{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_9912/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_9912","id":"gutenberg_9912","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9912","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Religion/Spirituality","Category: Teaching & Education","Lutheran Church -- Catechisms -- English"],"text":"Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Keren Vergon, David King,\nand Project Gutenberg Distributed Proofreaders\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAN EXPLANATION OF LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM\n\nA Handbook for the Catechetical Class: an Outline and Analysis for\nthe Pastor's Oral Instruction, and a Summary for the Catechumens'\nStudy and Review at Home\n\nBY JOSEPH STUMP, D.D.\n\n1910\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE\n\n\nThis book aims to present both an analysis of Luther's Small Catechism\nand a clear, concise, yet reasonably full explanation of its contents.\nIt is an attempt, upon the basis of twenty years' experience and a study\nof the literature of the subject, to meet the peculiar wants of the\ncatechetical class in our Lutheran Church in America. The object of the\nbook is twofold: first, to furnish an outline of teaching which the\npastor may use as a guide in his oral explanation and questioning; and\nsecondly, to furnish a sufficiently complete summary by means of which\nthe catechumens may review the lesson and fix its salient points in\ntheir minds. No text-book can, of course, adequately supply the\nparenetical side of the catechetical instruction or take the place of\nthe living exposition by the pastor. But it can and should support his\nwork, so that what he explains at one meeting may not be forgotten\nbefore the next meeting, but may be fixed in the minds of the\ncatechumens by study at home.\n\nSince the task of the pastor in catechization is not only to impart\nreligious instruction, but to impart it on the basis of that priceless\nheritage of our Church, Luther's Small Catechism, the explanation here\noffered follows the catechism closely. The words of the catechism are\nprinted in heavy-faced type and are used as headings wherever possible;\nand thus the words of the catechism may be traced as a thread running\nthrough the entire explanation.\n\nWherever he deemed it necessary, the author has added a fuller\nexplanation of the text of the catechism than that which Luther gives,\nand has supplemented its contents with such additional matter as the\nneeds of our catechumens require. He does not agree with those\ncatechetical writers who maintain that the pastor, in his catechization,\nmust confine himself to an explanation of _Luther's explanation_. Such a\nprinciple would exclude from the catechetical class much which our\ncatechumens should be taught. But all such additional matters are\nintroduced under an appropriate head as an organic part of the whole\nexplanation, thus preserving its unity.\n\nThis book is written in the thetical form instead of the traditional\nform of questions and answers. There is nothing in the nature of\ncatechization which would require the use of the interrogative form in\nsuch a text-book, and accordingly the thetical form has for years been\nemployed by numerous writers of text-books for the catechetical class in\nGermany. While questions have an important place in catechetical\ninstruction, the matter and not the form is the vital thing.\nCatechization is _not a method_ of instruction by means of questions and\nanswers. Neither the original meaning of the word nor the history of\ncatechization justifies such a definition. (See my article, \"A Brief\nHistory of Catechization,\" in the Lutheran Church Review, January, 1902;\ncomp. v. Zezschwitz: System der christl.-kirchl. Katechetik, vol. i. pp.\n17 seq., and vol. ii., 2. 1., pp. 3 seq.) And since Christian truth is\nnot something to be brought forth from the mind of the child by means of\nquestions, but something divinely revealed and hence _to be\ncommunicated_ to the child, the most natural form in which to set it\nbefore him in a text-book is the thetical. Luther's catechism itself is,\nindeed, in the form of questions and answers. But his catechism is\nconfessional as well as didactic, and its words, memorized by the\ncatechumen, are to become a personal confession of faith. The\nexplanations of a text-book, on the other hand, are not to be memorized,\nbut are meant to aid the catechumen in grasping the _thoughts_ of the\ncatechism. For this purpose, the thetical form is better than the\ninterrogative, because the explanation is not continually broken by\nquestions, and is thus better adapted to give the catechumens a\nconnected idea of the doctrines taught.\n\nEach chapter of this explanation is followed by a number of questions.\nAfter the pastor has explained a lesson at one meeting, the catechumens\nshould prepare themselves to give an answer to the printed questions _in\ntheir own words_ at the next meeting. The pastor may, of course,\nsubstitute other questions, assign additional ones, or eliminate some.\nThe proof passages for the teachings set forth are cited in the margin.\nThe more important passages, particularly those which the catechumens\nmay be expected to memorize, are specially indicated by a dagger (+),\nand are printed in full at the end of the chapter. The use of a\nScripture lesson is, of course, optional with the pastor. One is\nindicated, however, for each chapter, and may be read in class or be\nassigned to the catechumens to be read at home. The Scriptural\nillustrations are cited for the convenience of the pastor in his oral\nexposition. The division into chapters has been regulated by the\nsubject-matter, and will, it is hoped, aid in the survey of the contents\nof the book as a whole. It is not intended that each chapter shall\nnecessarily constitute one lesson. Some lessons will doubtless include\nonly a part of a chapter, while others will include several chapters, as\nthe pastor may determine.\n\nWhile the author, in the preparation of this explanation of Luther's\ncatechism, has gone his own way, careful consideration has been given to\nthe voice of those whose study of the problems involved entitled them to\nbe heard. Luther's other catechetical writings, the standard theoretical\nworks on Catechetics, and numerous monographs have been constantly at\nhand. Explanations of the catechism for the use of pastors and teachers\nhave been freely consulted,--among others, those of Schuetze, Fricke,\nMehliss, Kahle, Zuck, Kaftan, v. Zezschwitz, Palmer, Harnack, Nissen,\nHempel, Schultze, Th. Hardeland, O. Hardeland, Nebe, Buchrucker, and\nCremer. Acknowledgment is due also to the authors of numerous American\nand German text-books and helps for the catechetical class, whose works\nhave been carefully scanned, in order that the fruits of past experience\nand the best results of former labors in this field might, if possible,\nbe embodied in this work.\n\nMay the Lord bless this explanation of Luther's Small Catechism to the\nupbuilding of His kingdom and the glory of His name.\n\nJOSEPH STUMP.\n\nPHILLIPBURG, N. J.,\n\nREFORMATION DAY, 1907.\n\n\n\n\nLUTHER'S PREFACE\n\n\n_Martin Luther to all faithful and godly Pastors and Preachers: Grace,\nMercy and Peace, in Jesus Christ, our Lord!_\n\nThe deplorable condition in which I found religious affairs during a\nrecent visitation of the congregations, has impelled me to publish this\nCatechism, or statement of the Christian doctrine, after having prepared\nit in very brief and simple terms. Alas! what misery I beheld! The\npeople, especially those who live in the villages, seem to have no\nknowledge whatever of Christian doctrine, and many of the pastors are\nignorant and incompetent teachers. And, nevertheless, they all maintain\nthat they are Christians, that they have been baptized, and that they\nhave received the Lord's Supper. Yet they cannot recite the Lord's\nPrayer, the Creed, or the Ten Commandments; they live as if they were\nirrational creatures, and now that the Gospel has come to them, they\ngrossly abuse their Christian liberty.\n\nYe bishops! what answer will ye give to Christ for having so shamefully\nneglected the people, and paid no attention to the duties of your\noffice? I invoke no evil on your heads. But you withhold the cup in the\nLord's Supper, insist on the observance of your human laws, and yet, at\nthe same time, do not take the least interest in teaching the people the\nLord's Prayer, the Creed, the Ten Commandments, or any other part of the\nword of God. Woe unto you!\n\nWherefore I beseech you in the Name of God, my beloved brethren, who are\npastors or preachers, to engage heartily in the discharge of the duties\nof your office, to have mercy on the people who are entrusted to your\ncare, and to assist us in introducing the Catechism among them, and\nespecially among the young. And if any of you do not possess the\nnecessary qualifications, I beseech you to take at least the following\nforms, and read them, word for word, to the people, on this wise:--\n\nIn the first place; let the preacher take the utmost care to avoid all\nchanges or variations in the text and wording of the Ten Commandments,\nthe Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Sacraments, etc. Let him, on the\ncontrary, take each of the forms respectively, adhere to it, and repeat\nit anew, year after year. For young and inexperienced people cannot be\nsuccessfully instructed, unless we adhere to the same text or the same\nforms of expression. They easily become confused, when the teacher at\none time employs a certain form of words and expressions, and, at\nanother, apparently with a view to make improvements, adopts a different\nform. The result of such a course will he, that all the time and labor\nwhich we have expended will be lost.\n\nThis point was well understood by our venerable fathers, who were\naccustomed to use the same words in teaching the Lord's Prayer, the\nCreed, and the Ten Commandments. We, too, should follow this plan when\nwe teach these things, particularly in the case of the young and\nignorant, not changing a single syllable, nor introducing any variations\nwhen, year after year, we recur to these forms and recite them anew\nbefore our hearers.\n\nChoose, therefore, the form of words which best pleases you, and adhere\nto it perpetually. When you preach in the presence of intelligent and\nlearned men, you are at liberty to exhibit your knowledge and skill, and\nmay present and discuss these subjects in all the varied modes which are\nat your command. But when you are teaching the young, retain the same\nform and manner without change; teach them, first of all, the Ten\nCommandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, etc., always presenting the\nsame words of the text, so that those who learn can repeat them after\nyou, and retain them in the memory.\n\nBut if any refuse to receive your instructions, tell them plainly that\nthey deny Christ and are not Christians; such persons shall not be\nadmitted to the Lord's Table, nor present a child for baptism, nor enjoy\nany of our Christian privileges, but are to be sent back to the pope and\nhis agents, and, indeed, to Satan himself. Their parents and employers\nshould, besides, refuse to furnish them with food and drink, and notify\nthem that the government was disposed to banish from the country all\npersons of such a rude and intractable character.\n\nFor although we cannot, and should not, compel them to exercise faith,\nwe ought, nevertheless, to instruct the great mass with all diligence,\nso that they may know how to distinguish between right and wrong in\ntheir conduct towards those with whom they live, or among whom they\ndesire to earn their living. For whoever desires to reside in a city,\nand enjoy the rights and privileges which its laws confer, is also bound\nto know and obey those laws. God grant that such persons may become\nsincere believers! But if they remain dishonest and vicious, let them at\nleast withhold from public view the vices of their hearts.\n\nIn the second place; when those whom you are instructing have become\nfamiliar with the words of the text, it is time to teach them to\nunderstand the meaning of those words, so that they may become\nacquainted with the object and purport of the lesson. Then proceed to\nanother of the following forms, or, at your pleasure, choose any other\nwhich is brief, and adhere strictly to the same words and forms of\nexpression in the text, without altering a single syllable; besides,\nallow yourself ample time for the lessons. For it is not necessary that\nyou should, on the same occasion, proceed from the beginning to the end\nof the several parts; it will be more profitable if you present them\nseparately, in regular succession. When the people have, for instance,\nat length correctly understood the First Commandment, you may proceed to\nthe Second, and so continue. By neglecting to observe this mode, the\npeople will be overburdened, and be prevented from understanding and\nretaining in memory any considerable part of the matter communicated to\nthem.\n\nIn the third place; when you have thus reached the end of this Short\nCatechism, begin anew with the Large Catechism, and by means of it\nfurnish the people with fuller and more comprehensive explanations.\nExplain here at large every Commandment, every Petition, and, indeed,\nevery part, showing the duties which they severally impose, and both the\nadvantages which follow the performance of those duties, and also the\ndangers and losses which result from the neglect of them. Insist in an\nespecial manner on such. Commandments or other parts as seem to be most\nof all misunderstood or neglected by your people. It will, for example,\nbe necessary that you should enforce with the utmost earnestness the\nSeventh Commandment, which treats of stealing, when you are teaching\nworkmen, dealers and even farmers and servants, inasmuch as many of\nthese are guilty of various dishonest and thievish practices. So, too,\nit will be your duty to explain and apply the Fourth Commandment with\ngreat diligence, when you are teaching children and uneducated adults,\nand to urge them to observe order, to be faithful, obedient and\npeaceable, as well as to adduce numerous instances mentioned in the\nScriptures, which show that God punished such as were guilty in these\nthings, and blessed the obedient.\n\nHere, too, let it be your great aim to urge magistrates and parents to\nrule wisely, and to educate the children, admonishing them, at the same\ntime, that such duties are imposed on them, and showing them how\ngrievously they sin if they neglect them. For in such a case they\noverthrow and lay waste alike the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the\nworld, acting as if they were the worst enemies both of God and man. And\nshow them very plainly the shocking evils of which they are the authors,\nwhen they refuse their aid in training up children to be pastors,\npreachers, writers, etc., and set forth that on account of such sins God\nwill inflict an awful punishment upon them. It is, indeed, necessary to\npreach on these things; for parents and magistrates are guilty of sins\nin this respect, which are so great that there are no terms in which\nthey can be described. And truly, Satan has a cruel design in fostering\nthese evils.\n\nFinally; inasmuch as the people are now relieved from the tyranny of the\npope, they refuse to come to the Lord's Table, and treat it with\ncontempt. On this point, also, it is very necessary that you should give\nthem instructions, while, at the same time, you are to be guided by the\nfollowing principles: That we are to compel no one to believe, or to\nreceive the Lord's Supper; that we are not to establish any laws on this\npoint, or appoint the time and place; but that we should so preach as to\ninfluence the people, without any law adopted, by us, to urge, and, as\nit were, to compel us who are pastors, to administer the Lord's Supper\nto them. Now this object may be attained, if we address them in the\nfollowing manner; It is to be feared that he who does not desire to\nreceive the Lord's Supper at least three or four times during the year,\ndespises the Sacrament, and is no Christian. So, too, he is no\nChristian, who neither believes nor obeys the Gospel; for Christ did not\nsay: \"Omit or despise this,\" but \"This do ye, as oft as ye drink it,\"\netc. He commands that this should be done, and by no means be neglected\nand despised. He says: \"This do.\"\n\nNow he who does not highly value the Sacrament, shows thereby that he\nhas no sin, no flesh, no devil, no world, no death, no danger, no hell;\nthat is to say, he does not believe that such evils exist, although he\nmay be deeply immersed in them, and completely belong to the devil. On\nthe other hand, he needs no grace, no life, no Paradise, no heaven, no\nChrist, no God, no good thing. For if he believed that he was involved\nin such evils, and that he was in need of such blessings, he could not\nrefrain from receiving the Sacrament, wherein aid is afforded against\nsuch evils, and, again, such blessings are bestowed. It will not be\nnecessary to compel him by the force of any law to approach the Lord's\nTable; he will hasten to it of his own accord, will compel himself to\ncome, and indeed urge you to administer the Sacrament to him.\n\nHence, you are by no means to adopt any compulsory law in this case, as\nthe Pope has done. Let it simply be your aim to set forth distinctly the\nadvantages and losses, the wants and the benefits, the dangers and the\nblessings, which are to be considered in connection with the Sacrament;\nthe people will, doubtless, then seek it without urgent demands on your\npart. If they still refuse to come forward, let them choose their own\nways, and tell them that those who do not regard their own spiritual\nmisery, and do not desire the gracious help of God, belong to Satan. But\nif you do not give such solemn admonitions, or if you adopt odious\ncompulsory laws on the subject, it is your own fault if the people treat\nthe Sacrament with contempt. Will they not necessarily be slothful, if\nyou are silent and sleep? Therefore consider the subject seriously, ye\nPastors and Preachers! Our office has now assumed a very different\ncharacter from that which it bore under the Pope; it is now of a very\ngrave nature, and is very salutary in its influence. It consequently\nsubjects us to far greater burdens and labors, dangers and temptations,\nwhile it brings with it an inconsiderable reward, and very little\ngratitude in the world. But Christ himself will be our reward, if we\nlabor with fidelity. May He grant such mercy unto us who is the Father\nof all grace, to whom be given thanks and praises through Christ, our\nLord, for ever! Amen.\n\nWITTENBERG, A.D. 1529.\n\n\n\n\nTHE SMALL CATECHISM\n\n\n\n\nPART I.\n\nTHE TEN COMMANDMENTS.\n\n\n_In the plain form in which they are to be taught by the head of a\nfamily._\n\nTHE FIRST COMMANDMENT.\n\nI am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.\n\n[Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of\nanything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or\nthat is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to\nthem, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting\nthe iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth\ngeneration of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of\nthem that love Me, and keep my commandments.]\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\n_Answer_. We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.\n\nTHE SECOND COMMANDMENT.\n\nThou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord\nwill not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\n_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to curse, swear, conjure,\nlie, or deceive, by His Name, but call upon Him in every time of need,\nand worship Him with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.\n\nTHE THIRD COMMANDMENT.\n\nRemember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy.\n\n[Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is\nthe Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou,\nnor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant,\nnor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six\ndays the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is,\nand rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day,\nand hallowed it.]\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\n_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to despise His Word and the\npreaching of the Gospel, but deem it holy, and willing to hear and learn\nit.\n\nTHE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nHonor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land\nwhich the Lord thy God giveth thee.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\n_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to despise nor displease our\nparents and superiors, but honor, serve, obey, love, and esteem them.\n\nTHE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nThou shalt not kill.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\n_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to do our neighbor any\nbodily harm or injury, but rather assist and comfort him in danger and\nwant.\n\nTHE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nThou shalt not commit adultery.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\n_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as to be chaste and pure in our\nwords and deeds, each one also loving and honoring his wife or her\nhusband.\n\nTHE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nThou shalt not steal.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\n_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to rob our neighbor of his\nmoney or property, nor bring it into our possession by unfair dealing or\nfraudulent means, but rather assist him to improve and protect it.\n\nTHE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nThou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\n_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not deceitfully to belie,\nbetray, slander, nor raise injurious reports against our neighbor, but\napologize for him, speak well of him, and put the most charitable\nconstruction on all his actions.\n\nTHE NINTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nThou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\n_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to desire by craftiness to\ngain possession of our neighbor's inheritance or home, or to obtain it\nunder the pretext of a legal right, but be ready to assist and serve him\nin the preservation of his own.\n\nTHE TENTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nThou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his\nmaid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy\nneighbor's.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\n_Ans._ We should so fear and love God as not to alienate our neighbor's\nwife from him, entice away his servants, nor let loose his cattle, but\nuse our endeavors that they may remain and discharge their duty to him.\n\n_What does God declare concerning all these Commandments?_\n\n_Ans._ He says: I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the\niniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth\ngeneration of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of\nthem that love Me and keep my commandments.\n\n_What is meant by this declaration?_\n\n_Ans._ God threatens to punish all those who transgress these\ncommandments. We should, therefore, dread His displeasure, and not act\ncontrarily to these commandments. But He promises grace and every\nblessing to all who keep them. We should, therefore, love and trust in\nHim, and cheerfully do what He has commanded us.\n\n\n\n\nPART II.\n\nTHE CREED.\n\n\n_In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family._\n\nFIRST ARTICLE.--OF CREATION.\n\nI believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.\n\n_What is meant by this Article?_\n\n_Ans._ I believe that God has created me and all that exists; that He\nhas given and still preserves to me my body and soul with all my limbs\nand senses, my reason and all the faculties of my mind, together with my\nraiment, food, home, and family, and all my property; that He daily\nprovides me abundantly with all the necessaries of life, protects me\nfrom all danger, and preserves me and guards me against all evil; all\nwhich He does out of pure, paternal, and divine goodness and mercy,\nwithout any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I am in duty bound\nto thank, praise, serve, and obey Him. This is most certainly true.\n\nSECOND ARTICLE.--OF REDEMPTION.\n\nAnd in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the\nHoly Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was\ncrucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He\nrose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the\nright hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to\njudge the quick and the dead.\n\n_What is meant by this Article?_\n\n_Ans._ I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father\nfrom eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord;\nwho has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, secured and\ndelivered me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil,\nnot with silver and gold, but with His holy and precious blood, and with\nHis innocent sufferings and death; in order that I might be His, live\nunder Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness,\ninnocence, and blessedness; even as He is risen from the dead, and lives\nand reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.