exod. 19 and 20. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE LAWGIVER. + + +I am the Lord thy God. + +These introductory words show who is the Lawgiver. [Jas. 4:12] As +earthly kings place their names at the beginning of their decrees to +give them authority, so God places His name at the beginning of the +commandments in order to make known who gives them, and whose +displeasure we shall incur if we disobey them. These introductory words +belong not only to the first but to all the commandments. + +I AM. By these words God reminds us that He is a Person. He speaks to +us. He is not an impersonal God who pervades and is a part of nature. He +is above nature and has created it. [Gen 1:1] + +THE LORD. The word here translated "Lord" means in the original Hebrew +"I AM THAT I AM." [Exod 8:14+] God thereby declares that He is the One +and Only Self-existent, [Isa 44:6+] Eternal, [Ps 90:1, 2+] and +Unchangeable Being. [Mal 3:6+] He is the true and living God in +contradistinction from all so-called gods. [Jer 10:10] The name Jehovah +or "LORD" is used in the Old Testament Scriptures to designate God as +the covenant God of Israel. It signified that He stood in a specially +near relation to them as His chosen people. The name has the same +comforting meaning for Christians; for they are the New Testament people +of God. [Tit 2:14+, I Pet 2-9] + +THY GOD. These words express God's good-will toward us. He is _our God_ +who loves [Jer 31:3+] us and cares for us. [I Pet 5:7] He said to +Israel, "I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of +Egypt, out of the house of bondage." He has delivered _us_ from the +still greater bondage of sin, death, and the devil through His Son Jesus +Christ, [Col 1:13+] and has a right to expect our gratitude and love. + +THE LORD THY GOD. He who gives us these commandments is a Spirit [John +4:24+] of infinite majesty and goodness. He is: + +1. _Eternal_; He always was and always will be. [Ps 90:2] + +2. _Unchangeable_; He always was and always will be the same. [Mal 3:6] + +3. _Omnipresent_; He is present everywhere at the same time and all the +time. [Ps 139:7-11] + +4. _Omniscient_; He knows all the past, present, and future, and is +acquainted with every thought, desire, and purpose of our hearts. [Ps +139:2] + +5. _Omnipotent_, or Almighty; He is able to do all things which He wills +to do. [Luke 1:37] + +6. _Holy_; He is perfectly pure, and separate from all that is evil. +[Isa. 6:3] + +7. _Just_; He will bless those who keep His law, and punish those who +break it. [Rom. 2:6] + +8. _All-wise_; He always knows what is the best thing to do, and the +best way to do it. [Col. 2:3] + +9. _Good_; He is Love itself. [I John 4:8] He is kind even to the +unthankful, [Matt. 5:45] merciful to the penitent soul for Jesus' sake, +[John 3:16] and longsuffering toward the impenitent in order to lead +them to repentance by His goodness. [II Pet. 3:9, Rom. 2:4] + +10. _Faithful and True_; He can be absolutely relied upon to do all that +He has promised or threatened. [Numb. 23:19] + +Because of the Majesty and Goodness of the Lord our God, we should FEAR +and LOVE HIM, and KEEP His commandments. + +QUESTIONS--1. What do the introductory words show? 2. Of what do the +words "I am" remind us? 3. What is the meaning of the Hebrew word +translated "Lord"? 4. What do the words "thy God" express? 5. From what +bondage has God delivered us? 6. Name and define God's attributes? 7. +Why should we fear and love God? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Exod. 3:14. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM. + +Isa. 44:6. Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the +LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is +no God. + +Ps. 90:1, 2. LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. +Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the +earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. + +Mal. 3:6. For I am the LORD. I change not. + +Tit. 2:14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all +iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good +works. + +Jer. 31:3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with +lovingkindness have I drawn thee. + +Col. 1:13, 14. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and +hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have +redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. + +John 4:24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him +in spirit and in truth. + +READING.--Ps. 14: Ps. 121. + + + + +THE FIRST TABLE OF THE LAW. + +OUR DUTY TO GOD. + +"_Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy +mind, and with all thy soul_." [Matt. 22:37] + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE FIRST COMMANDMENT + +GOD. + + +Thou shalt have no other gods before me. + +_What is meant by this commandment?_ + +We should fear, love and trust in God above all things. + + * * * * * + +THE GREAT COMMANDMENT. This is the great commandment of the Law, because +it includes all the rest. [Matt. 22:37,38] Obedience to all the +commandments must proceed from the love of God which the first +commandment requires. [Rom. 13:9,10] Hence the explanation of the other +nine begins with the words, "We should so fear and love God." + +This Commandment _forbids_ us to worship false gods, and _commands_ us +to worship the true God by fearing, loving and trusting in Him above all +things. + +I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN. + +1. ALL IDOLATRY. "Thou shalt have no other gods." Idolatry is committed +by all who put anything in God's place, the highest place in the heart. +"Whatever we set our heart upon is our god." + +_Open Idolatry_ [Exod. 32:1-9, Ps. 135:15-17, Isa. 42:8, Rom. 1:22-23] +is committed by those who worship imaginary beings, the sun, moon, or +stars, animals, dead ancestors, idols made with hands, images,[3] +pictures, the Virgin Mary, saints, angels, the devil, or any other +creature. + +[Footnote 3: When God gave the commandments to Israel, He forbade them +to make any graven images or likenesses. God being a Spirit, the making +of an image of God would at that period necessarily have resulted in +idolatry. But since Christ has come in the flesh and was visible among +men, we are permitted to make pictures and images of Him. Luther +preached very forcibly against those persons who, during his absence +from Wittenberg, destroyed the pictures and images in the churches. He +said that we make a picture of Christ in our heart whenever we think of +Him, and put pictures of Him in the Bible and other books; and that +therefore it is not wrong to place pictures or images of Him in our +churches, so long as we do not worship them.] + +_Secret Idolatry_ is committed by all who put (a) Self, [Prov. 3:6, 6.+, +Jer. 9:23, 24] (b) Fellow-men [Acts 5:29+, Matt. 10:28+, Matt. 10:37+, +Ps. 146:3-5] or (c) Objects of this world [I John 2:15-17+] (money, +fame, business, pleasure, etc.) above God, by fearing, loving, or +trusting in them more than in God. + +2. Godlessness. [Sam. 2:30, Ps. 10:4] Neglect to worship the true God, +unbelief, scepticism, superstition, Infidelity, and atheism are a +transgression of this commandment. + +3. Double service. [Matt. 6:24+] God forbids us to have other gods +before or besides Him, He demands our whole heart. + +II. WHAT IS COMMANDED. + +We should give God the highest place in our hearts, and "fear, love and +trust in. Him above all things." [Matt. 4:10+] + +1. WE SHOULD FEAR GOD ABOVE ALL THINGS. We should be more afraid of His +anger than of anything else in the whole world. [Gen. 39:9+, Ps. 33:8, +9.] Rather than disobey Him, we should be willing to suffer ridicule, +persecution, loss of money, property, position, or friends, and even +death itself. [Matt. 10:28+, Acts 5:29] + +_Why_. We should fear God above all things, 1. Because He is omniscient, +and we cannot hide anything from Him, not even our thoughts. [Ps. 139:1, +2+] 2. Because He is holy, and hates everything that is evil. [Lev. +19:2] 3. Because He is just, and will punish every sin. [Ps. 5:4] + +_How_. As Christians, our fear of God should be a child-like and not a +slavish fear. Child-like fear is fear mingled with love. We should +refrain from evil not simply from fear of punishment, but from fear of +offending the God whom we love. [Rom. 8:15+] "Slavish fear Is afraid God +will come; child-like fear is afraid He will go away." + +2. WE SHOULD LOVE GOD ABOVE ALL THINGS, "with all our heart, and with +all our mind and with all our soul." [Matt. 22:37] Our first aim and our +highest delight should always be to do God's will. [I John 5:3+] We +should be far more anxious to please Him than to please ourselves or any +of our fellow-men. We should love Him far more than we love any one else +[Matt. 10:37+] (parents, brothers, sisters, friends, etc.), or any +earthly objects [I John 2:15+] (money, pleasure, business and the like). + +_Why_. We should love God above all things 1. Because He is most worthy +of our love. [Ps. 73:25, 26+] 2. Because He first loved us, [I John +4:19+, I John 4:9+] and gave His Son to die for us. 3. Because our +highest happiness is found in loving Him. + +_How we should show our Love_. We should show that we love God above all +things 1. By leading a godly life. [II John 6] 2. By loving the things +of God, especially the Church and the Gospel. [John 8:47] 3. By loving +our fellow-men for His sake. [I John 4:20+] + +3. WE SHOULD TRUST IN GOD ABOVE ALL THINGS. We should rely with all our +heart upon His love and care, [Prov. 3:5+] placing our chief dependence +on Him, and not on our own wisdom, skill, or strength, or upon men, +money etc. + +_Why_. We should trust in God with all our heart because 1. He loves us. +[Rom. 8:32] 2. He knows all our wants. [Matt. 6:32] 3. He knows what is +best for us. 4. He is able to do all things. 5. He has promised to care +for us. [Heb. 13:5, Isa. 54:10, Isa. 41:10] + +_How we should show our Trust_. If we trust in God above all things we +will show that trust, 1. By freedom from unbelieving care and worry. +[Matt. 6:25, I Pet. 5:7+] 2. By reliance upon God's help and protection +at all times. [Ps. 33:18, 19] 3. By committing the entire ordering of +our lives to Him. [Ps. 37:5+] + +We have all broken this first commandment; for we have not always and +everywhere feared, loved and trusted in God above all things. + +QUESTIONS--1. Why is this the Great Commandment? 2. Why does the +explanation of all the other commandments begin with the words, "We +should so fear and love God"? 3. What does this first commandment +forbid? 4. What does it command? 5. What two kinds of Idolatry are +there? 6. Mention some forms of open idolatry. 7. Mention some forms of +secret idolatry. 8. What does it mean to fear God above all things? 9. +Why should we fear him? 10. How should we fear Him? l1. What does it +mean to love God above all things? 12. Why should we love God above all +things? 13. How should we show our love to God? 14. What does it mean to +trust in God above all things? 15. Why should we trust in God above all +things? 16. How should we show our trust in God? 17. Have we kept this +commandment? + + * * * * * + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Prov. 3:5, 6. Trust In the Lord with all thine heart, +and lean not unto thine own understanding. + +Acts 5:29. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought +to obey God rather than men. + +Matt. 10:28, And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to +kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul +and body in hell. + +Matt. 10:37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy +of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of +me. + +1 John 2:15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the +world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. + +Matt. 6:24. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the +one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise +the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. + +Matt. 4:10. Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou +serve. + +Gen. 38:9. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? + +Ps. 139:1, 2. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest +my downsitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off. + +Rom. 8:15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; +but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, +Father. + +I John 5:3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: +and his commandments are not grievous. + +Ps. 73:25, 28. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon +earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God +is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. + +I John 4:19. We love him, because he first loved us. + +I John 4:9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because +that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live +through him. + +I John 4:20. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a +liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he +love God whom he hath not seen? + +I Pet. 5:7. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. + +Ps. 37:5. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him; and he shall +bring it to pass. + +READING.--The Golden Calf, Exod. 32; or, The Golden Image, Dan. 3. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Secret_ Idolatry: Goliath, I Sam. 17:41 _seq_; +Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4:25 _seq_.; Herod, Acts 12:21-23; The Rich Young +Ruler, Matt. 19:16-22; The Rich Fool, Luke 12:15-21. _Slavish Fear_: +Adam, Gen. 3:10-11. _Child-like Fear_: Joseph, Gen. 39:9. _Love to God_: +Abraham, Gen. 22:1-14; Peter and John, Acts 4:19, 20; Jesus, John 4:34. +_Trust in God_: David Fighting Goliath, I Sam. 17. Daniel in the Lion's +Den, Dan. 6. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. + +GOD'S NAME. + + +Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord +will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +We should so fear and love God as not to curse, swear, conjure, lie or +deceive by His name, but call upon Him in every time of need, and +worship Him with prayer, praise and thanksgiving. + + * * * * * + +THE NAME OF GOD. [Ps. 111:9, Mal. 2:2, Rev. 15:4] A name is that by +which we know a person. God's name means all by which He is known to us; +hence not only the words God, Lord, Jehovah, Jesus Christ, the Almighty, +the Eternal, the Omniscient One, etc., but the Word of God and the +Sacraments, and all holy things. + +This Commandment _forbids_ the wrong use, and _commands_ the right use +of God's holy name. + +I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN. + +TAKING GOD'S NAME IN VAIN: + +1. _Thoughtlessly_. God's name is taken in vain thoughtlessly by using +it as an exclamation in our conversation, by reading or hearing God's +Word without devotion, jesting about sacred things, quoting Scripture in +fun, and the like. Thoughtlessness is no excuse. We must give an account +to God for every idle word; [Matt. 12:36+] how much more for every vain +use of His name. + +2. _Intentionally._ This is done by those who + +CURSE; [Jas. 3:9, 10, Matt. 5:44, Rom. 12:14+] that is, by those who +call on God to do evil to themselves or to others. Disguised forms of +cursing are sinful also. + +SWEAR. We are forbidden to confirm what we say by the use of God's name, +either + +_Needlessly_ [Matt. 5:34-37+] in our ordinary conversation, or + +_Falsely_ [Lev. 19:12+] before a magistrate. + +There is a Legal Oath: [Deut. 6:13, Heb. 5:16] 1. Of Witness. 2. Of +Innocence. 3. Of Allegiance, 4. Of Office. The oath taken by our Lord +before the high-priest shows that the oath before a magistrate is not +forbidden. [Matt. 26:63, 64] When taking a legal oath, we must be +careful to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. +False swearing or perjury is a great sin. It is punished by the State, +and will be punished by God. [Ezek. 17:19] + +Swearing by anything besides God's name is forbidden also. [Matt. +5:34-37+] + +CONJURE. [Deut. 18:10-12+] This commandment forbids all magic arts, +witchcraft, sorcery, pow-wowing, fortune-telling, and all attempts by +signs or formulas to discover what God has kept hidden or to attain what +He has withheld. If results are obtained by such means, _e.g._, by +pow-wowing, that is no justification for their use. [Matt. 16:26] If we +desire to obtain help through the use of God's name, we must pray and +not conjure. + +LIE. The eighth commandment forbids lying in general; this commandment +forbids lying by God's name. It is broken by those who teach falsehood +and error and yet declare that they are teaching God's Word. [Gal. 1:8] + +DECEIVE BY HIS NAME. This is done by those who assume Christ's name by +calling themselves Christians, and yet are hypocrites, and use religion +as a cloak. [II Tim. 3:5+, Matt. 15:8] + +Sins against this Second Commandment are common, but not small sins. God +will not hold him guiltless who commits them. + +II. WHAT IS COMMANDED. + +We should + +CALL UPON HIM. God has given us His name so that we might call upon Him +for His help and grace. [Ps. 145:18+] + +IN EVERY TIME OF NEED. We should call upon God in every time of trouble, +danger or distress. [Ps. 50:15+] But if we call upon God only in times +of special need, and do not call upon His name at other times also, we +are not keeping this commandment. + +AND WORSHIP HIM [Col. 3:16] in our hearts, in our homes and in church, + +WITH PRAYER [Matt. 7:7+] for ourselves and for others, [I Tim. 2:1, 2] + +PRAISE [Ps. 145:1] for His majesty and glory and wonderful works, + +AND THANKSGIVING for temporal and spiritual blessings. [Ps. 106:1+] + +QUESTIONS.--1. What is meant by God's name? 2. What does this second +commandment forbid and command? 3. How is God's name taken in vain +thoughtlessly? 4. How is God's name taken in vain intentionally? 5. +Define cursing? 6. Define swearing? 7. What kind of swearing is +forbidden? 8. What kind of swearing is permitted? 9. When taking a legal +oath, what must we be careful to do? 10. Define conjuring, lying, and +deceiving by God's name? 11. What is the right use of God's name? 12. +Why should we call upon God? 13. When should we call upon Him? 14. Where +shall we worship Him? 15. How shall we worship Him? + + * * * * * + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 12:36. But I say unto you, That every idle word +that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of +judgment. + +Rom. 12:14. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. + +Matt. 5:34-37. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; +for it is God's throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: +neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither +shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white +or black. But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for +whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. + +Lev. 19:12. Ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou +profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. + +Deut. 18:10-12. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh +his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth +divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a +charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a +necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the +LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them +out from before thee. + +II Tim. 3:5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: +from such turn away. + +Matt. 15:8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and +honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me. + +Ps. 143:18. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all +that call upon him in truth. + +Ps. 50:15. Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and +then shalt glorify me. + +Matt. 7:7. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; +knock, and it shall be opened unto you. + +Ps. 106:1. Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is +good: for his mercy endureth forever. + +READING.--Balaam, Numb. 22; Herod's Oath, Matt. 14:1-12; Saul and the +Witch at Endor, I Sam. 28. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Cursing_: Job 3:1-7. Shimei, II Sam. 16:5-14. +_Swearing_: Herod; Peter, Matt. 26:89-75. _Conjuring_: Saul at Endor; +Bar-jesus, Acts 13:1-12. _Lying and Deceiving_: The Pharisees, Matt. +23:13-38. _Calling on God's Name_: Jesus, Matt. 26:39-44; John 17: +Jacob, Gen. 32:9-12; The First Christians, Acts 2:42. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE THIRD COMMANDMENT. + +GOD'S DAY. + + +Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +We should so fear and love God as not to despise His Word and the +preaching of the Gospel, but deem it holy and willingly hear and learn +it. + + * * * * * + +THE LORD'S DAY. Under the Old Testament the Israelites, by God's +command, observed the seventh day of the week, Saturday, as the Sabbath +or day of rest, because God rested from the work of Creation on the +seventh day. [Gen. 2:2-3] For the Christians all days are holy. [Rom. +14:5, 6, Col. 2:16, Acts 2:46] But from the earliest times the Christian +Church set apart Sunday as a special day of worship, [Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. +16:2] because it is the day on which Christ rose from the dead. The +Sabbath of the Old Testament commemorated the completion of _Creation_; +the Lord's Day of the New Testament commemorates the completion of +_Redemption_. + +A HOLY DAY. The Lord's Day is to be kept _holy_ by devoting it to holy +things. It is to be a day of rest in order that it may be a day of +worship. Any unnecessary work or any recreation which hinders us from +hearing and profiting by God's Word is sinful. + +I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN. + +We are not + +TO DESPISE GOD'S WORD AND THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL, [Luke 10:16+] by + +1. Making light of God's Word, or regarding and treating it as the word +of man. + +2. Neglecting to go to church, and pleading poor excuses for absence. +[Heb. 10:25+] + +3. Inattention and lack of devotion in church. [Eccl. 5:1+] + +4. Filling the mind with worldly things on Sunday (business, pleasure, +Sunday-newspapers, etc.), so that God's Word cannot be rightly received +into the heart. [Luke 8:5,12] + +5. Making Sunday a holiday, lounging-day, or pleasure-day. + +6. Making it a working-day, and thus preventing attendance at church. + +II. WHAT IS COMMANDED. + +We are + +TO DEEM GOD'S WORD HOLY, AND WILLINGLY HEAR AND LEARN IT, by + +1. Regarding it as God's voice speaking to us. [I Thess. 2:13+] + +2. Going to church gladly and regularly. [Ps. 122:1, 2+] + +3. Listening attentively and devoutly to God's Word, and joining +heartily in the service. [Luke 11:28+, Col. 3:16, Jas. 1:21,22+, Rom. +10:17] + +4. Attending Sunday-school and learning our lessons. + +5. Teaching in Sunday-school when we have become old enough and our +services are needed. + +6. Reading the Bible and good books. + +7. Doing whatever promotes the worship and honoring of God by ourselves +or by others. [Jas. 1:27+] + +A DAY OF REST. Sunday is meant for the good of the soul. But a rest on +one day out of seven is necessary also for the welfare of the body. +Sunday is a blessed privilege for body, mind, and soul. Sometimes, +however, both the rest for body and mind and the attendance at church +must be sacrificed in order to perform works of mercy as a duty to our +fellow-men. + +THE CHURCH-YEAR. The Church has also arranged a Church-year for the +commemoration of the principal events in the Savior's life. The order of +the Church-year is as follows: Four Sundays in Advent, Christmas, New +Year, Epiphany (January 6), from two to six Sundays after Epiphany +(according as Easter comes early or late); three Sundays called +Septuagesima, Sexagesima, Quinquagesima; Ash Wednesday (the first day in +Lent), six Sundays in Lent (the sixth being Palm Sunday), Holy Week +(including Good Friday), Easter, five Sundays after Easter, Ascension +Day, Sunday after Ascension, Pentecost or Whitsunday, Trinity Sunday; +and from twenty-three to twenty-seven Sundays after Trinity. The +Lutheran Church observes also the festival of the Reformation on the +31st day of October. Each Sunday and Festival Day has its own Gospel and +Epistle lesson, as well as its own Introit and Collect. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What is the difference between Sabbath and Sunday? 2. Why +is Sunday to be a day of rest? 3. What does this commandment forbid? 4. +In what way is this commandment broken? 5, What does this commandment +command? 6. How is this commandment to be kept? 7. Why is Sunday a +blessed privilege? 8. When must our Sunday's rest and our attendance at +church be sacrificed? 9. What is the object of the Church-year? 10. Give +the order of the Church-year. + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Luke 10:16. He that heareth you heareth me; and he +that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him +that sent me. + +Heb. 10:25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the +manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as +ye see the day approaching. + +Eccl. 5:1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be +more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they +consider not that they do evil. + +I Thess. 2:13. When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye +received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of +God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. + +Ps. 122:1, 2. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the +house of the LORD. + +Luke 11:28. But he said, Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the +word of God, and keep it. + +Jas. 1:21, 22. Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able +to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, +deceiving your own selves. + +Jas. 1:27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is +this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to +keep himself unspotted from the world. + +READING.--Jesus in Nazareth on the Sabbath, Luke 4:16-30. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--The Child Jesus in the Temple, Luke 2:42-52. Simeon and +Anna, Luke 2:27 _seq_. Mary, Luke 10:39. The Ethiopian Eunuch, Acts 8:27 +_seq_. Lydia, Acts 16:14. + + + + +THE SECOND TABLE OF THE LAW. + +OUR DUTY TO OUR FELLOW-MEN. + + +"_Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself._" [Matt. 22:39] + +OUR NEIGHBOR means every one. We are to love all men as we love +ourselves; [Matt. 7:12] not only our relatives, friends, and +acquaintances, but strangers, enemies, and people of all nations and +climes. We must be ready to do good to all who are in need of our help +and kindness. Compare the Parable of the Good Samaritan. [Luke 10:30-37] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. + +OUR PARENTS AND SUPERIORS. + + +Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land +which the Lord thy God giveth thee. + +EXPLANATION. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +We should so fear and love God as not to despise nor displease our +parents and superiors, but honor, serve, obey, love and esteem them. + + * * * * * + +PARENTS are God's representatives in the family for the maintenance of +law and order in it. They are charged by God with the care and training +of their children, and are clothed by Him with authority over them. +Their will is law for their children, so long as it does not conflict +with the law of God. + +SUPERIORS are those who are placed over us in a position of authority in +the Family, Church, School, or State; e. g., guardians, step-parents, +grand-parents, pastors, teachers, rulers, etc. They also are God's +representatives to maintain order, and are to be honored and obeyed as +such. In every case of a conflict of authority, we must "obey God rather +than men." [Acts 5:29] + +This commandment _forbids_ us to despise or displease our parents and +superiors, and _commands_ us to honor, serve, obey, love, and esteem +them. + +OUR DUTY TO OUR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, GUARDIANS, ETC. + +I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN. + +We must not + +DESPISE them, mock at them, [Prov. 39:17+] make light of them, think +ourselves wiser or above their authority, nor speak disrespectfully of +them or to them. [Deut 27:16+] + +We must not + +DISPLEASE them by lack of affection, grumbling, disobedience, +stubbornness, rebelliousness, or wickedness. [Exod. 21:15+] + +II. WHAT IS COMMANDED. + +We should + +HONOR them as those who are placed over us by God's appointment, look up +to them, and always treat them with proper respect [Lev. 19:3, Eph 6:2, +3+] and consideration. + +SERVE them, be helpful to them, lighten their burdens, and anticipate +their wishes. [I Tim. 5:4] + +OBEY them by cheerfully and promptly doing their will, even when it is +not to our liking. [Eph. 6:1, Col. 3:20+, Prov. 1:8] + +LOVE them, and show our love by a constant desire and effort to please +them. We should call to mind what they have done and still do for us, +that our love for them may grow deep and tender. [John 19:26, 27] + +ESTEEM them. We should regard and appreciate them as a precious gift of +God. Children who have lost father or mother have met with a great loss. + +IN LATER YEARS. We should honor, love and _obey_ our parents while we +are young; and we should still _love_ and _honor_ them when we are +older. We must not despise or be ashamed of them if we happen to rise to +a higher position in life than they. When they have grown old and +feeble, we should care tenderly for them; and after they are dead, we +should treasure their memory. + +OUR DUTY TO OUR SUPERIORS. [Rom. 13:7+] + +The Pastor is to be honored for the sake of the office which he holds. +He is the ambassador of Christ; [II Cor. 5:20] and when he preaches the +Gospel, or speaks words of admonition and counsel in private, the +Saviour speaks through him. Those who hear him hear Christ; those who +despise him despise Christ. [Luke 10:16] We should heed his admonitions, +[Heb. 13:17+, I Thess. 