LORD’S DAY 7 – July 4, 2010

20. Are all men, then, saved by Christ as they have perished in Adam?

No, only those who by true faith are ingrafted into Him and receive all His benefits.^[1]

^[1]Jn. 1:12-13;I Cor. 15:22;Ps. 2:12;Rom. 11:20;  Heb. 4:2-3; 10:39.

21. What is true faith?

True faith is not only a sure knowledge whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His Word,^[1] but also a hearty trust,^[2] which the Holy Ghost^[3] works in me by the Gospel,^[4] that not only to others, but to me also, forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness, and salvation are freely given by God,^[5] merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ’s merits.^[6]

^[1]Jas. 1:6.  ^[2]Rom. 4:16-18; 5:1.  ^[3]II Cor. 4:13;  Phil. 1:19, 29.  ^[4]Rom. 1:16; 10:17. ^[5]Heb. 11:1-2;  Rom. 1:17. ^[6]Eph. 2:7-9;  Rom. 3:24-25;  Ga. 2:16;  *Acts 10:43.

22. What, then, is necessary for a Christian to believe?

All that is promised us in the Gospel,^[1] which the articles of our catholic, undoubted Christian faith teach us in summary.

^[1]Jn. 20:31;Mt. 28:20.*II Pet. 1:21; *II Tim. 3:15.

23. What are these articles?

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only begotten 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 from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

LORD’S DAY 8 – July 11, 2010

24. How are these articles divided?

Into three parts: the first is of God the Father and our creation; the second, of God the Son and our redemption; the third, of God the Holy Ghost and our sanctification.^[1]

^[1]I Pet. 1:2;  *I Jn. 5:7.

25.  Since there is but one Divine Being,^[1] why do you speak of three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?

Because God has so revealed Himself in His Word,^,[2] that these three distinct persons are the one, true, eternal God.

^[1]Deut. 6:4.  ^[2]Isa. 61:1;Ps. 110:1;  Mt. 3:16-17; 28:19;I Jn. 5:7;*II Cor. 13:14.

OF GOD THE FATHER

LORD’S DAY 9 – July 18, 2010

26.  What do you believe when you say: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth?”

That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of nothing made heaven and earth with all that in them is,^[1] who likewise upholds, and governs the same by His eternal counsel and providence,^[2] is for the sake of Christ, His Son, my God and my Father,^[3] in whom I so trust as to have no doubt that He will provide me with all things necessary for body and soul;^[4] and further, that whatever evil He sends upon me in this troubled life, He will turn to my good;^[5] for He is able to do it, being Almighty God,^[6] and willing also, being a faithful Father.^[7]

^[1]Gen. 1:31;  Ps. 33:6;  *Col. 1:16;  *Heb. 11:3.  ^[2]Ps. 104:2-5;  Mt. 10:30;  Heb. 1:3;  Ps. 115:3;  *Acts 17:24-25.  ^[3]Jn. 1:12;  Rom. 8:15;  Gal. 4:5-7;  Eph. 1:5;  *Eph. 3:14-16; *Mt. 6:8.  ^[4]Ps. 55:22;  Mt. 6:25-26;  Lk. 12:22-24;  Ps. 90:1-2.  ^[5]Rom. 8:28;  *Acts 17:27-28.  ^[6]Rom. 10:12.  ^[7]Mt. 7:9-11;  *Num. 23:19.

LORD’S DAY 10 – July 25, 2010

27. What do you understand by the providence of God?

The almighty, everywhere-present power of God,^[1] whereby, as it were by His hand, He still upholds heaven and earth with all creatures,^[2] and so governs them that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink,^[3] health and sickness,^[4] riches and poverty,^[5] indeed, all things come not by chance, but by His fatherly hand.

^[1]Acts 17:25-26. ^[2]Heb. 1:3.  ^[3]Jer. 5:24;  *Acts 14:17.  ^[4]Jn. 9:3. ^[5]Prov. 22:2; *Ps. 103:19; Rom. 5:3-5a.

28. What does it profit us to know that God created, and by His providence upholds, all things?

That we may be patient in adversity,^[1] thankful in prosperity,^[2] and for what is future have good confidence in our faithful God and Father, that no creature shall separate us from His love,^[3] since all creatures are so in His hand, that without His will they cannot so much as move.^[4]

^[1]Rom. 5:3;  Jas. 1:3;  Job 1:21.  ^[2]Deut. 8:10;  I Thess. 5:18.  ^[3]Rom. 8:35, 38-39. ^[4]Job 1:12; Acts 17:25-28;  Prov. 21:1;  *Ps. 71:7;  *II Cor. 1:10.