\n\nTHIRD ARTICLE.--OF SANCTIFICATION.\n\nI believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian Church, the Communion of\nSaints; the Forgiveness of sins; the Resurrection of the body; and the\nLife everlasting. Amen.\n\n_What is meant by this Article?_\n\n_Ans._ I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in\nJesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me\nthrough the Gospel, enlightened me by His gifts, and sanctified and\npreserved me in the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers,\nenlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and\npreserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the true faith; in which\nChristian Church He daily forgives abundantly all my sins, and the sins\nof all believers, and will raise up me and all the dead at the last day,\nand will grant everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ.\nThis is most certainly true.\n\n\n\n\nPART III.\n\nTHE LORD'S PRAYER.\n\n\n_In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family._\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\nOur Father Who art in heaven.\n\n_What is meant by this Introduction?_\n\n_Ans._ God would thereby affectionately encourage us to believe that He\nis truly our Father, and that we are His children indeed, so that we may\ncall upon Him with all cheerfulness and confidence, even as beloved\nchildren entreat their affectionate parent.\n\nFIRST PETITION.\n\nHallowed be Thy Name.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\n_Ans._ The Name of God is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this\npetition that it may be hallowed also by us.\n\n_How is this effected?_\n\n_Ans._ When the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we,\nas the children of God, lead holy lives, in accordance with it; to this\nmay our blessed Father in heaven help us! But whoever teaches and lives\notherwise than as God's Word prescribes, profanes the Name of God among\nus; from this preserve us, Heavenly Father!\n\nSECOND PETITION.\n\nThy kingdom come.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\n_Ans._ The kingdom of God comes indeed of itself, without our prayer;\nbut we pray in this petition that it may come unto us also.\n\n_When is this effected?_\n\n_Ans._ When our Heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His\ngrace we believe His holy Word, and live a godly life here on earth, and\nin heaven for ever.\n\nTHIRD PETITION.\n\nThy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\n_Ans._ The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our\nprayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done by us also.\n\n_When is this effected?_\n\n_Ans._ When God frustrates and brings to naught every evil counsel and\npurpose, which would hinder us from hallowing the Name of God, and\nprevent His kingdom from coming to us, such as the will of the devil, of\nthe world, and of our own flesh; and when He strengthens us, and keeps\nus steadfast in His Word, and in the faith, even unto our end. This is\nHis gracious and good will.\n\nFOURTH PETITION.\n\nGive us this day our daily bread.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\n_Ans._ God gives indeed without our prayer even to the wicked also their\ndaily bread; but we pray in this petition that He would make us sensible\nof His benefits, and enable us to receive our daily bread with\nthanksgiving.\n\n_What is implied in the words: \"Our daily bread\"?_\n\n_Ans._ All things that pertain to the wants and the support of this\npresent life; such as food, raiment, money, goods, house and land, and\nother property; a believing spouse and good children; trustworthy\nservants and faithful magistrates; favorable seasons, peace and health;\neducation and honor; true friends, good neighbors, and the like.\n\nFIFTH PETITION.\n\nAnd forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against\nus.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\n_Ans._ We pray in this petition, that our Heavenly Father would not\nregard our sins, nor deny us our requests on account of them; for we are\nnot worthy of anything for which we pray, and have not merited it; but\nthat He would grant us all things through grace, although we daily\ncommit much sin, and deserve chastisement alone. We will therefore, on\nour part, both heartily forgive, and also readily do good to those who\nmay injure or offend us.\n\nSIXTH PETITION.\n\nAnd, lead us not into temptation.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\n_Ans._ God indeed tempts no one to sin; but we pray in this petition\nthat God would so guard and preserve us, that the devil, the world, and\nour own flesh, may not deceive us, nor lead us into error and unbelief,\ndespair, and other great and shameful sins; and that, though we may be\nthus tempted, we may, nevertheless, finally prevail and gain the\nvictory.\n\nSEVENTH PETITION.\n\nBut deliver us from evil.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\n_Ans._ We pray in this petition, as in a summary, that our Heavenly\nFather would deliver us from all manner of evil, whether it affect the\nbody or soul, property or character, and, at last, when the hour of\ndeath shall arrive, grant us a happy end, and graciously take as from\nthis world of sorrow to Himself in heaven.\n\nCONCLUSION.\n\nFor Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and\never. Amen.\n\n_What is meant by the word \"Amen\"?_\n\n_Ans._ That I should be assured that such petitions are acceptable to\nour Heavenly Father, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded\nus to pray in this manner, and has promised that He will hear us. Amen,\nAmen, that is, Yea, yea, it shall be so.\n\n\n\n\nPART IV.\n\nTHE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM.\n\n\n_In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family._\n\nI. _What is Baptism?_\n\n_Ans._ Baptism is not simply water, but it is the water comprehended in\nGod's command, and connected with God's Word.\n\n_What is that Word of God?_\n\n_Ans._ It is that which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as it is recorded\nin the last chapter of Matthew, verse 19: \"Go ye, and teach all nations,\nbaptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the\nHoly Ghost.\"\n\nII. _What gifts or benefits does Baptism confer?_\n\n_Ans._ It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil,\nand confers everlasting salvation on all who believe, as the Word and\npromise of God declare.\n\n_What are such words and promises of God?_\n\n_Ans._ Those which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as they are recorded in\nthe last chapter of Mark, verse 16: \"He that believeth and is baptized,\nshall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned.\"\n\nIII. _How can water produce such great effects?_\n\n_Ans._ It is not the water indeed that produces these effects, but the\nWord of God which accompanies and is connected with the water, and our\nfaith, which relies on the Word of God connected with the water. For the\nwater, without the Word of God, is simply water and no baptism. But when\nconnected with the Word of God, it is a baptism, that is, a gracious\nwater of life, and a \"washing of regeneration\" in the Holy Ghost; as St.\nPaul says to Titus, in the third chapter, verses 5-8: \"According to His\nmercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the\nHoly Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our\nSaviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs\naccording to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying.\"\n\nIV. _What does such baptizing with water signify?_\n\n_Ans._ It signifies that the old Adam in us is to be drowned, and\ndestroyed by daily sorrow and repentance, together with all sins and\nevil lusts; and that again, the new man should daily come forth and\nrise, that shall live in the presence of God in righteousness and purity\nforever.\n\n_Where is it so written?_\n\n_Ans._ St. Paul, in the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 6, verse 4, says:\n\"We are buried with Christ by Baptism into death; that like as He was\nraised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also\nshould walk in newness of life.\"\n\n\n\n\nOF CONFESSION.\n\n\n_What is Confession?_\n\n_Ans._ Confession consists of two parts: the one is, that we confess our\nsins; the other, that we receive absolution or forgiveness through the\npastor as of God himself, in no wise doubting, but firmly believing that\nour sins are thus forgiven before God in heaven.\n\n_What sins ought we to confess?_\n\n_Ans._ In the presence of God we should acknowledge ourselves guilty of\nall manner of sins, even of those which we do not ourselves perceive; as\nwe do in the Lord's Prayer. But in the presence of the pastor we should\nconfess those sins alone of which we have knowledge, and which we feel\nin our hearts.\n\n_Which are these?_\n\n_Ans._ Here reflect on your condition, according to the Ten\nCommandments, namely: Whether you are a father or mother, a son or\ndaughter, a master or mistress, a manservant or maidservant--whether you\nhave been disobedient, unfaithful, slothful--whether you have injured\nany one by words or actions-whether you have stolen, neglected, or\nwasted aught, or done other evil.\n\n\n\n\nPART V.\n\nTHE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR,\n\nOR, THE LORD'S SUPPER.\n\n\n_In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family._\n\n_What is the Sacrament of the Altar?_\n\n_Ans._ It is the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the\nbread and wine, given unto us Christians to eat and to drink, as it was\ninstituted by Christ Himself.\n\n_Where is it so written?_\n\n_Ans._ The Holy Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, together with St.\nPaul, write thus:\n\n\"Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took\nbread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and gave it to His\ndisciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my Body, which is given for you:\nthis do, in remembrance of Me.\n\n\"After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, gave\nthanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it: this cup is the\nnew testament in my Blood, which is shed for you, for the remission of\nsins: this do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.\"\n\n_What benefits are derived from such eating and drinking?_\n\n_Ans._ They are pointed out in these words; \"given and shed for you, for\nthe remission of sins.\" Namely, through these words, the remission of\nsins, life and salvation are granted unto us in the Sacrament. For where\nthere is remission of sins, there are also life and salvation.\n\n_How can the bodily eating and drinking produce such great effects?_\n\n_Ans._ The eating and the drinking, indeed, do not produce them, but the\nwords which stand here, namely: \"given, and shed for you, for the\nremission of sins.\" These words are, besides the bodily eating and\ndrinking, the chief things in the Sacrament; and he who believes these\nwords, has that which they declare and set forth, namely, the remission\nof sins.\n\n_Who is it, then, that receives this Sacrament worthily?_\n\n_Ans._ Fasting and bodily preparation are indeed a good external\ndiscipline; but he is truly worthy and well prepared who believes these\nwords, \"given and shed for you, for the remission of sins.\" But he who\ndoes not believe these words, or who doubts, is unworthy and unfit: for\nthe words: \"FOR YOU,\" require truly believing hearts.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nMORNING AND EVENING PRAYER.\n\n_In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family_.\n\nMORNING.\n\nPP _In the Morning, when thou risest, thou shalt say:_\n\nIn the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.\n\nPP _Then, kneeling or standing, thou shalt say the_ Apostles' Creed _and\nthe_ Lord's Prayer.\n\nPP _Then mayest than say this Prayer_:\n\nI give thanks unto Thee, Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Thy dear\nSon, that Thou hast protected me through the night from all danger and\nharm; and I beseech Thee to preserve and keep me this day also, from all\nsin and evil; that in all my thoughts, words, and deeds, I may serve and\nplease Thee. Into Thy hands I commend my body and soul, and all that is\nmine. Let Thy holy angel have charge concerning me, that the wicked one\nmay have no power over me. Amen.\n\nPP _And then shouldst thou go with joy to thy work, after a Hymn, or the_\nTen Commandments, _or whatever thy devotion may suggest._\n\nEVENING.\n\nPP _In the Evening, when thou goest to bed, thou shall say:_\n\nIn the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.\n\nPP _Then, kneeling or standing, thou shalt say the_ Apostles' Creed _and\nthe_ Lord's Prayer.\n\nPP _Then mayest thou say this Prayer:_\n\nI give thanks unto Thee, Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Thy dear\nSon, that Thou hast this day so graciously protected me, and I beseech\nThee to forgive me all my sins, and the wrong which I have done, and by\nThy great mercy defend me from all the perils and dangers of this night.\nInto thy hands I commend my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let Thy\nholy angel have charge concerning me, that the wicked one may have no\npower over me. Amen.\n\nPP _And then lie down, in peace, and sleep._\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nBLESSING AND THANKSGIVING AT TABLE.\n\n_In the plain form in which they are to be taught by the head of a\nfamily._\n\nBEFORE MEAT.\n\nPP _Before meat, the members of the family surrounding the table\nreverently and with folded hands, there shall be said:_\n\nThe eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord: and Thou givest them their meat\nin due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of\nevery living thing.\n\nPP _Then shall be said the_ Lord's Prayer, _and after that this_ Prayer:\n\nO Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless unto us these Thy gifts, which of Thy\ntender kindness Thou hast bestowed upon us, through Jesus Christ our\nLord. Amen.\n\nPP _After meat, reverently and with folded hands, there shall be said:_\n\nO give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for\never. He giveth food to all flesh; He giveth to the beast his food, and\nto the young ravens which cry. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that\ntear Him; in those that hope in His mercy,\n\nPP _Then shall be said the_ Lord's Prayer, _and after that this_ Prayer:\n\nWe give thanks, to Thee, O God. Our Father, for all Thy benefits,\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth, for\never and ever. Amen.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTABLE OF DUTIES.\n\n_Or, certain passages of the Scriptures, selected for various orders and\nconditions of men, wherein their respective duties are set forth._\n\nBISHOPS, PASTORS, AND PREACHERS.\n\nA bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of\ngood behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no\nstriker, not greedy of filthy lucre: but patient, not a brawler, not\ncovetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in\nsubjection with all gravity; not a novice, but holding fast the faithful\nword as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both\nto exhort and to convince the gainsayers.--I Tim. 3:2-6; Tit. 1:9.\n\nWHAT DUTIES HEARERS OWE THEIR BISHOPS.\n\nEven so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should\nlive of the Gospel.--[I Cor. 9:14.] Let him that is taught in the Word\ncommunicate unto him that teacheth in all good things,--Gal. 6:6. Let\nthe elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially\nthey who labor in word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt\nnot muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy\nof his reward.--I Tim. 5:17, 18. Obey them that have the rule over you,\nand submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must\ngive account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief; for that\nis unprofitable for you.--Heb. 13:17.\n\nMAGISTRATES.\n\nLet every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power\nbut of God; the powers that be are ordained of God; for rulers are not a\nterror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of\nthe power? do that which is good, and thou shall have praise of the\nsame; for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do\nthat which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for\nhe is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that\ndoeth evil.--Rom. 13:1-4.\n\nWHAT DUTIES SUBJECTS OWE MAGISTRATES.\n\nRender therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's.--Matt. 22:21.\nLet every soul be subject unto the higher powers, etc. Wherefore we must\nneeds be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For\nthis cause pay ye tribute also; for they are God's ministers, attending\ncontinually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues;\ntribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom\nfear; honor to whom honor.--Rom. 13:1, 5. I exhort, therefore, that,\nfirst of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of\nthanks be made for all men; for kings and for all that are in authority,\nthat we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and\nhonesty.--I Tim. 2. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and\npowers, etc.--Tit. 3:1. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for\nthe Lord's sake: whether it be to the king as supreme; or unto governors\nas unto them that are sent, etc.--I Pet. 2:13.\n\nHUSBANDS.\n\nYe husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor\nunto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of\nthe grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.--1 Pet. 3:7. And\nbe not bitter against them.--Col. 3:19.\n\nWIVES.\n\nWives submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord--even as\nSarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose daughters ye are, as long\nas ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.--Eph. 5:22; I\nPet. 3:6.\n\nPARENTS.\n\nYe fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the\nnurture and admonition of the Lord.--Eph. 6:4.\n\nCHILDREN.\n\nChildren, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy\nfather and thy mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that\nit may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.--Eph.\n6:1-3.\n\nMALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS AND LABORERS.\n\nServants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the\nflesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto\nChrist; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of\nChrist doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing\nservice as to the Lord, and not to men; knowing that whatsoever good\nthing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he\nbe bond or free.--Eph. 6:5-8\n\nMASTERS AND MISTRESSES.\n\nYe masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening;\nknowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of\npersons with Him.--Eph. 6:9\n\nYOUNG PERSONS IN GENERAL.\n\nLikewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you\nbe subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God\nresisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves\ntherefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due\ntime.--I Pet. 5:5, 6.\n\nWIDOWS.\n\nShe that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and\ncontinueth in supplications and prayers night and day; but she that\nliveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.--I Tim. 5:5, 6.\n\nCHRISTIANS IN GENERAL.\n\nThou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. Herein are comprehended all the\ncommandments.--Rom. 13:9, 10. And persevere in prayer for all men.--I\nTim. 2:1, 2.\n\n\n\n\nAN EXPLANATION\n\nOF\n\nLUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\nTHE BIBLE.\n\nTHE BIBLE is the inspired and unerring record of what God has revealed\nto men concerning Himself and the Way of Salvation. [II Tim. 3:16+, Gal.\n1:8] Hence, if we ask, \"What must I do to be saved?\" the answer to our\nquestion must be sought in the Bible. It tells us what to believe and\nwhat to do in order that we may belong to God's kingdom on earth and in\nheaven. [Matt. 6:33+, Acts 16:30+, John 5:39+] It is the only rule and\nstandard of Christian faith and life.\n\nWHY NEEDED. Even without the Bible, men know that there is a Higher\nBeing. Their own conscience tells them that there is a God who will\npunish them if they do wrong; [Rom 2:14, 15] and the works of nature\nproclaim that there is an Almighty Being who created them. [Ps. 19:1+]\nBut the knowledge of God which men gain from their own conscience and\nfrom nature is insufficient. Neither nature nor conscience can tell us\nanything about the Way of Salvation which God has prepared for us in\nJesus Christ. It is only from the Bible that we can learn how we shall\nbe saved.\n\nITS INSPIRATION. The Bible is the Word of God. It was written by holy\nmen whom God inspired. [II Pet. 1:21+] It contains knowledge which no\nman could have discovered by his own power. It foretells events which no\nuninspired man could have foreseen. It contains teachings so exalted and\nholy that they could not have originated in the heart of man. It\npossesses a power such as no merely human book ever did or could\npossess. [Heb. 4:12]\n\nITS OBJECT is to make us wise unto salvation. [II Tim. 3:15+, Prov\n9:10+] It is to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path [Ps.\n119:105+] to guide us safely through this world to our heavenly home. It\ncontains all that we need to know and all that we ever shall know in\nthis world concerning God and His will. [Luke: 6:31] It is the final and\nabsolute authority in all matters of religion. We should, therefore, pay\nmost earnest heed to its teachings, believe them with all our heart, and\napply them in our lives.\n\nITS CONTENTS. It consists of sixty-six \"books,\" written between the\nyears 1500 B.C. and 100 A.D., and contains the History and the Doctrines\nof the Kingdom of God.\n\nOLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. The Bible consists of two parts: The Old\nTestament and the New Testament, The Old Testament reaches from Creation\nto about 400 B.C., and shows how God prepared the world for Christ's\nkingdom. The New Testament reaches from the birth of Christ to the end\nof the world, and shows how Christ came and established His kingdom.\n\nLAW AND GOSPEL. The Bible contains Law, [Micah 6:8+] telling us what we\nmust do, and Gospel, [John 3:16+] telling us how we are to be saved. The\nOld Testament contains principally Law, and the New Testament contains\nprincipally Gospel. But there are Law and Gospel in both. The Gospel in\nthe Old Testament is prophetical. The Old Testament prepared the way for\nthe New; the New Testament is the fulfilment of the Old. With the New\nTestament, God's revelation to men was completed; [Heb. 1:1, 2+, Heb.\n2:1-3] no further revelation will be given.\n\n\nTHE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.\n\n_Historical._\n\nGenesis,\nExodus,\nLeviticus,\nNumbers,\nDeuteronomy,\nJoshua,\nJudges,\nRuth,\nI Samuel,\nII Samuel,\nI Kings,\nII Kings,\nI Chronicles,\nII Chronicles,\nEzra,\nNehemiah,\nEsther.\n\n_Poetical._\n\nJob,\nPsalms,\nProverbs,\nEcclesiastes,\nSong of Solomon.\n\n_Prophetical._\n\nIsaiah,\nJeremiah,\nLamentations,\nEzekiel,\nDaniel,\nHosea,\nJoel,\nAmos,\nObadiah,\nJonah,\nMicah,\nNahum,\nHabakkuk,\nZephaniah,\nHaggai,\nZechariah,\nMalachi.\n\nThe _historical_ books of the Old Testament give an account of the\ncreation of the world and of man, of the entrance of sin and death, of\nGod's covenant with Israel to save them, and of the history of Israel as\nGod's chosen people. The _poetical_ books give the teachings of the Old\nTestament covenant in prayers, proverbs and hymns. The _prophetical_\nbooks contain many instructions, admonitions and prophecies (especially\nconcerning Christ who should come to save men) which God sent to the\nIsraelites through the prophets. The first four prophets are called the\nMajor Prophets; and the last twelve, the Minor Prophets.\n\nTHE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.\n\n_Historical._\n\nMatthew,\nMark,\nLuke,\nJohn,\nActs.\n\n_Didactical._\n\nRomans,\nI Corinthians,\nII Corinthians,\nGalatians,\nEphesians,\nPhilippians,\nColossians,\nI Thessalonians,\nII Thessalonians,\nI Timothy,\nII Timothy,\nTitus,\nPhilemon,\nHebrews,\nJames,\nI Peter,\nII Peter,\nI John,\nII John,\nIII John,\nJude\n\n_Prophetical._\n\nRevelation.\n\nThe _historical_ books of the New Testament give an account of the life\nof our Lord Jesus Christ and of some of His apostles. The _didactical_\nbooks (the epistles or letters) explain the Gospel of Christ more fully,\nand show how we are to believe in Him aright and live aright. The\n_prophetical_ book tells in figurative language what shall take place in\nthe Church of Christ up to the time when there shall be new heavens and\na new earth.\n\nCANONICAL BOOKS. The sixty-six books enumerated above are inspired, and\nare called the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testaments. The\nso-called Apocryphal Books, printed in some editions of the Bible, are\nnot a part of the Bible: they are not inspired.\n\nOUR ENGLISH BIBLE. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew,\nand the New Testament in Greek. Our English Bible is a translation from\nthe Hebrew and the Greek. The English Bible which is in ordinary use is\ncalled the Authorized Version, or King James' Version. It is a\ntranslation made by a body of learned men and published in England in\n1611, during the reign of James I. The Revised Version is an improved\ntranslation made by a body of learned men in England and America and\npublished in 1881-1885. The Bible in whole or in part has been\ntranslated into more than three hundred languages.