5:12, 13] and, as far as we are able, help and +encourage him in his work. + +Our Teachers in Sunday-school and in other schools are placed over us in +a position of authority, and must therefore be respected and honored. + +Rulers and the Government. The State is God's servant to regulate +temporal affairs and to maintain law and order in the land. Rulers and +officials of the government must be respected and honored. [Matt. +22:21+, Rom. 13:1-4+] Christians must be good citizens. They must always +obey the law, so long as it does not conflict with the law of God. [I +Pet. 2:13, Acts 5:29] They should be patriotic, pray for their country, +be ready to defend it, pay their taxes, and be concerned that it shall +be a Christian land. Every voter shares in the responsibility of +securing righteous government, and should cast his vote conscientiously. + +OLD PERSONS in general are to be treated with respect and honor. [Lev. +19:32+] + +A special blessing is promised to those who keep this commandment. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What does the Second Table of the Law teach? 2. What is +meant by "our neighbor"? 3. What is the position of parents in the +family? 4. What is meant by "superiors"? 5. To whom is our highest +obedience due? 6. What does this commandment forbid, and what does it +command? 7. In order to avoid despising or displeasing our parents, what +should we not do? 8. Why and how should we honor them? 9. How should we +serve them? 10. How should we obey them? 11. How should we show our love +to them? 12. What should we always remember concerning our parents? 13. +What is meant by esteeming them? 14. How should we regard and treat them +when we have grown older? 15. What is our duty to our pastor? 16. What +is our duty to our teachers? 17. Why should we honor our rulers? 18. +What are a Christian's duties to his country? 19. How must we treat old +persons in general? 20. What special blessing is promised to those who +keep this commandment? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Prov. 30:17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and +despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it +out, and the young eagles shall eat it. + +Deut. 27:16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his +mother: and all the people shall say, Amen. + +Exod. 21:15. And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be +surely put to death. + +Eph. 6:2, 3. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first +commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest +live long on the earth. + +Col. 3:20. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well +pleasing unto the Lord. + +Rom. 13:7. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute +is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. + +Heb. 13:17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit +yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give +account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is +unprofitable for you. + +Matt. 22:21. Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; +and unto God the things that are God's. + +Rom. 13:1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there +is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. + +Lev. 19:32. Thou shall rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face +of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD. + +READING.--Joseph and his Father, Gen. 47:1-12. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Despising and displeasing parents_: Jacob's sons, Gen. +37; Eli's sons, I Sam. 2:22-25; Absalom, II Sam. 25. _Honoring them_: +Jesus, Luke 2:51. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT. + +HUMAN LIFE. + + +Thou shall not kill. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +We should so fear and love God as not to do our neighbor any bodily harm +or injury, but rather assist and comfort him in danger and want. + + * * * * * + +Human life is sacred. It is man's most precious earthly possession; for +without it he cannot enjoy any other. This commandment is meant to guard +it. We dare not shorten another person's life, nor our own. God gives +life, and He alone has the right to take it away. + +This commandment _forbids_ us to kill or injure other persons or +ourselves. It _commands_ us to assist and comfort our neighbor in danger +and want. + +I. WHAT is FORBIDDEN. + +We must not + +1. KILL OR INJURE OTHER PERSONS. + +_Murder_. To destroy any human life, even if it be very young or yet +unborn, is a great crime. He who commits murder is to be punished with +death. [Gen. 9:6+] Among the motives which prompt to murder are anger, +hatred, [Gen. 4:1-8] envy, [Gen. 37] jealousy, revenge, [Matt. 14:3-11, +Rom. 12:19+] frivolity, avarice, robbery, and a desire to hide past sin. +[II Sam. 11] We must be on our guard against all that would ever tempt +us to this great crime. + +_Duels_. It is foolish as well as sinful to pretend to establish the +right or wrong of a question by a duel. + +_Unjust Wars_ are wholesale murder. Rulers must do all that they +honorably can to prevent war. Yet as a last resort to maintain the +right, war is justifiable. + +_Hatred_ is murder in the heart. "He that hateth his brother is a +murderer." [I John 3:15, Matt. 5:21, 22+, Eph. 4:31, 32+] + +_Tempting Others_ to useless risks in which they may perish or be +injured, or to drunkenness, dissipation, etc. which will shorten their +life, is a transgression of this commandment. + +_Causing Accidents_ by neglect, carelessness or bad workmanship, or + +_Shortening Other People's Lives_ [Gen. 37:31-35] by maltreatment, +overwork, worriment, etc. makes men guilty of sin against this +commandment. + +_Neglect to Warn_ others of impending danger _or neglect to assist_ them +in need may result in their injury or death. + +The law recognizes our right to defend our life when it is unjustly +assailed. But killing others in self-defense must he our last resort. +Many persons act hastily. The official who inflicts the death penalty on +condemned criminals is not guilty of wrong, but is doing his duty as an +officer of the State. [Rom 13:4] + +It is a sin to kill our neighbor's _soul_ by tempting him to sin, or +enticing him to wrong-doing by our evil example. + +We must not + +2.--KILL OR INJURE OURSELVES. + +Suicide is often prompted by despair, remorse, [Matt. 27:35] cowardice, +recklessness, or insanity. But it is sinful as well as foolish and +cowardly. He who commits it robs himself of the opportunity to repent, +and leaves others to bear the burdens from which he shrank. If we are +tempted to despair, we should not commit suicide, but seek comfort and +strength in God's Word. If we have fallen into disgrace by sin, we +should repent and lead a better life. + +_Duels_. We not only have no right to endanger another's life by a duel, +but we have no right to endanger our own. The duel, which was once a +common practice, has justly fallen under the condemnation of public +opinion. + +_A Life of Sin_. Impurity, drunkenness, gluttony, or dissipation will +shorten our life, and make us die before our allotted time. + +_Disregard of the Laws of Health_, overwork, needless exposure, +carelessness, violent anger, needless worry, are all forbidden by this +commandment. + +The voluntary sacrifice of our life for truth and right (martyrdom), or +in defense of our country, or in an effort to rescue and save others, is +not only justifiable but noble. [I John 3:16] + +II. WHAT IS COMMANDED. + +We should ASSIST AND COMFORT OUR NEIGHBOR. [Gal. 6:10+, Luke 10:30-35, +Matt. 5:7+, Matt. 5:44+, Rom. 12:20, Matt. 22:39, Matt. 7:12+, Prov. +24:17] + +1. IN DANGER. We should Warn him of danger. Defend and rescue him. Ward +off danger from him. Save him from worry and anxiety whenever we can. + +2. IN WANT. We should Aid the poor and destitute. Minister to the sick. +Comfort the afflicted and distressed. Give to organized charities: +orphanages, asylums, hospitals, rescue-work, etc. Give to missions in +order to save souls. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What is to be said about the sacredness of human life? 2. +What does this fifth commandment forbid? 3. What does it command? 4. +Whom are we forbidden to kill or injure? 5. Mention some ways in which +this commandment is broken with respect to others. 6. What is to be said +about the sin of murder and its punishment? 7. What are some of the +motives which prompt men to murder? 8. What is to be said about duels? +9. Is war right? 10. What does the Bible say about hatred? 11. What is +to be said about useless risks, accidents, maltreatment, etc.? 12. What +is to be said about neglecting to warn or assist others? 13. What is to +be said about the right of self-defense? 14. What is to be said about +the official who inflicts the death-penalty on criminals? 15. Mention +some ways in which this commandment is broken with respect to self. 16. +What motives prompt men to suicide, and how should we guard against such +a sin? 17. What is to be said about the folly and cowardice of the +suicide's act? 18. What is to be said of the voluntary sacrifice of our +life? 19. How are we to assist our neighbor in danger? 20. How are we to +assist and comfort him in want? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Gen. 9:6. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall +his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man. + +Rom. 12:19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place +unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith +the Lord. + +Matt. 5:21, 22. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou +shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the +judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother +without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall +say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; but +whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. + +Eph. 4:31, 32. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, +and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind +one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for +Christ's sake hath forgiven you. + +Gal. 6:10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all +men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. + +Matt, 5:7. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. + +Matt. 5:44, 45. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that +curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which +despitefully use you, and persecute you: that ye may be the children of +your Father which is in heaven. + +Matt. 7:12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do +to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. + +READING.--Cain kills Abel. Gen. 4:1-16. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Murder_: Cain; Joab, II Sam. 3:22, 29; Ahab and +Jezebel, I Kings 21:1-19; Herod, Matt. 2:16-18. _Hatred_: Joseph's +Brethren, Gen. 37. _Suicide_: Saul, I Sam. 31:5; Judas, Matt. 27:5. +_Assisting and Comforting_: The Good Samaritan, Luke, 10:25-37. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT. + +PURITY. MARRIAGE. + + +Thou shalt not commit adultery. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +We should so fear and love God as to be chaste and pure in our words and +deeds, each one also loving and honoring his wife or her husband. + + * * * * * + +This commandment is meant to preserve our personal purity, and to guard +the holy estate of marriage. It _forbids_ adultery and all impurity. It +_commands_ chastity and purity in thought, word, and deed. + +I. PURITY. + +We should be CHASTE AND PURE + +_In Heart._ We should keep our heart free from impure thoughts and +desires. [Matt. 5:8+, Prov. 4:23+, Ps. 51:10] God judges us by the state +of our heart. [I Sam. 16:7] Unchaste thoughts must not be delighted in +nor harbored, but subdued and stamped out. They poison the soul. They +are themselves a transgression of this commandment, [Matt. 5:28+] and +they lead to further transgressions of it by word and deed. + +IN WORDS. We must avoid immodest conversation, unchaste words, vile +stories, and shameless jests. [Eph. 5:3-4, Eph. 4:29+] Such things are +not smart, as many think, but vile and despicable. We should never take +part in nor listen to a conversation which we would be ashamed to have +overheard by persons whom we respect. + +IN DEEDS. We should carefully avoid every act which would bring the +blush of shame to our cheeks if it were known to our parents or others +whose opinion we cherish. Our bodies are to be God's temple, [I Cor. +6:19, 20+] and they dare not be given over to sin and impurity. [Rom. +6:13] We should remember that God sees even in secret, and knows all our +actions. [Ps. 139:1-12] + +_Impurity_ of heart and life will not go unpunished. [I Cor. 3:16, 17+, +Gal. 5:19-21+] It is often followed by the most dreadful consequences: a +ruined body, an enfeebled mind, a poisoned soul, a tortured conscience, +public shame, dreadful disease and an untimely death. + +_To Keep ourselves Pure_ we should watch and pray, [Matt. 26:41+] avoid +idleness, evil company, bad books and papers, indecent songs and +pictures, immoral plays, intemperance in eating and drinking, and all +that would incite to impurity. We should keep our minds occupied with +good thoughts and desires, so that we have no room for evil ones. [Rom. +13:14] + +II. MARRIAGE. + +Marriage is the union of one man and one woman for life in the bonds of +love and faithfulness. + +_A Holy Estate_. Marriage was instituted by God in Eden [Gen. 2:13] and +was sanctioned by Christ, who performed His first miracle at a wedding. +[John 2:1-11] It is a holy estate. Celibacy is not a holier estate than +marriage, as the Roman Catholic Church maintains. [I Tim. 4:1-3] + +_Indissoluble_. The marriage tie is binding until one of the married +persons dies. [Matt. 19:6+] Except by death, the marriage relation +cannot be broken or dissolved without sin against this sixth +commandment. [Matt. 5:32+, Matt 19:9] If one party to the marriage is +guilty of adultery, the innocent party may obtain a divorce. No other +divorces are allowed by Christ. + +_An Important Step_. Marriage is a most important step in life. It must +not be entered into hastily or thoughtlessly. If a mistake is made in +the choice of a partner for life, the mistake can never be remedied. +Those who contemplate such a step should pray for God's guidance. +Marriage should not be entered upon for money, social advantages, and +the like, but for love. Parents should be consulted. While marriage by a +civil magistrate is valid, Christians should seek God's blessing upon +their union and be married by His ordained servant. The laws of the +State must be carefully obeyed. Marriage between near relatives is +forbidden by God's Word. [Lev. 18] Those who are married should, if +possible, be of the same faith. Marriages between Protestants and Roman +Catholics are seldom happy. + +_Duty of Husband_ [Eph. 5:25+, Col. 3:19] _and Wife._ [Eph. 5:22+, Col. +3:18] EACH SHOULD LOVE AND HONOR HIS WIFE OR HER HUSBAND. The man is the +head of the family, but he must not be a tyrant. The wife is not his +slave, but his dearest companion. They are no longer two but one, with a +common love, a common life, a common property, common children, common +hopes and aspirations, and a common Saviour. [I Pet. 3:7, I Pet. 3:1] +They should be patient with one another's faults, just to one another's +virtues, and should unselfishly seek one another's happiness. They +should live together in mutual love and faithfulness till separated by +death. Only when husband and wife continue to love and honor one another +can they be happy. The breaking of the marriage covenant is followed by +shame and misery. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What is this commandment meant to preserve and guard? 2. +What does it forbid and command? 3. What is it to be said about purity +of heart? 4. What is to be said about purity in words? 5. What is to be +said about purity in deeds? 6. Mention some of the consequences which +often follow upon impurity. 7. How may we keep ourselves pure? 8. What +is marriage? 9. Why is marriage a holy estate? 10. How long is the +marriage tie binding? 11. When only and by whom dare a divorce be +obtained? 12. Why must marriage not be entered upon hastily or +thoughtlessly? 13. What care should be exercised by those who think of +being married? 14. What is the duty of husband and wife? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they +shall see God. + +Prov. 4:23. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the +issues of life. + +Matt. 5:28. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to +lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. + +Eph. 4:29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but +that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace +unto the hearers. + +I Cor. 6:19, 20. What I know ye not that your body is the temple of the +Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your +own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body +and in your spirit, which are God's. + +I Cor. 3:16, 17. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the +Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him +shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy; which temple ye are. + +Gal. 5:19-21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, +adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, +witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, +heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of +the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that +they which, do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. + +Matt. 26:41, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the +spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. + +Matt. 19: 6. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put +asunder. + +Matt. 5:32. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, +saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and +whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. + +Eph. 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the +church, and gave himself for it. + +Eph. 5:22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the +Lord. + +READING.--The Creation of Eve, Gen. 2:18-25; or, The Marriage at Cana, +John 2:1-11. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. + +PROPERTY. HONESTY. + + +Thou shalt not steal. + +_What is meant by this commandment?_ + +We should so fear and love God as not to rob our neighbor of his money +or property, nor bring it into our possession by unfair dealing or +fraudulent means, but rather assist him to improve and protect it. + + * * * * * + +The object of this commandment is to protect every man in the possession +of that which is lawfully his own. Without such protection the +individual could not support his life, and society could not exist. The +industrious and thrifty would be at the mercy of the lazy and wicked. +This commandment _forbids_ us to use dishonest means of acquiring +property. It _commands_ us to assist our neighbor to improve and protect +his own. + +PROPERTY consists of whatever each person lawfully acquires of the +earth's lands, forests, water, mines, houses, goods or money. It may be +rightfully acquired by original claim, inheritance, gift, or labor of +body or mind. Honest labor united with economy is the best way to +acquire it. + +UNEQUAL DIVISION. God, who is the absolute owner of all things, [I Cor. +10:26] divides to each as He will. [Jer. 27:5] He "maketh poor and +maketh rich." [I Sam. 2:7, Prov. 22:2+] Much poverty, however, is due to +men's own laziness, idleness, [II Thess. 3:10+] carelessness or +extravagance; and much wealth has been wrongfully gained contrary to +God's will as expressed in this commandment. _Communism_, or the equal +division of property among all men, is not practicable. It failed in the +apostolic Church. [Acts 5:1-10] If all things were equally divided, some +would soon clamor for another division. + +POVERTY AND RICHES. The happiest person is he who is neither rich nor +poor, but has sufficient for his needs. [Prov. 30:7-9+, Prov. 15:16-17+] +Poverty may tempt a man to dishonesty; and riches may lead him to +avarice, hardness of heart, worldliness and extravagance. [I Tim. 6:9, +10, I Tim. 6:17+] Riches make it hard for a man to enter into the +kingdom of God. [Matt. 19:24+, Matt. 13:22] We should respect men for +what they are, and not for what they have. We should not flatter the +rich nor despise the poor. [Jas. 2:1-4] + +USE OF PROPERTY. God entrusts earthly property to us as His stewards. +[Luke 19:12-27, Matt. 25:14-30, Luke 16:1-8] Whether we are rich or +poor, we should so use our property as to be able to give an account to +God. _For ourselves_ and those dependent on us [I Tim. 5:8+] we should +use it for the supply of our bodily needs (food, clothing, shelter, a +reasonable amount of pleasure) and of our spiritual needs [Luke 12:15+, +Matt. 6:33, I Cor. 9:14] (the Church and the Gospel). _For our +fellow-men_ we should, when necessary, use it according to our ability +for their bodily needs (the poor) and their spiritual needs (Home and +Foreign Missions). [Matt. 22:39] + +I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN. + +1. ROBBING OUR NEIGHBOR. The grossest forms of dishonesty are Robbery, +Theft, Burglary, Embezzlement, and Forgery. These are recognized by all +as wrong. But it is also wrong to bring our neighbor's property into our +possession, by + +2. UNFAIR DEALING AND FRAUDULENT MEANS, [Prov. 29:24, Lev. 6:2, 3, Ps. +37:21, Jer. 22:13, Lev. 19:35, 36, Hab. 2:6, Prov. 15:6, Deut. 24:14, +Jas. 5:4, Prov. 11:1] such as Concealing stolen property, Withholding +lost or borrowed property, Evading taxes, Refusing to pay debts, Wilful +idleness and beggary, Betting and gambling, Lotteries and chancing, +Bribery, Useless lawsuits, Negligent management of another's property, +Stealing car-rides, Unfaithful labor, Insufficient wages, Cornering the +market, Overcharging, Usury, Adulterating goods, Giving short weight or +measure, and Cheating of any kind. + +3. _Dishonesty in the Heart_. Dishonesty has its source in the +covetousness and greed of the human heart. [Mic. 2:2] Men first covet, +and then steal or defraud. We must beware of covetousness. [Luke 12:15+] +The love of money is a root of all evil. [I Tim. 6:10+] We must be +honest even in small matters. He who is dishonest in little will be +dishonest in much. [Luke 16:10] We must avoid all that would tempt us to +dishonesty; namely, evil companions, idleness, speculation, +extravagance, etc. + +II. WHAT IS COMMANDED. + +We should + +1. ASSIST OUR NEIGHBOR TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT HIS PROPERTY. [Exod. 23:4, +5, Matt. 7:12] We should help him to get along well in the world, and do +what we can to prevent him from being deprived of his possessions. + +2. _Restore to the real owner_ whatever has been dishonestly gotten. +[Luke 19:8] + +3. _Be Ready to use our money_ and property in order to help and benefit +our neighbor. [Eph. 4:28+, Heb. 13.18+, I Pet. 4:10] We must be helpful +and charitable toward our fellow-men. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What is the object of the seventh commandment? 2. What +does this commandment forbid? 3. What does it command? 4. How may +property be rightfully acquired? 5. Explain why property is unequally +divided among men? 6. What is to be said about communism? 7. Why is he +who is neither rich nor poor the happiest man? 8. What is the right use +of property? 9. Mention some gross forms of dishonesty? 10. Mention some +other ways in which this commandment is broken? 11. Where does +dishonesty have its source? 12. If we would be honest, what must we +guard against? 13. In what ways does this commandment require us to +assist our neighbor? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES--Prov. 22:2. The rich and poor meet together: the LORD +is the maker of them all. + +II Thess. 3:10. This we commanded you, that if any would not work, +neither should he eat. + +Prov. 30:7-9. Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not +before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither +poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full, +and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, +and take the name of my God in vain. + +Prov. 15:16-17. Better is little with the fear of the LORD, than great +treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love +is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. + +I Tim. 6:17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not +highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who +giveth us richly all things to enjoy. + +Matt. 19:24. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go +through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the +kingdom of God. + +I Tim. 5:8. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those +of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an +infidel. + +Luke 12:15. And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of +covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the +things which he possesseth. + +I Tim. 6:10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while +some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced +themselves through with many sorrows. + +Eph. 4:28. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, +working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give +to him that needeth. + +Heb. 13:16. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such +sacrifices God is well pleased. + +READING.--The Unjust Steward, Luke 16:1-7; or, Matt. 25: 31-46. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Poverty and Riches_: The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke +16:19-31; The Rich Fool, Luke 12:15-21; The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11 +seq. _Dishonesty_: Achan, Josh. 7. Gehazi, II Kings 5. Judas, Luke 12:6, +Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5. _Benevolence_: The Good Samaritan, Luke +10:30-37; Dorcas, Acts 9:36; Cornelius, Acts 10:2. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. + +TRUTHFULNESS. + + +Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. + +_What is meant by this commandment?