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What is the Bible? 2. What does it tell us? 3. Why do we\nneed it? 4. Why do we say that the Bible is the Word of God? 5. What is\nits object? 6. What does it contain? 7. Of what two parts does the Bible\nconsist, and how far do they reach? 8. What do we mean by Law and\nGospel, and where are they found? 9. What is the relation between the\nOld and New Testaments? 10. Name the books of the Old Testament. 11.\nWhat do the historical, poetical and prophetical books of the Old\nTestament contain. 12. Name the books of the New Testament. 13. What do\nthe historical, didactical and prophetical books of the New Testament\ncontain? 14. How many canonical books of the Bible are there? 15. In\nwhat languages was the Bible originally written? 16. Tell what you know\nabout the English Bible? 17. Into how many languages has the Bible in\nwhole or in part been translated?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--II Tim. 3:16, 17. All Scripture is given by\ninspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for\ncorrection, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be\nperfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.\n\nMatt. 6:33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and\nall these things shall be added unto you.\n\nActs 16:30, 31. What must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on\nthe Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.\n\nJohn 5:39. Search the Scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal\nlife: and they are they which testify of me.\n\nPs. 19:1. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament\nshoweth his handiwork.\n\nII Pet. 1:21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:\nbut holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.\n\nII Tim. 3:15. From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which\nare able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in\nChrist Jesus.\n\nProv. 9:10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.\n\nPs. 119:105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.\n\nMicah 6:8. He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the\nLord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk\nhumbly with thy God.\n\nJohn 3:16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,\nthat whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting\nlife.\n\nHeb. 1:1, 2. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in\ntime past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days\nspoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by\nwhom also he made the worlds.\n\nREADING.--The Child Jesus in the Temple, Luke 2:41-52; or Mary sitting\nat Jesus' Feet, Luke 10:38-42.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Study of the Scriptures:_ Jesus and the Apostles at\nhome in them, Matt. 4:4-10, Acts 2: 14 _seq._ Timothy, II Tim. 3:15. The\nBereans, Acts 17:10-12. _Variously received:_ The Parable of the Sower,\nLuke 8:5-15.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\nTHE CATECHISM.\n\n\nThe object of catechetical instruction is to fit us for communicant\nmembership in the Church. Those who were baptized in infancy are members\nof the Church; but they are not admitted to the Lord's Supper, and hence\ndo not become communicant members, until they have been instructed and\nconfirmed.\n\nLuther's Small Catechism is our text-book for catechetical instruction.\nIt is not only the best book for this purpose, but is one of the\nConfessions of our Church, and should become our personal confession of\nfaith, it is called Luther's _Small_ Catechism, because Luther wrote a\nlarger one also.\n\nTHE AUTHOR of our catechism was Dr. Martin Luther (b. 1483, d. 1546),\nthe great Reformer, through whom God effected the Reformation of the\nChurch, in the sixteenth century. He began the Reformation with his\nNinety-five Theses against the sale of indulgences, contended against\nthe many errors and abuses that had crept into the Church, and preached\nand taught the pure truth of the Gospel, until his death. (Ninety-five\nTheses, 1517; Translation of the Bible into German, 1522-34; Larger and\nSmaller Catechisms, 1529; Augsburg Confession adopted 1530.)\n\nTHE CATECHISM Contains the principal teachings of the Bible,--those\nthings which we need to know in order to be saved and to lead a right\nChristian life. [Acts 16:30, Matt. 6:33] It is not meant to displace the\nBible, but to fit us to read and study the Bible with greater profit.\n[John 5:39]\n\nTHE FIVE PRINCIPAL PARTS of the catechism are 1. The Ten Commandments.\n2. The Creed. 3. The Lord's Prayer. 4. The Sacrament of Holy Baptism. 5.\nThe Sacrament of the Altar[1]. To these are added Questions on\nConfession, Morning and Evening Prayers, Thanksgiving before and after\nMeat, and A Table of Duties.\n\n[Footnote 1: Luther says that three things are necessary for every one\nwho would be saved. Like a sick person, 1. He must know what his\nsickness is. 2. He must know where the medicine is which will cure him.\n3. He must desire and seek the medicine, and have it brought to him. Our\nsickness (sin) is revealed to us by the Ten Commandments. The medicine\n(God's grace) is made known to us in the Creed. We seek and ask for it\nin the Lord's Prayer. It is brought to us in the Sacraments.]\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What is the object of catechetical instruction? 2. What\nis to be said about the relation of baptized children to the Church? 3.\nWhat is Luther's Small Catechism, and what should it become for us? 4.\nWho was the author of our Catechism? 5. What does our Catechism contain?\n6. Name the five principal parts of the catechism, and the additions to\nthem.\n\nSCRIPTURE READING.--Paul confesses his Faith, Acts 26.\n\n\n\n\nPART I.\n\nTHE TEN COMMANDMENTS.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\nTHE LAW.\n\n\nThe Ten Commandments are called the _Moral Law_, or more briefly the\nLaw, and sometimes the Decalogue or the Ten Words. They make known to us\nGod's will, which is the law for all His creatures. Each commandment has\na _negative_ side, and _forbids_ something; each has also a _positive_\nside, and _commands_ or enjoins something.\n\nThe Giving Of The Law. The Law of God was originally written in man's\nheart at creation. [Rom. 2:15] We call that law in the heart,\nConscience. After the fall into sin, the conscience became darkened, and\nmen did not always know right from wrong, and fell into gross idolatry.\n[Rom. 1:21-23] God, therefore, through Moses at Mount Sinai, gave men\nHis law anew, [Exod. 20:1] written on two Tables of stone. [Exod. 31:18]\nHe also gave the Israelites national and ceremonial laws. These, being\nmeant for a particular people and a certain era of the world, are no\nlonger binding upon us. But the Moral Law has been expressly confirmed\nby our Lord Jesus Christ as valid for all time and binding upon all men.\n[Matt. 22:37-40+]\n\nThe substance of the law is, \"Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all\nthy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind.\" and \"Thou shalt\nlove thy neighbor as thyself.\"\n\nThe purpose of the law is, 1. To put a check upon wicked men, [I Tim.\n1:9] 2. To convince us of our sinfulness [Rom. 3:20+] and our need of\nthe Saviour, [Gal. 3:24+] and 3. To be our rule and guide for Christian\nconduct. [John. 14:15+, Matt. 7:12+] It is especially with respect to\nthe second purpose here mentioned, that the Ten Commandments were\nassigned by Luther to the first and not to a later place in his\ncatechism.\n\nThe Two Tables. The Ten Commandments may be divided into two parts,\ncalled the Two Tables of the Law. [Exod. 31:18] The First Table includes\nthe first three commandments, and teaches us our Duty to God. The Second\nTable Includes the last seven commandments, and teaches us our Duty to\nour Fellow-men.[2]\n\n[Footnote 2: The Ten Commandments are not numbered in the Bible. A\ntwo-fold numbering is found among Christians. The first is that which is\ngiven in our Catechism, and which is accepted by the majority of\nChristians, The other numbering makes two commandments of our first (the\nsecond being the command not to make any images), and joins our ninth\nand tenth into one. This makes a difference in the numbering of all the\ncommandments except the first.]\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nQuestions.--1. What other names are given to the Tea Commandments? 2.\nWhat do they make known to us? 3. What two sides are there to each\ncommandment? 4. Where was the law of God originally written? 5. Why and\nwhen was the Law given anew? 6. Why is the Moral Law binding upon us,\nwhile the national and ceremonial laws of Israel are not? 7. What is the\nsubstance of the Law? 8. What is the threefold purpose of the Law? 9.\nInto how many Tables is the Law divided, and what does each Table teach?\n10. How many commandments does each Table include?\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 22:37-40. Jesus said unto him, Thou shall love\nthe Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all\nthy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is\nlike unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two\ncommandments hang all the law and the prophets.\n\nRom. 3:20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be\njustified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.\n\nGal. 3:24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto\nChrist, that we might be justified by faith.\n\nJohn 14:15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.\n\nMatt. 7:12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do\nto you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.\n\nReading.--The Giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, Exod. 19 and 20.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\nTHE LAWGIVER.\n\n\nI am the Lord thy God.\n\nThese introductory words show who is the Lawgiver. [Jas. 4:12] As\nearthly kings place their names at the beginning of their decrees to\ngive them authority, so God places His name at the beginning of the\ncommandments in order to make known who gives them, and whose\ndispleasure we shall incur if we disobey them. These introductory words\nbelong not only to the first but to all the commandments.\n\nI AM. By these words God reminds us that He is a Person. He speaks to\nus. He is not an impersonal God who pervades and is a part of nature. He\nis above nature and has created it. [Gen 1:1]\n\nTHE LORD. The word here translated \"Lord\" means in the original Hebrew\n\"I AM THAT I AM.\" [Exod 8:14+] God thereby declares that He is the One\nand Only Self-existent, [Isa 44:6+] Eternal, [Ps 90:1, 2+] and\nUnchangeable Being. [Mal 3:6+] He is the true and living God in\ncontradistinction from all so-called gods. [Jer 10:10] The name Jehovah\nor \"LORD\" is used in the Old Testament Scriptures to designate God as\nthe covenant God of Israel. It signified that He stood in a specially\nnear relation to them as His chosen people. The name has the same\ncomforting meaning for Christians; for they are the New Testament people\nof God. [Tit 2:14+, I Pet 2-9]\n\nTHY GOD. These words express God's good-will toward us. He is _our God_\nwho loves [Jer 31:3+] us and cares for us. [I Pet 5:7] He said to\nIsrael, \"I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of\nEgypt, out of the house of bondage.\" He has delivered _us_ from the\nstill greater bondage of sin, death, and the devil through His Son Jesus\nChrist, [Col 1:13+] and has a right to expect our gratitude and love.\n\nTHE LORD THY GOD. He who gives us these commandments is a Spirit [John\n4:24+] of infinite majesty and goodness. He is:\n\n1. _Eternal_; He always was and always will be. [Ps 90:2]\n\n2. _Unchangeable_; He always was and always will be the same. [Mal 3:6]\n\n3. _Omnipresent_; He is present everywhere at the same time and all the\ntime. [Ps 139:7-11]\n\n4. _Omniscient_; He knows all the past, present, and future, and is\nacquainted with every thought, desire, and purpose of our hearts. [Ps\n139:2]\n\n5. _Omnipotent_, or Almighty; He is able to do all things which He wills\nto do. [Luke 1:37]\n\n6. _Holy_; He is perfectly pure, and separate from all that is evil.\n[Isa. 6:3]\n\n7. _Just_; He will bless those who keep His law, and punish those who\nbreak it. [Rom. 2:6]\n\n8. _All-wise_; He always knows what is the best thing to do, and the\nbest way to do it. [Col. 2:3]\n\n9. _Good_; He is Love itself. [I John 4:8] He is kind even to the\nunthankful, [Matt. 5:45] merciful to the penitent soul for Jesus' sake,\n[John 3:16] and longsuffering toward the impenitent in order to lead\nthem to repentance by His goodness. [II Pet. 3:9, Rom. 2:4]\n\n10. _Faithful and True_; He can be absolutely relied upon to do all that\nHe has promised or threatened. [Numb. 23:19]\n\nBecause of the Majesty and Goodness of the Lord our God, we should FEAR\nand LOVE HIM, and KEEP His commandments.\n\nQUESTIONS--1. What do the introductory words show? 2. Of what do the\nwords \"I am\" remind us? 3. What is the meaning of the Hebrew word\ntranslated \"Lord\"? 4. What do the words \"thy God\" express? 5. From what\nbondage has God delivered us? 6. Name and define God's attributes? 7.\nWhy should we fear and love God?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Exod. 3:14. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM.\n\nIsa. 44:6. Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the\nLORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is\nno God.\n\nPs. 90:1, 2. LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.\nBefore the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the\nearth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.\n\nMal. 3:6. For I am the LORD. I change not.\n\nTit. 2:14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all\niniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good\nworks.\n\nJer. 31:3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with\nlovingkindness have I drawn thee.\n\nCol. 1:13, 14. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and\nhath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have\nredemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.\n\nJohn 4:24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him\nin spirit and in truth.\n\nREADING.--Ps. 14: Ps. 121.\n\n\n\n\nTHE FIRST TABLE OF THE LAW.\n\nOUR DUTY TO GOD.\n\n\"_Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy\nmind, and with all thy soul_.\" [Matt. 22:37]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\nTHE FIRST COMMANDMENT\n\nGOD.\n\n\nThou shalt have no other gods before me.\n\n_What is meant by this commandment?_\n\nWe should fear, love and trust in God above all things.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTHE GREAT COMMANDMENT. This is the great commandment of the Law, because\nit includes all the rest. [Matt. 22:37,38] Obedience to all the\ncommandments must proceed from the love of God which the first\ncommandment requires. [Rom. 13:9,10] Hence the explanation of the other\nnine begins with the words, \"We should so fear and love God.\"\n\nThis Commandment _forbids_ us to worship false gods, and _commands_ us\nto worship the true God by fearing, loving and trusting in Him above all\nthings.\n\nI. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.\n\n1. ALL IDOLATRY. \"Thou shalt have no other gods.\" Idolatry is committed\nby all who put anything in God's place, the highest place in the heart.\n\"Whatever we set our heart upon is our god.\"\n\n_Open Idolatry_ [Exod. 32:1-9, Ps. 135:15-17, Isa. 42:8, Rom. 1:22-23]\nis committed by those who worship imaginary beings, the sun, moon, or\nstars, animals, dead ancestors, idols made with hands, images,[3]\npictures, the Virgin Mary, saints, angels, the devil, or any other\ncreature.\n\n[Footnote 3: When God gave the commandments to Israel, He forbade them\nto make any graven images or likenesses. God being a Spirit, the making\nof an image of God would at that period necessarily have resulted in\nidolatry. But since Christ has come in the flesh and was visible among\nmen, we are permitted to make pictures and images of Him. Luther\npreached very forcibly against those persons who, during his absence\nfrom Wittenberg, destroyed the pictures and images in the churches. He\nsaid that we make a picture of Christ in our heart whenever we think of\nHim, and put pictures of Him in the Bible and other books; and that\ntherefore it is not wrong to place pictures or images of Him in our\nchurches, so long as we do not worship them.]\n\n_Secret Idolatry_ is committed by all who put (a) Self, [Prov. 3:6, 6.+,\nJer. 9:23, 24] (b) Fellow-men [Acts 5:29+, Matt. 10:28+, Matt. 10:37+,\nPs. 146:3-5] or (c) Objects of this world [I John 2:15-17+] (money,\nfame, business, pleasure, etc.) above God, by fearing, loving, or\ntrusting in them more than in God.\n\n2. Godlessness. [Sam. 2:30, Ps. 10:4] Neglect to worship the true God,\nunbelief, scepticism, superstition, Infidelity, and atheism are a\ntransgression of this commandment.\n\n3. Double service. [Matt. 6:24+] God forbids us to have other gods\nbefore or besides Him, He demands our whole heart.\n\nII. WHAT IS COMMANDED.\n\nWe should give God the highest place in our hearts, and \"fear, love and\ntrust in. Him above all things.\" [Matt. 4:10+]\n\n1. WE SHOULD FEAR GOD ABOVE ALL THINGS. We should be more afraid of His\nanger than of anything else in the whole world. [Gen. 39:9+, Ps. 33:8,\n9.] Rather than disobey Him, we should be willing to suffer ridicule,\npersecution, loss of money, property, position, or friends, and even\ndeath itself. [Matt. 10:28+, Acts 5:29]\n\n_Why_. We should fear God above all things, 1. Because He is omniscient,\nand we cannot hide anything from Him, not even our thoughts. [Ps. 139:1,\n2+] 2. Because He is holy, and hates everything that is evil. [Lev.\n19:2] 3. Because He is just, and will punish every sin. [Ps. 5:4]\n\n_How_. As Christians, our fear of God should be a child-like and not a\nslavish fear. Child-like fear is fear mingled with love. We should\nrefrain from evil not simply from fear of punishment, but from fear of\noffending the God whom we love. [Rom. 8:15+] \"Slavish fear Is afraid God\nwill come; child-like fear is afraid He will go away.\"\n\n2. WE SHOULD LOVE GOD ABOVE ALL THINGS, \"with all our heart, and with\nall our mind and with all our soul.\" [Matt. 22:37] Our first aim and our\nhighest delight should always be to do God's will. [I John 5:3+] We\nshould be far more anxious to please Him than to please ourselves or any\nof our fellow-men. We should love Him far more than we love any one else\n[Matt. 10:37+] (parents, brothers, sisters, friends, etc.), or any\nearthly objects [I John 2:15+] (money, pleasure, business and the like).\n\n_Why_. We should love God above all things 1. Because He is most worthy\nof our love. [Ps. 73:25, 26+] 2. Because He first loved us, [I John\n4:19+, I John 4:9+] and gave His Son to die for us. 3. Because our\nhighest happiness is found in loving Him.\n\n_How we should show our Love_. We should show that we love God above all\nthings 1. By leading a godly life. [II John 6] 2. By loving the things\nof God, especially the Church and the Gospel. [John 8:47] 3. By loving\nour fellow-men for His sake. [I John 4:20+]\n\n3. WE SHOULD TRUST IN GOD ABOVE ALL THINGS. We should rely with all our\nheart upon His love and care, [Prov. 3:5+] placing our chief dependence\non Him, and not on our own wisdom, skill, or strength, or upon men,\nmoney etc.\n\n_Why_. We should trust in God with all our heart because 1. He loves us.\n[Rom. 8:32] 2. He knows all our wants. [Matt. 6:32] 3. He knows what is\nbest for us. 4. He is able to do all things. 5. He has promised to care\nfor us. [Heb. 13:5, Isa. 54:10, Isa. 41:10]\n\n_How we should show our Trust_. If we trust in God above all things we\nwill show that trust, 1. By freedom from unbelieving care and worry.\n[Matt. 6:25, I Pet. 5:7+] 2. By reliance upon God's help and protection\nat all times. [Ps. 33:18, 19] 3. By committing the entire ordering of\nour lives to Him. [Ps. 37:5+]\n\nWe have all broken this first commandment; for we have not always and\neverywhere feared, loved and trusted in God above all things.\n\nQUESTIONS--1. Why is this the Great Commandment? 2. Why does the\nexplanation of all the other commandments begin with the words, \"We\nshould so fear and love God\"? 3. What does this first commandment\nforbid? 4. What does it command? 5. What two kinds of Idolatry are\nthere? 6. Mention some forms of open idolatry. 7. Mention some forms of\nsecret idolatry. 8. What does it mean to fear God above all things? 9.\nWhy should we fear him? 10. How should we fear Him? l1. What does it\nmean to love God above all things? 12. Why should we love God above all\nthings? 13. How should we show our love to God? 14. What does it mean to\ntrust in God above all things? 15. Why should we trust in God above all\nthings? 16. How should we show our trust in God? 17. Have we kept this\ncommandment?\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Prov. 3:5, 6. Trust In the Lord with all thine heart,\nand lean not unto thine own understanding.\n\nActs 5:29. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought\nto obey God rather than men.\n\nMatt. 10:28, And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to\nkill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul\nand body in hell.\n\nMatt. 10:37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy\nof me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of\nme.\n\n1 John 2:15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the\nworld. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.\n\nMatt. 6:24. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the\none, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise\nthe other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.\n\nMatt. 4:10. Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou\nserve.\n\nGen. 38:9. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?\n\nPs. 139:1, 2. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest\nmy downsitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off.\n\nRom. 8:15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;\nbut ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,\nFather.\n\nI John 5:3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments:\nand his commandments are not grievous.\n\nPs. 73:25, 28. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon\nearth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God\nis the strength of my heart and my portion forever.\n\nI John 4:19. We love him, because he first loved us.\n\nI John 4:9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because\nthat God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live\nthrough him.\n\nI John 4:20. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a\nliar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he\nlove God whom he hath not seen?\n\nI Pet. 5:7. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.\n\nPs. 37:5. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him; and he shall\nbring it to pass.\n\nREADING.--The Golden Calf, Exod. 32; or, The Golden Image, Dan. 3.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Secret_ Idolatry: Goliath, I Sam. 17:41 _seq_;\nNebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4:25 _seq_.; Herod, Acts 12:21-23; The Rich Young\nRuler, Matt. 19:16-22; The Rich Fool, Luke 12:15-21. _Slavish Fear_:\nAdam, Gen. 3:10-11. _Child-like Fear_: Joseph, Gen. 39:9. _Love to God_:\nAbraham, Gen. 22:1-14; Peter and John, Acts 4:19, 20; Jesus, John 4:34.\n_Trust in God_: David Fighting Goliath, I Sam. 17. Daniel in the Lion's\nDen, Dan. 6.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI.\n\nTHE SECOND COMMANDMENT.\n\nGOD'S NAME.\n\n\nThou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord\nwill not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\nWe should so fear and love God as not to curse, swear, conjure, lie or\ndeceive by His name, but call upon Him in every time of need, and\nworship Him with prayer, praise and thanksgiving.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTHE NAME OF GOD. [Ps. 111:9, Mal. 2:2, Rev. 15:4] A name is that by\nwhich we know a person. God's name means all by which He is known to us;\nhence not only the words God, Lord, Jehovah, Jesus Christ, the Almighty,\nthe Eternal, the Omniscient One, etc., but the Word of God and the\nSacraments, and all holy things.\n\nThis Commandment _forbids_ the wrong use, and _commands_ the right use\nof God's holy name.\n\nI. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.\n\nTAKING GOD'S NAME IN VAIN:\n\n1. _Thoughtlessly_. God's name is taken in vain thoughtlessly by using\nit as an exclamation in our conversation, by reading or hearing God's\nWord without devotion, jesting about sacred things, quoting Scripture in\nfun, and the like. Thoughtlessness is no excuse. We must give an account\nto God for every idle word; [Matt. 12:36+] how much more for every vain\nuse of His name.\n\n2. _Intentionally._ This is done by those who\n\nCURSE; [Jas. 3:9, 10, Matt. 5:44, Rom. 12:14+] that is, by those who\ncall on God to do evil to themselves or to others. Disguised forms of\ncursing are sinful also.\n\nSWEAR. We are forbidden to confirm what we say by the use of God's name,\neither\n\n_Needlessly_ [Matt. 5:34-37+] in our ordinary conversation, or\n\n_Falsely_ [Lev. 19:12+] before a magistrate.\n\nThere is a Legal Oath: [Deut. 6:13, Heb. 5:16] 1. Of Witness. 2. Of\nInnocence. 3. Of Allegiance, 4. Of Office. The oath taken by our Lord\nbefore the high-priest shows that the oath before a magistrate is not\nforbidden. [Matt. 26:63, 64] When taking a legal oath, we must be\ncareful to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.\nFalse swearing or perjury is a great sin. It is punished by the State,\nand will be punished by God. [Ezek. 17:19]\n\nSwearing by anything besides God's name is forbidden also. [Matt.\n5:34-37+]\n\nCONJURE. [Deut. 18:10-12+] This commandment forbids all magic arts,\nwitchcraft, sorcery, pow-wowing, fortune-telling, and all attempts by\nsigns or formulas to discover what God has kept hidden or to attain what\nHe has withheld. If results are obtained by such means, _e.g._, by\npow-wowing, that is no justification for their use. [Matt. 16:26] If we\ndesire to obtain help through the use of God's name, we must pray and\nnot conjure.\n\nLIE. The eighth commandment forbids lying in general; this commandment\nforbids lying by God's name. It is broken by those who teach falsehood\nand error and yet declare that they are teaching God's Word. [Gal. 1:8]\n\nDECEIVE BY HIS NAME. This is done by those who assume Christ's name by\ncalling themselves Christians, and yet are hypocrites, and use religion\nas a cloak. [II Tim. 3:5+, Matt. 15:8]\n\nSins against this Second Commandment are common, but not small sins. God\nwill not hold him guiltless who commits them.\n\nII. WHAT IS COMMANDED.\n\nWe should\n\nCALL UPON HIM. God has given us His name so that we might call upon Him\nfor His help and grace. [Ps. 145:18+]\n\nIN EVERY TIME OF NEED. We should call upon God in every time of trouble,\ndanger or distress. [Ps. 50:15+] But if we call upon God only in times\nof special need, and do not call upon His name at other times also, we\nare not keeping this commandment.\n\nAND WORSHIP HIM [Col. 3:16] in our hearts, in our homes and in church,\n\nWITH PRAYER [Matt. 7:7+] for ourselves and for others, [I Tim. 2:1, 2]\n\nPRAISE [Ps. 145:1] for His majesty and glory and wonderful works,\n\nAND THANKSGIVING for temporal and spiritual blessings. [Ps. 106:1+]\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What is meant by God's name? 2. What does this second\ncommandment forbid and command? 3. How is God's name taken in vain\nthoughtlessly? 4. How is God's name taken in vain intentionally? 5.\nDefine cursing? 6. Define swearing? 7. What kind of swearing is\nforbidden? 8. What kind of swearing is permitted? 9. When taking a legal\noath, what must we be careful to do? 10. Define conjuring, lying, and\ndeceiving by God's name? 11. What is the right use of God's name? 12.\nWhy should we call upon God? 13. When should we call upon Him? 14. Where\nshall we worship Him? 15. How shall we worship Him?\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 12:36. But I say unto you, That every idle word\nthat men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of\njudgment.\n\nRom. 12:14. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.\n\nMatt. 5:34-37. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven;\nfor it is God's throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool:\nneither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither\nshalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white\nor black. But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for\nwhatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.\n\nLev. 19:12. Ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou\nprofane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.\n\nDeut. 18:10-12. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh\nhis son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth\ndivination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a\ncharmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a\nnecromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the\nLORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them\nout from before thee.\n\nII Tim. 3:5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:\nfrom such turn away.\n\nMatt. 15:8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and\nhonoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me.\n\nPs. 143:18. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all\nthat call upon him in truth.\n\nPs. 50:15. Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and\nthen shalt glorify me.\n\nMatt. 7:7. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;\nknock, and it shall be opened unto you.\n\nPs. 106:1. Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is\ngood: for his mercy endureth forever.\n\nREADING.--Balaam, Numb. 22; Herod's Oath, Matt. 14:1-12; Saul and the\nWitch at Endor, I Sam. 28.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Cursing_: Job 3:1-7. Shimei, II Sam. 16:5-14.\n_Swearing_: Herod; Peter, Matt. 26:89-75. _Conjuring_: Saul at Endor;\nBar-jesus, Acts 13:1-12. _Lying and Deceiving_: The Pharisees, Matt.\n23:13-38. _Calling on God's Name_: Jesus, Matt. 26:39-44; John 17:\nJacob, Gen. 32:9-12; The First Christians, Acts 2:42.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VII.\n\nTHE THIRD COMMANDMENT.\n\nGOD'S DAY.\n\n\nRemember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\nWe should so fear and love God as not to despise His Word and the\npreaching of the Gospel, but deem it holy and willingly hear and learn\nit.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTHE LORD'S DAY. Under the Old Testament the Israelites, by God's\ncommand, observed the seventh day of the week, Saturday, as the Sabbath\nor day of rest, because God rested from the work of Creation on the\nseventh day. [Gen. 2:2-3] For the Christians all days are holy. [Rom.\n14:5, 6, Col. 2:16, Acts 2:46] But from the earliest times the Christian\nChurch set apart Sunday as a special day of worship, [Acts 20:7, 1 Cor.\n16:2] because it is the day on which Christ rose from the dead. The\nSabbath of the Old Testament commemorated the completion of _Creation_;\nthe Lord's Day of the New Testament commemorates the completion of\n_Redemption_.\n\nA HOLY DAY. The Lord's Day is to be kept _holy_ by devoting it to holy\nthings. It is to be a day of rest in order that it may be a day of\nworship. Any unnecessary work or any recreation which hinders us from\nhearing and profiting by God's Word is sinful.\n\nI. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.\n\nWe are not\n\nTO DESPISE GOD'S WORD AND THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL, [Luke 10:16+] by\n\n1. Making light of God's Word, or regarding and treating it as the word\nof man.\n\n2. Neglecting to go to church, and pleading poor excuses for absence.\n[Heb. 10:25+]\n\n3. Inattention and lack of devotion in church. [Eccl. 5:1+]\n\n4. Filling the mind with worldly things on Sunday (business, pleasure,\nSunday-newspapers, etc.), so that God's Word cannot be rightly received\ninto the heart. [Luke 8:5,12]\n\n5. Making Sunday a holiday, lounging-day, or pleasure-day.\n\n6. Making it a working-day, and thus preventing attendance at church.\n\nII. WHAT IS COMMANDED.\n\nWe are\n\nTO DEEM GOD'S WORD HOLY, AND WILLINGLY HEAR AND LEARN IT, by\n\n1. Regarding it as God's voice speaking to us. [I Thess. 2:13+]\n\n2. Going to church gladly and regularly. [Ps. 122:1, 2+]\n\n3. Listening attentively and devoutly to God's Word, and joining\nheartily in the service. [Luke 11:28+, Col. 3:16, Jas. 1:21,22+, Rom.\n10:17]\n\n4. Attending Sunday-school and learning our lessons.\n\n5. Teaching in Sunday-school when we have become old enough and our\nservices are needed.\n\n6. Reading the Bible and good books.\n\n7. Doing whatever promotes the worship and honoring of God by ourselves\nor by others. [Jas. 1:27+]\n\nA DAY OF REST. Sunday is meant for the good of the soul. But a rest on\none day out of seven is necessary also for the welfare of the body.\nSunday is a blessed privilege for body, mind, and soul. Sometimes,\nhowever, both the rest for body and mind and the attendance at church\nmust be sacrificed in order to perform works of mercy as a duty to our\nfellow-men.\n\nTHE CHURCH-YEAR. The Church has also arranged a Church-year for the\ncommemoration of the principal events in the Savior's life. The order of\nthe Church-year is as follows: Four Sundays in Advent, Christmas, New\nYear, Epiphany (January 6), from two to six Sundays after Epiphany\n(according as Easter comes early or late); three Sundays called\nSeptuagesima, Sexagesima, Quinquagesima; Ash Wednesday (the first day in\nLent), six Sundays in Lent (the sixth being Palm Sunday), Holy Week\n(including Good Friday), Easter, five Sundays after Easter, Ascension\nDay, Sunday after Ascension, Pentecost or Whitsunday, Trinity Sunday;\nand from twenty-three to twenty-seven Sundays after Trinity. The\nLutheran Church observes also the festival of the Reformation on the\n31st day of October. Each Sunday and Festival Day has its own Gospel and\nEpistle lesson, as well as its own Introit and Collect.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What is the difference between Sabbath and Sunday? 2. Why\nis Sunday to be a day of rest? 3. What does this commandment forbid? 4.\nIn what way is this commandment broken? 5, What does this commandment\ncommand? 6. How is this commandment to be kept? 7. Why is Sunday a\nblessed privilege? 8. When must our Sunday's rest and our attendance at\nchurch be sacrificed? 9. What is the object of the Church-year? 10. Give\nthe order of the Church-year.\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Luke 10:16. He that heareth you heareth me; and he\nthat despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him\nthat sent me.\n\nHeb. 10:25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the\nmanner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as\nye see the day approaching.\n\nEccl. 5:1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be\nmore ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they\nconsider not that they do evil.\n\nI Thess. 2:13. When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye\nreceived it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of\nGod, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.\n\nPs. 122:1, 2. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the\nhouse of the LORD.\n\nLuke 11:28. But he said, Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the\nword of God, and keep it.\n\nJas. 1:21, 22. Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able\nto save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,\ndeceiving your own selves.\n\nJas. 1:27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is\nthis, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to\nkeep himself unspotted from the world.\n\nREADING.--Jesus in Nazareth on the Sabbath, Luke 4:16-30.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--The Child Jesus in the Temple, Luke 2:42-52. Simeon and\nAnna, Luke 2:27 _seq_. Mary, Luke 10:39. The Ethiopian Eunuch, Acts 8:27\n_seq_. Lydia, Acts 16:14.\n\n\n\n\nTHE SECOND TABLE OF THE LAW.\n\nOUR DUTY TO OUR FELLOW-MEN.\n\n\n\"_Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself._\" [Matt. 22:39]\n\nOUR NEIGHBOR means every one. We are to love all men as we love\nourselves; [Matt. 7:12] not only our relatives, friends, and\nacquaintances, but strangers, enemies, and people of all nations and\nclimes. We must be ready to do good to all who are in need of our help\nand kindness. Compare the Parable of the Good Samaritan. [Luke 10:30-37]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VIII.\n\nTHE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nOUR PARENTS AND SUPERIORS.\n\n\nHonor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land\nwhich the Lord thy God giveth thee.\n\nEXPLANATION.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\nWe should so fear and love God as not to despise nor displease our\nparents and superiors, but honor, serve, obey, love and esteem them.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nPARENTS are God's representatives in the family for the maintenance of\nlaw and order in it. They are charged by God with the care and training\nof their children, and are clothed by Him with authority over them.\nTheir will is law for their children, so long as it does not conflict\nwith the law of God.\n\nSUPERIORS are those who are placed over us in a position of authority in\nthe Family, Church, School, or State; e. g., guardians, step-parents,\ngrand-parents, pastors, teachers, rulers, etc. They also are God's\nrepresentatives to maintain order, and are to be honored and obeyed as\nsuch. In every case of a conflict of authority, we must \"obey God rather\nthan men.\" [Acts 5:29]\n\nThis commandment _forbids_ us to despise or displease our parents and\nsuperiors, and _commands_ us to honor, serve, obey, love, and esteem\nthem.\n\nOUR DUTY TO OUR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, GUARDIANS, ETC.\n\nI. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.\n\nWe must not\n\nDESPISE them, mock at them, [Prov. 39:17+] make light of them, think\nourselves wiser or above their authority, nor speak disrespectfully of\nthem or to them. [Deut 27:16+]\n\nWe must not\n\nDISPLEASE them by lack of affection, grumbling, disobedience,\nstubbornness, rebelliousness, or wickedness. [Exod. 21:15+]\n\nII. WHAT IS COMMANDED.\n\nWe should\n\nHONOR them as those who are placed over us by God's appointment, look up\nto them, and always treat them with proper respect [Lev. 19:3, Eph 6:2,\n3+] and consideration.\n\nSERVE them, be helpful to them, lighten their burdens, and anticipate\ntheir wishes. [I Tim. 5:4]\n\nOBEY them by cheerfully and promptly doing their will, even when it is\nnot to our liking. [Eph. 6:1, Col. 3:20+, Prov. 1:8]\n\nLOVE them, and show our love by a constant desire and effort to please\nthem. We should call to mind what they have done and still do for us,\nthat our love for them may grow deep and tender. [John 19:26, 27]\n\nESTEEM them. We should regard and appreciate them as a precious gift of\nGod. Children who have lost father or mother have met with a great loss.\n\nIN LATER YEARS. We should honor, love and _obey_ our parents while we\nare young; and we should still _love_ and _honor_ them when we are\nolder. We must not despise or be ashamed of them if we happen to rise to\na higher position in life than they. When they have grown old and\nfeeble, we should care tenderly for them; and after they are dead, we\nshould treasure their memory.\n\nOUR DUTY TO OUR SUPERIORS. [Rom. 13:7+]\n\nThe Pastor is to be honored for the sake of the office which he holds.\nHe is the ambassador of Christ; [II Cor. 5:20] and when he preaches the\nGospel, or speaks words of admonition and counsel in private, the\nSaviour speaks through him. Those who hear him hear Christ; those who\ndespise him despise Christ. [Luke 10:16] We should heed his admonitions,\n[Heb. 13:17+, I Thess. 5:12, 13] and, as far as we are able, help and\nencourage him in his work.\n\nOur Teachers in Sunday-school and in other schools are placed over us in\na position of authority, and must therefore be respected and honored.\n\nRulers and the Government. The State is God's servant to regulate\ntemporal affairs and to maintain law and order in the land. Rulers and\nofficials of the government must be respected and honored. [Matt.\n22:21+, Rom. 13:1-4+] Christians must be good citizens. They must always\nobey the law, so long as it does not conflict with the law of God. [I\nPet. 2:13, Acts 5:29] They should be patriotic, pray for their country,\nbe ready to defend it, pay their taxes, and be concerned that it shall\nbe a Christian land. Every voter shares in the responsibility of\nsecuring righteous government, and should cast his vote conscientiously.\n\nOLD PERSONS in general are to be treated with respect and honor. [Lev.\n19:32+]\n\nA special blessing is promised to those who keep this commandment.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What does the Second Table of the Law teach? 2. What is\nmeant by \"our neighbor\"? 3. What is the position of parents in the\nfamily? 4. What is meant by \"superiors\"? 5. To whom is our highest\nobedience due? 6. What does this commandment forbid, and what does it\ncommand? 7. In order to avoid despising or displeasing our parents, what\nshould we not do? 8. Why and how should we honor them? 9. How should we\nserve them? 10. How should we obey them? 11. How should we show our love\nto them? 12. What should we always remember concerning our parents? 13.\nWhat is meant by esteeming them? 14. How should we regard and treat them\nwhen we have grown older? 15. What is our duty to our pastor? 16. What\nis our duty to our teachers? 17. Why should we honor our rulers? 18.\nWhat are a Christian's duties to his country? 19. How must we treat old\npersons in general? 20. What special blessing is promised to those who\nkeep this commandment?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Prov. 30:17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and\ndespiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it\nout, and the young eagles shall eat it.\n\nDeut. 27:16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his\nmother: and all the people shall say, Amen.\n\nExod. 21:15. And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be\nsurely put to death.\n\nEph. 6:2, 3. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first\ncommandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest\nlive long on the earth.\n\nCol. 3:20. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well\npleasing unto the Lord.\n\nRom. 13:7. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute\nis due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.\n\nHeb. 13:17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit\nyourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give\naccount, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is\nunprofitable for you.\n\nMatt. 22:21. Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's;\nand unto God the things that are God's.\n\nRom. 13:1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there\nis no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.\n\nLev. 19:32. Thou shall rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face\nof the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.\n\nREADING.--Joseph and his Father, Gen. 47:1-12.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Despising and displeasing parents_: Jacob's sons, Gen.\n37; Eli's sons, I Sam. 2:22-25; Absalom, II Sam. 25. _Honoring them_:\nJesus, Luke 2:51.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IX.\n\nTHE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nHUMAN LIFE.\n\n\nThou shall not kill.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\nWe should so fear and love God as not to do our neighbor any bodily harm\nor injury, but rather assist and comfort him in danger and want.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nHuman life is sacred. It is man's most precious earthly possession; for\nwithout it he cannot enjoy any other. This commandment is meant to guard\nit. We dare not shorten another person's life, nor our own. God gives\nlife, and He alone has the right to take it away.\n\nThis commandment _forbids_ us to kill or injure other persons or\nourselves. It _commands_ us to assist and comfort our neighbor in danger\nand want.\n\nI. WHAT is FORBIDDEN.\n\nWe must not\n\n1. KILL OR INJURE OTHER PERSONS.\n\n_Murder_. To destroy any human life, even if it be very young or yet\nunborn, is a great crime. He who commits murder is to be punished with\ndeath. [Gen. 9:6+] Among the motives which prompt to murder are anger,\nhatred, [Gen. 4:1-8] envy, [Gen. 37] jealousy, revenge, [Matt. 14:3-11,\nRom. 12:19+] frivolity, avarice, robbery, and a desire to hide past sin.\n[II Sam. 11] We must be on our guard against all that would ever tempt\nus to this great crime.\n\n_Duels_. It is foolish as well as sinful to pretend to establish the\nright or wrong of a question by a duel.\n\n_Unjust Wars_ are wholesale murder. Rulers must do all that they\nhonorably can to prevent war. Yet as a last resort to maintain the\nright, war is justifiable.\n\n_Hatred_ is murder in the heart. \"He that hateth his brother is a\nmurderer.\" [I John 3:15, Matt. 5:21, 22+, Eph. 4:31, 32+]\n\n_Tempting Others_ to useless risks in which they may perish or be\ninjured, or to drunkenness, dissipation, etc. which will shorten their\nlife, is a transgression of this commandment.\n\n_Causing Accidents_ by neglect, carelessness or bad workmanship, or\n\n_Shortening Other People's Lives_ [Gen. 37:31-35] by maltreatment,\noverwork, worriment, etc. makes men guilty of sin against this\ncommandment.\n\n_Neglect to Warn_ others of impending danger _or neglect to assist_ them\nin need may result in their injury or death.\n\nThe law recognizes our right to defend our life when it is unjustly\nassailed. But killing others in self-defense must he our last resort.\nMany persons act hastily. The official who inflicts the death penalty on\ncondemned criminals is not guilty of wrong, but is doing his duty as an\nofficer of the State. [Rom 13:4]\n\nIt is a sin to kill our neighbor's _soul_ by tempting him to sin, or\nenticing him to wrong-doing by our evil example.\n\nWe must not\n\n2.--KILL OR INJURE OURSELVES.\n\nSuicide is often prompted by despair, remorse, [Matt. 27:35] cowardice,\nrecklessness, or insanity. But it is sinful as well as foolish and\ncowardly. He who commits it robs himself of the opportunity to repent,\nand leaves others to bear the burdens from which he shrank. If we are\ntempted to despair, we should not commit suicide, but seek comfort and\nstrength in God's Word. If we have fallen into disgrace by sin, we\nshould repent and lead a better life.\n\n_Duels_. We not only have no right to endanger another's life by a duel,\nbut we have no right to endanger our own. The duel, which was once a\ncommon practice, has justly fallen under the condemnation of public\nopinion.\n\n_A Life of Sin_. Impurity, drunkenness, gluttony, or dissipation will\nshorten our life, and make us die before our allotted time.\n\n_Disregard of the Laws of Health_, overwork, needless exposure,\ncarelessness, violent anger, needless worry, are all forbidden by this\ncommandment.\n\nThe voluntary sacrifice of our life for truth and right (martyrdom), or\nin defense of our country, or in an effort to rescue and save others, is\nnot only justifiable but noble. [I John 3:16]\n\nII. WHAT IS COMMANDED.\n\nWe should ASSIST AND COMFORT OUR NEIGHBOR. [Gal. 6:10+, Luke 10:30-35,\nMatt. 5:7+, Matt. 5:44+, Rom. 12:20, Matt. 22:39, Matt. 7:12+, Prov.\n24:17]\n\n1. IN DANGER. We should Warn him of danger. Defend and rescue him. Ward\noff danger from him. Save him from worry and anxiety whenever we can.\n\n2. IN WANT. We should Aid the poor and destitute. Minister to the sick.\nComfort the afflicted and distressed. Give to organized charities:\norphanages, asylums, hospitals, rescue-work, etc. Give to missions in\norder to save souls.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What is to be said about the sacredness of human life? 2.\nWhat does this fifth commandment forbid? 3. What does it command? 4.\nWhom are we forbidden to kill or injure? 5. Mention some ways in which\nthis commandment is broken with respect to others. 6. What is to be said\nabout the sin of murder and its punishment? 7. What are some of the\nmotives which prompt men to murder? 8. What is to be said about duels?\n9. Is war right? 10. What does the Bible say about hatred? 11. What is\nto be said about useless risks, accidents, maltreatment, etc.? 12. What\nis to be said about neglecting to warn or assist others? 13. What is to\nbe said about the right of self-defense? 14. What is to be said about\nthe official who inflicts the death-penalty on criminals? 15. Mention\nsome ways in which this commandment is broken with respect to self. 16.\nWhat motives prompt men to suicide, and how should we guard against such\na sin? 17. What is to be said about the folly and cowardice of the\nsuicide's act? 18. What is to be said of the voluntary sacrifice of our\nlife? 19. How are we to assist our neighbor in danger? 20. How are we to\nassist and comfort him in want?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Gen. 9:6. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall\nhis blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man.\n\nRom. 12:19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place\nunto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith\nthe Lord.\n\nMatt. 5:21, 22. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou\nshalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the\njudgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother\nwithout a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall\nsay to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; but\nwhosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.\n\nEph. 4:31, 32. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,\nand evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind\none to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for\nChrist's sake hath forgiven you.\n\nGal. 6:10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all\nmen, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.\n\nMatt, 5:7. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.\n\nMatt. 5:44, 45. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that\ncurse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which\ndespitefully use you, and persecute you: that ye may be the children of\nyour Father which is in heaven.\n\nMatt. 7:12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do\nto you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.\n\nREADING.--Cain kills Abel. Gen. 4:1-16.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Murder_: Cain; Joab, II Sam. 3:22, 29; Ahab and\nJezebel, I Kings 21:1-19; Herod, Matt. 2:16-18. _Hatred_: Joseph's\nBrethren, Gen. 37. _Suicide_: Saul, I Sam. 31:5; Judas, Matt. 27:5.