_ + +We should so fear and love God as not deceitfully to belie, betray, +slander, nor raise injurious reports against our neighbor, but apologize +for him, speak well of him, and put the most charitable construction on +all his actions. + + * * * * * + +THE OBJECT of this commandment is to secure truthfulness, [Eph. 4:25+] +and to guard our good name. [Prov. 22:1+] Without truthfulness we could +not believe anything we heard, and the utmost confusion would prevail in +the affairs of men. A good name is one of our most precious earthly +possessions. + +This commandment _forbids_ all lying. It _commands_ perfect truthfulness +and a charitable judgment of others. + +I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN. + +ALL LYING is forbidden. [Ps. 34:13+] False witness against other +_persons_ is the worst form of lying. All lesser forms of lying are +forbidden along with the greater. + +1. _False Witness against our Neighbor._ We must not tell a falsehood +about another person either in court or in every-day life. We must not + +BELIE him, that is, tell an untruth about him. + +BETRAY. [Prov. 11:13+, Prov. 24:28] We must not abuse our neighbor's +confidence by revealing his innocent secrets, and thus annoying or +harming him. One who pretends to be another's friend, and yet betrays +him, is acting a lie. We dare not, however, hide crime; and we must tell +what we know about others if the court, or parents, or persons who have +a right to know, inquire of us. + +SLANDER NOR RAISE INJURIOUS REPORTS. [Exod. 23:1+, Lev. 19:16, Ps. +15:1-3] We must not invent nor repeat false reports concerning our +neighbor. We must not say behind his back what we fear to say to his +face. We must not magnify his faults, [Matt. 7:3-5] nor impute evil +motives to him, nor make his words and conduct look as bad as possible. +The slanderer is worse than a thief and causes incalculable suffering +and misery. [Prov. 25:18+, Jas. 3:5-8] We should remember that words +once spoken live on for good or evil, and cannot be unsaid; and that we +must give an account to God for every word we speak. [Matt. 12:36] + +2. _Lying of Any Kind._ A lie is a conscious falsehood uttered with the +purpose of deceiving. It may be acted as well as spoken. [Prov. 6:13] We +must not deceive nor try to deceive others by telling an untruth, by +hiding the truth or a part of it, by hypocrisy, flattery, boasting, +broken promises, conventional lies, "white lies," "lies of necessity," +guesses given as facts, etc. + +II. WHAT IS COMMANDED. + +1. _Truthfulness._ Truth is of God; [Deut. 32:4] lying is of the devil. +[John 8:44] As children of God we must be truthful. [Col. 3:9+] A liar +is an abomination in God's sight. [Prov. 12:22, Prov. 17:15] If +necessary, we should be ready to suffer and die for the truth. + +2. _A Charitable Judgment of Others._ We should + +APOLOGIZE FOR OUR NEIGHBOR, and defend him when his character is +unjustly assailed. [Matt. 7:12, Prov. 31:8, 9] We must be careful, +however, not to excuse or make light of sin. [Isa. 5:20+] We should + +SPEAK WELL OF HIM whenever we can do so truthfully. We should speak of +his virtues rather than of his faults. [Matt. 7:1, 2+, Jas. 4:11] If we +cannot speak well of him, then, unless it is absolutely necessary, we +had better not speak of him at all. We should + +PUT THE MOST CHARITABLE CONSTRUCTION ON ALL HIS ACTIONS. [I Pet. 4:8+, I +Cor. 13:4-7, Gal. 6:1] We should, as far as possible, make the best and +not the worst of what our neighbor says and does. We should think and +speak of him only in kindness. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What a the object of this commandment? 2. What does it +forbid? 3. What does it command? 4. What is the worst form of lying? 5. +What is included under false witness? 6. What is meant by belying our +neighbor? 7. What is to be said about betraying him? 8. What is to be +said about slander and the slanderer? 9. Define a lie. 10. In what ways +do men speak and act lies? 11. Why should we be truthful? 12. What is to +be said about apologizing for our neighbor? 13. What rule should we +follow in speaking of others? 14. How should we think and speak of our +neighbor? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Eph. 4:25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every +man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. + +Prov. 22:1. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and +loving favour rather than silver and gold. + +Ps. 34:13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. + +Prov. 11:13. A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a +faithful spirit concealeth the matter. + +Exod. 23:1. Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with +the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. + +Matt. 7:3-5. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's +eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt +thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, +behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the +beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out +the mote out of thy brother's eye. + +Prov. 25:18. A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a +maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. + +Col. 3:9. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old +man with his deeds. + +Is. 5:20. Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put +darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, +and sweet for bitter! + +Matt. 7:1, 2. Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment +ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be +measured to you again. + +I Pet. 4:8. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: +for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. + +READING.--The False Witnesses against Stephen, Acts 6:8-15. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_False Witness_: Against Christ, Matt. 26:60; against +Naboth, I Kings 21:10; against Paul, Acts 25:7. _Slander_: Absalom +against David, II Sam. 15:1 seq.; _Lying_: Jacob, Gen. 27:19; Jacob's +Sons, Gen. 37:32. _Betrayal_: Judas. _Speaking well_: Jonathan, I Sam. +19:4. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE NINTH AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS. + +A RIGHT HEART. + + +Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +We should so fear and love God as not to desire by craftiness to gain +possession of our neighbor's inheritance or home, or to obtain it under +the pretext of a legal right; but be ready to assist and serve him in +the preservation of his own. + + * * * * * + +Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his +maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy +neighbor's. + +_What is meant by this Commandment?_ + +We should so fear and love God as not to alienate our neighbor's wife +from him, entice away his servants, nor let loose his cattle, but use +our endeavors that they may remain and discharge their duty to him. + + * * * * * + +Both these commandments forbid coveting; hence, we may consider them +together. They deal with the root and source of all sin; namely, the +evil lusts and desires of the heart. [Matt. 15:19+, Jas. 1:14, 15] + +THE OBJECT of these two commandments is to emphasize the necessity of a +right state of heart. [I Sam. 16:7+, Matt. 5:5] All the commandments +must, indeed, be kept in thought as well as in word and deed. But by +adding these two special commandments against coveting, God desires to +impress upon us most strongly that wrong thoughts and desires make us +guilty before Him. We are not keeping God's commandments unless we are +free from the _desire_ to transgress them. As a man "thinketh in his +heart, so is he." [Prov. 23:7] + +THE HEART BY NATURE SINFUL. We are born with a sinful nature and a +natural inclination to evil (Original sin), which we have inherited from +our ancestors as a result of the fall into sin. [John 3:6+, Jer. 17:9] +This natural inclination to evil manifests itself in wrong thoughts and +desires which arise in the heart. [Rom. 7:18, 19+] These wrong desires +or lusts are in themselves sinful: and if they are not subdued, they +lead to sins of words and deeds. [Jas. 1:14, 15+] + +These commandments _forbid_ us to covet anything that is our neighbor's. +They _command_ us to assist and serve him in retaining his own. + +I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN. + +COVETING, To covet means to desire what we have no right to have. To +wish to obtain something in a lawful way is not coveting. But we must +not have + +1. _An Unlawful Desire_ [Gal. 5:24+] for our neighbor's possessions, +whether it be his property, wife, servants, cattle, or anything that is +his. We must not envy him on account of them, nor begrudge them to him, +nor wish that we had them in his stead. We must not make + +2. _Any Attempt to Gratify such Unlawful Desires_ and TO GAIN POSSESSION +OF OUR NEIGHBOR'S INHERITANCE OR HOME + +BY CRAFTINESS, shrewdness, cunning, deceit and the like. [Prov. 15:6] +Nor dare we seek TO OBTAIN IT + +UNDER THE PRETEXT OF A LEGAL RIGHT; that is, by ways which human laws +allow and appear to sanction, but which are not right before God. [Matt. +23:14+] Nor dare we attempt to + +ALIENATE (estrange), ENTICE or drive away from him his wife, servants, +or cattle, by persuasion, flattery, falsehood, promises, threats, or +force. + +II. WHAT is COMMANDED. + +ASSISTANCE AND SERVICE. We should + +1. ASSIST AND SERVE HIM IN THE PRESERVATION OF HIS OWN. [Phil. 2:4+, +Gal. 5:12] Instead of wishing to get his property away from him, we +should most heartily wish that he may be able to keep it, and should +help him to retain it. We should + +2. USE OUR ENDEAVORS THAT THEY who belong to him MAY REMAIN AND +DISCHARGE THEIR DUTY TO HIM. We should help him to retain their +affection and faithfulness. We should heartily wish them to remain, and +persuade them to do so. + +QUESTIONS.--1. Why may these two commandments be considered together? 2. +With what do they deal? 3. What is the object of these two commandments? +4. When only are we keeping God's commandments? 5. What is to be said +about the natural state of the heart. 6. What do these commandments +forbid? 7. What do they command? 8. Define coveting. 9. If we would +avoid breaking this commandment, what must we not do? 10. How should we +be of assistance and service to our neighbor? + + * * * * * + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 15:19. For out of the heart proceed evil +thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, +blasphemies. + +I Sam. 16:7. The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the +outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. + +John 3:6. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is +born of the Spirit is spirit. + +Rom. 7:18, 19. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no +good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that +which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I do not: but the +evil which I would not, that I do. + +Jas. 1:14, 15. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his +own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth +sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. + +Gal. 5:24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the +affections and lusts. + +Matt. 23:14. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye +devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore, +ye shall receive the greater damnation. + +Phil. 2:4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on +the things of others. + +READING.--Naboth's Vineyard, I Kings 21:1-19. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Coveting_: Ahab; David, II Sam. 12; Absalom, II Sam. +15. _Assistance and Service_: Paul, Philemon 10-17. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE CONCLUSION OF THE COMMANDMENTS. + +PUNISHMENT OR BLESSING. + + +_What does God declare concerning these Commandments?_ + +He says: "I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of +the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of +them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me +and keep my commandments." + +_What in meant by this Declaration?_ + +God threatens to punish all those who transgress these commandments; we +should therefore dread His displeasure and not act contrarily to these +commandments. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep +them; we should therefore love and trust in him, and cheerfully do what +he has commanded us. + + * * * * * + +A JEALOUS GOD. God claims our highest love, and is grieved and offended +if we turn our affections away from Him and disobey His law. He will +punish or bless men according as they hate or love Him: [Rom. 2:6-10, +Deut. 11:26-28, Gal. 6:7-8] "to the third and fourth generation of them +that hate him," and "unto thousands of them that love Him and keep His +commandments." + +I. PUNISHMENT. + +GOD THREATENS TO PUNISH + +1. _Whom?_ ALL THOSE WHO TRANSGRESS THESE COMMANDMENTS [Rom: 1:18+, Lev +26:14-15, Isa 59:2, Ezek. 18:4+, Rom. 6:23+] by commission, (doing what +is forbidden) or omission (not doing what is commanded), whether it be +transgression by deed or word or thought. Every transgression, great or +small, is sin, and makes men guilty and punishable. [Gal. 3:10] + +2. _Why?_ Because justice demands it. [Gal. 6:7+] God cannot be unjust. +He cannot overlook or excuse sin. [Eccl. 11:9] Earthly governments must +and do punish offenders, or they would be unjust to those persons who +obey the law. A law without a penalty would amount to nothing. God, who +governs the universe, is and must be just. [Gen. 18:25+] + +3. _How?_ + +_In this World_ God punishes sin by Pangs of Conscience; [Matt. 26:75, +Matt. 27:3-4] Pains and Sufferings which are the results of wrong-doing, +[Jer. 17:10] _e.g._, the results of drunkenness and licentiousness; +Legal Penalties which the State, as God's servant to punish crime, +inflicts by fines, imprisonment and hanging; [Rom. 13:4] Special +Judgments upon individuals [1 Cor. 10:5] in the form of sickness, +accidents and reverses, though we must remember that afflictions are not +always a judgment, but are often sent upon the godly as a chastening; +[Heb. 12:6+] General Judgments upon wicked communities, such as that +which God sent upon Sodom and Gomorrah. [Gen. 19:24] + +Children are often obliged to suffer for the sins of their parents. +[Jer. 31:29] If the children also are wicked, their sufferings are a +punishment; [Ezek. 18:20, Prov. 3:12, Rom. 8:28] if they are godly, +their sufferings are a chastening. + +_In the Next World_ God will punish by Exclusion from Heaven and from +His Presence; [Matt. 22:13] and by Eternal Misery in Hell. [Rev. 21:8, +Matt. 25:41] + +II. BLESSING. + +GOD PROMISES GRACE AND EVERY BLESSING. [Rom. 2:10+] + +1. _To Whom?_ TO ALL WHO KEEP THESE COMMANDMENTS. It is true, all men +are sinners, and no one keeps these commandments perfectly. [Rom. 3:23+] +But the godly try earnestly to keep them, [I Cor. 9:27] and are truly +sorry for every failure to do so. [Rom. 7:24] To them, therefore, God +promises grace and every blessing. + +2. _Why?_ God will bless them, not because they have earned a reward, +but because He is merciful and gracious. [Ps. 103:11+, Joel 2:13] We +cannot earn anything from God but punishment. His blessing is bestowed +upon us solely as a gift of grace. + +3. _How?_ + +_In this World_ God blesses the godly with: Peace of Heart; [John 14:27] +His Favor and Guidance; [Ps. 34:15+] True Success in Life; [Rom. 8:28] +and a Blessed Hope of Salvation. [Rev. 2:10+] + +Children and remote descendants share in the blessing of godly +ancestors. + +_In the Next World_ God will grant them: Entrance into Heaven for +Christ's Sake; [Matt. 25:34] and Eternal Glory and Blessedness. [John +14:2-3, Rev. 3:21] + +A WARNING. An impenitent life will bring upon us God's punishment in +time and eternity. WE SHOULD THEREFORE DREAD HIS DISPLEASURE, AND NOT +ACT CONTRARILY TO THESE COMMANDMENTS. + +AN ENCOURAGEMENT. A _godly life_ will bring upon us God's blessing in +time and eternity. WE SHOULD THEREFORE LOVE AND TRUST IN HIM, CHEERFULLY +DO WHAT HE HAS COMMANDED US. + +THE TEN COMMANDMENTS CONDEMN US; for we have broken them by thought, +word, and deed. [John 1:8-10+, Rom 3:23, Eccl 7:20, Jas 2:10+] + +We are not able to keep them perfectly. [Rom 7:18-19] Consequently we +cannot be saved by them. [Gal 3:11] They are meant to show us our +sinfulness, [Rom 3:20] to lead us to repentance, and to direct as to +Christ for salvation. [Gal 3:24] We can be saved only through Him. [John +14:6+, Acts 4:12+] We are taught concerning Christ, and confess our +faith in Him in the Second Part of the Catechism which now follows, +namely, The Creed. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What does God mean when He says that He is a jealous God? +2. Whom will God punish? 3. Why will He punish? 4. How does He punish? +5. To whom does God promise grace and blessing? 6. Why will He bless +them? 7. How will He bless them? 8. What warning is contained in the +Conclusion of the Commandments? 9. What encouragement is contained in +it? 10. Why can we not be saved by the Ten Commandments? 11. What are +the Commandments meant to do? 12. How only can we be saved? 13, Where +are we taught concerning Christ? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Rom. 1:18. For the wrath of God is revealed from +heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the +truth in unrighteousness. + +Ezek. 18:4. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. + +Rom. 6:23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal +life through Jesus Christ our Lord. + +Gal. 6:7. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man +soweth, that shall he also reap. + +Gen. 18:25. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? + +Heb. 12:6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. + +Rom. 2:10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good; +to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. + +Rom. 3:23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. + +Ps. 103:11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his +mercy toward them that fear him. + +Ps. 34:1-5. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears +are open unto their cry. + +Rev. 2:10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of +life. + +I John 1:8-9. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and +the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just +to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. + +Jas. 2:10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one +point, he is guilty of all. + +John 14:6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: +no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. + +Acts 4:12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none +other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. + +READING.--The Fall into Sin and its Punishment, Gen. 3. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Punishment_: Adam and Eve; Cain, Gen. 4:9-15; The +Deluge, Gen. 6-8; Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen. 19; The Ten Plagues, Exod. +7-12; Korah, Numb. 16; Saul, I Sam. 15; The Assyrian and Babylonian +Captivities, II Kings 17, II Kings 25. _Blessing_: Abraham, Gen. 12:2; +Joseph, Gen. 45:4-8; David, II Sam. 7:16; Cornelius, Acts 4:10. + + + + +PART II. + +THE CREED. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +CREEDS OR CONFESSIONS. + + +THE CREED, from the Latin _Credo, I believe_, means that which we as +Christians believe. The Creed given in our Catechism is the Apostles' +Creed. It is so called, not because it was written by the apostles, but +because it contains, in a brief summary, the doctrines which the +apostles taught. It grew out of the words of the baptismal formula: "In +the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." [Matt +28:19] It has come down to us from the early centuries of the Church's +history, and is _her confession of faith_. It should be our confession +also; we should say from the heart, "I believe in God, etc." There are + +Two KINDS OF CREEDS or Confessions of Faith:-- + +I. _Oecumenical_ or Universal Creeds, which are accepted by the whole +Christian Church throughout the world. They are + +1. The Apostles' Creed. + +2. The Nicene Creed. + +3. The Athanasian Creed. + +II. _Particular_ Creeds or Confessions, which are accepted by the +various Churches and Denominations as their distinctive confessions. + +Our Lutheran Confessions are:-- + +1. The Augsburg Confession. + +2. The Apology (Defense) of the Augsburg Confession. + +3. The Schmalcald Articles. + +4. The Small Catechism. + +5. The Large Catechism. + +6. The Formula of Concord. + +These nine confessions together form the Book of Concord. + +THE APOSTLES' CREED CONTAINS, in Three Articles, a statement of what the +Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, has done and still +does for us. + +Article I. treats of God the Father and His work of _Creation_. + +Article II. treats of God the Son and His work of _Redemption_. + +Article III. treats of God the Holy Ghost and His work of +_Sanctification_. + +THE TRINITY. There is only one God, [Deut. 6:4] but there are three +Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Hence, we say that God is the Holy +Trinity, or the Three in One. We cannot understand or explain how God +can be three Persons and yet only one God. But we must not expect with +our finite mind to comprehend the infinite God. We must accept the truth +concerning God as He himself has revealed it to us in His Word. He +plainly tells us that He is One; for He says, "_I_ am the Lord thy God; +thou shalt have no other gods before _Me_." [Exod. 20:2-3] Yet He also +plainly tells us that there are three Persons. They are expressly +mentioned in Christ's command to His disciples, "Go ye, and make +disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and +of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." [Matt. 28:19] And they were all +revealed at the baptism of Jesus, when the Father spoke from heaven and +said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased," and the Holy +Ghost descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. [Matt. 3:16-17] Each +Person of the Holy Trinity has a share in the work of our salvation. The +Father sent His Son to save us; [John 3:16] the Son became man and died +for us; [Rom. 5:8] and the Holy Spirit applies redemption to our souls +[I Cor. 12:3] through the Word of God and the Sacraments. + +QUESTIONS.--1. Define the word Creed. 2. Why is the Apostles' Creed so +called? 3. How did it originate? 4. What two kinds of creeds are there? +5. Name the oecumenical creeds. 6. Name the particular creeds or +confessions of the Lutheran Church? 7. What does the Apostles' Creed +contain? 8. Of what do the three articles of the Apostles' Creed treat? +9. What is meant by the Holy Trinity? 10. How do we know that God is +only one God? 11. How do we know there are three Persons? 12. How do the +three Persons of the Trinity share in the work of our salvation? + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE FIRST ARTICLE. + +OF GOD THE FATHER, OR CREATION. + + +I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. + +_What is meant by this Article?_ + +I believe that God has created me and all that exists; that He has given +and still preserves to me my body and soul, with all my limbs and +senses, my reason and all the faculties of my mind, together with my +raiment, food, home and family, and all my property: that He daily +provides me abundantly with all the necessaries of life, protects me +from all danger, and preserves me and guards me against all evil; all +which He does out of pure, paternal and divine goodness and mercy, +without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I am in duty bound +to thank, praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true. + +I BELIEVE IN, that is, I trust in, I rely upon. + +GOD THE FATHER, He is the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, [Matt. 11:25] +and the first Person of the Holy Trinity. Through Christ He is also my +Father. [John 20:17, Eph. 1:3+] + +ALMIGHTY, He is able to do all things, and to help me in every time of +need. + +MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. [Ps. 102:25] He has made all things,--the +universe and all that it contains. The world did not come into being of +itself or by chance, nor did it exist from eternity. God made it out of +nothing. In the beginning He created the heaven and the earth. [Gen. +1:1+, Ps 33:6, 9] They were at first a formless mass; [Gen. 1:2] but in +six days God fashioned the formless mass into the world as it now +exists. On these six days He created, 1. Light, 2. The Firmament, 3. +Land and Sea, 4. Sun, moon and stars, 5. Fishes and birds, 6. Beasts and +man. [Gen 1:3-31] + +God's Chief Creatures are the angels in heaven and men on earth. All His +creatures, as they came from His hands, were very good. [Gen. 3:31] But +some of the angels sinned, and became bad angels or devils. [II Pet. +2:4] And man also, though created in the image of God, fell into sin, +and lost his original righteousness and holiness. [Gen. 3, Gen. 8:21, +Eph. 4:24] + +Luther's explanation of this Article in the catechism tells us: + +I. What God has done and still does for me, + +II. Why God does all this for me, + +III. What I owe to God in return. + +I. WHAT GOD HAS DONE AND STILL DOES FOR ME. + +I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS + +1. CREATED ME [Job. 33:4+] AND ALL THAT EXISTS; [Neh. 9:6, Col. 1:16+] +THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO ME + +MY BODY,--WITH ALL MY LIMBS AND SENSES. Though my body, like that of the +beasts, is made of the dust of the ground, [Gen. 2:7+] it is vastly +superior to their bodies, and is a marvelous piece of divine +workmanship, [Ps. 139:14] exquisitely adapted to be the earthly +tabernacle of the soul which inhabits it. + +MY SOUL, [Gen. 2:7+]--MY REASON AND ALL THE FACULTIES OF MY MIND, by +which I am placed so far above the brute creation. God made the human +soul to be a likeness of Himself; [Gen. 1:27, Gen. 9:6] that is, He gave +to man in a limited measure those powers and faculties which He Himself +possesses in unlimited and infinite measure. And while the human mind +has become dimmed by the fall, its powers and faculties are still most +wonderful. + +2. PRESERVES ME. [Neh. 9:6] All that has helped to support my life has +been God's gift; namely, MY RAIMENT, FOOD, HOME AND FAMILY, AND ALL MY +PROPERTY. I continue to live because He sustains me. [Jas. 1:17+, Acts +17:28+] + +HE DAILY PROVIDES ME ABUNDANTLY WITH ALL THE NECESSARIES OF LIFE. [Ps. +115:15-16+] His care for me is a constant, daily care. His mercies are +new every morning. [Matt. 6:31-32+, Lam. 3:22-23+] + +HE PROTECTS ME FROM ALL DANGER, SEEN AND UNSEEN. [Ps. 34:7, Matt. 10:30] +I am beset with perils on every hand. If God withdrew His protecting +hand, I should perish immediately. + +HE PRESERVES ME AND GUARDS ME AGAINST ALL EVIL. [Ps 121:5, 8+] No real +evil can come upon God's children. What seems an evil is meant for a +good purpose, and is a blessing in disguise. [Rom. 8:28+, Isa. 55:8-9, +Jer. 29:11, Ps. 23:4+] + +II. WHY GOD DOES ALL THIS FOR ME. + +He does it purely + +1. OUT OF PATERNAL AND DIVINE GOODNESS AND MERCY. [Ps. 103:13+] It is + +PATERNAL or fatherly [Ps 103:13+] goodness and mercy, because He is my +Father through Jesus Christ, and loves me as His child. It is + +DIVINE goodness and mercy, because God is love, [I John 4:16+] and only +His unspeakable love could move Him to bestow His great benefits upon +sinful men, even upon the wicked and unthankful. [Matt. 5:45+] + +2. WITHOUT ANY MERIT OR WORTHINESS IN ME. [Gen. 32:10+] I have merited +(deserved) nothing and I am worthy of nothing but punishment; for I am a +sinful being, [Ps. 51:5] and I have broken God's law many times by +thoughts and words and deeds. [Jer. 14:7] + +III. WHAT I OWE TO GOD IN RETURN. + +For all His goodness and mercy + +I AM IN DUTY BOUND [Ps. 116:12+, Ps. 50:14] + +1. TO THANK AND PRAISE HIM. I must not receive God's benefits as a +matter of course, but must recognize them as gifts of His grace, and +daily thank and praise Him in my heart and with my lips. [Ps. 103:1+] + +2. TO SERVE AND OBEY HIM. I must show my gratitude in my life by obeying +God's commandments and giving myself with all my heart to His service. +[Rom. 12:1+] + +THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY TRUE; namely, 1. That all the blessings I enjoy +come from God, 2. That they are the gifts of His grace and that I am +unworthy of them, 3. That I owe to God the fullest gratitude of heart +and life. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What does "I believe" mean? 2. Why do we say "God the +_Father_"? 3. What does "Almighty" mean? 4. What has God made? 5. Name +His chief creatures. 6. What three things does Luther's explanation of +this article tell us? 7. What has God done and what does He still do for +us? 8. In creating us, what has God given us? 9. How does He preserve +us? 10. Why does God do all this for us? 11. Why are we not worthy of +it? 12. What do we owe to God in return? 13. What is meant by thanking +and praising Him? 14. What is meant by serving and obeying Him? 15. What +is most certainly true according to this article? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Eph. 1:3. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord +Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in +heavenly places in Christ. + +Gen. 1:1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. + +Job 33:4. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty +hath given me life. + +Col. 1:16. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and +that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or +dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, +and for him. + +Gen. 2:7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and +breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living +soul. + +Jas. 1:17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and +cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, +neither shadow of turning. + +Acts 17:28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being. + +Ps. 145:15, 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them +their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the +desire of every living thing. + +Matt. 6:31, 32 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, +What shall we drink, or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all +these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth +that ye have need of all these things. + +Lam 3:22, 23. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, +because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning. + +Ps. 34:7. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear +him, and delivereth them. + +Ps. 121:5, 8. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy +right hand. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from +this time forth, and even for evermore. + +Rom. 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to them +that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. + +Ps. 23:4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, +I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they +comfort me. + +Ps. 103:13. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth +them that fear him. + +I John 4:16. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, +and God in him. + +Matt. 5:45. He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and +sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. + +Gen. 32:10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all +the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant. + +Ps. 116:12. What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits +toward me? + +Ps. 103:1. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless +his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his +benefits. + +Rom. 12:1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, +that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto +God, which is your reasonable service. + +READING.--The Creation of the World, Gen. 1. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Provides_: Manna, Exod. 16:14; Elijah, I Kings 17:6, +14; Feeding the Five Thousand, Matt. 14:15-21. _Protects_: The +Israelites, Exod. 14:19 _seq._; Daniel, Dan. 6:22; Paul, Acts 22:12-33; +Acts 27: 42-44. _Guards from evil_: Joseph; Job. _Thankfulness_: Noah, +Gen. 8:20; The Samaritan, Luke 17:15,16. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE SECOND ARTICLE + +OF GOD THE SON, OR REDEMPTION. + + +And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy +Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was +crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He +rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the +right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to +judge the quick and the dead. + +_What is meant by this Article?_ + +I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from +eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord; who +has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, secured and delivered me +from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil, not with +silver and gold, but with His holy and precious blood, and with His +innocent sufferings and death, in order that I might be His, live under +Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, +innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, and lives +and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true. + + * * * * * + +The Second Article treats of Jesus Christ, THE SON OF GOD, and his work +of REDEMPTION. Prompted by His infinite love, God pitied our lost race, +and determined to save us by sending a Redeemer in the person of His +only Son. [John 3:16+, I Tim. 1:15+] Throughout the centuries of Old +Testament history He repeatedly gave the promise of redemption: In Eden, +[Gen. 3:15] to the patriarchs, [Gen. 12:3, Gen. 26:4] to David, [II Sam. +7:12-13] and through the prophets. [Isa. 9:2-7, Mic. 5:2] In the fulness +of time God seat His Son into the world. [Gal. 4:4] + +Article II. and its Explanation may be analyzed as follows:-- + +I. OUR LORD. + +1. _His Names_: Jesus, Christ. + +2. _His Person and Nature_: True God and True Man. + +3. _His Life_: His Humiliation and His Exaltation. + +II. HIS WORK OF REDEMPTION. + +1. _Whom He has redeemed._ + +2. _From what He has redeemed me._ + +3. _How He has redeemed me._ + +4. _Why He has redeemed me._ + +OUR LORD. + +I. HIS NAMES. + +I BELIEVE THAT + +JESUS. This was our Lord's personal name, given to Him by the angel. +[Matt. 1:21] It signified, "He shall save." + +CHRIST. This was His official name, corresponding with the Old Testament +name "Messiah," [John 1:41] and signified "The Anointed One." God +anointed Him with the Holy Spirit for the work of redemption, [Luke +4:18-21] to a threefold office:-- + +1. As Prophet, to teach us God's will. [Acts 3:22] + +2. As Priest, to atone for our sins, and to intercede for us. [Heb. +4:14] + +3. As King, [Matt. 21:5, Rev. 17:14] to reign over us in the Kingdom of +Power, of Grace, and of Glory. + +II. HIS PERSON AND NATURE. + +He is + +TRUE GOD, BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER FROM ETERNITY. Christ is true God, +[Rom. 9:5+] just as the Father is God. [John 5:23+, John 20:28+, John +8:58+, Mat. 16:16] He is the Son of God, not as a good or great man who +has been received or adopted as God's son, but He is in His very nature +the Son of God, _begotten by His Father_ [John 3:16+] _from all +eternity_. [John 1:1, John 17:5] He is "God of God, Light of Light, Very +God of Very God, Begotten, not made, being of one substance with the +Father." [John 10:30+] The Scriptures show this by ascribing to Him +divine names, attributes, power, honor, and works. At His baptism and at +His transfiguration the Father spoke from heaven, and said, "This is my +beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." [Matt. 3:17, Matt. 17:5] His +divine nature is proved by His teaching, His miracles, His holy life, +and especially by His resurrection from the dead. + +ALSO TRUE MAN, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY. Christ was in all respects a +human being such as we are, except that He was without sin. [I Pet. +2:22+] He was "conceived by the Holy Ghost," and thus had God alone for +His Father. [Luke 1:35] But He was "born of the Virgin Mary," [Luke 2:7] +with a human body [Heb. 2:14] and soul. [Matt. 26:38] He grew, increased +in wisdom and stature, [Luke 2:52] and reached the age of manhood. He +suffered our human wants, [Matt. 4:2, John 4:6-7] such as hunger, +thirst, weariness, and pain. He was moved by human emotions, [Luke +10:21, Matt. 26:38, Matt. 21:12] such as joy, sorrow, and indignation. +He wept, [John 11:35] prayed, [Matt. 26:39] suffered, and died. [I Pet. +2:23-24] He could not have done these things if He had not been true +man. + +Christ is therefore both God and man in one Person. [Rom. 1:3-4, John +1:14+] Consequently He is the _God-Man._ It was necessary that the +Redeemer should be both God and man. [I Tim. 1:15+] If He had not been +God, but only man, He could not have paid a sufficient ransom for our +deliverance from sin, nor have acquired any merit to bestow upon us. +Even a sinless man could have saved no one but himself. On the other +hand, if Christ had not become man, but remained God only, He could not +have put Himself in our place under the law, nor have suffered and died +in our stead. But as the _God-man_, Christ was able to accomplish, and +did perfectly accomplish, our redemption. [Rom. 3:24+] Thus He became +and + +IS MY LORD, WHO HAS REDEEMED ME, and in whom I trust for salvation. +[Rom. 8:38-39, Rom. 5:1+] + +QUESTIONS.--1. Of what does the Second Article treat? 2. How did God +plan to save man? 3. Analyze the Second Article and its Explanation. 4. +Give the meaning of the names of our Lord. 5. What was Christ's +threefold office? 6. What is to be said about the person and nature of +Christ? 7. In what sense is Christ the Son of God, and how do we know +it? 8. How do you know that Christ was true man? 9. Why was it necessary +that the Redeemer should be both God and man? 10. What name do we give +to Christ in view of His two-fold nature? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave +his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not +perish, but have everlasting life. + +I Tim. 1:15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, +that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am +chief. + +Rom. 9:5. Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. + +John 5:23. That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the +Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which +hath sent him. + +John 20:28. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. + +John 8:58. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before +Abraham was, I am. + +John 10:30. I and my Father are one. + +I Pet. 2:22. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. + +John 1:14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we +beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full +of grace and truth. + +Rom. 3:24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption +that is in Christ Jesus. + +Rom. 5:1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God +through our Lord Jesus Christ. + +READING.--The Birth of Jesus, Luke 2:1-20; or, The Eternal Word, John +1:1-18. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +OUR LORD. + + +III. HIS LIFE. + +The Saviour's life includes two states; namely, His Humiliation and His +Exaltation. + +HIS HUMILIATION. + +Christ's state of humiliation comprises His life on earth, during which +He laid aside the full use of His divine glory and was content to appear +among men in the form of a servant. He humbled Himself, and became +obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, [Phil. 2:8+] in order +that He might redeem us. He gave men glimpses of His divine glory: in +the authority with which He taught, [Matt. 7:28-29] in the holy life +which He led, [John 8:46] and in the miracles which He performed. [John +2:11] But in general He appeared like other men. + +This state of humiliation includes five stages:--He was + +1. CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY. Christ might +have appeared among men in the full splendor of His divine glory and +majesty. But, in order to redeem us, He was content to be born in +poverty, [Luke 2:7, II Cor. 8:9+, Matt. 8:20+] to grow up in obscurity, +[Matt. 2:23] and to appear to most men as if He were simply a man. + +2. SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE. The whole life of Jesus on earth was a +life of suffering endured for our sakes. He bore all the trials and +hardships which have come upon our race as a result of its sinfulness. +He also suffered constant persecution at the hands of his enemies. [Heb. +12:3; John 1:11] But His greatest sufferings came at the end of His +life, in the agony of Gethsemane, [Matt. 26:36-46] in the mock-trial +before the Jewish Council, [Matt. 26:57-75] and in His sufferings under +Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. [Matt. 27:1-30] He was mocked, +spitefully entreated, spitted on, crowned with thorns, and scourged; and +then He + +3. WAS CRUCIFIED. [Luke 23:33] Though innocent and holy, He was treated +as though He were a malefactor, and was put to a cruel and shameful +death. He was nailed to a cross, and left suspended there till He died. +So great was His agony, that He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast +Thou forsaken me?" [Mark 15:34] + +4. DEAD. After unspeakable sufferings, Jesus died on the cross. [Mark +15:37] He was really, and not seemingly, dead. [John 19:33-34] He +voluntarily gave up His life for ours. [John 10:18-19+] His death was +_vicarious_. He suffered the penalty for our sins. [I Pet. 3:18, Isa. +53:5+] + +5. BURIED. His body was laid away in the grave, where our bodies shall +decay. But since Christ was "the Holy One of God," His body could not +"see corruption." [Ps. 16:10] + +HIS EXALTATION. + +After the work of redemption was completed, Christ assumed the full use +of the glory and majesty which had belonged to Him as the Son of God +from eternity; His human nature was exalted to a full share in the glory +of His divine nature. [Phil. 2:9-11+] He had humbled Himself as a man; +and He was exalted as a man. His divine nature, being unchangeable, can +neither be humbled nor exalted. [Heb. 13:8] + +Christ's exaltation, like His humiliation, includes five stages:-- + +1. HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. Immediately before His resurrection He +descended into the place of the departed spirits and proclaimed His +victory. [I Pet. 3:19] + +2. THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD. Having paid in full the +penalty for our sins, He rose again from the dead, triumphant, on the +third day (Easter). He had power to lay down His life, and power to take +it again. [John 10:19] As His death had been a real death, so His +resurrection was a real resurrection. He re-appeared to His disciples, +not as a spirit, but with the same body that was crucified, the prints +of the nails and of the spear being plain in His hands and side. [Luke +24:36-40] But His body was a transformed and glorified body, with new +properties and powers. [John 20:19] + +_The Resurrection a Fact_. The reality of the resurrection is +established beyond all doubt. The strongest proof of its reality is +found in the fact that the disciples themselves were so unwilling to +believe it, but were obliged to do so by the evidence of their own +senses. Even the doubting Thomas exclaimed, "My Lord, and my God." [John +20:28] During the forty days between His resurrection and His ascension +the Lord gave His disciples so many proofs of His resurrection that all +their doubts were removed. [Acts 1:3] The women on Easter morn found the +grave empty and were told by an angel that He had risen. [Mark 16:6] He +was seen by Mary in the Garden, [John 20:14-16] by Peter, [Luke 24:34] +by the two disciples at Emmaus, [Luke 24:15] twice by the eleven as they +were gathered together, [John 20:19-29] by seven disciples at the Sea of +Tiberias, [John 21:1] by more than five hundred brethren at once, [I +Cor. 15:6] by James, [I Cor. 15:7] and by the eleven when He accompanied +them to Mount Olivet and ascended before their eyes to heaven. [Acts +1:9-12] The wonderful change which took place in the apostles when the +risen and ascended Christ had sent the Holy Spirit upon them, [Acts 2] +and the wonderful change which took place in Paul, [Acts 9:1-29] are +further proofs of the reality of the resurrection of Christ. + +_The Resurrection proves_ 1. That Jesus is the Son of God. [John 20:28, +Rom. 1:4+, Acts 2:36] 2. That the sacrifice which He made for sin was +sufficient and accepted. [Rom. 8:34, I Thess. 1:10] 3. That we also +shall rise from the dead. [Rom. 4:25+, I Cor. 15:19-20+, I Cor. 6:14] + +3. HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN from Mount Olivet forty days after His +resurrection. [Acts 1:9] Having finished His work on earth, He returned +to the heaven from which He had come. He has gone to prepare a place for +us. [Acts 14:2] + +4. AND SITTETH ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY; that is, on +the right hand of God's power. As the God-man He now wields all power in +heaven and earth. [Matt. 28:18+, Eph. 1:20-22+] He rules over all +creatures in the realm of Power; over the believers in the realm of +Grace (the Church on earth); and over angels and saints in the realm of +Glory in heaven. He continues His office of High-priest, and intercedes +for us with the Father. [Rom. 8:34+, Heb. 4:14-16] + +5. FROM THENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE QUICK AND THE DEAD. At the end +of the world Christ will come again visibly, [Mark 13:26+] suddenly, and +unexpectedly, [Matt. 24:36-42, Luke 21:27] with power and great glory, +to judge both the quick (living) and the dead. [II Cor. 5:10+, Matt. +25:31-46] He will separate the believing from the unbelieving; receive +the believers unto Himself; and cast the impenitent and unbelieving into +outer darkness and torment. His coming will fill the believers with joy, +[Luke 21:28] and the unbelievers with dismay. [Rev. 6:15-17] No one +knows or can compute the exact time of His coming. We should be always +ready. [Matt. 24:42, 44+] His coming will be preceded by signs. [Luke +21:25-26] The present order of the world shall pass away; [II Pet. 5:10] +and there shall be new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth +righteousness. [II Pet. 3:13+] + +QUESTIONS.--1. What two states does Christ's life include? 2. What is +meant by His state of humiliation? 3. How many stages were there in His +humiliation? 4. Name them. 5. Was Christ's glory entirely hidden during +his state of humiliation? 6. How might Christ have appeared, and how did +He appear among men? 7. Describe the sufferings of Christ? 8. What is to +be said of Christ's crucifixion? 9. What is to be said of Christ's +death? 10. What is to be said of His burial? 11. What is meant by +Christ's exaltation? 12. How many stages were there in His exaltation? +13. Name them. 14. What is meant by the descent into hell? 15. How did +Christ re-appear to His disciples? 16. Prove that the resurrection was a +fact. 17. What does the resurrection of Christ prove? 18. When and why +did Christ ascend into heaven? 19. What is meant by His sitting at the +right hand of the Father? 20. What can you tell about Christ's second +coming? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Phil. 2:8. And being found in fashion as a man, he +humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the +cross. + +II Cor. 8:9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, +though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through +his poverty might be rich. + +John 10:18, 19. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my +life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it +down of myself. + +Isa. 53:5. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our +iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his +stripes we are healed. + +Phil. 2:9-11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him +a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee +should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under +the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is +Lord, to the glory of God the Father. + +Heb. 13:8. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever. + +Rom. 1:4. Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the +spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. + +Rom. 4:25. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for +our justification. + +I Cor. 15:19, 20. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of +all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and +become the firstfruits of them that slept. + +Matt 28:18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is +given unto me in heaven and in earth. + +Eph. 1:22. And hath put all things under his feet. + +Rom. 8:34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea +rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who +also maketh intercession for us. + +Mark 13:26. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds +with great power and glory. + +II Cor. 5:10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; +that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to +that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. + +Matt. 24:44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think +not the Son of man cometh. + +II Pet. 3:13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new +heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. + +READING.--The Death and Resurrection of Christ, Luke 23-24:9; and The +Ascension of Christ, Acts 1:1-11. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +CHRIST'S WORK OF REDEMPTION. + + +I. WHOM HE HAS REDEEMED. + +He HAS REDEEMED + +ME. Christ died for all; [I Pet. 2:24+, I John 2:2+, John 1:29+] and +consequently for me also. [Gal. 2:20+] Believing on Him, all the +blessings of His redemption belong to me In time and in eternity. He is +_my_ Saviour, _my_ Redeemer. + +A LOST AND CONDEMNED CREATURE. I was lost, [Isa. 53:6+, I Pet. 2:25] +because my sin had separated me from God, and I could not have found my +way back to Him, if Christ had not sought and found me. I was condemned, +[Eph. 2:3] because I had broken God's commandments and deserved eternal +punishment. + +II. FROM WHAT HE HAS REDEEMED ME. + +He has SECURED AND DELIVERED ME + +FROM ALL SINS; namely, from the _guilt_ of sin by paying its penalty for +me on the cross; [I John 1:7, II Cor. 5:21+] and from the _dominion_ of +sin by giving me grace to fight against it and overcome it. [Rom 6:14, +Rom. 8:2-4] + +FROM DEATH: not from bodily death, for even the Christian must die; but +from the fear of bodily death; [Phil. 1:23, I Cor. 15:55, 57] from +spiritual death; [Eph. 2:6] and from everlasting death. [John 3:16] + +AND FROM THE POWER OF THE DEVIL. [I John 3:8+] On account of my sins, I +was in Satan's power. But Christ has freed me. Since He has paid the +penalty for my sins, Satan no longer has any claim upon me, and can no +longer harm me. [John 10:27-28] He still tempts me to sin; but Christ +gives me grace to resist. He still accuses me before God on account of +my sins; but Christ shields me against Satan's accusations by the +satisfaction which He, my Saviour, has made for all my sins. [I John +2:1] + +III. HOW HE HAS REDEEMED ME. + +NOT WITH SILVER AND GOLD; [I Pet. 1:18, 19+] for no material wealth +could purchase freedom from spiritual slavery and death. Nor has He +redeemed me merely by becoming my great teacher and example; for this +would not take away my guilt; + +BUT WITH HIS HOLY AND PRECIOUS BLOOD. [I John 1:7+] His blood was the +price which Christ paid for my ransom. It was holy, because He was holy; +and precious, because He was the Son of God. The shedding of Christ's +blood for my sins was the only way in which I could be redeemed; for +without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. [Heb. +9:22] + +AND WITH HIS INNOCENT SUFFERINGS [I Pet. 3:18+] AND DEATH. [Rom. 5:7-8+] +Christ suffered and died, not for any sins of His own, but for _my_ +sins. He was innocent and had no sin at all. But He voluntarily bore the +punishment which I deserved, and thus satisfied all the demands of +divine justice for me. Since He has borne the punishment for me, I, +believing on Him, need no longer be punished. + +_Christ was my Substitute._ By His holy life He perfectly fulfilled +God's law in my place; [Rom 5:19] and by His innocent sufferings and +death He bore the punishment for my sins in my place. [II Cor. 5:21+] +All that Christ has done is imputed to me by faith; [Rom. 4:24] that is, +it is all counted as if I myself had done it. [Rom. 4:5] His death, +therefore, frees me from guilt and condemnation; and His holy life makes +me appear righteous In God's sight and fit to enter into heaven. My +entire hope of salvation rests on Christ and what He has done for me. +[II Cor. 5:19] + +IV. WHY HE HAS REDEEMED ME. + +IN ORDER THAT + +I MIGHT BE HIS. He desired me for His own, and therefore purchased me +with His precious blood. [II Cor. 5:15+] Hence I now belong to Him, and +not to Satan or to myself. He wishes me to yield myself fully to Him in +heart and life. [Gal. 2:20+] If I refuse to do so, I am withholding what +belongs to Him. + +LIVE UNDER HIM IN HIS KINGDOM; namely, in His kingdom of Grace on earth +by a life of faith, and in His kingdom of Glory in heaven. [Col. +1:12-14] + +AND SERVE HIM IN EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS, INNOCENCE AND BLESSEDNESS. +[I Pet. 2:9+] I am to serve Him and do His will, not as a slave by +compulsion, but willingly, gladly, and out of love. [Mat. 16:24+] With +my best efforts I only partially succeed in doing His will on earth, for +I am still imperfect. [Rom. 7:21-24] But in the next world I shall be +freed from all sin, and be transformed and glorified in body and soul. +Then I shall serve Him in perfect holiness and happiness for ever. [Rev. +7:15] + +EVEN AS HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD, AND LIVES AND REIGNS TO ALL ETERNITY. +As Christ rose from the dead, so I am to rise from the death of sin to +newness of life in Him. [Rom. 6:4] As He lives and dies no more, so I am +to live in righteousness and no more become a servant of sin. [Rom. +6:9,10] As He reigns to all eternity, so I am to live and reign with Him +for ever. [Rev. 3:21] + +THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY TRUE: 1. That Jesus Christ, true God and true +Man, is my Lord, who has redeemed me. 2. That He has paid the penalty +for my sins with His holy and precious blood and His innocent sufferings +and death. 3. That consequently I belong to Him, and should serve Him +now and for ever. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What four things does the explanation of the second +article tell us about Christ's redemption? 2. Whom has Christ redeemed? +3. What was I before Christ redeemed me, and why? 4. From what has +Christ redeemed me? 5. What is meant by redemption from sin? from death? +and from the devil? 6. How has Christ redeemed me? 7. Why was the +shedding of Christ's blood necessary? 8. Why did Christ suffer and die +if He was innocent? 9. What is meant when we say that Christ was our +substitute? 10. Why has Christ redeemed me? 11. To whom do I now belong, +and what is my duty therefore? 12. What is meant by living under Christ +in His kingdom? 13. In what spirit am I to serve Him? 14. What hope has +Christ secured for me? 15. What three things are most certainly true +according to this second article? + + * * * * * + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Pet. 2:24. Who his own self bare our sins in his +own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto +righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. + +I John 2:2. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours +only, but also for the sins of the whole world. + +John 1:29. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the +world. + +Gal. 2:20. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave +himself for me. + +Isa. 53:6. All we like sheep have gone astray. + +II Cor. 5:21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; +that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. + +I John 3:8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he +might destroy the works of the devil. + +I Pet. 1:18, 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with +corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation +received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of +Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. + +I John 1:7. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. + +I Pet. 3:18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for +the unjust, that he might bring us to God. + +Rom. 5:7, 8. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet +peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God +commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, +Christ died for us. + +II Cor. 5:15. He died for all, that they which live should not +henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and +rose again. + +Gal. 2:20. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, +but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I +live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for +me. + +I Pet. 2:9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy +nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him +who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. + +Matt. 16:24. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come +after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. + +READING.--Jesus our High Priest, Heb. 9:11-15. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE THIRD ARTICLE + +OF GOD THE HOLY GHOST, OR SANCTIFICATION + + +I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of +Saints; the Forgiveness of sins; the Resurrection of the Body; and the +Life Everlasting. Amen. + +_What is meant by this article?