\n_Assisting and Comforting_: The Good Samaritan, Luke, 10:25-37.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER X.\n\nTHE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nPURITY. MARRIAGE.\n\n\nThou shalt not commit adultery.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\nWe should so fear and love God as to be chaste and pure in our words and\ndeeds, each one also loving and honoring his wife or her husband.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThis commandment is meant to preserve our personal purity, and to guard\nthe holy estate of marriage. It _forbids_ adultery and all impurity. It\n_commands_ chastity and purity in thought, word, and deed.\n\nI. PURITY.\n\nWe should be CHASTE AND PURE\n\n_In Heart._ We should keep our heart free from impure thoughts and\ndesires. [Matt. 5:8+, Prov. 4:23+, Ps. 51:10] God judges us by the state\nof our heart. [I Sam. 16:7] Unchaste thoughts must not be delighted in\nnor harbored, but subdued and stamped out. They poison the soul. They\nare themselves a transgression of this commandment, [Matt. 5:28+] and\nthey lead to further transgressions of it by word and deed.\n\nIN WORDS. We must avoid immodest conversation, unchaste words, vile\nstories, and shameless jests. [Eph. 5:3-4, Eph. 4:29+] Such things are\nnot smart, as many think, but vile and despicable. We should never take\npart in nor listen to a conversation which we would be ashamed to have\noverheard by persons whom we respect.\n\nIN DEEDS. We should carefully avoid every act which would bring the\nblush of shame to our cheeks if it were known to our parents or others\nwhose opinion we cherish. Our bodies are to be God's temple, [I Cor.\n6:19, 20+] and they dare not be given over to sin and impurity. [Rom.\n6:13] We should remember that God sees even in secret, and knows all our\nactions. [Ps. 139:1-12]\n\n_Impurity_ of heart and life will not go unpunished. [I Cor. 3:16, 17+,\nGal. 5:19-21+] It is often followed by the most dreadful consequences: a\nruined body, an enfeebled mind, a poisoned soul, a tortured conscience,\npublic shame, dreadful disease and an untimely death.\n\n_To Keep ourselves Pure_ we should watch and pray, [Matt. 26:41+] avoid\nidleness, evil company, bad books and papers, indecent songs and\npictures, immoral plays, intemperance in eating and drinking, and all\nthat would incite to impurity. We should keep our minds occupied with\ngood thoughts and desires, so that we have no room for evil ones. [Rom.\n13:14]\n\nII. MARRIAGE.\n\nMarriage is the union of one man and one woman for life in the bonds of\nlove and faithfulness.\n\n_A Holy Estate_. Marriage was instituted by God in Eden [Gen. 2:13] and\nwas sanctioned by Christ, who performed His first miracle at a wedding.\n[John 2:1-11] It is a holy estate. Celibacy is not a holier estate than\nmarriage, as the Roman Catholic Church maintains. [I Tim. 4:1-3]\n\n_Indissoluble_. The marriage tie is binding until one of the married\npersons dies. [Matt. 19:6+] Except by death, the marriage relation\ncannot be broken or dissolved without sin against this sixth\ncommandment. [Matt. 5:32+, Matt 19:9] If one party to the marriage is\nguilty of adultery, the innocent party may obtain a divorce. No other\ndivorces are allowed by Christ.\n\n_An Important Step_. Marriage is a most important step in life. It must\nnot be entered into hastily or thoughtlessly. If a mistake is made in\nthe choice of a partner for life, the mistake can never be remedied.\nThose who contemplate such a step should pray for God's guidance.\nMarriage should not be entered upon for money, social advantages, and\nthe like, but for love. Parents should be consulted. While marriage by a\ncivil magistrate is valid, Christians should seek God's blessing upon\ntheir union and be married by His ordained servant. The laws of the\nState must be carefully obeyed. Marriage between near relatives is\nforbidden by God's Word. [Lev. 18] Those who are married should, if\npossible, be of the same faith. Marriages between Protestants and Roman\nCatholics are seldom happy.\n\n_Duty of Husband_ [Eph. 5:25+, Col. 3:19] _and Wife._ [Eph. 5:22+, Col.\n3:18] EACH SHOULD LOVE AND HONOR HIS WIFE OR HER HUSBAND. The man is the\nhead of the family, but he must not be a tyrant. The wife is not his\nslave, but his dearest companion. They are no longer two but one, with a\ncommon love, a common life, a common property, common children, common\nhopes and aspirations, and a common Saviour. [I Pet. 3:7, I Pet. 3:1]\nThey should be patient with one another's faults, just to one another's\nvirtues, and should unselfishly seek one another's happiness. They\nshould live together in mutual love and faithfulness till separated by\ndeath. Only when husband and wife continue to love and honor one another\ncan they be happy. The breaking of the marriage covenant is followed by\nshame and misery.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What is this commandment meant to preserve and guard? 2.\nWhat does it forbid and command? 3. What is it to be said about purity\nof heart? 4. What is to be said about purity in words? 5. What is to be\nsaid about purity in deeds? 6. Mention some of the consequences which\noften follow upon impurity. 7. How may we keep ourselves pure? 8. What\nis marriage? 9. Why is marriage a holy estate? 10. How long is the\nmarriage tie binding? 11. When only and by whom dare a divorce be\nobtained? 12. Why must marriage not be entered upon hastily or\nthoughtlessly? 13. What care should be exercised by those who think of\nbeing married? 14. What is the duty of husband and wife?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they\nshall see God.\n\nProv. 4:23. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the\nissues of life.\n\nMatt. 5:28. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to\nlust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.\n\nEph. 4:29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but\nthat which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace\nunto the hearers.\n\nI Cor. 6:19, 20. What I know ye not that your body is the temple of the\nHoly Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your\nown? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body\nand in your spirit, which are God's.\n\nI Cor. 3:16, 17. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the\nSpirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him\nshall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy; which temple ye are.\n\nGal. 5:19-21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these,\nadultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry,\nwitchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,\nheresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of\nthe which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that\nthey which, do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.\n\nMatt. 26:41, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the\nspirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.\n\nMatt. 19: 6. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put\nasunder.\n\nMatt. 5:32. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife,\nsaving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and\nwhosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.\n\nEph. 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the\nchurch, and gave himself for it.\n\nEph. 5:22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the\nLord.\n\nREADING.--The Creation of Eve, Gen. 2:18-25; or, The Marriage at Cana,\nJohn 2:1-11.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XI.\n\nTHE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nPROPERTY. HONESTY.\n\n\nThou shalt not steal.\n\n_What is meant by this commandment?_\n\nWe should so fear and love God as not to rob our neighbor of his money\nor property, nor bring it into our possession by unfair dealing or\nfraudulent means, but rather assist him to improve and protect it.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe object of this commandment is to protect every man in the possession\nof that which is lawfully his own. Without such protection the\nindividual could not support his life, and society could not exist. The\nindustrious and thrifty would be at the mercy of the lazy and wicked.\nThis commandment _forbids_ us to use dishonest means of acquiring\nproperty. It _commands_ us to assist our neighbor to improve and protect\nhis own.\n\nPROPERTY consists of whatever each person lawfully acquires of the\nearth's lands, forests, water, mines, houses, goods or money. It may be\nrightfully acquired by original claim, inheritance, gift, or labor of\nbody or mind. Honest labor united with economy is the best way to\nacquire it.\n\nUNEQUAL DIVISION. God, who is the absolute owner of all things, [I Cor.\n10:26] divides to each as He will. [Jer. 27:5] He \"maketh poor and\nmaketh rich.\" [I Sam. 2:7, Prov. 22:2+] Much poverty, however, is due to\nmen's own laziness, idleness, [II Thess. 3:10+] carelessness or\nextravagance; and much wealth has been wrongfully gained contrary to\nGod's will as expressed in this commandment. _Communism_, or the equal\ndivision of property among all men, is not practicable. It failed in the\napostolic Church. [Acts 5:1-10] If all things were equally divided, some\nwould soon clamor for another division.\n\nPOVERTY AND RICHES. The happiest person is he who is neither rich nor\npoor, but has sufficient for his needs. [Prov. 30:7-9+, Prov. 15:16-17+]\nPoverty may tempt a man to dishonesty; and riches may lead him to\navarice, hardness of heart, worldliness and extravagance. [I Tim. 6:9,\n10, I Tim. 6:17+] Riches make it hard for a man to enter into the\nkingdom of God. [Matt. 19:24+, Matt. 13:22] We should respect men for\nwhat they are, and not for what they have. We should not flatter the\nrich nor despise the poor. [Jas. 2:1-4]\n\nUSE OF PROPERTY. God entrusts earthly property to us as His stewards.\n[Luke 19:12-27, Matt. 25:14-30, Luke 16:1-8] Whether we are rich or\npoor, we should so use our property as to be able to give an account to\nGod. _For ourselves_ and those dependent on us [I Tim. 5:8+] we should\nuse it for the supply of our bodily needs (food, clothing, shelter, a\nreasonable amount of pleasure) and of our spiritual needs [Luke 12:15+,\nMatt. 6:33, I Cor. 9:14] (the Church and the Gospel). _For our\nfellow-men_ we should, when necessary, use it according to our ability\nfor their bodily needs (the poor) and their spiritual needs (Home and\nForeign Missions). [Matt. 22:39]\n\nI. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.\n\n1. ROBBING OUR NEIGHBOR. The grossest forms of dishonesty are Robbery,\nTheft, Burglary, Embezzlement, and Forgery. These are recognized by all\nas wrong. But it is also wrong to bring our neighbor's property into our\npossession, by\n\n2. UNFAIR DEALING AND FRAUDULENT MEANS, [Prov. 29:24, Lev. 6:2, 3, Ps.\n37:21, Jer. 22:13, Lev. 19:35, 36, Hab. 2:6, Prov. 15:6, Deut. 24:14,\nJas. 5:4, Prov. 11:1] such as Concealing stolen property, Withholding\nlost or borrowed property, Evading taxes, Refusing to pay debts, Wilful\nidleness and beggary, Betting and gambling, Lotteries and chancing,\nBribery, Useless lawsuits, Negligent management of another's property,\nStealing car-rides, Unfaithful labor, Insufficient wages, Cornering the\nmarket, Overcharging, Usury, Adulterating goods, Giving short weight or\nmeasure, and Cheating of any kind.\n\n3. _Dishonesty in the Heart_. Dishonesty has its source in the\ncovetousness and greed of the human heart. [Mic. 2:2] Men first covet,\nand then steal or defraud. We must beware of covetousness. [Luke 12:15+]\nThe love of money is a root of all evil. [I Tim. 6:10+] We must be\nhonest even in small matters. He who is dishonest in little will be\ndishonest in much. [Luke 16:10] We must avoid all that would tempt us to\ndishonesty; namely, evil companions, idleness, speculation,\nextravagance, etc.\n\nII. WHAT IS COMMANDED.\n\nWe should\n\n1. ASSIST OUR NEIGHBOR TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT HIS PROPERTY. [Exod. 23:4,\n5, Matt. 7:12] We should help him to get along well in the world, and do\nwhat we can to prevent him from being deprived of his possessions.\n\n2. _Restore to the real owner_ whatever has been dishonestly gotten.\n[Luke 19:8]\n\n3. _Be Ready to use our money_ and property in order to help and benefit\nour neighbor. [Eph. 4:28+, Heb. 13.18+, I Pet. 4:10] We must be helpful\nand charitable toward our fellow-men.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What is the object of the seventh commandment? 2. What\ndoes this commandment forbid? 3. What does it command? 4. How may\nproperty be rightfully acquired? 5. Explain why property is unequally\ndivided among men? 6. What is to be said about communism? 7. Why is he\nwho is neither rich nor poor the happiest man? 8. What is the right use\nof property? 9. Mention some gross forms of dishonesty? 10. Mention some\nother ways in which this commandment is broken? 11. Where does\ndishonesty have its source? 12. If we would be honest, what must we\nguard against? 13. In what ways does this commandment require us to\nassist our neighbor?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES--Prov. 22:2. The rich and poor meet together: the LORD\nis the maker of them all.\n\nII Thess. 3:10. This we commanded you, that if any would not work,\nneither should he eat.\n\nProv. 30:7-9. Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not\nbefore I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither\npoverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full,\nand deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal,\nand take the name of my God in vain.\n\nProv. 15:16-17. Better is little with the fear of the LORD, than great\ntreasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love\nis, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.\n\nI Tim. 6:17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not\nhighminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who\ngiveth us richly all things to enjoy.\n\nMatt. 19:24. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go\nthrough the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the\nkingdom of God.\n\nI Tim. 5:8. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those\nof his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an\ninfidel.\n\nLuke 12:15. And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of\ncovetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the\nthings which he possesseth.\n\nI Tim. 6:10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while\nsome coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced\nthemselves through with many sorrows.\n\nEph. 4:28. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour,\nworking with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give\nto him that needeth.\n\nHeb. 13:16. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such\nsacrifices God is well pleased.\n\nREADING.--The Unjust Steward, Luke 16:1-7; or, Matt. 25: 31-46.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Poverty and Riches_: The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke\n16:19-31; The Rich Fool, Luke 12:15-21; The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11\nseq. _Dishonesty_: Achan, Josh. 7. Gehazi, II Kings 5. Judas, Luke 12:6,\nAnanias and Sapphira, Acts 5. _Benevolence_: The Good Samaritan, Luke\n10:30-37; Dorcas, Acts 9:36; Cornelius, Acts 10:2.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XII.\n\nTHE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.\n\nTRUTHFULNESS.\n\n\nThou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.\n\n_What is meant by this commandment?_\n\nWe should so fear and love God as not deceitfully to belie, betray,\nslander, nor raise injurious reports against our neighbor, but apologize\nfor him, speak well of him, and put the most charitable construction on\nall his actions.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTHE OBJECT of this commandment is to secure truthfulness, [Eph. 4:25+]\nand to guard our good name. [Prov. 22:1+] Without truthfulness we could\nnot believe anything we heard, and the utmost confusion would prevail in\nthe affairs of men. A good name is one of our most precious earthly\npossessions.\n\nThis commandment _forbids_ all lying. It _commands_ perfect truthfulness\nand a charitable judgment of others.\n\nI. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.\n\nALL LYING is forbidden. [Ps. 34:13+] False witness against other\n_persons_ is the worst form of lying. All lesser forms of lying are\nforbidden along with the greater.\n\n1. _False Witness against our Neighbor._ We must not tell a falsehood\nabout another person either in court or in every-day life. We must not\n\nBELIE him, that is, tell an untruth about him.\n\nBETRAY. [Prov. 11:13+, Prov. 24:28] We must not abuse our neighbor's\nconfidence by revealing his innocent secrets, and thus annoying or\nharming him. One who pretends to be another's friend, and yet betrays\nhim, is acting a lie. We dare not, however, hide crime; and we must tell\nwhat we know about others if the court, or parents, or persons who have\na right to know, inquire of us.\n\nSLANDER NOR RAISE INJURIOUS REPORTS. [Exod. 23:1+, Lev. 19:16, Ps.\n15:1-3] We must not invent nor repeat false reports concerning our\nneighbor. We must not say behind his back what we fear to say to his\nface. We must not magnify his faults, [Matt. 7:3-5] nor impute evil\nmotives to him, nor make his words and conduct look as bad as possible.\nThe slanderer is worse than a thief and causes incalculable suffering\nand misery. [Prov. 25:18+, Jas. 3:5-8] We should remember that words\nonce spoken live on for good or evil, and cannot be unsaid; and that we\nmust give an account to God for every word we speak. [Matt. 12:36]\n\n2. _Lying of Any Kind._ A lie is a conscious falsehood uttered with the\npurpose of deceiving. It may be acted as well as spoken. [Prov. 6:13] We\nmust not deceive nor try to deceive others by telling an untruth, by\nhiding the truth or a part of it, by hypocrisy, flattery, boasting,\nbroken promises, conventional lies, \"white lies,\" \"lies of necessity,\"\nguesses given as facts, etc.\n\nII. WHAT IS COMMANDED.\n\n1. _Truthfulness._ Truth is of God; [Deut. 32:4] lying is of the devil.\n[John 8:44] As children of God we must be truthful. [Col. 3:9+] A liar\nis an abomination in God's sight. [Prov. 12:22, Prov. 17:15] If\nnecessary, we should be ready to suffer and die for the truth.\n\n2. _A Charitable Judgment of Others._ We should\n\nAPOLOGIZE FOR OUR NEIGHBOR, and defend him when his character is\nunjustly assailed. [Matt. 7:12, Prov. 31:8, 9] We must be careful,\nhowever, not to excuse or make light of sin. [Isa. 5:20+] We should\n\nSPEAK WELL OF HIM whenever we can do so truthfully. We should speak of\nhis virtues rather than of his faults. [Matt. 7:1, 2+, Jas. 4:11] If we\ncannot speak well of him, then, unless it is absolutely necessary, we\nhad better not speak of him at all. We should\n\nPUT THE MOST CHARITABLE CONSTRUCTION ON ALL HIS ACTIONS. [I Pet. 4:8+, I\nCor. 13:4-7, Gal. 6:1] We should, as far as possible, make the best and\nnot the worst of what our neighbor says and does. We should think and\nspeak of him only in kindness.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What a the object of this commandment? 2. What does it\nforbid? 3. What does it command? 4. What is the worst form of lying? 5.\nWhat is included under false witness? 6. What is meant by belying our\nneighbor? 7. What is to be said about betraying him? 8. What is to be\nsaid about slander and the slanderer? 9. Define a lie. 10. In what ways\ndo men speak and act lies? 11. Why should we be truthful? 12. What is to\nbe said about apologizing for our neighbor? 13. What rule should we\nfollow in speaking of others? 14. How should we think and speak of our\nneighbor?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Eph. 4:25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every\nman truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.\n\nProv. 22:1. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and\nloving favour rather than silver and gold.\n\nPs. 34:13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.\n\nProv. 11:13. A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a\nfaithful spirit concealeth the matter.\n\nExod. 23:1. Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with\nthe wicked to be an unrighteous witness.\n\nMatt. 7:3-5. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's\neye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt\nthou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and,\nbehold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the\nbeam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out\nthe mote out of thy brother's eye.\n\nProv. 25:18. A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a\nmaul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.\n\nCol. 3:9. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old\nman with his deeds.\n\nIs. 5:20. Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put\ndarkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet,\nand sweet for bitter!\n\nMatt. 7:1, 2. Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment\nye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be\nmeasured to you again.\n\nI Pet. 4:8. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves:\nfor charity shall cover the multitude of sins.\n\nREADING.--The False Witnesses against Stephen, Acts 6:8-15.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_False Witness_: Against Christ, Matt. 26:60; against\nNaboth, I Kings 21:10; against Paul, Acts 25:7. _Slander_: Absalom\nagainst David, II Sam. 15:1 seq.; _Lying_: Jacob, Gen. 27:19; Jacob's\nSons, Gen. 37:32. _Betrayal_: Judas. _Speaking well_: Jonathan, I Sam.\n19:4.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIII.\n\nTHE NINTH AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS.\n\nA RIGHT HEART.\n\n\nThou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\nWe should so fear and love God as not to desire by craftiness to gain\npossession of our neighbor's inheritance or home, or to obtain it under\nthe pretext of a legal right; but be ready to assist and serve him in\nthe preservation of his own.\n\n        *        *        *        *        *\n\nThou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his\nmaid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy\nneighbor's.\n\n_What is meant by this Commandment?_\n\nWe should so fear and love God as not to alienate our neighbor's wife\nfrom him, entice away his servants, nor let loose his cattle, but use\nour endeavors that they may remain and discharge their duty to him.\n\n        *        *        *        *        *\n\nBoth these commandments forbid coveting; hence, we may consider them\ntogether. They deal with the root and source of all sin; namely, the\nevil lusts and desires of the heart. [Matt. 15:19+, Jas. 1:14, 15]\n\nTHE OBJECT of these two commandments is to emphasize the necessity of a\nright state of heart. [I Sam. 16:7+, Matt. 5:5] All the commandments\nmust, indeed, be kept in thought as well as in word and deed. But by\nadding these two special commandments against coveting, God desires to\nimpress upon us most strongly that wrong thoughts and desires make us\nguilty before Him. We are not keeping God's commandments unless we are\nfree from the _desire_ to transgress them. As a man \"thinketh in his\nheart, so is he.\" [Prov. 23:7]\n\nTHE HEART BY NATURE SINFUL. We are born with a sinful nature and a\nnatural inclination to evil (Original sin), which we have inherited from\nour ancestors as a result of the fall into sin. [John 3:6+, Jer. 17:9]\nThis natural inclination to evil manifests itself in wrong thoughts and\ndesires which arise in the heart. [Rom. 7:18, 19+] These wrong desires\nor lusts are in themselves sinful: and if they are not subdued, they\nlead to sins of words and deeds. [Jas. 1:14, 15+]\n\nThese commandments _forbid_ us to covet anything that is our neighbor's.\nThey _command_ us to assist and serve him in retaining his own.\n\nI. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.\n\nCOVETING, To covet means to desire what we have no right to have. To\nwish to obtain something in a lawful way is not coveting. But we must\nnot have\n\n1. _An Unlawful Desire_ [Gal. 5:24+] for our neighbor's possessions,\nwhether it be his property, wife, servants, cattle, or anything that is\nhis. We must not envy him on account of them, nor begrudge them to him,\nnor wish that we had them in his stead. We must not make\n\n2. _Any Attempt to Gratify such Unlawful Desires_ and TO GAIN POSSESSION\nOF OUR NEIGHBOR'S INHERITANCE OR HOME\n\nBY CRAFTINESS, shrewdness, cunning, deceit and the like. [Prov. 15:6]\nNor dare we seek TO OBTAIN IT\n\nUNDER THE PRETEXT OF A LEGAL RIGHT; that is, by ways which human laws\nallow and appear to sanction, but which are not right before God. [Matt.\n23:14+] Nor dare we attempt to\n\nALIENATE (estrange), ENTICE or drive away from him his wife, servants,\nor cattle, by persuasion, flattery, falsehood, promises, threats, or\nforce.\n\nII. WHAT is COMMANDED.\n\nASSISTANCE AND SERVICE. We should\n\n1. ASSIST AND SERVE HIM IN THE PRESERVATION OF HIS OWN. [Phil. 2:4+,\nGal. 5:12] Instead of wishing to get his property away from him, we\nshould most heartily wish that he may be able to keep it, and should\nhelp him to retain it. We should\n\n2. USE OUR ENDEAVORS THAT THEY who belong to him MAY REMAIN AND\nDISCHARGE THEIR DUTY TO HIM. We should help him to retain their\naffection and faithfulness. We should heartily wish them to remain, and\npersuade them to do so.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. Why may these two commandments be considered together? 2.\nWith what do they deal? 3. What is the object of these two commandments?\n4. When only are we keeping God's commandments? 5. What is to be said\nabout the natural state of the heart. 6. What do these commandments\nforbid? 7. What do they command? 8. Define coveting. 9. If we would\navoid breaking this commandment, what must we not do? 10. How should we\nbe of assistance and service to our neighbor?\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 15:19. For out of the heart proceed evil\nthoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,\nblasphemies.\n\nI Sam. 16:7. The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the\noutward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.\n\nJohn 3:6. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is\nborn of the Spirit is spirit.\n\nRom. 7:18, 19. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no\ngood thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that\nwhich is good I find not. For the good that I would, I do not: but the\nevil which I would not, that I do.\n\nJas. 1:14, 15. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his\nown lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth\nsin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.\n\nGal. 5:24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the\naffections and lusts.\n\nMatt. 23:14. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye\ndevour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore,\nye shall receive the greater damnation.\n\nPhil. 2:4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on\nthe things of others.\n\nREADING.--Naboth's Vineyard, I Kings 21:1-19.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Coveting_: Ahab; David, II Sam. 12; Absalom, II Sam.\n15. _Assistance and Service_: Paul, Philemon 10-17.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIV.\n\nTHE CONCLUSION OF THE COMMANDMENTS.\n\nPUNISHMENT OR BLESSING.\n\n\n_What does God declare concerning these Commandments?_\n\nHe says: \"I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of\nthe fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of\nthem that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me\nand keep my commandments.\"\n\n_What in meant by this Declaration?_\n\nGod threatens to punish all those who transgress these commandments; we\nshould therefore dread His displeasure and not act contrarily to these\ncommandments. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep\nthem; we should therefore love and trust in him, and cheerfully do what\nhe has commanded us.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nA JEALOUS GOD. God claims our highest love, and is grieved and offended\nif we turn our affections away from Him and disobey His law. He will\npunish or bless men according as they hate or love Him: [Rom. 2:6-10,\nDeut. 11:26-28, Gal. 6:7-8] \"to the third and fourth generation of them\nthat hate him,\" and \"unto thousands of them that love Him and keep His\ncommandments.\"\n\nI. PUNISHMENT.\n\nGOD THREATENS TO PUNISH\n\n1. _Whom?_ ALL THOSE WHO TRANSGRESS THESE COMMANDMENTS [Rom: 1:18+, Lev\n26:14-15, Isa 59:2, Ezek. 18:4+, Rom. 6:23+] by commission, (doing what\nis forbidden) or omission (not doing what is commanded), whether it be\ntransgression by deed or word or thought. Every transgression, great or\nsmall, is sin, and makes men guilty and punishable. [Gal. 3:10]\n\n2. _Why?_ Because justice demands it. [Gal. 6:7+] God cannot be unjust.\nHe cannot overlook or excuse sin. [Eccl. 11:9] Earthly governments must\nand do punish offenders, or they would be unjust to those persons who\nobey the law. A law without a penalty would amount to nothing. God, who\ngoverns the universe, is and must be just. [Gen. 18:25+]\n\n3. _How?_\n\n_In this World_ God punishes sin by Pangs of Conscience; [Matt. 26:75,\nMatt. 27:3-4] Pains and Sufferings which are the results of wrong-doing,\n[Jer. 17:10] _e.g._, the results of drunkenness and licentiousness;\nLegal Penalties which the State, as God's servant to punish crime,\ninflicts by fines, imprisonment and hanging; [Rom. 13:4] Special\nJudgments upon individuals [1 Cor. 10:5] in the form of sickness,\naccidents and reverses, though we must remember that afflictions are not\nalways a judgment, but are often sent upon the godly as a chastening;\n[Heb. 12:6+] General Judgments upon wicked communities, such as that\nwhich God sent upon Sodom and Gomorrah. [Gen. 19:24]\n\nChildren are often obliged to suffer for the sins of their parents.\n[Jer. 31:29] If the children also are wicked, their sufferings are a\npunishment; [Ezek. 18:20, Prov. 3:12, Rom. 8:28] if they are godly,\ntheir sufferings are a chastening.\n\n_In the Next World_ God will punish by Exclusion from Heaven and from\nHis Presence; [Matt. 22:13] and by Eternal Misery in Hell. [Rev. 21:8,\nMatt. 25:41]\n\nII. BLESSING.\n\nGOD PROMISES GRACE AND EVERY BLESSING. [Rom. 2:10+]\n\n1. _To Whom?_ TO ALL WHO KEEP THESE COMMANDMENTS. It is true, all men\nare sinners, and no one keeps these commandments perfectly. [Rom. 3:23+]\nBut the godly try earnestly to keep them, [I Cor. 9:27] and are truly\nsorry for every failure to do so. [Rom. 7:24] To them, therefore, God\npromises grace and every blessing.\n\n2. _Why?_ God will bless them, not because they have earned a reward,\nbut because He is merciful and gracious. [Ps. 103:11+, Joel 2:13] We\ncannot earn anything from God but punishment. His blessing is bestowed\nupon us solely as a gift of grace.\n\n3. _How?_\n\n_In this World_ God blesses the godly with: Peace of Heart; [John 14:27]\nHis Favor and Guidance; [Ps. 34:15+] True Success in Life; [Rom. 8:28]\nand a Blessed Hope of Salvation. [Rev. 2:10+]\n\nChildren and remote descendants share in the blessing of godly\nancestors.\n\n_In the Next World_ God will grant them: Entrance into Heaven for\nChrist's Sake; [Matt. 25:34] and Eternal Glory and Blessedness. [John\n14:2-3, Rev. 3:21]\n\nA WARNING. An impenitent life will bring upon us God's punishment in\ntime and eternity. WE SHOULD THEREFORE DREAD HIS DISPLEASURE, AND NOT\nACT CONTRARILY TO THESE COMMANDMENTS.\n\nAN ENCOURAGEMENT. A _godly life_ will bring upon us God's blessing in\ntime and eternity. WE SHOULD THEREFORE LOVE AND TRUST IN HIM, CHEERFULLY\nDO WHAT HE HAS COMMANDED US.\n\nTHE TEN COMMANDMENTS CONDEMN US; for we have broken them by thought,\nword, and deed. [John 1:8-10+, Rom 3:23, Eccl 7:20, Jas 2:10+]\n\nWe are not able to keep them perfectly. [Rom 7:18-19] Consequently we\ncannot be saved by them. [Gal 3:11] They are meant to show us our\nsinfulness, [Rom 3:20] to lead us to repentance, and to direct as to\nChrist for salvation. [Gal 3:24] We can be saved only through Him. [John\n14:6+, Acts 4:12+] We are taught concerning Christ, and confess our\nfaith in Him in the Second Part of the Catechism which now follows,\nnamely, The Creed.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What does God mean when He says that He is a jealous God?\n2. Whom will God punish? 3. Why will He punish? 4. How does He punish?\n5. To whom does God promise grace and blessing? 6. Why will He bless\nthem? 7. How will He bless them? 8. What warning is contained in the\nConclusion of the Commandments? 9. What encouragement is contained in\nit? 10. Why can we not be saved by the Ten Commandments? 11. What are\nthe Commandments meant to do? 12. How only can we be saved? 13, Where\nare we taught concerning Christ?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Rom. 1:18. For the wrath of God is revealed from\nheaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the\ntruth in unrighteousness.\n\nEzek. 18:4. The soul that sinneth, it shall die.\n\nRom. 6:23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal\nlife through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n\nGal. 6:7. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man\nsoweth, that shall he also reap.\n\nGen. 18:25. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?\n\nHeb. 12:6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.\n\nRom. 2:10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good;\nto the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.\n\nRom. 3:23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.\n\nPs. 103:11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his\nmercy toward them that fear him.\n\nPs. 34:1-5. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears\nare open unto their cry.\n\nRev. 2:10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of\nlife.\n\nI John 1:8-9. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and\nthe truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just\nto forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\n\nJas. 2:10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one\npoint, he is guilty of all.\n\nJohn 14:6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:\nno man cometh unto the Father, but by me.\n\nActs 4:12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none\nother name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.\n\nREADING.--The Fall into Sin and its Punishment, Gen. 3.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Punishment_: Adam and Eve; Cain, Gen. 4:9-15; The\nDeluge, Gen. 6-8; Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen. 19; The Ten Plagues, Exod.\n7-12; Korah, Numb. 16; Saul, I Sam. 15; The Assyrian and Babylonian\nCaptivities, II Kings 17, II Kings 25. _Blessing_: Abraham, Gen. 12:2;\nJoseph, Gen. 45:4-8; David, II Sam. 7:16; Cornelius, Acts 4:10.\n\n\n\n\nPART II.\n\nTHE CREED.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XV.\n\nCREEDS OR CONFESSIONS.\n\n\nTHE CREED, from the Latin _Credo, I believe_, means that which we as\nChristians believe. The Creed given in our Catechism is the Apostles'\nCreed. It is so called, not because it was written by the apostles, but\nbecause it contains, in a brief summary, the doctrines which the\napostles taught. It grew out of the words of the baptismal formula: \"In\nthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.\" [Matt\n28:19] It has come down to us from the early centuries of the Church's\nhistory, and is _her confession of faith_. It should be our confession\nalso; we should say from the heart, \"I believe in God, etc.\" There are\n\nTwo KINDS OF CREEDS or Confessions of Faith:--\n\nI. _Oecumenical_ or Universal Creeds, which are accepted by the whole\nChristian Church throughout the world. They are\n\n1. The Apostles' Creed.\n\n2. The Nicene Creed.\n\n3. The Athanasian Creed.\n\nII. _Particular_ Creeds or Confessions, which are accepted by the\nvarious Churches and Denominations as their distinctive confessions.\n\nOur Lutheran Confessions are:--\n\n1. The Augsburg Confession.\n\n2. The Apology (Defense) of the Augsburg Confession.\n\n3. The Schmalcald Articles.\n\n4. The Small Catechism.\n\n5. The Large Catechism.\n\n6. The Formula of Concord.\n\nThese nine confessions together form the Book of Concord.\n\nTHE APOSTLES' CREED CONTAINS, in Three Articles, a statement of what the\nTriune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, has done and still\ndoes for us.\n\nArticle I. treats of God the Father and His work of _Creation_.\n\nArticle II. treats of God the Son and His work of _Redemption_.\n\nArticle III. treats of God the Holy Ghost and His work of\n_Sanctification_.\n\nTHE TRINITY. There is only one God, [Deut. 6:4] but there are three\nPersons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Hence, we say that God is the Holy\nTrinity, or the Three in One. We cannot understand or explain how God\ncan be three Persons and yet only one God. But we must not expect with\nour finite mind to comprehend the infinite God. We must accept the truth\nconcerning God as He himself has revealed it to us in His Word. He\nplainly tells us that He is One; for He says, \"_I_ am the Lord thy God;\nthou shalt have no other gods before _Me_.\" [Exod. 20:2-3] Yet He also\nplainly tells us that there are three Persons. They are expressly\nmentioned in Christ's command to His disciples, \"Go ye, and make\ndisciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and\nof the Son and of the Holy Ghost.\" [Matt. 28:19] And they were all\nrevealed at the baptism of Jesus, when the Father spoke from heaven and\nsaid, \"This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased,\" and the Holy\nGhost descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. [Matt. 3:16-17] Each\nPerson of the Holy Trinity has a share in the work of our salvation. The\nFather sent His Son to save us; [John 3:16] the Son became man and died\nfor us; [Rom. 5:8] and the Holy Spirit applies redemption to our souls\n[I Cor. 12:3] through the Word of God and the Sacraments.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. Define the word Creed. 2. Why is the Apostles' Creed so\ncalled? 3. How did it originate? 4. What two kinds of creeds are there?\n5. Name the oecumenical creeds. 6. Name the particular creeds or\nconfessions of the Lutheran Church? 7. What does the Apostles' Creed\ncontain? 8. Of what do the three articles of the Apostles' Creed treat?\n9. What is meant by the Holy Trinity? 10. How do we know that God is\nonly one God? 11. How do we know there are three Persons? 12. How do the\nthree Persons of the Trinity share in the work of our salvation?\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVI.\n\nTHE FIRST ARTICLE.\n\nOF GOD THE FATHER, OR CREATION.\n\n\nI believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.\n\n_What is meant by this Article?_\n\nI believe that God has created me and all that exists; that He has given\nand still preserves to me my body and soul, with all my limbs and\nsenses, my reason and all the faculties of my mind, together with my\nraiment, food, home and family, and all my property: that He daily\nprovides me abundantly with all the necessaries of life, protects me\nfrom all danger, and preserves me and guards me against all evil; all\nwhich He does out of pure, paternal and divine goodness and mercy,\nwithout any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I am in duty bound\nto thank, praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.\n\nI BELIEVE IN, that is, I trust in, I rely upon.\n\nGOD THE FATHER, He is the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, [Matt. 11:25]\nand the first Person of the Holy Trinity. Through Christ He is also my\nFather. [John 20:17, Eph. 1:3+]\n\nALMIGHTY, He is able to do all things, and to help me in every time of\nneed.\n\nMAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. [Ps. 102:25] He has made all things,--the\nuniverse and all that it contains. The world did not come into being of\nitself or by chance, nor did it exist from eternity. God made it out of\nnothing. In the beginning He created the heaven and the earth. [Gen.\n1:1+, Ps 33:6, 9] They were at first a formless mass; [Gen. 1:2] but in\nsix days God fashioned the formless mass into the world as it now\nexists. On these six days He created, 1. Light, 2. The Firmament, 3.\nLand and Sea, 4. Sun, moon and stars, 5. Fishes and birds, 6. Beasts and\nman. [Gen 1:3-31]\n\nGod's Chief Creatures are the angels in heaven and men on earth. All His\ncreatures, as they came from His hands, were very good. [Gen. 3:31] But\nsome of the angels sinned, and became bad angels or devils. [II Pet.\n2:4] And man also, though created in the image of God, fell into sin,\nand lost his original righteousness and holiness. [Gen. 3, Gen. 8:21,\nEph. 4:24]\n\nLuther's explanation of this Article in the catechism tells us:\n\nI. What God has done and still does for me,\n\nII. Why God does all this for me,\n\nIII. What I owe to God in return.\n\nI. WHAT GOD HAS DONE AND STILL DOES FOR ME.\n\nI BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS\n\n1. CREATED ME [Job. 33:4+] AND ALL THAT EXISTS; [Neh. 9:6, Col. 1:16+]\nTHAT HE HAS GIVEN TO ME\n\nMY BODY,--WITH ALL MY LIMBS AND SENSES. Though my body, like that of the\nbeasts, is made of the dust of the ground, [Gen. 2:7+] it is vastly\nsuperior to their bodies, and is a marvelous piece of divine\nworkmanship, [Ps. 139:14] exquisitely adapted to be the earthly\ntabernacle of the soul which inhabits it.\n\nMY SOUL, [Gen. 2:7+]--MY REASON AND ALL THE FACULTIES OF MY MIND, by\nwhich I am placed so far above the brute creation. God made the human\nsoul to be a likeness of Himself; [Gen. 1:27, Gen. 9:6] that is, He gave\nto man in a limited measure those powers and faculties which He Himself\npossesses in unlimited and infinite measure. And while the human mind\nhas become dimmed by the fall, its powers and faculties are still most\nwonderful.\n\n2. PRESERVES ME. [Neh. 9:6] All that has helped to support my life has\nbeen God's gift; namely, MY RAIMENT, FOOD, HOME AND FAMILY, AND ALL MY\nPROPERTY. I continue to live because He sustains me. [Jas. 1:17+, Acts\n17:28+]\n\nHE DAILY PROVIDES ME ABUNDANTLY WITH ALL THE NECESSARIES OF LIFE. [Ps.\n115:15-16+] His care for me is a constant, daily care. His mercies are\nnew every morning. [Matt. 6:31-32+, Lam. 3:22-23+]\n\nHE PROTECTS ME FROM ALL DANGER, SEEN AND UNSEEN. [Ps. 34:7, Matt. 10:30]\nI am beset with perils on every hand. If God withdrew His protecting\nhand, I should perish immediately.\n\nHE PRESERVES ME AND GUARDS ME AGAINST ALL EVIL. [Ps 121:5, 8+] No real\nevil can come upon God's children. What seems an evil is meant for a\ngood purpose, and is a blessing in disguise. [Rom. 8:28+, Isa. 55:8-9,\nJer. 29:11, Ps. 23:4+]\n\nII. WHY GOD DOES ALL THIS FOR ME.\n\nHe does it purely\n\n1. OUT OF PATERNAL AND DIVINE GOODNESS AND MERCY. [Ps. 103:13+] It is\n\nPATERNAL or fatherly [Ps 103:13+] goodness and mercy, because He is my\nFather through Jesus Christ, and loves me as His child. It is\n\nDIVINE goodness and mercy, because God is love, [I John 4:16+] and only\nHis unspeakable love could move Him to bestow His great benefits upon\nsinful men, even upon the wicked and unthankful. [Matt. 5:45+]\n\n2. WITHOUT ANY MERIT OR WORTHINESS IN ME. [Gen. 32:10+] I have merited\n(deserved) nothing and I am worthy of nothing but punishment; for I am a\nsinful being, [Ps. 51:5] and I have broken God's law many times by\nthoughts and words and deeds. [Jer. 14:7]\n\nIII. WHAT I OWE TO GOD IN RETURN.\n\nFor all His goodness and mercy\n\nI AM IN DUTY BOUND [Ps. 116:12+, Ps. 50:14]\n\n1. TO THANK AND PRAISE HIM. I must not receive God's benefits as a\nmatter of course, but must recognize them as gifts of His grace, and\ndaily thank and praise Him in my heart and with my lips. [Ps. 103:1+]\n\n2. TO SERVE AND OBEY HIM. I must show my gratitude in my life by obeying\nGod's commandments and giving myself with all my heart to His service.\n[Rom. 12:1+]\n\nTHIS IS MOST CERTAINLY TRUE; namely, 1. That all the blessings I enjoy\ncome from God, 2. That they are the gifts of His grace and that I am\nunworthy of them, 3. That I owe to God the fullest gratitude of heart\nand life.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What does \"I believe\" mean? 2. Why do we say \"God the\n_Father_\"? 3. What does \"Almighty\" mean? 4. What has God made? 5. Name\nHis chief creatures. 6. What three things does Luther's explanation of\nthis article tell us? 7. What has God done and what does He still do for\nus? 8. In creating us, what has God given us? 9. How does He preserve\nus? 10. Why does God do all this for us? 11. Why are we not worthy of\nit? 12. What do we owe to God in return? 13. What is meant by thanking\nand praising Him? 14. What is meant by serving and obeying Him? 15. What\nis most certainly true according to this article?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Eph. 1:3. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord\nJesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in\nheavenly places in Christ.\n\nGen. 1:1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.\n\nJob 33:4. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty\nhath given me life.\n\nCol. 1:16. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and\nthat are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or\ndominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him,\nand for him.\n\nGen. 2:7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and\nbreathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living\nsoul.\n\nJas. 1:17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and\ncometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness,\nneither shadow of turning.\n\nActs 17:28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being.\n\nPs. 145:15, 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them\ntheir meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the\ndesire of every living thing.\n\nMatt. 6:31, 32 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or,\nWhat shall we drink, or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all\nthese things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth\nthat ye have need of all these things.\n\nLam 3:22, 23. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed,\nbecause his compassions fail not. They are new every morning.\n\nPs. 34:7. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear\nhim, and delivereth them.\n\nPs. 121:5, 8. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy\nright hand. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from\nthis time forth, and even for evermore.\n\nRom. 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to them\nthat love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.\n\nPs. 23:4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,\nI will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they\ncomfort me.\n\nPs. 103:13. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth\nthem that fear him.\n\nI John 4:16. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God,\nand God in him.\n\nMatt. 5:45. He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and\nsendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.\n\nGen. 32:10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all\nthe truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant.\n\nPs. 116:12. What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits\ntoward me?\n\nPs. 103:1. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless\nhis holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his\nbenefits.\n\nRom. 12:1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,\nthat ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto\nGod, which is your reasonable service.\n\nREADING.--The Creation of the World, Gen. 1.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Provides_: Manna, Exod. 16:14; Elijah, I Kings 17:6,\n14; Feeding the Five Thousand, Matt. 14:15-21. _Protects_: The\nIsraelites, Exod. 14:19 _seq._; Daniel, Dan. 6:22; Paul, Acts 22:12-33;\nActs 27: 42-44. _Guards from evil_: Joseph; Job. _Thankfulness_: Noah,\nGen. 8:20; The Samaritan, Luke 17:15,16.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVII.\n\nTHE SECOND ARTICLE\n\nOF GOD THE SON, OR REDEMPTION.\n\n\nAnd in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy\nGhost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was\ncrucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He\nrose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the\nright hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to\njudge the quick and the dead.\n\n_What is meant by this Article?_\n\nI believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from\neternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord; who\nhas redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, secured and delivered me\nfrom all sins, from death and from the power of the devil, not with\nsilver and gold, but with His holy and precious blood, and with His\ninnocent sufferings and death, in order that I might be His, live under\nHim in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness,\ninnocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, and lives\nand reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe Second Article treats of Jesus Christ, THE SON OF GOD, and his work\nof REDEMPTION. Prompted by His infinite love, God pitied our lost race,\nand determined to save us by sending a Redeemer in the person of His\nonly Son. [John 3:16+, I Tim. 1:15+] Throughout the centuries of Old\nTestament history He repeatedly gave the promise of redemption: In Eden,\n[Gen. 3:15] to the patriarchs, [Gen. 12:3, Gen. 26:4] to David, [II Sam.\n7:12-13] and through the prophets. [Isa. 9:2-7, Mic. 5:2] In the fulness\nof time God seat His Son into the world. [Gal. 4:4]\n\nArticle II. and its Explanation may be analyzed as follows:--\n\nI. OUR LORD.\n\n1. _His Names_: Jesus, Christ.\n\n2. _His Person and Nature_: True God and True Man.\n\n3. _His Life_: His Humiliation and His Exaltation.\n\nII. HIS WORK OF REDEMPTION.\n\n1. _Whom He has redeemed._\n\n2. _From what He has redeemed me._\n\n3. _How He has redeemed me._\n\n4. _Why He has redeemed me._\n\nOUR LORD.\n\nI. HIS NAMES.\n\nI BELIEVE THAT\n\nJESUS. This was our Lord's personal name, given to Him by the angel.\n[Matt. 1:21] It signified, \"He shall save.\"\n\nCHRIST. This was His official name, corresponding with the Old Testament\nname \"Messiah,\" [John 1:41] and signified \"The Anointed One.\" God\nanointed Him with the Holy Spirit for the work of redemption, [Luke\n4:18-21] to a threefold office:--\n\n1. As Prophet, to teach us God's will. [Acts 3:22]\n\n2. As Priest, to atone for our sins, and to intercede for us. [Heb.\n4:14]\n\n3. As King, [Matt. 21:5, Rev. 17:14] to reign over us in the Kingdom of\nPower, of Grace, and of Glory.\n\nII. HIS PERSON AND NATURE.\n\nHe is\n\nTRUE GOD, BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER FROM ETERNITY. Christ is true God,\n[Rom. 9:5+] just as the Father is God. [John 5:23+, John 20:28+, John\n8:58+, Mat. 16:16] He is the Son of God, not as a good or great man who\nhas been received or adopted as God's son, but He is in His very nature\nthe Son of God, _begotten by His Father_ [John 3:16+] _from all\neternity_. [John 1:1, John 17:5] He is \"God of God, Light of Light, Very\nGod of Very God, Begotten, not made, being of one substance with the\nFather.