_ + +I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus +Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me through +the Gospel, enlightened me by His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me +in the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and +sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in +union with Jesus Christ in the true faith; in which Christian Church He +daily forgives abundantly all my sins, and the sins of all believers, +and will raise up me and all the dead at the last Day, and will grant +everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most +certainly true. + + * * * * * + +THE THIRD ARTICLE treats of GOD THE HOLY GHOST and His work of +SANCTIFICATION. It tells us how we become partakers of the Redemption +which is described in the Second Article. Christ _has accomplished_ our +redemption, and the Holy Ghost _applies_ that redemption to our souls. +The work of the Holy Ghost _in_ us is as necessary for our salvation as +the [Cor. 2:14] work of Christ _for_ us. We must believe in Christ, if +we would be saved; [Mark 16:16] and it is the Holy Ghost who causes us +to believe. [1 Cor. 12:3] + +Article. III, and its Explanation may be analyzed as follows:-- + +THE HOLY GHOST, + +I. _His Person and Nature_: He is True God. + +II. _His Work_: He Calls, Enlightens, Sanctifies, and Preserves me in +the true Faith. + +III. _His Workmanship_: The Holy Christian Church. + +IV. _The Fruits of His Work_: 1. The Forgiveness of Sins. 2. The +Resurrection of the Body, and the Life Everlasting. + +THE HOLY GHOST. + +I. HIS PERSON AND NATURE. + +I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST. The Holy Ghost is true God. He is not +simply a power or energy of God, but a Person. [Acts 5:3-4] "He +proceedeth from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son +together is worshipped and glorified." [John 14:26, John 15:26] The +Scriptures ascribe to Him divine names, attributes, power, honor, and +works. Christ commanded His disciples to baptize men in the name of the +Father and of the Son _and of the Holy Ghost_. [Matt. 28:19] + +The Holy Spirit instructed the prophets and teachers of Old Testament +times, [II Peter 1:21] and was poured out upon the apostles on the day +of Pentecost. [Acts 2] He inspired the Holy Scriptures. [II Tim. 3:16] +He comes into our hearts through the Word of God and the Sacraments. + +II. HIS WORK. + +The work of the Holy Ghost is _Sanctification_. This word is used here, +at the head of the Third Article, in the wide sense, and includes the +Holy Spirit's entire work upon our souls; namely, Calling, Enlightening, +Sanctification in the narrower sense, and Preservation in the Faith. + +1. ITS NECESSITY. If the Holy Spirit does not work in us, we cannot be +saved. Hence, we say in the catechism, + +I BELIEVE THAT I CANNOT BY MY OWN REASON OR STRENGTH BELIEVE IN JESUS +CHRIST MY LORD, OR COME TO HIM. For as I am by nature, my _reason_ is so +darkened by sin, [I Cor. 2:14+] that I do not see my need of the +Saviour; and I am so lacking in spiritual _strength_ (being dead in +trespasses and sins), [Eph. 2:1] that I am unable to believe in Christ. +Consequently it is necessary that the Holy Spirit should teach me to see +in Christ my only Saviour, and give me strength to believe in Him. + +2. ITS NATURE. BUT THE HOLY GHOST HAS + +CALLED ME THROUGH THE GOSPEL. [II Tim. 1:9] He has caused His Word to be +written [II Thess. 2:14, II Tim. 3:16] and causes it to be continually +proclaimed [John 20:31+, II Cor. 5:20, I Cor. 1:21] for the purpose of +making God's grace known to me, and inviting me to share in it. He calls +all men, and means His call earnestly. He does not merely seem to call +some, but actually calls all who hear or read His Word. [I Tim. 2:4+, I +Pet. 3:9] And along with the call, He gives us the strength which we +need in order to believe. [Eph. 2:4-6] Those who obey the call are the +Elect or Chosen [Matt. 20:16] ones, and obtain salvation. Those who +refuse to obey the call are lost. [Mark 16:16] + +ENLIGHTENED ME BY HIS GIFTS. The Holy Ghost shows me my lost condition +and God's saving mercy, and thus leads me to Repentance through the Law, +[John 16:8, Rom. 3:20] and to Faith through the Gospel. [John 15:26, +John 1:17] + +_Repentance_ includes + +1. An Acknowledgment and Confession of Sin. [Ps. 51:3, 4] + +2. Sincere Sorrow for Sin. [Luke 22:62] It must be sorrow for the sin +itself, and not merely for the consequences of sin. + +3. The Hating and Forsaking of Sin. [Ps. 51:10] + +4. An Earnest Desire for Forgiveness. [Ps. 51:2, 9] + +True repentance always leads to faith. [II Cor. 7:10] Sorrow for sin +which does not lead to faith, is not repentance but remorse, and often +drives men to despair. [Matt. 27:3-5] + +_Faith_ includes + +1. A Knowledge of the Facts of the Gospel. [Rom. 10:14] + +2. A Belief of the Facts. [Rom. 4:20, 21] + +3. Trust or Confidence in Christ our Saviour. [II Tim. 1:12+] This trust +is the chief part of faith. + +True faith is not a mere matter of the head, but of the heart. It is not +a mere intellectual belief that God exists or that Christ lived and +died; but it is a firm confidence that Christ is actually _our_ Saviour, +and that all _our_ sins are washed away by His precious blood. Faith +says, "The Son of God loved [I John 1:7] _me_, and gave Himself _for +me_." [Gal. 2:20] + +True faith is always preceded by repentance. The impenitent have no +promise of forgiveness, and therefore cannot have faith. They cannot +believe a promise which has not been given to them. + +_Regeneration and Conversion._ Those whom the Holy Spirit has brought to +repentance and faith are in a state of regeneration and conversion. The +change which has taken place in them is called a new birth or +regeneration, [John 3:5, 6] because a new life has been planted in them. +[II Cor. 5:17+] It is called conversion, [Acts 3:19] because they have +been converted or turned from sin to righteousness, from self to God. + +It is not necessary that a Christian should be able to point to the +exact time of his conversion. The important question is not, "When were +we converted?" but, "Are we now in a converted state?" that is, "Are we +now penitent and believing?" + +_Justification._ All those who have true faith are justified: [Rom. +5:1+, Rom. 4:5] their sins are forgiven, and the righteousness of Christ +is imputed (counted as belonging) to them. [Phil. 3:9] When we believe +in Christ, all that He has done and suffered for us is regarded by God +as if we had done and suffered it ourselves; [II Cor. 5:21, Rom. 8:1+] +for Christ was our substitute. Consequently, those who believe in Christ +are _justified_ for His sake; that is, they are pronounced by God to be +righteous and fit to enter into heaven. + +_By Faith Alone._ We are justified and saved by faith alone, without +works. [Rom. 3:28+] We shall enter heaven, not because we deserve to +enter, [Gal. 2:16+] but only because we believe in Christ. Salvation is +a _Gift_: acquired for us by Christ's holy life and innocent death; +bestowed upon us freely by God's grace; and accepted by faith. [Eph. +2:8, 9+] Our faith is not a merit on account of which we are forgiven, +but it is the hand with which we reach out and accept the free gift of +forgiveness which God offers for Christ's sake. + +Our own works have nothing to do with our justification. [Rom. 3:20+] If +God took them into consideration at all, they would condemn us; for at +best we are imperfect and sinful creatures. [Rom. 7:18-23, Gal. 3:10+] +In order to be saved, we need a _perfect_ righteousness, Christ's +righteousness alone is perfect. It becomes ours by faith. + +AND SANCTIFIED. Those who have true faith are sanctified by the Holy +Spirit; that is, they are made holy in heart and life. [Rom. 8:5+, Rom. +6:22] While good works do not save us, they do and must follow faith as +its fruit. [Matt. 7:18] Believers do good works out of love to God and +gratitude for His mercy. Faith that does not result in a holy life is a +dead faith, [Jas. 2:26+] and cannot save. The Christian dare not live in +sin. [Rom. 6:2+] He has become a new creature; for he is born again: and +consequently he leads a new life. We shall, indeed, never become sinless +in this world, but we must honestly and earnestly _try_ to do God's will +in all things. [Phil. 3:12-14, Matt. 5:16+] We should grow more and more +holy every day. [Eph. 4:22-24, Rom. 12:2, I Thess. 4:1] We cannot do +this by our own power, but we can by the help of God. We should, +therefore, be diligent and faithful in the use of the Word of God and +the Sacraments; for these are the means which the Holy Ghost uses for +our sanctification.[4] + +[Footnote 4: Faith in Christ does not at once make us perfectly holy and +sinless, as some persons maintain; but it takes away the guilt of our +sin. We are completely justified and forgiven as soon as we believe; but +we are not completely sanctified. Sanctification is a gradual process, +which will be completed only when we are transformed and glorified in +heaven.] + +PRESERVED ME IN THE TRUE FAITH. As it is the Holy Ghost who brings us to +faith, so it is He who preserves us in it. [Phil. 1:6+] The world, the +flesh, and the devil are enemies who seek to destroy our faith and to +rob us of our salvation. We should constantly pray for strength to +resist these enemies, [Matt. 26:41+, Rev. 2:10] and should obey the +promptings of the Holy Spirit. We must avoid wilful, intentional sin, +[Eph. 4:30+] and live a life of daily repentance. If we sin wilfully, we +fall from grace and are lost, unless we come to true and lasting +repentance. If we faithfully use the Means of Grace, and earnestly +strive to lead a Christian life, the Holy Spirit will preserve us in the +faith to the end. [Phil. 2:12, 13+] + +QUESTIONS.--1. Of what does the Third Article treat? 2. What is to be +said about the importance of the Holy Spirit's work? 3. Analyze the +Third Article and its Explanation. 4. What is to be said about the +person and nature of the Holy Ghost? 5. How does the Holy Ghost come +into our hearts? 6. Describe the Work of the Holy Ghost. 7. Why can we +not be saved if the Holy Spirit does not work in us? 8. How has the Holy +Spirit called me? 9. How has He enlightened me? 10. How does the Holy +Ghost bring me to repentance? 11. What does repentance include? 12. How +does the Holy Ghost bring me to faith? 13. What does faith include? 14. +What is true faith? 15. What is meant by regeneration? 16. What is meant +by conversion? 17. Must a Christian know the exact time of his +conversion? 18. What is meant by justification? 19. What is the relation +of faith and works in salvation? 20. What is meant by sanctification? +21. What is the relation between faith and good works? 22. How are we +preserved in the faith? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Cor. 2:14. But the natural man receiveth not the +things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither +can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. + +John 20:31. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is +the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life +through his name. + +I Tim. 2:4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the +knowledge of the truth. + +Matt. 20:16. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be +called, but few chosen. + +II Tim. 1:12. For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He +is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. + +II Cor. 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: +old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. + +Rom. 5:1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God +through our Lord Jesus Christ. + +Rom. 8:1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in +Christ Jesus. + +Rom. 3:28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith +without the deeds of the law. + +Gal. 2:16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, +but by the faith of Jesus Christ. + +Eph. 2:8, 9. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of +yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should +boast. + +Rom. 3:20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be +justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. + +Gal. 3:10. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the +curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all +things which are written in the book of the law to do them. + +Rom. 8:5. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the +flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. + +Jas. 2:26. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without +works is dead also. + +Rom. 6:2. God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any +longer therein? + +Matt. 5:16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your +good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. + +Phil. 1:6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun +a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. + +Matt. 26:41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the +spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. + +Eph. 4:30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed +unto the day of redemption. + +Phil. 2:12, 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for +it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good +pleasure. + +READING.--The Outpouring of the Holy Ghost, Acts, 2:1-41. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Calling_: The Great Supper, Luke 14:16-24; The Marriage +of the King's Son, Matt. 22; Matthew, Matt. 9:9; Peter and Andrew, Matt. +4:19; Nathanael, John 1:45. _Repentance_: David, Ps. 51; Peter, Luke +22:62; Zaccheus, Luke 19; The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-24; The Publican, +Luke 18:13. _Impenitence_: Cain, Gen. 4:13; Judas, Matt. 27:4, 5; The +Pharisee, Luke 18:10-12, _Faith_: The Centurion, Matt. 8:5-13; The Woman +of Cana, Matt. 15:22-28; Peter, John 6:68, 69. _Doubt_: Thomas, John +20:22-28. _Conversion_: The Twelve Disciples; The Three Thousand, Acts +2; The Thief on the Cross, Luke 23:39-43; The Philippian Jailor, Acts +16:25-34. _Faithfulness_: Paul, II Cor. 11:23-33; II Tim. 4:7. +_Apostasy_: Ananias, Acts 4:5; Demas, II Tim. 4:10. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE HOLY GHOST. + +III. HIS WORKMANSHIP. + + +The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints. + + * * * * * + +WHAT THE CHURCH IS. The Church is "The Communion of Saints" or +fellowship of believers. It consists of all those persons who truly +believe in Christ. [Matt. 16:16, 18] We call it the _Workmanship_ of the +Holy Ghost, because He brings men to faith and thus produces the Church. +HE CALLS, GATHERS, ENLIGHTENS AND SANCTIFIES THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH +ON EARTH, AND PRESERVES IT IN UNION WITH JESUS CHRIST IN THE TRUE FAITH. +[Eph. 3:25-27] + +The Church may also be called the Holy Spirit's _Workshop_, because He +abides and works in it through the Means of Grace,--the Word of God and +the Sacraments. + +WHEN FOUNDED. The Holy Christian Church was founded on the day of +Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the disciples. [Acts +2:1-41] On that day the Gospel of the crucified and risen Saviour was +first preached by the apostles, the first converts were made, and the +first Christian baptisms were administered. + +VISIBLE OR INVISIBLE. The Church is invisible, because we cannot read +men's hearts nor tell who are real believers. But if we regard the +Church as an external organization which includes all who profess to +believe, it is visible. In this outward visible Church there are many +persons who are not real believers. But Christ knows His own. [II Tim +2:19+, John 10:14+] The angels on the day of judgment will separate the +hypocrites from the true Christians. [Matt. 13:41, 42] + +THE MARKS OF THE CHURCH. The Church is found wherever the Gospel is +rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered. For wherever +God's Word is preached, some persons believe it, [Isa. 55:10, 11] and +where believers are, there is the Church. + +THE CHURCH IS ONE. It consists of the true believers out of all the +different churches, denominations, and sects. There is one Flock, with +one Shepherd. [John 10:16] The Church is the Body of which Christ is the +Head. [Col. 1:18, Eph 1:22, 23] + +ITS NAMES. The Church is called _Holy_, because the Holy Spirit works in +it and through it, and because its members, though not perfect, lead +holy lives. It is called _Christian_, because it consists of those who +believe in Christ. It is called _Catholic_ or Universal, because it is +meant to include all men everywhere. Catholic does not mean _Roman_ +Catholic. + +MILITANT AND TRIUMPHANT. The Church, consisting of true believers, is +one and the same Church on earth and in heaven. On earth it is the +Church Militant, because its members are still fighting the good fight +of faith. [I Tim. 6:12+] In heaven it is the Church Triumphant, because +its members have won the victory of faith. [Rev. 7:9-14, Rev. 2:18, Rev. +3:21] The only way into the Church Triumphant is through the Church +Militant. + +THE CHURCH'S WORK. + +The Church is the agency or instrument which the Holy Spirit uses for +the evangelization of the world. [Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:15] It is the +institution through which He does His work of applying redemption to the +souls of men. The Church, therefore, has a work to do: namely, to make +disciples of all men. + +THE MEANS through which the Church, as an agency of the Holy Spirit, is +to do its work are the Word of God and the Sacraments. They are +sufficient for the purpose for which they are intended, because the Holy +Spirit works through them and endows them with supernatural power. [Rom. +1:16, Heb. 4:12] + +THE WORKMEN who are to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments are +the _ministers_. They must be properly called and ordained by the +Church. [Act 14:23, Tit. 1:5] In the New Testament all pastors are +called elders or bishops. It was only at a later period that the office +of a bishop was made superior to that of elder, pastor or minister. The +office of an apostle was a separate and higher office. The apostles were +the witnesses of Christ's redemption, and possessed miraculous powers. +They have no successors. Ministers are the ambassadors of Christ, +beseeching men to be reconciled to God. [II Cor. 5:20+] Christ speaks +through them. He who hears them, hears Christ; he who despises them, +despises Christ. [Luke 10:16] If a minister should happen to be a +hypocrite, his official acts, such as baptisms and the like, would still +be valid. [II Tim. 2:13] _Deacons_ [Acts 6:1-6] are officers whose duty +it is to assist the pastor, and to look after the temporal interests of +the congregation. _Deaconesses_ [Rom.16:1] are consecrated to the work +of love and mercy, and minister to the sick, the needy, the neglected, +the ignorant, the fallen, and the friendless. + +THE VARIOUS CHURCHES. + +While the Church, in the strict sense of the word, is the "communion of +saints" and therefore _one_, yet outwardly it has become divided, in the +course of time, into many different churches, denominations, and sects. +It contains Four Great Branches: _The Greek Catholic Church_; _The Roman +Catholic Church_; _The Evangelical Lutheran Church_; and _The Reformed +Churches_, comprising a great number of denominations and sects. The +Lutheran Church and the Reformed Churches are called Protestant. (For +the names and relations of various branches of the Church, see the +accompanying Diagram, on page 106.) + +THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH. + +The Evangelical Lutheran Church is in reality the old original Church +which came into existence on the day of Pentecost. Luther simply threw +out the errors which had crept into the Church during the course of the +centuries, and held fast the doctrines taught in God's Word. As a +separate and distinct Church, the Lutheran Church dates from the year +1530, when the Augsburg Confession was read before the emperor and diet +of the German Empire.[5] Her doctrines are laid down in her six +Confessions, contained in the Book of Concord. + +[Footnote 5: Since a particular Church is no older than her distinctive +confession, the Lutheran Church is more than thirty years older than the +Roman Catholic Church; for the Augsburg Confession was adopted in 1530, +while the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, which are the +Confession of the Roman Catholic Church, were not completed until 1563. +The ecumenical creeds are accepted by both Churches, and therefore prove +nothing as regards their _relative_ age.] + +THE CHURCH OF THE PURE GOSPEL. The Lutheran Church receives the Holy +Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the only rule and standard +of religious teaching. The Roman Catholic Church accepts the tradition +of the Church as of equal authority with the Holy Scriptures. + +The Lutheran Church teaches the great central doctrine of the Gospel, +that we are saved by _faith alone_ without works. The Roman Catholic +Church teaches that we are justified by faith _and works_. + +The Lutheran Church abides by the teachings of Scripture even when she +cannot understand them. The other Protestant Churches explain away and +reject some teachings of Scripture because they cannot understand them. + +HER NAME. The name Lutheran was first given to our Church by her +enemies. But she accepted it, because she believes the doctrines which +Luther taught. The name which she chose for herself is Evangelical (true +to the Gospel). She is now known by both names taken together, +Evangelical Lutheran. + +WHERE FOUND. The Lutheran Church is found in nearly all parts of the +world, especially in Germany, Scandinavia, and the United States. In +1905 she numbered over 73 million baptized members, or practically as +many as all the other Protestant Churches taken together. In the United +States she has almost two million confirmed members (statistics for +1906), and ranks third in size among the Protestant Churches of the +country. + +IN AMERICA. The Lutheran Church in North America comprises the following +general bodies: The General Synod, organized in 1821; the General +Council, organized in 1867; the Synodical Conference, organized in 1872; +the United Synod South, organized in 1886. To these general bodies there +belong various synods. There are also a number of Independent Synods +which are not connected with any general body. Synods are often +subdivided into Conferences. + +HER WORK. The Lutheran Church, like the Church in general, is to make +disciples (Christians) of men. She is all the more bound to do her work, +because she is the Church of the Pure Gospel. Her work is done in local +congregations, in Home Missions, Foreign Missions, Inner Missions, and +in maintaining the necessary institutions of learning (colleges, +seminaries, etc.) and of mercy (orphanages, asylums, hospitals). + +DUTIES OF HER MEMBERS. It is the duty of her members to lead a Christian +life, to be loyal to their own Church, and to co-operate heartily in all +her local and general work, for the glory of God and the salvation of +immortal souls. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What is the Christian Church? 2. Why do we call it the +Workmanship of the Holy Ghost? 3. When was it founded? 4. Is the Church +visible or invisible? 5. What are the marks of the Church? 6. Why is the +Christian Church one? 7. Why is the Church called Holy, Christian, +Catholic? 8. What is meant by the Church Militant and the Church +Triumphant? 9. What use does the Holy Spirit make of the Church? 10. +What are the means which the Church uses for its work? 11. Who are the +Church's workmen, and what is their work? 12. Name the four great +branches of the Christian Church? 13. How old is the Lutheran Church? +14. What three fundamental principles characterize the Lutheran Church? +15. Explain how the Lutheran Church got its name. 16. Where is the +Lutheran Church found? 17. How large is it? 18. Name the General Bodies +of the Lutheran Church in North America. 19. Describe the work of the +Lutheran Church? 20. What are the duties of her members? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 16:18. Upon this rock I will build my church; +and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. + +II Tim. 2:19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having +this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that +nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. + +John 10:14. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of +mine. + +Eph. 1:22, 23. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to +be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the +fulness of him that filleth all in all. + +I Tim. 6:12. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, +whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession +before many witnesses. + +Rom. 1:16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the +power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. + +Heb. 4:12. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than +any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of sold and +spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts +and intents of the heart. + +II Cor, 5:20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did +beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to +God. + +READING.--The Church at Jerusalem, Acts 2:41-47. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE HOLY GHOST. + +IV. THE FRUITS OF HIS WORK. + + +The Forgiveness of Sins; the Resurrection of the Body; and the Life +Everlasting. + +The fruits of the Holy Spirit's work in us are: 1. The Forgiveness of +Sins. 2. The Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting. + +1. _THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS_ has been acquired for me by my Saviour +Jesus Christ; [I John 1:7+] but it is made mine by the Holy Ghost, who +has brought me to faith and preserved me in it. For it is through faith +that I obtain forgiveness. [Rom 5:1] + +IN WHICH CHRISTIAN CHURCH. The forgiveness of sins is made mine _in the +Church_ through the Word of God and the Sacraments. Faith takes hold of +and clings to the promises therein given. Special assurance of +forgiveness is also given in Confession and Absolution. + +HE DAILY FORGIVES ABUNDANTLY ALL MY SINS. Even if I am a sincere +Christian, I am an imperfect and sinful creature, and I need God's +forgiveness every day. [I John 1:8, 9, Rom. 7:18-25] By keeping me in a +state of repentance and faith, the Holy Spirit secures to me the +continuous forgiveness of all my sins. The Christian's life is a daily +repentance and a daily believing that God for Christ's sake graciously +pardons all our transgressions and shortcomings. [Luke 11:3, 4, Rom +8:32+] + +AND THE SINS OF ALL BELIEVERS. All who lead a life of daily repentance +and faith are daily and abundantly forgiven. + +2. _THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY AND THE LIFE EVERLASTING_. The work of +the Holy Spirit in me will not be completed until the last day. + +HE WILL RAISE UP ME AND ALL THE DEAD AT THE LAST DAY. The bodies of all +men shall be raised from the dead and re-united with the souls from +which they were parted at death. [John 5:28, 29+, Acts 24:15+] These +bodies will be essentially the same which we had on earth, but they will +be immortal and incorruptible. [I Cor. 15:42] The bodies of the +believers will be endowed with new and glorious properties, like the +body of Christ after His resurrection. [I Cor. 15:42-44, Phil. 3:21+] +They will be fit tabernacles for the glorified souls to inhabit through +all eternity. They will be spiritual bodies, freed from all the +imperfections and limitations to which they were subject on earth. The +bodies of those believers who are still alive at Christ's second coming +shall undergo the same change in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, +at the last trump. [I Cor. 15:51-53] + +AND WILL GRANT EVERLASTING LIFE TO ME TO ALL WHO BELIEVE IN CHRIST. +[John 3:16] The believers shall then enter upon the full and perfect +enjoyment of eternal salvation. [Matt. 25:34] Here we have the +forgiveness of sins, but there we shall have life everlasting. The +believers shall obtain an eternal inheritance in heaven, [I Pet. 1:4+] +and enter upon the enjoyment of a bliss so exalted that we cannot form +any adequate conception of it here on earth. There will be differences +of glory proportioned to the strength of faith and the zeal in labor +manifested on earth. [I Cor 15:41, 42, Luke 19:17-19] But all shall be +perfectly happy. They shall be free from sin and from every evil, [Rev. +21:4+] and dwell in the light of God's presence forever. [I Thess. 4:17, +John 17:24, Rev. 7:15] + +_Eternal Death_. The impenitent and unbelieving shall be cast into +eternal torment, [Matt. 25:41] and shall suffer indescribable pain and +misery for ever. [Rev. 14:11] The greater their wickedness and neglected +opportunities on earth, the deeper will be their remorse and anguish. +[Luke 12:47, 48, Matt. 25:41] Having refused to let the Holy Spirit make +them fit for entrance into heaven, [Rev. 21:27, Matt. 7:23] they shall +be cast out into the only place for which they are fit, into hell. [Luke +16:23, 24] + +QUESTIONS.--1. What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit's work in us? 2. +How does the forgiveness of sins become yours? 3. Where is the +forgiveness of sins made yours? 4. How do we obtain daily forgiveness? +5. When will the Holy Spirit's work in you be completed? 6. Describe the +resurrection of the dead. 7. What is to be said about everlasting life? +8. Why will the impenitent and unbelieving be cast into hell? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--I John 1:7. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son +cleanseth us from all sin. + +Rom. 8:32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us +all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? + +John 5:28, 29. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which +all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; +they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that +have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. + +Acts 24:15. There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just +and unjust. + +Phil. 3:21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned +like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able +even to subdue all things unto himself. + +I Pet. 1:4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that +fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. + +Rev. 21:4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there +shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there +be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. + +READING.