\" [John 10:30+] The Scriptures show this by ascribing to Him\ndivine names, attributes, power, honor, and works. At His baptism and at\nHis transfiguration the Father spoke from heaven, and said, \"This is my\nbeloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.\" [Matt. 3:17, Matt. 17:5] His\ndivine nature is proved by His teaching, His miracles, His holy life,\nand especially by His resurrection from the dead.\n\nALSO TRUE MAN, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY. Christ was in all respects a\nhuman being such as we are, except that He was without sin. [I Pet.\n2:22+] He was \"conceived by the Holy Ghost,\" and thus had God alone for\nHis Father. [Luke 1:35] But He was \"born of the Virgin Mary,\" [Luke 2:7]\nwith a human body [Heb. 2:14] and soul. [Matt. 26:38] He grew, increased\nin wisdom and stature, [Luke 2:52] and reached the age of manhood. He\nsuffered our human wants, [Matt. 4:2, John 4:6-7] such as hunger,\nthirst, weariness, and pain. He was moved by human emotions, [Luke\n10:21, Matt. 26:38, Matt. 21:12] such as joy, sorrow, and indignation.\nHe wept, [John 11:35] prayed, [Matt. 26:39] suffered, and died. [I Pet.\n2:23-24] He could not have done these things if He had not been true\nman.\n\nChrist is therefore both God and man in one Person. [Rom. 1:3-4, John\n1:14+] Consequently He is the _God-Man._ It was necessary that the\nRedeemer should be both God and man. [I Tim. 1:15+] If He had not been\nGod, but only man, He could not have paid a sufficient ransom for our\ndeliverance from sin, nor have acquired any merit to bestow upon us.\nEven a sinless man could have saved no one but himself. On the other\nhand, if Christ had not become man, but remained God only, He could not\nhave put Himself in our place under the law, nor have suffered and died\nin our stead. But as the _God-man_, Christ was able to accomplish, and\ndid perfectly accomplish, our redemption. [Rom. 3:24+] Thus He became\nand\n\nIS MY LORD, WHO HAS REDEEMED ME, and in whom I trust for salvation.\n[Rom. 8:38-39, Rom. 5:1+]\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. Of what does the Second Article treat? 2. How did God\nplan to save man? 3. Analyze the Second Article and its Explanation. 4.\nGive the meaning of the names of our Lord. 5. What was Christ's\nthreefold office? 6. What is to be said about the person and nature of\nChrist? 7. In what sense is Christ the Son of God, and how do we know\nit? 8. How do you know that Christ was true man? 9. Why was it necessary\nthat the Redeemer should be both God and man? 10. What name do we give\nto Christ in view of His two-fold nature?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave\nhis only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not\nperish, but have everlasting life.\n\nI Tim. 1:15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,\nthat Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am\nchief.\n\nRom. 9:5. Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.\n\nJohn 5:23. That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the\nFather. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which\nhath sent him.\n\nJohn 20:28. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.\n\nJohn 8:58. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before\nAbraham was, I am.\n\nJohn 10:30. I and my Father are one.\n\nI Pet. 2:22. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.\n\nJohn 1:14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we\nbeheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full\nof grace and truth.\n\nRom. 3:24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption\nthat is in Christ Jesus.\n\nRom. 5:1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God\nthrough our Lord Jesus Christ.\n\nREADING.--The Birth of Jesus, Luke 2:1-20; or, The Eternal Word, John\n1:1-18.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVIII.\n\nOUR LORD.\n\n\nIII. HIS LIFE.\n\nThe Saviour's life includes two states; namely, His Humiliation and His\nExaltation.\n\nHIS HUMILIATION.\n\nChrist's state of humiliation comprises His life on earth, during which\nHe laid aside the full use of His divine glory and was content to appear\namong men in the form of a servant. He humbled Himself, and became\nobedient unto death, even the death of the cross, [Phil. 2:8+] in order\nthat He might redeem us. He gave men glimpses of His divine glory: in\nthe authority with which He taught, [Matt. 7:28-29] in the holy life\nwhich He led, [John 8:46] and in the miracles which He performed. [John\n2:11] But in general He appeared like other men.\n\nThis state of humiliation includes five stages:--He was\n\n1. CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY. Christ might\nhave appeared among men in the full splendor of His divine glory and\nmajesty. But, in order to redeem us, He was content to be born in\npoverty, [Luke 2:7, II Cor. 8:9+, Matt. 8:20+] to grow up in obscurity,\n[Matt. 2:23] and to appear to most men as if He were simply a man.\n\n2. SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE. The whole life of Jesus on earth was a\nlife of suffering endured for our sakes. He bore all the trials and\nhardships which have come upon our race as a result of its sinfulness.\nHe also suffered constant persecution at the hands of his enemies. [Heb.\n12:3; John 1:11] But His greatest sufferings came at the end of His\nlife, in the agony of Gethsemane, [Matt. 26:36-46] in the mock-trial\nbefore the Jewish Council, [Matt. 26:57-75] and in His sufferings under\nPontius Pilate, the Roman governor. [Matt. 27:1-30] He was mocked,\nspitefully entreated, spitted on, crowned with thorns, and scourged; and\nthen He\n\n3. WAS CRUCIFIED. [Luke 23:33] Though innocent and holy, He was treated\nas though He were a malefactor, and was put to a cruel and shameful\ndeath. He was nailed to a cross, and left suspended there till He died.\nSo great was His agony, that He cried out, \"My God, my God, why hast\nThou forsaken me?\" [Mark 15:34]\n\n4. DEAD. After unspeakable sufferings, Jesus died on the cross. [Mark\n15:37] He was really, and not seemingly, dead. [John 19:33-34] He\nvoluntarily gave up His life for ours. [John 10:18-19+] His death was\n_vicarious_. He suffered the penalty for our sins. [I Pet. 3:18, Isa.\n53:5+]\n\n5. BURIED. His body was laid away in the grave, where our bodies shall\ndecay. But since Christ was \"the Holy One of God,\" His body could not\n\"see corruption.\" [Ps. 16:10]\n\nHIS EXALTATION.\n\nAfter the work of redemption was completed, Christ assumed the full use\nof the glory and majesty which had belonged to Him as the Son of God\nfrom eternity; His human nature was exalted to a full share in the glory\nof His divine nature. [Phil. 2:9-11+] He had humbled Himself as a man;\nand He was exalted as a man. His divine nature, being unchangeable, can\nneither be humbled nor exalted. [Heb. 13:8]\n\nChrist's exaltation, like His humiliation, includes five stages:--\n\n1. HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. Immediately before His resurrection He\ndescended into the place of the departed spirits and proclaimed His\nvictory. [I Pet. 3:19]\n\n2. THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD. Having paid in full the\npenalty for our sins, He rose again from the dead, triumphant, on the\nthird day (Easter). He had power to lay down His life, and power to take\nit again. [John 10:19] As His death had been a real death, so His\nresurrection was a real resurrection. He re-appeared to His disciples,\nnot as a spirit, but with the same body that was crucified, the prints\nof the nails and of the spear being plain in His hands and side. [Luke\n24:36-40] But His body was a transformed and glorified body, with new\nproperties and powers. [John 20:19]\n\n_The Resurrection a Fact_. The reality of the resurrection is\nestablished beyond all doubt. The strongest proof of its reality is\nfound in the fact that the disciples themselves were so unwilling to\nbelieve it, but were obliged to do so by the evidence of their own\nsenses. Even the doubting Thomas exclaimed, \"My Lord, and my God.\" [John\n20:28] During the forty days between His resurrection and His ascension\nthe Lord gave His disciples so many proofs of His resurrection that all\ntheir doubts were removed. [Acts 1:3] The women on Easter morn found the\ngrave empty and were told by an angel that He had risen. [Mark 16:6] He\nwas seen by Mary in the Garden, [John 20:14-16] by Peter, [Luke 24:34]\nby the two disciples at Emmaus, [Luke 24:15] twice by the eleven as they\nwere gathered together, [John 20:19-29] by seven disciples at the Sea of\nTiberias, [John 21:1] by more than five hundred brethren at once, [I\nCor. 15:6] by James, [I Cor. 15:7] and by the eleven when He accompanied\nthem to Mount Olivet and ascended before their eyes to heaven. [Acts\n1:9-12] The wonderful change which took place in the apostles when the\nrisen and ascended Christ had sent the Holy Spirit upon them, [Acts 2]\nand the wonderful change which took place in Paul, [Acts 9:1-29] are\nfurther proofs of the reality of the resurrection of Christ.\n\n_The Resurrection proves_ 1. That Jesus is the Son of God. [John 20:28,\nRom. 1:4+, Acts 2:36] 2. That the sacrifice which He made for sin was\nsufficient and accepted. [Rom. 8:34, I Thess. 1:10] 3. That we also\nshall rise from the dead. [Rom. 4:25+, I Cor. 15:19-20+, I Cor. 6:14]\n\n3. HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN from Mount Olivet forty days after His\nresurrection. [Acts 1:9] Having finished His work on earth, He returned\nto the heaven from which He had come. He has gone to prepare a place for\nus. [Acts 14:2]\n\n4. AND SITTETH ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY; that is, on\nthe right hand of God's power. As the God-man He now wields all power in\nheaven and earth. [Matt. 28:18+, Eph. 1:20-22+] He rules over all\ncreatures in the realm of Power; over the believers in the realm of\nGrace (the Church on earth); and over angels and saints in the realm of\nGlory in heaven. He continues His office of High-priest, and intercedes\nfor us with the Father. [Rom. 8:34+, Heb. 4:14-16]\n\n5. FROM THENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE QUICK AND THE DEAD. At the end\nof the world Christ will come again visibly, [Mark 13:26+] suddenly, and\nunexpectedly, [Matt. 24:36-42, Luke 21:27] with power and great glory,\nto judge both the quick (living) and the dead. [II Cor. 5:10+, Matt.\n25:31-46] He will separate the believing from the unbelieving; receive\nthe believers unto Himself; and cast the impenitent and unbelieving into\nouter darkness and torment. His coming will fill the believers with joy,\n[Luke 21:28] and the unbelievers with dismay. [Rev. 6:15-17] No one\nknows or can compute the exact time of His coming. We should be always\nready. [Matt. 24:42, 44+] His coming will be preceded by signs. [Luke\n21:25-26] The present order of the world shall pass away; [II Pet. 5:10]\nand there shall be new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth\nrighteousness. [II Pet. 3:13+]\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What two states does Christ's life include? 2. What is\nmeant by His state of humiliation? 3. How many stages were there in His\nhumiliation? 4. Name them. 5. Was Christ's glory entirely hidden during\nhis state of humiliation? 6. How might Christ have appeared, and how did\nHe appear among men? 7. Describe the sufferings of Christ? 8. What is to\nbe said of Christ's crucifixion? 9. What is to be said of Christ's\ndeath? 10. What is to be said of His burial? 11. What is meant by\nChrist's exaltation? 12. How many stages were there in His exaltation?\n13. Name them. 14. What is meant by the descent into hell? 15. How did\nChrist re-appear to His disciples? 16. Prove that the resurrection was a\nfact. 17. What does the resurrection of Christ prove? 18. When and why\ndid Christ ascend into heaven? 19. What is meant by His sitting at the\nright hand of the Father? 20. What can you tell about Christ's second\ncoming?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Phil. 2:8. And being found in fashion as a man, he\nhumbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the\ncross.\n\nII Cor. 8:9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that,\nthough he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through\nhis poverty might be rich.\n\nJohn 10:18, 19. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my\nlife, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it\ndown of myself.\n\nIsa. 53:5. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our\niniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his\nstripes we are healed.\n\nPhil. 2:9-11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him\na name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee\nshould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under\nthe earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is\nLord, to the glory of God the Father.\n\nHeb. 13:8. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.\n\nRom. 1:4. Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the\nspirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.\n\nRom. 4:25. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for\nour justification.\n\nI Cor. 15:19, 20. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of\nall men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and\nbecome the firstfruits of them that slept.\n\nMatt 28:18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is\ngiven unto me in heaven and in earth.\n\nEph. 1:22. And hath put all things under his feet.\n\nRom. 8:34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea\nrather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who\nalso maketh intercession for us.\n\nMark 13:26. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds\nwith great power and glory.\n\nII Cor. 5:10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;\nthat every one may receive the things done in his body, according to\nthat he hath done, whether it be good or bad.\n\nMatt. 24:44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think\nnot the Son of man cometh.\n\nII Pet. 3:13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new\nheavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.\n\nREADING.--The Death and Resurrection of Christ, Luke 23-24:9; and The\nAscension of Christ, Acts 1:1-11.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIX.\n\nCHRIST'S WORK OF REDEMPTION.\n\n\nI. WHOM HE HAS REDEEMED.\n\nHe HAS REDEEMED\n\nME. Christ died for all; [I Pet. 2:24+, I John 2:2+, John 1:29+] and\nconsequently for me also. [Gal. 2:20+] Believing on Him, all the\nblessings of His redemption belong to me In time and in eternity. He is\n_my_ Saviour, _my_ Redeemer.\n\nA LOST AND CONDEMNED CREATURE. I was lost, [Isa. 53:6+, I Pet. 2:25]\nbecause my sin had separated me from God, and I could not have found my\nway back to Him, if Christ had not sought and found me. I was condemned,\n[Eph. 2:3] because I had broken God's commandments and deserved eternal\npunishment.\n\nII. FROM WHAT HE HAS REDEEMED ME.\n\nHe has SECURED AND DELIVERED ME\n\nFROM ALL SINS; namely, from the _guilt_ of sin by paying its penalty for\nme on the cross; [I John 1:7, II Cor. 5:21+] and from the _dominion_ of\nsin by giving me grace to fight against it and overcome it. [Rom 6:14,\nRom. 8:2-4]\n\nFROM DEATH: not from bodily death, for even the Christian must die; but\nfrom the fear of bodily death; [Phil. 1:23, I Cor. 15:55, 57] from\nspiritual death; [Eph. 2:6] and from everlasting death. [John 3:16]\n\nAND FROM THE POWER OF THE DEVIL. [I John 3:8+] On account of my sins, I\nwas in Satan's power. But Christ has freed me. Since He has paid the\npenalty for my sins, Satan no longer has any claim upon me, and can no\nlonger harm me. [John 10:27-28] He still tempts me to sin; but Christ\ngives me grace to resist. He still accuses me before God on account of\nmy sins; but Christ shields me against Satan's accusations by the\nsatisfaction which He, my Saviour, has made for all my sins. [I John\n2:1]\n\nIII. HOW HE HAS REDEEMED ME.\n\nNOT WITH SILVER AND GOLD; [I Pet. 1:18, 19+] for no material wealth\ncould purchase freedom from spiritual slavery and death. Nor has He\nredeemed me merely by becoming my great teacher and example; for this\nwould not take away my guilt;\n\nBUT WITH HIS HOLY AND PRECIOUS BLOOD. [I John 1:7+] His blood was the\nprice which Christ paid for my ransom. It was holy, because He was holy;\nand precious, because He was the Son of God. The shedding of Christ's\nblood for my sins was the only way in which I could be redeemed; for\nwithout the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. [Heb.\n9:22]\n\nAND WITH HIS INNOCENT SUFFERINGS [I Pet. 3:18+] AND DEATH. [Rom. 5:7-8+]\nChrist suffered and died, not for any sins of His own, but for _my_\nsins. He was innocent and had no sin at all. But He voluntarily bore the\npunishment which I deserved, and thus satisfied all the demands of\ndivine justice for me. Since He has borne the punishment for me, I,\nbelieving on Him, need no longer be punished.\n\n_Christ was my Substitute._ By His holy life He perfectly fulfilled\nGod's law in my place; [Rom 5:19] and by His innocent sufferings and\ndeath He bore the punishment for my sins in my place. [II Cor. 5:21+]\nAll that Christ has done is imputed to me by faith; [Rom. 4:24] that is,\nit is all counted as if I myself had done it. [Rom. 4:5] His death,\ntherefore, frees me from guilt and condemnation; and His holy life makes\nme appear righteous In God's sight and fit to enter into heaven. My\nentire hope of salvation rests on Christ and what He has done for me.\n[II Cor. 5:19]\n\nIV. WHY HE HAS REDEEMED ME.\n\nIN ORDER THAT\n\nI MIGHT BE HIS. He desired me for His own, and therefore purchased me\nwith His precious blood. [II Cor. 5:15+] Hence I now belong to Him, and\nnot to Satan or to myself. He wishes me to yield myself fully to Him in\nheart and life. [Gal. 2:20+] If I refuse to do so, I am withholding what\nbelongs to Him.\n\nLIVE UNDER HIM IN HIS KINGDOM; namely, in His kingdom of Grace on earth\nby a life of faith, and in His kingdom of Glory in heaven. [Col.\n1:12-14]\n\nAND SERVE HIM IN EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS, INNOCENCE AND BLESSEDNESS.\n[I Pet. 2:9+] I am to serve Him and do His will, not as a slave by\ncompulsion, but willingly, gladly, and out of love. [Mat. 16:24+] With\nmy best efforts I only partially succeed in doing His will on earth, for\nI am still imperfect. [Rom. 7:21-24] But in the next world I shall be\nfreed from all sin, and be transformed and glorified in body and soul.\nThen I shall serve Him in perfect holiness and happiness for ever. [Rev.\n7:15]\n\nEVEN AS HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD, AND LIVES AND REIGNS TO ALL ETERNITY.\nAs Christ rose from the dead, so I am to rise from the death of sin to\nnewness of life in Him. [Rom. 6:4] As He lives and dies no more, so I am\nto live in righteousness and no more become a servant of sin. [Rom.\n6:9,10] As He reigns to all eternity, so I am to live and reign with Him\nfor ever. [Rev. 3:21]\n\nTHIS IS MOST CERTAINLY TRUE: 1. That Jesus Christ, true God and true\nMan, is my Lord, who has redeemed me. 2. That He has paid the penalty\nfor my sins with His holy and precious blood and His innocent sufferings\nand death. 3. That consequently I belong to Him, and should serve Him\nnow and for ever.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What four things does the explanation of the second\narticle tell us about Christ's redemption? 2. Whom has Christ redeemed?\n3. What was I before Christ redeemed me, and why? 4. From what has\nChrist redeemed me? 5. What is meant by redemption from sin? from death?\nand from the devil? 6. How has Christ redeemed me? 7. Why was the\nshedding of Christ's blood necessary? 8. Why did Christ suffer and die\nif He was innocent? 9. What is meant when we say that Christ was our\nsubstitute? 10. Why has Christ redeemed me? 11. To whom do I now belong,\nand what is my duty therefore? 12. What is meant by living under Christ\nin His kingdom? 13. In what spirit am I to serve Him? 14. What hope has\nChrist secured for me? 15. What three things are most certainly true\naccording to this second article?\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Pet. 2:24. Who his own self bare our sins in his\nown body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto\nrighteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.\n\nI John 2:2. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours\nonly, but also for the sins of the whole world.\n\nJohn 1:29. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the\nworld.\n\nGal. 2:20. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave\nhimself for me.\n\nIsa. 53:6. All we like sheep have gone astray.\n\nII Cor. 5:21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;\nthat we might be made the righteousness of God in him.\n\nI John 3:8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he\nmight destroy the works of the devil.\n\nI Pet. 1:18, 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with\ncorruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation\nreceived by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of\nChrist, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.\n\nI John 1:7. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.\n\nI Pet. 3:18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for\nthe unjust, that he might bring us to God.\n\nRom. 5:7, 8. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet\nperadventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God\ncommendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,\nChrist died for us.\n\nII Cor. 5:15. He died for all, that they which live should not\nhenceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and\nrose again.\n\nGal. 2:20. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I,\nbut Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I\nlive by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for\nme.\n\nI Pet. 2:9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy\nnation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him\nwho hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.\n\nMatt. 16:24. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come\nafter me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.\n\nREADING.--Jesus our High Priest, Heb. 9:11-15.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XX.\n\nTHE THIRD ARTICLE\n\nOF GOD THE HOLY GHOST, OR SANCTIFICATION\n\n\nI believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of\nSaints; the Forgiveness of sins; the Resurrection of the Body; and the\nLife Everlasting. Amen.\n\n_What is meant by this article?_\n\nI believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus\nChrist my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me through\nthe Gospel, enlightened me by His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me\nin the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and\nsanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in\nunion with Jesus Christ in the true faith; in which Christian Church He\ndaily forgives abundantly all my sins, and the sins of all believers,\nand will raise up me and all the dead at the last Day, and will grant\neverlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most\ncertainly true.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTHE THIRD ARTICLE treats of GOD THE HOLY GHOST and His work of\nSANCTIFICATION. It tells us how we become partakers of the Redemption\nwhich is described in the Second Article. Christ _has accomplished_ our\nredemption, and the Holy Ghost _applies_ that redemption to our souls.\nThe work of the Holy Ghost _in_ us is as necessary for our salvation as\nthe [Cor. 2:14] work of Christ _for_ us. We must believe in Christ, if\nwe would be saved; [Mark 16:16] and it is the Holy Ghost who causes us\nto believe. [1 Cor. 12:3]\n\nArticle. III, and its Explanation may be analyzed as follows:--\n\nTHE HOLY GHOST,\n\nI. _His Person and Nature_: He is True God.\n\nII. _His Work_: He Calls, Enlightens, Sanctifies, and Preserves me in\nthe true Faith.\n\nIII. _His Workmanship_: The Holy Christian Church.\n\nIV. _The Fruits of His Work_: 1. The Forgiveness of Sins. 2. The\nResurrection of the Body, and the Life Everlasting.\n\nTHE HOLY GHOST.\n\nI. HIS PERSON AND NATURE.\n\nI BELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST. The Holy Ghost is true God. He is not\nsimply a power or energy of God, but a Person. [Acts 5:3-4] \"He\nproceedeth from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son\ntogether is worshipped and glorified.\" [John 14:26, John 15:26] The\nScriptures ascribe to Him divine names, attributes, power, honor, and\nworks. Christ commanded His disciples to baptize men in the name of the\nFather and of the Son _and of the Holy Ghost_. [Matt. 28:19]\n\nThe Holy Spirit instructed the prophets and teachers of Old Testament\ntimes, [II Peter 1:21] and was poured out upon the apostles on the day\nof Pentecost. [Acts 2] He inspired the Holy Scriptures. [II Tim. 3:16]\nHe comes into our hearts through the Word of God and the Sacraments.\n\nII. HIS WORK.\n\nThe work of the Holy Ghost is _Sanctification_. This word is used here,\nat the head of the Third Article, in the wide sense, and includes the\nHoly Spirit's entire work upon our souls; namely, Calling, Enlightening,\nSanctification in the narrower sense, and Preservation in the Faith.