--Christ Judging the World, Matt. 25:31-46. + + + + +PART III. + +THE LORD'S PRAYER. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +PRAYER. + + +Prayer is the conversation of the believing heart with God. [Ps. 19:14+] +It is as necessary for the life of the soul, as breathing is for that of +the body. As children of God we must live in communion with Him; and we +cannot be Christians without prayer. For this reason God has given us +His name to use in prayer, and the Saviour has taught us how to pray in +the Lord's Prayer. + +To WHOM WE SHOULD PRAY. Our prayers should be addressed to God alone, +[Matt. 4:10.] and not to the Virgin Mary, the saints, the angels, or any +other creatures. + +WHY WE SHOULD PRAY. We should pray, 1. Because we constantly need God's +mercy in temporal and spiritual things. 2. Because we owe God our thanks +for his many benefits. [Ps. 103, Jas. 1:17] 3. Because God has commanded +us to pray. [Matt. 6:9, Matt. 26:41] 4. Because God has promised to hear +us. [Matt. 7:7, 8+, Ps. 50:15] + +WHEN WE SHOULD PRAY. 1. Always; [Luke 21:36+] that is, our soul should +live in constant communion with God, and always be open toward Him. 2. +Whenever we feel special need of prayer: in danger, [Matt. 8:25] +distress, anxiety, [Matt. 8:25] sickness, [Jas. 5:14, 15] bereavement, +sorrow, [Ps. 25:16, 17] temptation, [Matt. 26:41] or when we are +burdened with the sense of our guilt. [Luke 18:13.] 3. At fixed times: +[Dan. 6:10] every morning and evening, at meal-times; in family worship; +[Josh. 24:15+] in church. [Matt. 18:20+] + +FOR WHOM WE SHOULD PRAY. 1. For ourselves. 2. For our fellow-Christians. +[Eph. 6:18+] 3. For all men: [I Tim. 2:1+] for friends and foes, [Matt. +5:44+] the poor and the rich, the afflicted and the tempted. 4. For the +Church. 5. For the State. + +OUR PRAYERS SHOULD CONTAIN: 1. Adoration, 2. Thanksgiving. 3. +Confession, 4. Petition. 5. Intercession. + +THE MANNER. Our prayers should be the sincere utterance of our hearts; +otherwise they will be a mere mockery. [Matt. 6:5] They may be in our +own words or those of another. It will often be profitable to use the +prayers found in good prayer-books or in the Liturgy, and to draw +largely from the Psalms, which are a treasury of good and beautiful +prayers. We should not lengthen our prayers by vain repetitions, nor +repeat the Lord's Prayer or any other prayer a certain number of times +as if that were a merit. [Matt. 6:7] Nor should we shorten our prayers +through laziness, indifference, and the like. The Lord's Prayer should +generally be added to our own prayers as a summary of those things for +which we should pray. + +THE POSTURE which we assume should indicate reverence to God. We should +kneel or stand with folded hands. If we are unable to assume either of +these postures, we may pray in any position. We stand in church on +Sunday, because it is the day of the Lord's resurrection and a day of +joy. We should not sit still in church while others stand, unless we are +too weak or ill to stand. Kneeling is an attitude of humiliation, +particularly appropriate for the confession of sins. + +IN CHRIST'S NAME. We should always pray in Christ's name, and never omit +His name to please men or avoid offence; for our prayers are only heard +for Christ's sake. We have the promise that whatever we ask in His name +will be given to us. [John 16:23] To pray in Christ's name means to +pray, 1. As one who trusts in Christ and asks to be heard for His sake. +[Eph. 2:18+, Rom. 5:2] 2. As one who prays in Christ's spirit, +submitting all things to God's will, and saying with Christ, "Not my +will, but Thine, be done." [Matt. 26:29, Matt 6:10] + +IN FAITH. We should pray in faith, believing that God will answer our +prayer for Jesus' sake. [Jas. 5:16+] If we do not pray in faith, we +shall not be heard. [Jas. 1:6, 7] + +THE ANSWER TO PRAYER. God always answers the prayer of the believer. +Those who ask and receive not, have either asked amiss, [Jas. 4:3] or +have not asked in faith. If we ask anything according to His will, He +heareth us. [John 5:14+] He answers our prayer, 1. By granting us what +we ask, though perhaps after a long delay, by which He tries our faith +and patience. 2. He grants us good things instead of the hurtful things +for which we ignorantly ask. 3. He gives us strength to bear the burden +which we pray to have removed, [II Cor. 12:9] and thus confers a greater +blessing than the removal of the burden would be. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What is prayer? 2. To whom alone should we pray? 3. Why +should we pray? 4. When should we pray? 5. For whom should we pray? 6. +What should our prayers contain? 7. What is to be said about the manner +of our praying? 8. What is to be said about the posture in prayer? 9. +Why must we pray in Christ's name? 10. What is meant by praying in +Christ's name? 11. What is to be said about the importance of praying in +faith? 12. Does God always answer prayer? 13. In what ways does He +answer? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Ps. 19:14. Let the words of my mouth, and the +meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, +and my redeemer. + +Matt. 7:7, 8. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; +knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh +receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it +shall be opened. + +Luke 21:36. Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be +accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and +to stand before the Son of man. + +Josh. 24:15. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. + +Matt. 18:20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, +there am I in the midst of them. + +Eph. 6:18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the +Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication +for all saints. + +I Tim. 2:1, 2. I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, +prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for +kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and +peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. + +Matt. 5:44. Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. + +Eph. 2:18. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the +Father. + +Jas. 5:16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth +much. + +I John 5:14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we +ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. + +II Cor. 12:9. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for +my strength is made perfect in weakness. + +READING.--The Pharisee and the Publican in the Temple, Luke 18:10-14. + +ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Prayer for Self_: The Lepers, Luke 17:12, 13; The Blind +Beggar, Luke 18:35-43; The Publican, Luke 18:13; _For Others_: Jesus, +John 17, Luke 23:32; Abraham, Gen. 18:23-33; Moses, Exod. 32:11; +Stephen, Acts 7:60. _Answer to Prayer_: Israel in Bondage, Exod. 2:23, +24; Hannah, I Sam. 1:9-20; Elijah, I Kings 17:21, 22; Jas. 5:17; The +Early Church, Acts 12:5-17; Paul, Acts 16:25; II Cor. 12:7-9. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +THE LORD'S PRAYER. + + +The Lord's Prayer is so-called because it was given to us by the Lord +Jesus Christ. [Matt. 6:9-13, Luke 11:1-4] It teaches us how to pray +aright, and is the model after which we should fashion all our prayers. +It shows us the manner in which we should come to God, and the things +for which we should ask. + +ITS CONTENTS. The Lord's Prayer contains an Introduction, Seven +Petitions, and a Conclusion. The first three petitions regard God's +glory, and deal with His Name, His Kingdom, and His Will; the last four +regard our bodily and spiritual needs, and deal with our Daily Bread, +Forgiveness, Temptation, and Deliverance from Evil. Six petitions, the +first three and the last three, refer to spiritual gifts; and only one, +the fourth, refers to earthly gifts. Thus we are taught that, when we +pray, we should think first of God's glory; and that we should pray more +for spiritual than for temporal benefits. + +INTRODUCTION. + +Our Father Who art in Heaven. + +_What is meant by this Introduction?_ + +God would thereby affectionately encourage us to believe that He is +truly our Father, and that we are His children indeed, so that we may +call upon Him with all cheerfulness and confidence, even as beloved +children entreat their affectionate parent. + + * * * * * + +This Introduction shows us the manner in which we should come to God in +prayer; namely, as His children, who are asking their Father for what +they need, and who are sure that He loves them and will answer their +prayer. + +OUR FATHER.[6] God is our Father and we are His children through Christ +our Saviour. [Gal 3:26+, 1 John 3:1, 2, Rom. 8:16] We should therefore +be sure that He will receive us kindly for Jesus' sake whenever we come +before him with our prayers. We should CALL UPON HIM WITH ALL +CHEERFULNESS AND CONFIDENCE, EVEN AS BELOVED CHILDREN ENTREAT THEIR +AFFECTIONATE PARENT. [Matt. 7:11+, Rom. 8:15+, Heb. 4:16] + +[Footnote 6: Observe how the name "Father," by which we are here taught +to address God, corresponds with the duty "to fear, love, and trust in +Him above all things" as enjoined by the First Commandment.] + +We are taught to say _our_ and not _my_ Father, because the Lord's +Prayer was given to believers to use in their common worship as well as +in their private devotions; and because we should pray not only for +ourselves but for our fellow-believers and for all men. + +WHO ART IN HEAVEN. An earthly father is not always able to do what his +children ask, even if he desires to do so. But the Father to whom we +here pray is our Heavenly Father, and is abundantly able to answer all +our prayers, [Eph. 3:20+] He not only loves us with an everlasting love, +but is almighty, omniscient, and all-wise. He is able to do all things +which He wills to do, and will answer all our prayers in the very way +that is best for us. + +QUESTIONS.--1. Why is the Lord's Prayer so called? 2. What does it teach +us? 3. What does it contain? 4. What can you say about the seven +petitions? 5. What does the introduction show? 6. Why do we say Our +_Father_? 7. How should this encourage us to call upon Him? 8. Why do we +say _Our_ Father? 9. What is to be said about our heavenly Father in +comparison with earthly fathers? + + * * * * * + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Gal. 3:26. For ye are all the children of God by +faith in Christ Jesus. + +Matt. 7:11. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto +your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give +good things to them that ask him? + +Rom. 8:15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; +but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, +Father. + +Eph. 3:20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above +all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, +unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, +world without end. Amen. + +READING.--Christ teaches His Disciples to pray, Luke 11:1-4. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +THE FIRST PETITION. + + +Hallowed be Thy name. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +The name of God is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this petition +that it may be hallowed also by us. + +_How is this effected?_ + +When the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the +children of God, lead holy lives in accordance with it; to this may our +blessed Father in heaven help us. But whoever teaches and lives +otherwise than as God's Word prescribes, profanes the name of God among +us; from this preserve us, heavenly Father. + + * * * * * + +In this Petition we pray for grace to hallow God's name[7] by the pure +teaching of His Word and by childlike obedience to it. + +[Footnote 7: There is a parallel between this Petition and the Second +Commandment. We here pray for grace to avoid what the Second Commandment +forbids, and to do what it commands.] + +THE NAME OF GOD means not only the names by which we address Him, but +all by which He is known to us. Compare the Second Commandment. + +IS INDEED HOLY IN ITSELF. [Ps. 99:3] God's name is holy, because He is +holy. We cannot increase or diminish God's holiness by anything that we +do. This petition does not imply, therefore, that we are to _make_ God's +name holy. + +BUT WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT IT MAY BE HALLOWED ALSO BY US. We +hallow God's name when we regard and treat it as holy; in other words, +when we honor and glorify God by worshiping and serving Him in +accordance with the revelation which He has given of Himself in His +Word. [John 17:6+, Ps. 100:2, 3] + +I. HOW GOD'S NAME IS HALLOWED. + +1. WHEN THE WORD OF GOD IS TAUGHT IN ITS TRUTH AND PURITY. God has +revealed Himself to us in His Word, and it is only from that Word that +we can learn to know Him and worship Him aright. [John 1:18+] Those, +therefore, who in the Church, the school, or the home, teach God's Word, +as well as those who gladly hear, read, and learn it, hallow His name. +[John 17:17+] But the Word must be taught in its truth and purity; that +is, it must be taught as it is recorded in the Scriptures, with nothing +added, taken away, or changed. [Gal. 1:9, Rev 22:18, 19] + +AND WE AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD LEAD HOLY LIVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH IT. In +order to hallow God's name, we must not only hear but obey His Word. +[Jas. 1:22+, Matt. 5:16] As God's children we should think, speak, and +act according to the rule which He has laid down in His Word, and thus +glorify His name. + +TO THIS MAY OUR BLESSED FATHER IN HEAVEN HELP US. We cannot preserve +God's Word in its truth and purity against its foes, nor believe and +obey it by our own strength: hence we pray for God's help. + +II. HOW GOD'S NAME IS PROFANED. + +BUT WHOEVER TEACHES AND LIVES OTHERWISE THAN AS GOD'S WORD PRESCRIBES, +PROFANES THE OF GOD AMONG US. [Rom. 2:21-24, Tit. 1:16] False teachers, +who deny God's Word, or change it, or add to it, or subtract from it, +profane the name of God, because they hide the glory of God from those +who believe their teachings. Those who live otherwise than as God's Word +prescribes, and are hypocrites or impenitent and unbelieving persons, +profane God's name, because they refuse to glorify Him by obedience to +His Word. + +FROM THIS PRESERVE US, HEAVENLY FATHER. We pray thus, because we are by +nature inclined to error and sin, and have need of God's grace to +preserve us from profaning His name. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray for in this first petition? 2. What does +the name of God mean? 3. Why is God's name holy in itself? 4. What does +it mean to hallow God's name? 5. How is God's name hallowed? 6. Why do +we pray for God's help? 7. How is God's name profaned? 8. Why do we pray +God to preserve us from profaning His name? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--John 17:6. I have manifested thy name unto the men +which thou gavest me out of the world. + +John 1:18. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, +which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. + +John 17:17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. + +Jas. 1:22. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving +your own selves. + +READING.--The Name of Jesus, Acts 4:1-21. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +THE SECOND PETITION. + + +Thy kingdom come. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +The kingdom of God comes indeed of itself without our prayer; but we +pray in this petition that it may come unto us also. + +_When is this effected?_ + +When our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace +we believe His holy Word, and live a godly life here on earth and in +heaven forever. + + * * * * * + +In this Petition we pray that the Kingdom of God may come to us[8] and +to all men; that is, that we all by true faith and a godly life may +become members of the Church on earth and in heaven. + +[Footnote 8: Since the Kingdom of God comes to us through the Gospel, +there is a close relation between this Petition and the Third +Commandment, which commands us to "deem God's Word holy and willingly +hear and learn it."] + +THE KINGDOM OF GOD is the Kingdom which Christ has founded, and to which +all who believe in Him belong. It is the Kingdom of Grace in this world +and the Kingdom of Glory in the next. [Mark 1:15, Matt. 25:34] + +COMES INDEED OF ITSELF WITHOUT OUR PRAYER. Christ has established His +kingdom and will continue to extend it, whether we pray for it or not. +[Isa. 9:7] + +BUT WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT IT MAY COME TO US ALSO; that is, into +our hearts. In other words, we pray that we may become true Christians; +[Matt. 7:21] and if we are Christians, we pray that we may become better +Christians. + +_Missions._ This petition is also a prayer for missions. [Matt. 9:37, +38+, Mark 16:15] We here pray that God's kingdom may come to all men. If +our prayer is sincere, then we must be willing also to give liberally, +so that the Gospel may be preached to the heathen (Foreign Missions) and +to the spiritually destitute in our own land (Home Missions and Inner +Missions). + +HOW GOD'S KINGDOM COMES TO US. + +WHEN OUR HEAVENLY FATHER GIVES US HIS HOLY SPIRIT. Since only believers +belong to God's kingdom, and we "cannot by our own reason or strength +believe in Jesus Christ our Lord," we pray in this petition that God +would give His Holy Spirit to us, + +SO THAT BY HIS GRACE WE BELIEVE HIS WORD, [I Cor. 12:3] AND LIVE A GODLY +LIFE [Tit. 2:11-13+] HERE ON EARTH AND IN HEAVEN FOREVER. The Holy +Spirit must teach us to repent of sin and to believe in Christ, and +preserve us in a life of daily repentance and faith. Then God's kingdom +will come to as more and more in this world, and in the next world we +shall belong to it for ever. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray in this petition? 2. What is meant by the +kingdom of God? 3. How does God's kingdom come without our prayer? 4. +What do we mean when we pray that it may come to us? 5. What is to be +said about this petition and missions? 6. How does God's kingdom come to +us? 7. Why do we need the Holy Spirit? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 9:37, 38. Then saith he onto his disciples, The +harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore +the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his +harvest. + +Mark 16:15. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach +the gospel to every creature. + +Tit. 2:11-13. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared +to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we +should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, +looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great +God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. + +READING.--The Harvest and the Laborers, Matt. 9:35-38. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +THE THIRD PETITION. + + +Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +The good and gracious will of God is done, indeed, without our prayer, +but we pray in this petition that it may be done by us also. + +_When is this effected?_ + +When God frustrates and brings to nought every evil counsel and purpose +which would hinder us from hallowing the name of God and prevent His +kingdom from coming to us,--such as the will of the devil, of the world, +and of our own flesh; and when he strengthens us and keeps us steadfast +in His Word and in the faith even unto our end. This is His gracious and +good will. + + * * * * * + +In this Petition we pray for grace gladly to believe, do, and suffer all +that God wills us to believe, do, and suffer, so that His name may be +hallowed, and His kingdom may come. + +THY WILL. God's will is, 1. That we should believe the Gospel and be +saved. [I Tim 2:4+] 2. That we should obey His commandments and be holy. +[I Thess. 4:3+] 3. That we should willingly submit to all His dealings +with us, and suffer patiently when He lays a cross on us. [Rom. 8:17+] + +BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. We pray that God's will may be done +by all men and especially by us, as heartily, as continually, and as +completely as it is done by the holy angels. [Ps. 103:20, 21] + +THE GOOD AND GRACIOUS WILL OF GOD. The will of God is always good and +gracious, because He always wills those things which He, in His wisdom +and love, [I John 4:16] sees are best. He does all things well, even +when we do not understand His ways. [Isa. 55:8, 9, Rom. 8:28] + +IS DONE INDEED WITHOUT OUR PRAYER. There will always be some persons who +permit God to accomplish His good and gracious purposes in them, whether +we pray for it or not. [Isa. 55:11] + +BUT WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT IT MAY BE DONE BY US ALSO; [Rom. +12:12] that is, that we may believe His Gospel, obey His Commandments, +and trustfully permit Him to lead us in whatsoever paths He will. + +WHAT WE PRAY GOD TO DO. + +In order that God's good and gracious will may be done by us, all +opposing wills must be overcome. [Luke 22:31] We therefore pray God + +1. TO FRUSTRATE AND BRING TO NOUGHT THE WILL OF THE DEVIL, [II Cor. +2:11] OF THE WORLD [I John 2:15, 16] (wicked persons), AND OF OUR OWN +FLESH [Gal. 5:17+] (our natural heart). For these are the great enemies +of our souls, who by their EVIL COUNSELS AND PURPOSES WOULD HINDER US +FROM HALLOWING THE NAME OF GOD AND PREVENT HIS KINGDOM FROM COMING TO +US. They tempt us to oppose God's will by despising His Gospel, +disobeying His Commandments, and murmuring against His dealings with us. +We pray God + +2. TO STRENGTHEN US, [Phil. 2:13] so that we may be able to overcome +these enemies and do God's will in spite of them. [Eph. 6:11, 12+] They +are very powerful, but if we are in earnest about overcoming them, God +will give us the needful strength in answer to our prayer. We pray God + +3. TO KEEP US STEADFAST IN HIS WORD IN THE FAITH EVEN OUR END, [Phil. +1:6, I Pet. 4:19] so that we may believe the Gospel with all our heart, +live holy Christian lives, trust God to lead us as He sees best, and be +faithful unto death, that we may receive the crown of life. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray for in this petition? 2. What do we mean +by God's will in this petition? 3. How do we pray that God's will may be +done? 4. Why is the will of God good and gracious? 5. How is God's will +done without our prayer? 6. When do we do God's will? 7. What three +things do we pray God to do? 8. What three wills oppose the will of God? +9. What do the devil, the world, and our own flesh seek? 10. Why do we +pray God to strengthen us? 11. When do we remain steadfast in God's Word +and in the faith? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Tim. 2:4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to +come unto the knowledge of the truth. + +I Thess. 4:3. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification. + +Rom. 8:17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs +with Christ: if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also +glorified together. + +Gal. 5:17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit +against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that +ye cannot do the things that ye would. + +Eph. 6:11, 12. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to +stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh +and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the +rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in +high places. + +READING.--Jesus in Gethsemane, Matt. 26:36-44. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +THE FOURTH PETITION. + + +Give us this day our daily bread. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +God gives, indeed, without our prayer, even to the wicked also, their +daily bread; but we pray in this petition that He would make us sensible +of His benefits, and enable us to receive our daily bread with +thanksgiving. + +_What is implied in the words "our daily bread"?_ + +All things that pertain to the wants and the support of this present +life; such as food, raiment, money, goods, house and land, and other +property; a believing spouse and good children; trustworthy servants and +faithful magistrates; favorable seasons, peace and health; education and +honor; true friends, good neighbors, and the like. + + * * * * * + +In this Petition we acknowledge that every good gift comes from God; +[Jas. 1:17] and we pray that He would give us, day by day, those things +which we need for our earthly support and comfort, and would make us +content and thankful. + +THE PETITION ITSELF. + +While we are to pray first and chiefly for spiritual blessings, the +Saviour here teaches us that we may and should pray for temporal +benefits also. + +GIVE. By praying God to _give_ us our daily bread, we acknowledge that +it comes from Him.[9] He is the absolute owner of all things, [I Cor. +10:26] and divides to all men as He will. All that we have is His gift. +He gives it as a blessing upon our labor; hence, we must work as well as +pray. [II Thess. 3:10] But without His blessing, our labor would be in +vain. [Ps. 127:1] The farmer sows, but God gives the increase. + +[Footnote 9: Compare this Petition with the First Article of the Creed +and its Explanation.] + +US. We are taught to pray not only for ourselves, but for others also. +We should be concerned that they too may have their daily bread; and, +when necessary, we should give them a portion of what God has first +given to us, and thus become the means through which He supplies their +wants. [Heb. 13:16] + +THIS DAY. We are not to pray for "much goods for many years," but only +for this one day's needful supply. When the morrow comes, if we are +still alive, we are to pray again. [Matt.6:34+] We are to depend upon +God from day to day. We are, indeed, to make a proper provision for our +future, but we are not to give way to anxious, unbelieving care about +it. + +OUR. We ask for bread which we may call our own, bread honestly gotten, +bread which God intends we shall have as a reward of our labor; not some +one's else bread, and not such things as God, in His wisdom, sees fit to +withhold from us. + +DAILY BREAD. According to Luther's explanation in the Catechism, our +daily bread includes + +ALL THINGS WHICH PERTAIN TO THE WANTS AND THE SUPPORT OF THIS PRESENT +LIFE; such as:-- + +FOOD, RAIMENT, to supply our bodily wants; + +MONEY, GOODS, HOUSE AND LAND, AND OTHER PROPERTY, by means of which we +may procure the supply of our bodily wants; + +A BELIEVING SPOUSE AND GOOD CHILDREN, that we may have a good Christian +home; + +TRUSTWORTHY SERVANTS AND FAITHFUL MAGISTRATES, that we may have the help +and protection which we need for the enjoyment of our own; + +FAVORABLE SEASONS, PEACE AND HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HONOR, TRUE FRIENDS, +GOOD NEIGHBORS, AND THE LIKE,--all those things which increase our +earthly well-being and happiness. + +While we pray in this petition that God would give us all the things +enumerated above, _if He sees fit_, we should remember that He is still +giving us our daily bread when He gives us only those things which we +actually must have for the support of our life. [1 Tim. 6:8] + +WHY WE PRAY THUS. + +GOD GIVES INDEED, WITHOUT OUR PRAYER, EVEN TO THE WICKED [Matt. 5:45] +ALSO THEIR DAILY BREAD; for God is good, and seeks to lead men to +repentance by His goodness. [Rom. 2:4] + +BUT WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT HE WOULD MAKE US SENSIBLE OF HIS +BENEFITS, so that we may acknowledge them as His gifts, [Deut. 8:10] and +not ascribe them to our own efforts or to chance, as the worldly and +unbelieving do. + +AND ENABLE US TO RECEIVE OUR DAILY BREAD WITH THANKSGIVING. [Eph. 5:20+] +Since all the blessings we enjoy are God's gifts, bestowed without any +worthiness on our part, [Gen. 32:10] we pray that we may always receive +them with thankful hearts, and express our gratitude with our lips and +in our lives. We should give thanks at every meal, and in all our +prayers. + +_Contentment_. True thankfulness implies contentment with those gifts +which God sees fit to bestow upon us. [Heb. 13:5+, 1 Tim. 6:6-8+] We +must not murmur because He does not include in our daily bread some +things which we desire to have; nor dare we permit the withholding of +those things to prevent us from being truly thankful for the many +benefits which God does bestow upon us. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What do we acknowledge and for what do we pray in this +petition? 2. Why do we pray God to "give"? 3. Why do we pray, "give +_us_"? 4. Why do we pray "this day"? 5. Why do we say _our_ daily bread? +6. What does daily bread include? 7. How much must God give us in order +to answer this prayer for daily bread? 8. Why does God give, even to the +wicked? 9. What should we bear in mind with respect to all our +blessings? 10. How should we receive our daily bread? 11. How should we +express our gratitude? 12. What is to be said about contentment? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 6:34. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: +for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient +unto the day is the evil thereof. + +Eph. 5:20. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father +in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. + +Heb. 13:5. Let your conversation be without covetousness: and be content +with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, +nor forsake thee. + +1 Tim. 6:6-8. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we +brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing +out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. + +READING.--The Feeding of the Five Thousand, John 6:1-13. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +THE FIFTH PETITION. + + +And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against +us. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +We pray in this petition that our heavenly Father would not regard our +sins, nor deny us our requests on account of them; for we are not worthy +of anything for which we pray, and have not merited it; but that He +would grant us all things through grace, although we daily commit much +sin and deserve chastisement alone. We will, therefore, on our part both +heartily forgive and also readily do good to those who may injure or +offend us. + +In this Petition we acknowledge our sinfulness, pray for forgiveness, +and promise to forgive our fellow-men. + +The word "And" connects this petition very closely with the preceding +one. The daily forgiveness of our sins is as necessary for our souls as +our daily bread is for our bodies. + +AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES. + +These words are at once a Confession of Sin, and a Prayer for Pardon. + +1. _A Confession._ The praying of this petition presupposes a penitent +state of heart. If we are not truly penitent, this petition is a mockery +on our lips. We have need to confess our guilt, because + +WE DAILY COMMIT MUCH SIN. [I John 4:8] If we are true Christians, we do +not sin wilfully and intentionally. But with our best efforts, we still +sin much through weakness, [Rom. 7:19] not only by commission, but still +more by omission. Not a day passes by, in which we do not transgress +God's law by thoughts and words and deeds. We often do the wrong and +omit doing the right without even knowing that we have done so. [Ps. +19:12] + +AND DESERVE CHASTISEMENT (Punishment) ALONE. Our sins make us guilty and +deserving of punishment, even though they be sins of weakness. We must +not excuse or extenuate them. God never excuses any one. But if we +penitently confess our sins, He will forgive us for Jesus' sake. [Ps. +32:5+, I John 1:9] + +2. _A Prayer for Pardon._ As in the fourth petition we daily pray +"Give," so in this fifth petition we daily pray "Forgive." Since Jesus +has taught us to pray thus, and we pray as God's children, this petition +presupposes that we pray in faith. We pray as those who believe that God +will be gracious and merciful to us for Jesus' sake. + +WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WOULD NOT REGARD OUR +SINS, [Ps. 25:7, Ps. 51:9] but would look upon the righteousness which +Jesus has acquired for us "with His holy and precious blood and His +innocent sufferings and death." [1 John 1:7] + +NOR DENY US OUR REQUESTS ON ACCOUNT OF THEM. If God should regard our +sins, He would send only punishment upon us, [Ps. 130:3+, Ps.143:2] and +not give us any of those benefits for which we ask in our prayer. + +FOR WE ARE NOT WORTHY OF ANYTHING FOR WHICH WE PRAY, HAVE NOT MERITED +IT. Nothing which we have done or are able to do can make amends for our +sins, or earn any blessing from God. [Dan. 9:18, Luke 15:18-19+] We +therefore pray THAT HE WOULD GRANT US ALL THINGS THROUGH GRACE alone for +Jesus' sake, + +AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US. + +3. _A Promise to Forgive our Fellow-men._ God's mercy to us must move as +to be merciful to others. [Eph. 3:32] If it does not, God will withdraw +His mercy from us, [Matt. 6:14, 15+] as the master withdrew his from the +unmerciful servant in the parable. [Matt. 18:32-35] Forgiving others is +not a merit which entitles us to receive God's forgiveness. It follows +as a result of God's mercy to us. Because God so mercifully forgives us +for Jesus' sake, we promise that + +WE WILL, THEREFORE, ON OUR PART, BOTH HEARTILY FORGIVE AND ALSO READILY +DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO MAY INJURE OR OFFEND US. No matter how greatly +others may have sinned against us, we have sinned much more against God. +If He is willing to forgive us our great debt, we should be willing to +forgive our fellow-men their lesser debt. If we refuse to forgive +others, God will lay our own sins to our charge, and punish us. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What three things do we do in this petition? 2. What is +to be said about the close connection between this petition and the +preceding one? 3. What does this petition presuppose? 4. Why do we need +to confess our guilt to God? 5. Is sin ever excusable? 6. Why does this +petition presuppose faith? 7. What do we pray God to do with our sins? +8. If God regarded our sins, how would He treat our requests? 9. Why do +we promise to forgive others? 10. Why must we be willing to forgive +them? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Ps. 32:5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine +iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto +the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. + +Ps. 130:3. If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall +stand? + +Luke 15:18, 19. I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, +Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more +worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. + +Matt. 6:14, 15. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly +Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their +trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. + +READING.-The Unmerciful Servant, Matt. 18:23-35. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +THE SIXTH PETITION. + + +And lead us not into temptation. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +God, indeed, tempts no one to sin; but we pray in this petition that God +would so guard and preserve us, that the devil, the world, and our own +flesh may not deceive us, nor lead us into error and unbelief, despair, +and other great and shameful sins; and that, though we may be thus +tempted, we may nevertheless finally prevail and gain the victory. + +As children of God we must not only seek forgiveness for past sins, but +be anxious to avoid sin in the future. We therefore pray that, as far as +is possible according to His gracious will, God would keep us from being +tempted, and would give us strength to overcome when we are tempted. + +If we are in earnest in praying this Petition, we will not run into +temptation ourselves, [Matt. 4:7] nor lead others into it. + +HOW WE ARE TEMPTED. + +GOD INDEED TEMPTS NO ONE TO SIN: for He wishes us to do good, and not +evil. But He leads us into circumstances in which we are _tried_, and +must decide for or against Him, for good or for evil. This is the sense +in which the Bible speaks of God as tempting persons. [Gen. 22:1] He +tries or tests us. Remembering that we are weak, we pray in this +petition that God would spare us such trials as much as is possible +according to His will, and strengthen us in them, that we may be +faithful. + +_The Devil, the World, and our own Flesh tempt us to Sin_. These are the +great enemies of our souls, who will lead us to destruction if we do not +earnestly resist them and repel their temptations. + +WHAT WE PRAY. + +1. _That we may not be Deceived or Misled by these Enemies_. + +WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT GOD WOULD SO GUARD AND PRESERVE US, THAT + +THE DEVIL, who puts evil thoughts into our hearts, [Gen. 3:4, 5, II Cor. +11:3] + +THE WORLD (wicked persons in the world), [Prov. 1:10+, John 15:18] which +tempts us by example, allurements, and threats, + +AND OUR OWN FLESH (our natural heart), [Rom. 8:7+] which inclines and +urges us to sin, + +MAY NOT DECEIVE US, by promising us happiness in the paths of sin, while +in reality such paths lead only to misery and destruction. [Matt. 7:13, +14+] + +NOR LEAD US INTO ERROR AND UNBELIEF, and thus into ruin, since our +salvation depends on believing the truth as it is in Jesus; nor into + +DESPAIR; because we are lost if we despair of God's mercy, instead of +believing His precious promises in Christ; + +AND OTHER GREAT AND SHAMEFUL SINS, in addition to the error, unbelief, +and despair mentioned above. + +2. _That we may Overcome these Enemies and be saved_, + +AND THAT, THOUGH WE MAY BE THUS TEMPTED, WE MAY NEVERTHELESS FINALLY +PREVAIL, AND GAIN THE VICTORY. The struggle against these enemies is a +warfare (the good fight of faith) [I Tim. 6:12+] which lasts to the end +of our days. We dare never think that we are safe without further +watchfulness, effort, and prayer. [I Cor. 10:12+] If we sometimes fall, +we must not despair nor give up, but repent and determine to do better. +If we earnestly pray for God's help, arm ourselves with His Word, and +beware of false security, we shall be enabled to overcome these foes +more and more each day. [I Cor. 10:13] And when, at last, our end +approaches and the warfare is over, God will give us the victory, and +bestow upon us for Jesus' sake the crown of life. [Jas. 4:7, II Tim. +4:7, 8] + +QUESTIONS.--1. Why do we pray this petition? 2. What do we mean by it? +3. If we are in earnest in praying it, what will we not do? 4. In what +sense does God tempt? 5. Who tempts us to sin? 6. What do we pray +against these enemies? 7. How does the devil tempt us? the world? our +own flesh? 8. How do they try to deceive us? 9. Into what do they try to +mislead us? 10. How long must we fight against these enemies? 11. If we +fall, what should we do? 12. How may we overcome these foes? 13. When +only shall we be completely victorious over them? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Prov. 1:10. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent +thou not. + +Rom. 8:7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not +subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. + +Matt. 7:13, 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, +and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be +which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, +which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. + +I Tim. 6:12. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, +whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession +before many witnesses. + +I Cor. 10:12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. + +READING.--Peter denying the Lord, Luke 22:54-62; or, The Temptation of +Jesus, Matt. 4:1-11. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +THE SEVENTH PETITION. + + +But deliver us from evil. + +_What is meant by this Petition?_ + +We pray in this petition, as in a summary, that our heavenly Father +would deliver us from ail manner of evil, whether it affect the body or +the soul, property or character, and at last, when the hour of death +shall arrive, grant us a happy end, and graciously take us from this +world of sorrow to Himself in heaven. + + * * * * * + +As in the sixth Petition we pray to be preserved from sinning, so in +this seventh Petition we pray to be delivered from all the evil which +has come upon our race as a consequence of sin.[10] But this petition +comes last, because we should be more anxious to be delivered from the +sin itself, than from the evil results which follow upon it. + +[Footnote 10: There is a very close connection between the last two +petitions, marked by the word "But." "Temptation will not cease until +deliverance from evil [and from the evil one] has come; and again, when +deliverance from evil has come, temptation will cease to assail +us."--Luekrs.] + +WE PRAY IN PETITION AS IN A SUMMARY. All the petitions which precede it +are included in this last one. + +THAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WOULD DELIVER US FROM ALL MANNER OF EVIL:-- + +I. IN THIS WORLD. + +WHETHER IT AFFECT THE BODY,--sickness, pain, hunger, thirst, +destitution, + +OR THE SOUL,--sin, impenitence, unbelief, sorrow, anxiety, care, +despondency, insanity, and the like, + +PROPERTY,--poverty, want, famine, fire, flood, wars, riots, etc., + +OR CHARACTER,--disgrace, slander, and the like. + +_How we pray for this Deliverance_. God wills that we should sometimes +suffer affliction, in order that our repentance and faith may be +increased. [Isa. 48:10+, Rev. 3:19+, II Cor. 4:17, 18] Consequently, our +prayer for deliverance from evil in this world is a prayer: 1. That, +whenever it is possible according to His will, God would ward off +affliction from us. 2. That He would give us grace to bear patiently +those afflictions which He sends, [II Cor. 12:9+, Rom 8:28] and would +make them a blessing in disguise for us. 3. That in His own time He +would remove from us whatever distresses us. [I Sam. 2:6, 7] + +We should not grow discouraged or despondent under affliction, but trust +in God's mercy and bear our cross cheerfully. [Matt. 10:38] And we +should see to it that we do not, by our own sin and folly, bring upon +ourselves evils which might have been avoided. + +II. IN THE NEXT WORLD. + +In this world we shall have to endure some evils as long as we live. +[John 16:33] But if we are faithful, God will not only overrule them all +for our good, [Gen. 50:20] but will finally, at death, deliver us from +all evil. [II Tim. 4:18] + +AND AT LAST, WHEN THE HOUR OF DEATH SHALL ARRIVE, GRANT US A HAPPY END. +An unhappy death is the worst of all evils. But a happy death will more +than compensate for all the evils endured in this world. [Rom. 8:18+] A +happy death will be ours, if we persevere in the faith and die in +Christ. [Rev. 14:13+] For then God will pardon all our sins for Jesus' +sake, + +AND GRACIOUSLY TAKE US FROM THIS WORLD OF SORROW TO HIMSELF IN HEAVEN. +[Rev. 7:14-15] There all evils shall cease for ever. [Rev. 21:4+] For +sin, and all that follows upon sin, shall be no more. In this entrance +into heaven at last, all our highest hopes and prayers shall find their +complete and eternal fulfilment. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray for in this petition? 2. What connection +exists between the sixth and seventh petitions? 3. Why is this petition +called a summary? 4. From what kind of evils do we suffer in this world? +5. How do we pray for deliverance from evil in this world? 6. When shall +we be completely delivered from all evil? 7. What is to be said about a +happy end? 8. Why shall we suffer from no evil in heaven? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Isa. 48:10. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with +silver: I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. + +Rev. 3:19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous +therefore, and repent. + +II Cor. 12:9. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for +my strength is made perfect in weakness. + +Rom. 8:18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not +worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be repealed in us. + +Rev. 14:13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; +Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their +works do follow them. + +Rev. 21:4. These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have +washed their robes, and made them, white in the blood of the Lamb. +Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night +in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. + +READING.--The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +THE CONCLUSION. + + +For Thine Is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever and +ever. Amen. + +_What is meant by the word "Amen"_? + +That I should be assured that such petitions are acceptable to our +heavenly Father, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us +to pray in this manner, and has promised that He will hear us. Amen, +amen, that is, yea, yea, it shall be so. + + * * * * * + +In this Conclusion we give the reason why we address our prayer to our +heavenly Father, and why we expect to be heard. It contains a Doxology, +and an Amen. + +THE DOXOLOGY. + +FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM: Thou art King and Lord of all; [I Tim. 1:17] +from Thee ail gifts must come. [Jas. 1:17] + +AND THE POWER: with Thee nothing is impossible; [Luke 1:37] Thou art +able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think. [Eph. 3:20] + +AND THE GLORY: Thou art God alone, [Isa. 46:4] infinite in holiness, +power, and love; to Thy name alone be all praise. [Ps. 115:1] + +FOR EVER AND EVER. The kingdoms of earth and their glory pass away; but +Thy kingdom and power and glory endure for evermore. [Dan. 4:3, Ps. +145:11-13+] + +THE AMEN. + +AMEN means Verily. By adding it to our prayer we express our assurance, + +THAT SUCH PETITIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND ARE HEARD +BY HIM. The petitions for temporal and spiritual blessings which we here +bring before Him are the very ones which He desires us to present. [I +John 5:14] + +FOR HE HIMSELF HAS TAUGHT US TO PRAY IN THIS MANNER, and to ask for +these things, + +AND HAS PROMISED THAT HE WILL HEAR US. [II Cor. 1:20] The promise is, +that whatsoever we ask in Christ's name shall be given to us. [John +16:23] Hence we add at the end of our prayer: Amen, that is, it shall be +so; God will answer our prayer. [Matt. 7:9-11] + +QUESTIONS.--1. Why do we add the conclusion to the Lord's Prayer? 2. +What two parts does the conclusion contain? 3. What do we mean by +saying, "Thine is the kingdom"? the power? the glory? forever? 4. What +does Amen mean? 5. Why do we add it to our prayer? 6. Why are we sure +that these petitions are acceptable to our heavenly Father? 7. What +promise have we with respect to our prayers? + +SCRIPTURE VERSE.--Ps. 145:13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and +thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. + +READING.--Asking and Receiving, Luke 11:5-13. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +THE MEANS OF GRACE. + + +The spiritual blessings spoken of in the Creed and asked for in the +Lord's Prayer are brought to us through the Means of Grace. + +WHAT THEY ARE. The Means of Grace are: 1. The Word of God, 2. The +Sacrament of Holy Baptism, 3. The Sacrament of the Altar. They are +called the means of grace, because they are the means or vehicles +through which God's grace comes to us. It is through the Word of God and +the Sacraments that the Holy Spirit does His work in us. + +THE WORD OF GOD. + +THE CHIEF MEANS OF GRACE is the Word of God. [I Pet. 1:23] For through +it the Holy Spirit "calls, enlightens, sanctifies, and preserves us in +the true faith." Even in the Sacraments, the principal thing is the Word +of God with its command and promise; and without the Word of God there +would be no sacrament. + +ITS POWER. The Holy Spirit is always in the Word, and gives it saving +power. Through the Law and the Gospel which the Word contains, He brings +to repentance and faith all those persons who do not wilfully resist His +grace. [Heb. 4:12] Through it He not only tells us what to do, but gives +us the power to obey. [Eph 2:4, 5] Because He is in the Word, "it is the +power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." [Rom 1:16] +(Compare what is said concerning the Bible in Chapter I., and concerning +the Work of the Holy Spirit in Chapter XX.) + +THE SACRAMENTS. + +WHAT A SACRAMENT IS. A sacrament is a holy ordinance, instituted by +Christ, in which invisible heavenly gifts are bestowed upon us through +the use of visible earthly elements. + +HOW MANY THERE ARE. In the sense in which we use the word "Sacrament" +there are only two holy ordinances to which the name may be applied; +namely, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. For these are the only two which +possess the three essentials of a sacrament: 1. The Command of Christ; +2. The Use of Earthly Elements; 3. The Communication of a Heavenly +Gift.[11] + +[Footnote 11: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there are seven +sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Confession, the Lord's Supper, +Ordination, Marriage, and Extreme Unction. But five of these lack one or +more of the essentials of a sacrament enumerated above.] + +OLD TESTAMENT TYPES. The rite of Circumcision, practised in Old +Testament times, was a type of Baptism; and the Passover was a type of +the Lord's Supper. + +THEIR PURPOSE. The sacraments have been given to us in order that they +might bring a special comfort to our souls, in addition to the comfort +which we find in God's Word. For the Grace of God which is offered to +all men in the Word, is brought and sealed to each believer +_individually_ in the sacraments. My baptism assures me that all the +blessings of Christ's redemption are meant for _me_: and the Lord's +Supper assures me that Christ's body and blood were given and shed for +_me_ for the remission of _my_ sins. + +FAITH NECESSARY. Without faith, no one can obtain any benefit from the +sacraments. But he who believes receives the heavenly gifts offered in +them, and has the blessed assurance that he is a child of God and an +heir of heaven. + +QUESTIONS.--1. How are the spiritual blessings spoken of in the Creed +and asked for in the Lord's Prayer brought to us? 2. What are the Means +of Grace? 3. Why are they so called? 4. What is the chief means of +grace? 5. Why does the Word of God possess saving power? 6. What is a +Sacrament? 7. How many Sacraments are there? 8. What are the three +essentials of a sacrament? 9. What is the purpose of the sacraments? 10. +Does every one who receives the sacraments derive a benefit from them? + +SCULPTURE READING.--The Man Born Blind, John 9:1-7. + + + + +PART IV. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM + + +I. _What is Baptism?_ + +Baptism is not simply water, but it is the water comprehended in God's +command, and connected with God's Word. + +_What is that Word of God?_ + +It is that which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as it is recorded in the +last chapter of Matthew, verse 19: "Go ye, and teach (make disciples of) +all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and +of the Holy Ghost." + + * * * * * + +WHAT BAPTISM IS. + +Baptism consists in applying water to a person "in the name of the +Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost," as Christ has commanded. +[Matt. 28:19] + +BAPTISM IS NOT SIMPLY WATER. In one sense, indeed, the water used in +baptism is simply ordinary water from well, cistern, or stream; [Acts +8:36] but when used in baptism it ceases to be simply water, and +possesses special value and power, because + +IT IS THE WATER COMPREHENDED IN GOD'S COMMAND. The water of baptism is a +water which God has commanded us to use,--His command being, "Go ye and +make disciples of all nations, baptizing them," etc. + +AND CONNECTED WITH GOD'S WORD. In baptism, water is applied "in the name +of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost"; and thus it is used +in connection, with the very words of Christ Himself. The water and the +Word together make the sacrament. + +ITS NECESSITY. Baptism is necessary for all, because Christ has +commanded that all should be baptized, and has connected the blessing of +salvation with this sacrament. [Matt. 16:16] Those who despise it and +refuse to be baptized, cannot be saved. But if any person should desire +baptism and be unable to obtain it, he would not on that account be +lost. It is not the lack of baptism, but the despising of baptism that +condemns. + +Baptism is to be administered by the pastor. But if there should be +extreme peril of death before a minister could possibly arrive, any +member of the Church may baptize. Such lay-baptism, however, should +afterwards be announced in church, and be declared valid. + +WHO ARE TO BE BAPTIZED. + +The command of Christ to "make disciples" includes "all nations." All +those persons, therefore, who are willing to become disciples are to be +baptized; namely, adults who have received the proper religious +instruction and profess faith in Christ, and children whom competent +sponsors present for baptism. + +INFANT BAPTISM. Infants should be baptized at a very early age, and thus +be received into God's covenant as His children. Since they cannot be +instructed before baptism, they should be carefully instructed +afterwards [Matt. 28:20] and be brought up in the nurture and admonition +of the Lord, [Eph. 6:4] so that they may always remain faithful and +obedient children of God. + +SPONSORS answer the questions for the child at its baptism, and promise +to see to it that the child is properly instructed and trained in the +Christian religion. Sponsors must themselves be members in good standing +in the Church. + +WHY CHILDREN SHOULD BE BAPTIZED.[12] As children were received into the +Old Testament covenant by the rite of circumcision, which was a type of +baptism, so God desires that they shall be received into the New +Testament covenant by baptism. Some of the reasons for infant baptism +are the following:-- + +[Footnote 12: Baptists sometimes argue against infant baptism on the +basis of the Scripture passage: "Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing +them," etc., claiming that Christ says first teach and then baptize. +But, as a matter of fact, Christ mentions baptizing before teaching in +this passage. For in its correct translation, as given in the Revised +Version of the English Bible, it reads, "Go ye therefore, and _make +disciples_ of all the nations, _baptizing_ them into the name of the +Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; _teaching_ them to observe +all things whatsoever I commanded you." If the order in which the two +words "baptize" and "teach" occur in this passage proved anything with +respect to the baptism of infants, it would prove that they _should_ be +baptized. For in the case of children, baptizing comes first and +teaching follows, just as in the passage quoted.] + +1. Children form part of the "nations" whom Christ commanded His +disciples to baptize. + +2. They are by nature sinful and need God's grace as well as adults. +[John 3:5, 6, Job 14:4] While they have not yet committed any conscious +transgressions, they have inherited a sinful heart, and the germs of sin +in them will soon grow into actual transgressions. + +3. Christ has commanded that little children should be brought to Him, +and we obey this command by baptizing them and teaching them. [Luke +18:16] + +4. Christ says of children, "Of such is the kingdom of God": [Mark +10:14, 15+] and they have a right, therefore, to receive that sacrament +by which we enter God's kingdom. + +5. The promise of God's grace is given to children as well as to adults. +[Acts 2:39] + +6. Children have capacity for faith. [Matt. 18:6] + +7. The apostles baptized whole families. [Acts 16:33] + +HOW BAPTISM IS TO BE ADMINISTERED. + +In His command to baptize, Christ does not specify any mode of baptism. +It may be performed in any one of three ways; namely, by sprinkling, +pouring, or immersion. One mode of baptism is just as valid as the +others. The most convenient mode, the one best adapted to all +circumstances, and the one most widely used in the Christian Church, is +by pouring or sprinkling. Immersion is not advisable in our climate, and +in many cases, such as severe sickness, it could not possibly be +employed. + +IMMERSION NOT ESSENTIAL. The word "baptize" does not necessarily mean to +immerse, as the Baptists claim. When the Saviour instituted this +sacrament, He did not coin a new word, but employed one already in use. +The original Greek word from which our English word "baptize" is +derived, is used in the New Testament in the sense of washing [Mark 7:4] +and sprinkling. [I Cor. 10:2] The baptism of the three thousand on the +day of Pentecost [Acts 2:41] and of the Philippian jailor [Acts 16:33] +could hardly have been by immersion, on account of the scarcity of water +available for such a purpose. When Jesus was baptized, He "came up out +of the water"; [Matt. 3:16] but it is quite probable that He stood in +the stream while John poured water on His head. + +THE ESSENCE OF BAPTISM consists in applying water "in the name of the +Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost"; and its gracious effect +depends, not on the amount of water that is used, but on the Word of God +with which the water is connected. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What does baptism consist in? 2. Why is baptism not +simply water? 3. What is meant by "water comprehended in God's command"? +4. What is meant by "water connected with God's Word"? 5. What is to be +said about the necessity of baptism? 6. Who are to be baptized? 7. What +is to be said about infant baptism? 8. Who may be sponsors, and what is +their duty? 9. Give some reasons for infant baptism. 10. What is to be +said about the mode of baptism? 11. Why is immersion not essential? 12. +In what does the essence of baptism consist? + + * * * * * + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--John 3:5, 6. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say +unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot +enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; +and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. + +Mark 10:14, 15. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said +unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them +not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever +shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not +enter therein. + +READING.-The Baptism of Jesus, Matt. 3:13-17. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + + +II. _What gifts or benefits does Baptism confer?_ + +It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and +confers everlasting salvation on all who believe, as the Word and +promise of God declare. + +_What are such words and promises of God?_ + +Those which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as they are recorded in the +last chapter of Mark, verse 16: "He that believeth and is baptized shall +be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." + + * * * * * + +THE BENEFITS OF BAPTISM. + +Baptism is God's means of receiving us into His covenant, and opening up +to us all the treasures of Christ's redemption. Through this sacrament +He adopts us as His children and receives us into membership in His +Church. [Gal. 3:36, 27+] We are baptized in (into) the name of the +Father (who sent His Son to save us), and of the Son (who died to redeem +us), and of the Holy Ghost (who applies Christ's redemption to our +souls). Therefore every baptized person may say, "God is _my_ Father, +Christ is _my_ Redeemer, the Holy Ghost is _my_ Sanctifier, and all the +benefits of Christ's redemption are offered to _me_." Hence we declare +of baptism, that + +IT WORKS FORGIVENESS OF SINS, [Acts 2:38+, Acts 22:16, Eph. 5:25, 26] +DELIVERS FROM DEATH AND THE DEVIL, AND CONFERS EVERLASTING SALVATION. +These are the very benefits which Christ has acquired for me by His +innocent sufferings and death (see Article II, of the Creed, Chapter +XIX.). And since I have been "baptized into Christ's death," [Rom 6:3+] +all these benefits belong to me if I only accept them by faith. [Mark +16:16] I am regarded by God as having already suffered the full penalty +of my sins in Christ's death, and for His sake I am pardoned and saved. + +ON ALL WHO BELIEVE. Faith is the hand with which we grasp and hold fast +the treasures of God's grace offered in this sacrament. The benefits are +offered to every one who is baptized, but they are accepted and +possessed only by him who believes. + +AS THE WORD AND PROMISE OF GOD DECLARE. The benefits belong to all who +are baptized and believe, because God has said so. [Numb. 23:19] He has +promised, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." + +WITHOUT FAITH baptism will not save any one. "He that believeth not +shall be damned" even though he is baptized. For while such a person has +been adopted as God's child, he is a disobedient and rebellious child, +and therefore is disinherited, and loses the heavenly inheritance [Pet. +1:4] which would have been his, if he had remained faithful. + +BAPTISM PERMANENT. Baptism, once properly administered, is not to be +repeated. It is a permanent covenant between God and us. While men are +often unfaithful to their covenant, God never is. [II Cor. 1:20, Rom. +3:3] He bestows the blessings of baptism on all who comply with its +conditions. Having received us by baptism as His children, He ever +afterwards remains our loving heavenly Father, to whom we may turn with +fullest confidence. And if any who have fallen from grace repent and +seek His mercy, they find Him standing with open arms to receive them. +[Luke 15:11-24] Such persons need not be re-baptized; their old baptism +stands. A rebellious son who repents needs not to be re-adopted, but +needs only to be forgiven. + +III. _How can water produce such great effects?_ + +It is not the water, indeed, that produces these effects, but the Word +of God which accompanies and is connected with the water, and our faith +which relies on the Word of God connected with the water. For the water +without the Word of God is simply water, and no baptism. But when +connected with the Word of God, it is a baptism, that is, a gracious +water of life and a washing of regeneration in the Holy Ghost; as St. +Paul says to Titus in the third chapter, verses 5-8: "According to His +mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the +Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our +Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs +according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying." + + * * * * * + +WHY BAPTISM HAS POWER TO CONFER SUCH BENEFITS. + +IT IS NOT THE WATER, INDEED, THAT PRODUCES THESE EFFECTS. Water alone +cannot wash away sins. Yet the water of baptism is necessary, because +Christ has commanded its use, and has connected the promise of salvation +with it. + +BUT THE WORD OF GOD WHICH ACCOMPANIES AND IS CONNECTED WITH THE WATER. +It is the Word of God, with its command and promise, that makes baptism +a sacrament, and gives it power to confer such great benefits. [John +6:63] + +AND OUR FAITH WHICH RELIES ON THE WORD OF GOD CONNECTED WITH THE +WATER.[13] The baptism is a real baptism and offers these great benefits, +whether we believe or not. But the benefits become ours, only when we +believe the promises of God. [Mark 16:16] + +[Footnote 13: The story of Naaman the leper (II Kings 5:8-14) illustrates +how water, the Word of God, and faith can produce great effects. It was +not the water of the Jordan that cured Naaman; yet he could not have +been cured without the water, because the promise of healing was +connected with its use. When he _believed_ the Word of promise and used +the water as he was commanded, he was healed. So the water, the Word, +and our faith, which trusts in the Word, cleanse us from the leprosy of +sin.] + +IT IS A GRACIOUS WATER OF LIFE, because the Word and promise of God, +which are connected with it, give it power to bestow life and salvation +on all who believe. + +AND A "WASHING OF REGENERATION" in the Holy Ghost, because it is the +means through which the Holy Ghost causes us to be "born again," as +God's children. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What does God do for us through baptism? 2. What may +every baptized person say? 3. What benefits does baptism confer? 4. Who +has acquired these benefits for you, and how? 5. Why do they become +yours through baptism? 6. What has faith to do with the reception of +these benefits? 7. How do we know that baptism confers all these +benefits on all who believe? 8. What is to be said about those who are +baptized but do not believe? 9. What is to be said about the permanence +of baptism? 10. Why has baptism power to confer such great benefits? 11. +Why is it a "gracious water of life," and a "washing of regeneration"? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Gal. 3:26, 27. For ye are all the children of God by +faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into +Christ, have put on Christ. + +Acts 2:38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one +of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye +shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. + +Rom. 6:3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus +Christ were baptized into his death? + +Numb. 23:19. God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of +man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or +hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? + +READING.--Naaman, II Kings 5:1-14. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + + +IV. _What does such baptising with water signify?_ + +It signifies that the old Adam in us is to be drowned and destroyed by +daily sorrow and repentance, together with all sins and evil lusts; and +that again the new man should daily come forth and rise, that shall live +in the presence of God in righteousness and purity forever. + +_Where is it so written?_ + +St. Paul, in the epistle to the Romans, chapter 6, verse 4, says: "We +are buried with Christ by baptism into death; that like as He was raised +up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk +in newness of life." + + * * * * * + +THE DUTY WHICH BAPTISM IMPOSES. + +Baptism bestows upon us the great privilege of being children of God; +but it also imposes upon us the duty to live and act as God's children. +Every one who is baptized promises, either with his own lips or through +his sponsors, that he will live thus. God is always faithful to His part +of the baptismal covenant; we should always be faithful to ours. Our +duty is two-fold:-- + +1. THE OLD ADAM IN US IS TO BE DROWNED, DESTROYED BY DAILY SORROW AND +REPENTANCE, TOGETHER WITH ALL AND EVIL LUSTS. By the "old Adam in us" is +meant our old sinful self, as we are by nature. For we are born into the +world with a sinful heart and a natural inclination to evil. This evil +nature still clings to us even after we have been "born again" into +sonship with God. [Rom. 7:18-24] This old sinful self, together with the +sins and lusts to which it prompts us, must be suppressed, subdued, and +gradually destroyed. [Eph. 4:22+, Gal. 5:24+] We should gain the mastery +over it more and more every day. We shall do this, if we daily mourn +over our sinfulness, and ask God for Christ's sake to grant us +forgiveness and strength. + +2. THE NEW MAN SHOULD DAILY COME FORTH AND RISE, THAT SHALL LIVE IN THE +PRESENCE OF GOD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PURITY FOREVER. By the "new man" is +meant our new self,--what we have become by the work of the Holy Spirit +in us. For if we have been baptized and believe, there has been +implanted in us a new life. We have become new creatures, [II Cor. 5:17] +who by God's grace hate sin and desire from the heart to do God's will +alone. As the old man in us should daily become weaker and gradually +die, so the new man in us should daily grow stronger, [Eph. 4:23, 24+, +II Pet 3:18] and cause us to live in constantly increasing righteousness +and purity here on earth, [Phil. 3:12+] till at last we are received +into God's presence for Jesus' sake, and live before Him in perfect +righteousness and purity forever. + +CONFIRMATION. + +The rite of confirmation is closely connected with the baptism of +children. For the children who have been baptized are afterwards to be +taught "to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded"; [Matt. +28:20] and, when they have reached an age at which they are able to +examine themselves, they should be confirmed. + +PRECEDED BY INSTRUCTION. Confirmation is to be preceded by thorough +instruction in the doctrines and duties of the Christian religion. In +addition to the instruction received in the home and the Sunday-school, +those who desire to be confirmed are specially instructed in the +catechetical class by the pastor. Confirmation is the Church's testimony +that the catechumens have received the necessary instruction to fit them +for intelligent and earnest participation in the full privileges of +Church membership. This instruction is the principal thing, and without +it confirmation would lose its meaning. + +WHAT CONFIRMATION IS. In confirmation the catechumen makes no new +promises, but repeats with his own lips the confession of faith and the +promise of faithfulness to Christ which were made for him by his sponsor +at his baptism. Thereupon the minister lays his hand upon the head of +each catechumen, and the minister and congregation pray that God would +give to each His Holy Spirit to keep him in the faith and to cause him +to grow in holiness. + +WHY WE CONFIRM. Confirmation is not commanded in the Scriptures, but is +a useful ordinance of the Church. It does not make us members of the +Church; for we become members by baptism; but it admits us to +_communicant_ membership in the Church. Those who have been confirmed +are admitted to the Lord's Supper. They are also entitled to act as +sponsors at the baptism of children. The right to vote depends upon the +constitution of the particular congregation. + +QUESTIONS.--1. What duty does baptism impose? 2. In what two-fold way is +this duty to be performed? 3. What is meant by "the old Adam in us"? 4. +What shall be done with our old sinful self? 5. How shall we succeed in +gaining the mastery over it? 6. What is meant by the "new man"? 7. What +does our new self prompt us to do? 8. What should the new man in us do? +9. What is to be done with children who have been baptized? 10. By what +is confirmation to be preceded? 11. What is to be said about the +importance of this instruction? 12. Tell what confirmation is? 13. Why +do we confirm? 14. What privileges does confirmation confer? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Eph. 4:22. That ye put off concerning the former +conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful +lusts. + +Gal. 5:24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the +affections and lusts. + +Eph. 4:24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in +righteousness and true holiness. + +Phil. 3:12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already +perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also +I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. + +READING.--The Lame Man of Bethesda, John 5:1-14. + + + + +PART V. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + +THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. + + +I. _What is the Sacrament of the Altar?_ + +It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread +and wine, given unto us Christians to eat and to drink, as it was +instituted by Christ Himself. + +_Where is it so written?_ + +The holy evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, together with St. Paul, +write thus: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was +betrayed, took bread: and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and +gave it to His disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body, which is +given for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also +He took the cup when He had supped, gave thanks, and gave it to them, +saying, Drink ye all of it: this cup is the New Testament in My blood, +which is shed for you, for the remission of sins: this do, as oft as ye +drink it, in remembrance of Me." + + * * * * * + +ITS NAMES. This sacrament is called: 1. The Sacrament of the Altar, +because it is administered at the altar. 2. The Lord's Supper, because +it was instituted by the _Lord_ while the disciples were eating the +Passover _Supper_. 3. The Table of the Lord, because the Lord here gives +food and drink to our souls. 4. The Communion, because it is a communion +of bread and wine with the body and blood of Christ, a communion of +believers with Christ, and a communion of believers with one another. 5. +The Eucharist--a name derived from a Greek word meaning to give +thanks--because the administration of the Lord's Supper is attended with +thanksgiving. + +WHAT THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR IS. + +The Lord's Supper was instituted by OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE SAME NIGHT +IN WHICH HE WAS BETRAYED, while He and the disciples were eating the +Passover Supper. [I Cor. 11:23-25, Matt. 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke +22:19-20] What the Lord's Supper is, we learn from the words of Christ +Himself as given by the evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and by St. +Paul. + +THE EARTHLY ELEMENTS. The Lord TOOK BREAD, AND WHEN HE HAD GIVEN THANKS, +HE BROKE IT AND GAVE IT TO HIS DISCIPLES. AFTER THE SAME MANNER ALSO HE +TOOK THE CUP containing the wine, WHEN HE HAD SUPPED, GAVE THANKS, AND +GAVE IT TO THEM. The earthly elements used in this sacrament are, +therefore, bread and wine. The wafers which are generally used in +Lutheran Churches are unleavened bread--the kind which Christ +used--because at the time of the Passover no other but unleavened bread +dared be used by the Jews. The wine which Christ used was real wine, not +unfermented grape juice. We are not permitted to substitute anything +else in place of the earthly elements used by Christ in instituting this +sacrament. + +THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. When Christ gave His disciples the bread, +HE SAID, TAKE, EAT; THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU. When He +gave them the wine, HE SAID, DRINK YE ALL OF IT; THIS CUP IS THE NEW +TESTAMENT IN MY BLOOD, WHICH IS SHED FOR YOU FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS. +Consequently, when we receive the bread in this sacrament, we receive +also the body of Christ; and when we receive the wine, we receive also +the blood of Christ. And we say of the Sacrament of the Altar, that + +IT IS THE TRUE BODY AND BLOOD OF OUR LORD CHRIST, UNDER (along with) THE +BREAD AND WINE, GIVES UNTO US CHRISTIANS TO EAT TO AS IT WAS INSTITUTED +BY HIMSELF. The bread and wine _do not simply represent_ the body and +blood of Christ (Zwingli's view). The bread and wine are _not changed +into_ the body and blood of Christ (the Roman Catholic view, or +transubstantiation). The bread and wine are not united with the body +and blood of Christ into a third substance different from both +(consubstantiation). The bread and wine remain real bread and wine +throughout the administration of the Lord's Supper. [I Cor. 11:28] But +there is a communion of the bread and wine with the body and blood of +Christ, [I Cor. 10:16+] so that when the communicant receives the bread +he receives also the body of Christ, and when he receives the wine, he +receives also the blood of Christ. The bread and wine are the earthly +vehicles through which the heavenly gift of Christ's body and blood, +which were given, and shed for us for the remission of sins, are +communicated to us. [I Cor. 10:28, 29] + +DOCTRINES COMPARED. The Reformed, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic doctrines +of the Lord's Supper may be compared and illustrated thus:-- + +Reformed. Lutheran. Roman Catholic. + +Bread. Bread-Body. Body. +Wine. Wine-Blood. Blood. + +According to the Reformed view, only bread and wine are present; +according to the Roman Catholic[14] view, only the body and blood of +Christ are present; according to the Lutheran and Scriptural doctrine, +both the bread and wine and the body and blood of Christ are present in +the Holy Supper, and are received by every communicant. + +[Footnote 14: Because of its false doctrine concerning the Lord's Supper, +the Roman Catholic Church has fallen into these additional errors: 1. +The Sacrifice of the Mass, in which the priest, by blessing the bread +and wine, is supposed to turn them into the body and blood of Christ, +and thus to offer an unbloody sacrifice of Christ which is as effective +as Christ's death on the cross. 2. The Withholding of the cup from the +laity, lest a single drop of Christ's blood should be spilled. 3. The +Elevation of the Host, in which the wafer or host is adored as the body +of Christ.] + +A GREAT MYSTERY. The Lord's Supper is a great mystery; but also a great +comfort. We cannot understand how Christ can give us His body and blood +in this sacrament. But it is the part of faith to take the Saviour at +His word. This the Lutheran Church does in her doctrine. + +QUESTIONS.--1. By what different names is this sacrament known and why? +2. From what do we learn what the Lord's Supper is? 3. What is to be +said about the earthly elements? 4. When Christ gave His disciples the +bread and the wine, what did He say? 5. What do we receive, therefore, +in the Lord's Supper? 6. What is to be said about Zwingli's view? 7. +What is to be said about the Roman Catholic view, and what is it called? +8. What other false doctrine besides these two is to be rejected? 9. How +may the Reformed, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic doctrines of the Lord's +Supper be compared? 10. Is the true doctrine to be rejected because we +do not understand it? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Cor. 10:16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is +it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, +is it not the communion of the body of Christ? + +READING.--The Institution of the Lord's Supper, Matt. 26:17-30. + +II. _What benefits are derived from such eating and drinking?_ + +They are pointed out in these words: "given and shed for you, for the +remission of sins"; namely, through these words, the remission of sins, +life and salvation are granted unto us in the sacrament. For where there +is remission of sins, there are also life and salvation. + + * * * * * + +THE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM THE LORD'S SUPPER. + +The benefits offered in this sacrament and bestowed upon all who receive +it In faith ARE POINTED OUT IN THESE WORDS of the institution: "GIVEN +AND SHED FOR YOU, FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS." Accordingly, the benefits +are: "REMISSION OF SINS, LIFE AND SALVATION." For while only the +remission (forgiveness) of sins is mentioned in the institution, yet +WHERE THERE IS REMISSION OF SINS, THERE ARE ALSO LIFE AND SALVATION. +[Rom. 6:22] The Lord's Supper confers all the benefits which Christ +secured by His sufferings and death. [Eph. 1:7] Each communicant is +assured by the words of Christ Himself that the body which he receives +along with the bread was given for _him_, and that the blood which he +receives along with the wine was shed for _him_, for the remission of +_his_ sins. The promise of grace and forgiveness held out to all in the +Gospel is thus brought home to each individual in the Lord's Supper. +Each believing communicant is individually assured that Christ is _his_ +Saviour, and that _he_ has the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation +through Christ's death. + + * * * * * + +III. _How can the bodily eating and drinking produce such great +effects?_ + +The eating and the drinking, indeed, do not produce them; but the words +which stand here, namely, "given and shed for you for the remission of +sins." These words are, besides the bodily eating and drinking, the +chief things in the sacrament; and he who believes these words has that +which they declare and set forth; namely, the remission of sins. + + * * * * * + +WHY THE LORD'S SUPPER HAS POWER TO CONFER SUCH BENEFITS. + +THE EATING AND THE DRINKING, INDEED, DO NOT PRODUCE SUCH GREAT EFFECTS. +For bread and wine have no power in themselves to bestow spiritual +blessings. + +BUT THE WORDS WHICH STAND HERE, "GIVEN AND SHED FOR YOU, FOR THE +REMISSION OF SINS." It is the Word of God which gives the sacrament its +power. [John 6:63] For Christ has commanded us to use the bread and wine +in this way, and has connected the promise of forgiveness with their +use. Without the Word, there would be nothing but bread and wine. But +Christ fulfils the promise which He has bound up with the BODILY EATING +AND DRINKING, and gives us, with the bread and the wine, His body and +blood which were given and shed for us for the remission of sins. + +AND HE WHO BELIEVES THESE WORDS HAS THAT WHICH THEY DECLARE, [Matt. +8:13] NAMELY, THE REMISSION OF SINS. Forgiveness of sins, life, and +salvation are offered to all who partake of this sacrament, but they are +accepted and possessed only by those who believe. The impenitent and +unbelieving, if they come to the Lord's Table, receive the body and +blood of Christ also, but they receive it to their condemnation, because +they do not receive it with a penitent and believing heart. [I Cor +11:29+] + + * * * * * + +IV. _Who is it that receives this sacrament worthily?_ + +Fasting and bodily preparation are, indeed, a good external discipline; +but he is truly worthy and well prepared who believes these words: +"given and shed for you, for the remission of sins." But he who does not +believe these words or who doubts, is unworthy and unfit; for the words +"for you" require truly believing hearts. + +HOW THE LORD'S SUPPER IS TO BE RECEIVED. + +Those who come to the Lord's Table must prepare themselves to come +_worthily_, if they would receive the benefits offered in this +sacrament. [I Cor. 11:28+, II Cor. 13:5] + +FASTING AND BODILY PREPARATION ARE INDEED A GOOD EXTERNAL DISCIPLINE. +Fasting before the Lord's Supper is not required. It may be practiced by +those who desire to do so, if they do it in order to fit themselves for +a more earnest participation in the Holy Supper, and not with the idea +that fasting constitutes a merit, The true preparation for the Lord's +Supper is not bodily, but spiritual. [Joel 2:13+] + +HE IS TRULY WORTHY AND WELL-PREPARED, WHO BELIEVES THESE WORDS, "GIVEN, +AND FOR YOU, FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS." We are to come worthily, not in +the sense of deserving, but of earnestly _desiring_ the benefits offered +in the sacrament. We come worthily when we come with penitent and +believing heart, [Ps. 51:17+, Matt. 11:28+] lamenting our sins, longing +for forgiveness and for strength to do better, and believing the words +spoken to us, "given and shed for _thee_ for the remission of sins." + +THE CONFESSIONAL SERVICE. The administration of the Lord's Supper is +always preceded by the service of confession and absolution, so that +those who desire to come to the Lord's Table may prepare themselves to +come worthily. At this service we make a public confession of our sins, +of our faith in Christ our Saviour, and of our earnest determination by +God's grace to lead a holy life. Since Christ has conferred upon the +Church the Power of the Keys, saying, "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they +are remitted, unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are +retained," [John 20:23] the minister uses this power and pronounces the +absolution. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy +Ghost he declares to all who truly repent and believe, the entire +forgiveness of all their sins. On the other hand, to all who are +impenitent and unbelieving he declares, that their sins are retained so +long as they do not come to true repentance and faith. + +Our Church does not require private confession of sins to the pastor; +but if any one is troubled in conscience, and desires to make confession +to the minister and to obtain the comfort of an absolution pronounced +specially upon him, there is provision for private confession and +absolution. Such private confessions are regarded by every true pastor +as sacredly confidential. (See the "Questions on Confession," which form +one of the additions to the Five Principal Parts of the Catechism.) + +QUESTIONS.--1. What are the benefits derived from the Lord's Supper? 2. +Where are they pointed out? 3. How have these benefits been secured for +us? 4. What assurance does each communicant receive? 5. Why has the +Lord's Supper power to confer such benefits? 6. Does every communicant +receive the benefits offered? 7. How is the Lord's Supper to be +received? 8. What is to be said about fasting as a preparation? 9. What +is the true preparation? 10. What is meant by receiving the Lord's +Supper worthily? 11. Describe the confessional service? 12. What is to +be said about private confession and absolution? + +SCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Cor. 11:29. For he that eateth and drinketh +unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the +Lord's body. + +I Cor. 11:28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that +bread, and drink of that cup. + +Joel 2:13. And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the +LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of +great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. + +Ps. 51:17. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. + +Matt. 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I +will give you rest. + +READING.--The Wedding Garment, Matt. 22:1-14. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, AN EXPLANATION OF LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM *** + +This file should be named xlsct10.txt or xlsct10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, xlsct11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, xlsct10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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