\n\n1. ITS NECESSITY. If the Holy Spirit does not work in us, we cannot be\nsaved. Hence, we say in the catechism,\n\nI BELIEVE THAT I CANNOT BY MY OWN REASON OR STRENGTH BELIEVE IN JESUS\nCHRIST MY LORD, OR COME TO HIM. For as I am by nature, my _reason_ is so\ndarkened by sin, [I Cor. 2:14+] that I do not see my need of the\nSaviour; and I am so lacking in spiritual _strength_ (being dead in\ntrespasses and sins), [Eph. 2:1] that I am unable to believe in Christ.\nConsequently it is necessary that the Holy Spirit should teach me to see\nin Christ my only Saviour, and give me strength to believe in Him.\n\n2. ITS NATURE. BUT THE HOLY GHOST HAS\n\nCALLED ME THROUGH THE GOSPEL. [II Tim. 1:9] He has caused His Word to be\nwritten [II Thess. 2:14, II Tim. 3:16] and causes it to be continually\nproclaimed [John 20:31+, II Cor. 5:20, I Cor. 1:21] for the purpose of\nmaking God's grace known to me, and inviting me to share in it. He calls\nall men, and means His call earnestly. He does not merely seem to call\nsome, but actually calls all who hear or read His Word. [I Tim. 2:4+, I\nPet. 3:9] And along with the call, He gives us the strength which we\nneed in order to believe. [Eph. 2:4-6] Those who obey the call are the\nElect or Chosen [Matt. 20:16] ones, and obtain salvation. Those who\nrefuse to obey the call are lost. [Mark 16:16]\n\nENLIGHTENED ME BY HIS GIFTS. The Holy Ghost shows me my lost condition\nand God's saving mercy, and thus leads me to Repentance through the Law,\n[John 16:8, Rom. 3:20] and to Faith through the Gospel. [John 15:26,\nJohn 1:17]\n\n_Repentance_ includes\n\n1. An Acknowledgment and Confession of Sin. [Ps. 51:3, 4]\n\n2. Sincere Sorrow for Sin. [Luke 22:62] It must be sorrow for the sin\nitself, and not merely for the consequences of sin.\n\n3. The Hating and Forsaking of Sin. [Ps. 51:10]\n\n4. An Earnest Desire for Forgiveness. [Ps. 51:2, 9]\n\nTrue repentance always leads to faith. [II Cor. 7:10] Sorrow for sin\nwhich does not lead to faith, is not repentance but remorse, and often\ndrives men to despair. [Matt. 27:3-5]\n\n_Faith_ includes\n\n1. A Knowledge of the Facts of the Gospel. [Rom. 10:14]\n\n2. A Belief of the Facts. [Rom. 4:20, 21]\n\n3. Trust or Confidence in Christ our Saviour. [II Tim. 1:12+] This trust\nis the chief part of faith.\n\nTrue faith is not a mere matter of the head, but of the heart. It is not\na mere intellectual belief that God exists or that Christ lived and\ndied; but it is a firm confidence that Christ is actually _our_ Saviour,\nand that all _our_ sins are washed away by His precious blood. Faith\nsays, \"The Son of God loved [I John 1:7] _me_, and gave Himself _for\nme_.\" [Gal. 2:20]\n\nTrue faith is always preceded by repentance. The impenitent have no\npromise of forgiveness, and therefore cannot have faith. They cannot\nbelieve a promise which has not been given to them.\n\n_Regeneration and Conversion._ Those whom the Holy Spirit has brought to\nrepentance and faith are in a state of regeneration and conversion. The\nchange which has taken place in them is called a new birth or\nregeneration, [John 3:5, 6] because a new life has been planted in them.\n[II Cor. 5:17+] It is called conversion, [Acts 3:19] because they have\nbeen converted or turned from sin to righteousness, from self to God.\n\nIt is not necessary that a Christian should be able to point to the\nexact time of his conversion. The important question is not, \"When were\nwe converted?\" but, \"Are we now in a converted state?\" that is, \"Are we\nnow penitent and believing?\"\n\n_Justification._ All those who have true faith are justified: [Rom.\n5:1+, Rom. 4:5] their sins are forgiven, and the righteousness of Christ\nis imputed (counted as belonging) to them. [Phil. 3:9] When we believe\nin Christ, all that He has done and suffered for us is regarded by God\nas if we had done and suffered it ourselves; [II Cor. 5:21, Rom. 8:1+]\nfor Christ was our substitute. Consequently, those who believe in Christ\nare _justified_ for His sake; that is, they are pronounced by God to be\nrighteous and fit to enter into heaven.\n\n_By Faith Alone._ We are justified and saved by faith alone, without\nworks. [Rom. 3:28+] We shall enter heaven, not because we deserve to\nenter, [Gal. 2:16+] but only because we believe in Christ. Salvation is\na _Gift_: acquired for us by Christ's holy life and innocent death;\nbestowed upon us freely by God's grace; and accepted by faith. [Eph.\n2:8, 9+] Our faith is not a merit on account of which we are forgiven,\nbut it is the hand with which we reach out and accept the free gift of\nforgiveness which God offers for Christ's sake.\n\nOur own works have nothing to do with our justification. [Rom. 3:20+] If\nGod took them into consideration at all, they would condemn us; for at\nbest we are imperfect and sinful creatures. [Rom. 7:18-23, Gal. 3:10+]\nIn order to be saved, we need a _perfect_ righteousness, Christ's\nrighteousness alone is perfect. It becomes ours by faith.\n\nAND SANCTIFIED. Those who have true faith are sanctified by the Holy\nSpirit; that is, they are made holy in heart and life. [Rom. 8:5+, Rom.\n6:22] While good works do not save us, they do and must follow faith as\nits fruit. [Matt. 7:18] Believers do good works out of love to God and\ngratitude for His mercy. Faith that does not result in a holy life is a\ndead faith, [Jas. 2:26+] and cannot save. The Christian dare not live in\nsin. [Rom. 6:2+] He has become a new creature; for he is born again: and\nconsequently he leads a new life. We shall, indeed, never become sinless\nin this world, but we must honestly and earnestly _try_ to do God's will\nin all things. [Phil. 3:12-14, Matt. 5:16+] We should grow more and more\nholy every day. [Eph. 4:22-24, Rom. 12:2, I Thess. 4:1] We cannot do\nthis by our own power, but we can by the help of God. We should,\ntherefore, be diligent and faithful in the use of the Word of God and\nthe Sacraments; for these are the means which the Holy Ghost uses for\nour sanctification.[4]\n\n[Footnote 4: Faith in Christ does not at once make us perfectly holy and\nsinless, as some persons maintain; but it takes away the guilt of our\nsin. We are completely justified and forgiven as soon as we believe; but\nwe are not completely sanctified. Sanctification is a gradual process,\nwhich will be completed only when we are transformed and glorified in\nheaven.]\n\nPRESERVED ME IN THE TRUE FAITH. As it is the Holy Ghost who brings us to\nfaith, so it is He who preserves us in it. [Phil. 1:6+] The world, the\nflesh, and the devil are enemies who seek to destroy our faith and to\nrob us of our salvation. We should constantly pray for strength to\nresist these enemies, [Matt. 26:41+, Rev. 2:10] and should obey the\npromptings of the Holy Spirit. We must avoid wilful, intentional sin,\n[Eph. 4:30+] and live a life of daily repentance. If we sin wilfully, we\nfall from grace and are lost, unless we come to true and lasting\nrepentance. If we faithfully use the Means of Grace, and earnestly\nstrive to lead a Christian life, the Holy Spirit will preserve us in the\nfaith to the end. [Phil. 2:12, 13+]\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. Of what does the Third Article treat? 2. What is to be\nsaid about the importance of the Holy Spirit's work? 3. Analyze the\nThird Article and its Explanation. 4. What is to be said about the\nperson and nature of the Holy Ghost? 5. How does the Holy Ghost come\ninto our hearts? 6. Describe the Work of the Holy Ghost. 7. Why can we\nnot be saved if the Holy Spirit does not work in us? 8. How has the Holy\nSpirit called me? 9. How has He enlightened me? 10. How does the Holy\nGhost bring me to repentance? 11. What does repentance include? 12. How\ndoes the Holy Ghost bring me to faith? 13. What does faith include? 14.\nWhat is true faith? 15. What is meant by regeneration? 16. What is meant\nby conversion? 17. Must a Christian know the exact time of his\nconversion? 18. What is meant by justification? 19. What is the relation\nof faith and works in salvation? 20. What is meant by sanctification?\n21. What is the relation between faith and good works? 22. How are we\npreserved in the faith?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Cor. 2:14. But the natural man receiveth not the\nthings of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither\ncan he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.\n\nJohn 20:31. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is\nthe Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life\nthrough his name.\n\nI Tim. 2:4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the\nknowledge of the truth.\n\nMatt. 20:16. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be\ncalled, but few chosen.\n\nII Tim. 1:12. For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He\nis able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.\n\nII Cor. 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:\nold things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.\n\nRom. 5:1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God\nthrough our Lord Jesus Christ.\n\nRom. 8:1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in\nChrist Jesus.\n\nRom. 3:28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith\nwithout the deeds of the law.\n\nGal. 2:16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,\nbut by the faith of Jesus Christ.\n\nEph. 2:8, 9. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of\nyourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should\nboast.\n\nRom. 3:20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be\njustified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.\n\nGal. 3:10. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the\ncurse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all\nthings which are written in the book of the law to do them.\n\nRom. 8:5. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the\nflesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.\n\nJas. 2:26. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without\nworks is dead also.\n\nRom. 6:2. God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any\nlonger therein?\n\nMatt. 5:16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your\ngood works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.\n\nPhil. 1:6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun\na good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.\n\nMatt. 26:41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the\nspirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.\n\nEph. 4:30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed\nunto the day of redemption.\n\nPhil. 2:12, 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for\nit is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good\npleasure.\n\nREADING.--The Outpouring of the Holy Ghost, Acts, 2:1-41.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Calling_: The Great Supper, Luke 14:16-24; The Marriage\nof the King's Son, Matt. 22; Matthew, Matt. 9:9; Peter and Andrew, Matt.\n4:19; Nathanael, John 1:45. _Repentance_: David, Ps. 51; Peter, Luke\n22:62; Zaccheus, Luke 19; The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-24; The Publican,\nLuke 18:13. _Impenitence_: Cain, Gen. 4:13; Judas, Matt. 27:4, 5; The\nPharisee, Luke 18:10-12, _Faith_: The Centurion, Matt. 8:5-13; The Woman\nof Cana, Matt. 15:22-28; Peter, John 6:68, 69. _Doubt_: Thomas, John\n20:22-28. _Conversion_: The Twelve Disciples; The Three Thousand, Acts\n2; The Thief on the Cross, Luke 23:39-43; The Philippian Jailor, Acts\n16:25-34. _Faithfulness_: Paul, II Cor. 11:23-33; II Tim. 4:7.\n_Apostasy_: Ananias, Acts 4:5; Demas, II Tim. 4:10.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXI.\n\nTHE HOLY GHOST.\n\nIII. HIS WORKMANSHIP.\n\n\nThe Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nWHAT THE CHURCH IS. The Church is \"The Communion of Saints\" or\nfellowship of believers. It consists of all those persons who truly\nbelieve in Christ. [Matt. 16:16, 18] We call it the _Workmanship_ of the\nHoly Ghost, because He brings men to faith and thus produces the Church.\nHE CALLS, GATHERS, ENLIGHTENS AND SANCTIFIES THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH\nON EARTH, AND PRESERVES IT IN UNION WITH JESUS CHRIST IN THE TRUE FAITH.\n[Eph. 3:25-27]\n\nThe Church may also be called the Holy Spirit's _Workshop_, because He\nabides and works in it through the Means of Grace,--the Word of God and\nthe Sacraments.\n\nWHEN FOUNDED. The Holy Christian Church was founded on the day of\nPentecost, when the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the disciples. [Acts\n2:1-41] On that day the Gospel of the crucified and risen Saviour was\nfirst preached by the apostles, the first converts were made, and the\nfirst Christian baptisms were administered.\n\nVISIBLE OR INVISIBLE. The Church is invisible, because we cannot read\nmen's hearts nor tell who are real believers. But if we regard the\nChurch as an external organization which includes all who profess to\nbelieve, it is visible. In this outward visible Church there are many\npersons who are not real believers. But Christ knows His own. [II Tim\n2:19+, John 10:14+] The angels on the day of judgment will separate the\nhypocrites from the true Christians. [Matt. 13:41, 42]\n\nTHE MARKS OF THE CHURCH. The Church is found wherever the Gospel is\nrightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered. For wherever\nGod's Word is preached, some persons believe it, [Isa. 55:10, 11] and\nwhere believers are, there is the Church.\n\nTHE CHURCH IS ONE. It consists of the true believers out of all the\ndifferent churches, denominations, and sects. There is one Flock, with\none Shepherd. [John 10:16] The Church is the Body of which Christ is the\nHead. [Col. 1:18, Eph 1:22, 23]\n\nITS NAMES. The Church is called _Holy_, because the Holy Spirit works in\nit and through it, and because its members, though not perfect, lead\nholy lives. It is called _Christian_, because it consists of those who\nbelieve in Christ. It is called _Catholic_ or Universal, because it is\nmeant to include all men everywhere. Catholic does not mean _Roman_\nCatholic.\n\nMILITANT AND TRIUMPHANT. The Church, consisting of true believers, is\none and the same Church on earth and in heaven. On earth it is the\nChurch Militant, because its members are still fighting the good fight\nof faith. [I Tim. 6:12+] In heaven it is the Church Triumphant, because\nits members have won the victory of faith. [Rev. 7:9-14, Rev. 2:18, Rev.\n3:21] The only way into the Church Triumphant is through the Church\nMilitant.\n\nTHE CHURCH'S WORK.\n\nThe Church is the agency or instrument which the Holy Spirit uses for\nthe evangelization of the world. [Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:15] It is the\ninstitution through which He does His work of applying redemption to the\nsouls of men. The Church, therefore, has a work to do: namely, to make\ndisciples of all men.\n\nTHE MEANS through which the Church, as an agency of the Holy Spirit, is\nto do its work are the Word of God and the Sacraments. They are\nsufficient for the purpose for which they are intended, because the Holy\nSpirit works through them and endows them with supernatural power. [Rom.\n1:16, Heb. 4:12]\n\nTHE WORKMEN who are to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments are\nthe _ministers_. They must be properly called and ordained by the\nChurch. [Act 14:23, Tit. 1:5] In the New Testament all pastors are\ncalled elders or bishops. It was only at a later period that the office\nof a bishop was made superior to that of elder, pastor or minister. The\noffice of an apostle was a separate and higher office. The apostles were\nthe witnesses of Christ's redemption, and possessed miraculous powers.\nThey have no successors. Ministers are the ambassadors of Christ,\nbeseeching men to be reconciled to God. [II Cor. 5:20+] Christ speaks\nthrough them. He who hears them, hears Christ; he who despises them,\ndespises Christ. [Luke 10:16] If a minister should happen to be a\nhypocrite, his official acts, such as baptisms and the like, would still\nbe valid. [II Tim. 2:13] _Deacons_ [Acts 6:1-6] are officers whose duty\nit is to assist the pastor, and to look after the temporal interests of\nthe congregation. _Deaconesses_ [Rom.16:1] are consecrated to the work\nof love and mercy, and minister to the sick, the needy, the neglected,\nthe ignorant, the fallen, and the friendless.\n\nTHE VARIOUS CHURCHES.\n\nWhile the Church, in the strict sense of the word, is the \"communion of\nsaints\" and therefore _one_, yet outwardly it has become divided, in the\ncourse of time, into many different churches, denominations, and sects.\nIt contains Four Great Branches: _The Greek Catholic Church_; _The Roman\nCatholic Church_; _The Evangelical Lutheran Church_; and _The Reformed\nChurches_, comprising a great number of denominations and sects. The\nLutheran Church and the Reformed Churches are called Protestant. (For\nthe names and relations of various branches of the Church, see the\naccompanying Diagram, on page 106.)\n\nTHE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.\n\nThe Evangelical Lutheran Church is in reality the old original Church\nwhich came into existence on the day of Pentecost. Luther simply threw\nout the errors which had crept into the Church during the course of the\ncenturies, and held fast the doctrines taught in God's Word. As a\nseparate and distinct Church, the Lutheran Church dates from the year\n1530, when the Augsburg Confession was read before the emperor and diet\nof the German Empire.[5] Her doctrines are laid down in her six\nConfessions, contained in the Book of Concord.\n\n[Footnote 5: Since a particular Church is no older than her distinctive\nconfession, the Lutheran Church is more than thirty years older than the\nRoman Catholic Church; for the Augsburg Confession was adopted in 1530,\nwhile the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, which are the\nConfession of the Roman Catholic Church, were not completed until 1563.\nThe ecumenical creeds are accepted by both Churches, and therefore prove\nnothing as regards their _relative_ age.]\n\nTHE CHURCH OF THE PURE GOSPEL. The Lutheran Church receives the Holy\nScriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the only rule and standard\nof religious teaching. The Roman Catholic Church accepts the tradition\nof the Church as of equal authority with the Holy Scriptures.\n\nThe Lutheran Church teaches the great central doctrine of the Gospel,\nthat we are saved by _faith alone_ without works. The Roman Catholic\nChurch teaches that we are justified by faith _and works_.\n\nThe Lutheran Church abides by the teachings of Scripture even when she\ncannot understand them. The other Protestant Churches explain away and\nreject some teachings of Scripture because they cannot understand them.\n\nHER NAME. The name Lutheran was first given to our Church by her\nenemies. But she accepted it, because she believes the doctrines which\nLuther taught. The name which she chose for herself is Evangelical (true\nto the Gospel). She is now known by both names taken together,\nEvangelical Lutheran.\n\nWHERE FOUND. The Lutheran Church is found in nearly all parts of the\nworld, especially in Germany, Scandinavia, and the United States. In\n1905 she numbered over 73 million baptized members, or practically as\nmany as all the other Protestant Churches taken together. In the United\nStates she has almost two million confirmed members (statistics for\n1906), and ranks third in size among the Protestant Churches of the\ncountry.\n\nIN AMERICA. The Lutheran Church in North America comprises the following\ngeneral bodies: The General Synod, organized in 1821; the General\nCouncil, organized in 1867; the Synodical Conference, organized in 1872;\nthe United Synod South, organized in 1886. To these general bodies there\nbelong various synods. There are also a number of Independent Synods\nwhich are not connected with any general body. Synods are often\nsubdivided into Conferences.\n\nHER WORK. The Lutheran Church, like the Church in general, is to make\ndisciples (Christians) of men. She is all the more bound to do her work,\nbecause she is the Church of the Pure Gospel. Her work is done in local\ncongregations, in Home Missions, Foreign Missions, Inner Missions, and\nin maintaining the necessary institutions of learning (colleges,\nseminaries, etc.) and of mercy (orphanages, asylums, hospitals).\n\nDUTIES OF HER MEMBERS. It is the duty of her members to lead a Christian\nlife, to be loyal to their own Church, and to co-operate heartily in all\nher local and general work, for the glory of God and the salvation of\nimmortal souls.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What is the Christian Church? 2. Why do we call it the\nWorkmanship of the Holy Ghost? 3. When was it founded? 4. Is the Church\nvisible or invisible? 5. What are the marks of the Church? 6. Why is the\nChristian Church one? 7. Why is the Church called Holy, Christian,\nCatholic? 8. What is meant by the Church Militant and the Church\nTriumphant? 9. What use does the Holy Spirit make of the Church? 10.\nWhat are the means which the Church uses for its work? 11. Who are the\nChurch's workmen, and what is their work? 12. Name the four great\nbranches of the Christian Church? 13. How old is the Lutheran Church?\n14. What three fundamental principles characterize the Lutheran Church?\n15. Explain how the Lutheran Church got its name. 16. Where is the\nLutheran Church found? 17. How large is it? 18. Name the General Bodies\nof the Lutheran Church in North America. 19. Describe the work of the\nLutheran Church? 20. What are the duties of her members?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 16:18. Upon this rock I will build my church;\nand the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.\n\nII Tim. 2:19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having\nthis seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that\nnameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.\n\nJohn 10:14. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of\nmine.\n\nEph. 1:22, 23. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to\nbe the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the\nfulness of him that filleth all in all.\n\nI Tim. 6:12. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,\nwhereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession\nbefore many witnesses.\n\nRom. 1:16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the\npower of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.\n\nHeb. 4:12. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than\nany two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of sold and\nspirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts\nand intents of the heart.\n\nII Cor, 5:20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did\nbeseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to\nGod.\n\nREADING.--The Church at Jerusalem, Acts 2:41-47.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXII.\n\nTHE HOLY GHOST.\n\nIV. THE FRUITS OF HIS WORK.\n\n\nThe Forgiveness of Sins; the Resurrection of the Body; and the Life\nEverlasting.\n\nThe fruits of the Holy Spirit's work in us are: 1. The Forgiveness of\nSins. 2. The Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting.\n\n1. _THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS_ has been acquired for me by my Saviour\nJesus Christ; [I John 1:7+] but it is made mine by the Holy Ghost, who\nhas brought me to faith and preserved me in it. For it is through faith\nthat I obtain forgiveness. [Rom 5:1]\n\nIN WHICH CHRISTIAN CHURCH. The forgiveness of sins is made mine _in the\nChurch_ through the Word of God and the Sacraments. Faith takes hold of\nand clings to the promises therein given. Special assurance of\nforgiveness is also given in Confession and Absolution.\n\nHE DAILY FORGIVES ABUNDANTLY ALL MY SINS. Even if I am a sincere\nChristian, I am an imperfect and sinful creature, and I need God's\nforgiveness every day. [I John 1:8, 9, Rom. 7:18-25] By keeping me in a\nstate of repentance and faith, the Holy Spirit secures to me the\ncontinuous forgiveness of all my sins. The Christian's life is a daily\nrepentance and a daily believing that God for Christ's sake graciously\npardons all our transgressions and shortcomings. [Luke 11:3, 4, Rom\n8:32+]\n\nAND THE SINS OF ALL BELIEVERS. All who lead a life of daily repentance\nand faith are daily and abundantly forgiven.\n\n2. _THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY AND THE LIFE EVERLASTING_. The work of\nthe Holy Spirit in me will not be completed until the last day.\n\nHE WILL RAISE UP ME AND ALL THE DEAD AT THE LAST DAY. The bodies of all\nmen shall be raised from the dead and re-united with the souls from\nwhich they were parted at death. [John 5:28, 29+, Acts 24:15+] These\nbodies will be essentially the same which we had on earth, but they will\nbe immortal and incorruptible. [I Cor. 15:42] The bodies of the\nbelievers will be endowed with new and glorious properties, like the\nbody of Christ after His resurrection. [I Cor. 15:42-44, Phil. 3:21+]\nThey will be fit tabernacles for the glorified souls to inhabit through\nall eternity. They will be spiritual bodies, freed from all the\nimperfections and limitations to which they were subject on earth. The\nbodies of those believers who are still alive at Christ's second coming\nshall undergo the same change in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,\nat the last trump. [I Cor. 15:51-53]\n\nAND WILL GRANT EVERLASTING LIFE TO ME TO ALL WHO BELIEVE IN CHRIST.\n[John 3:16] The believers shall then enter upon the full and perfect\nenjoyment of eternal salvation. [Matt. 25:34] Here we have the\nforgiveness of sins, but there we shall have life everlasting. The\nbelievers shall obtain an eternal inheritance in heaven, [I Pet. 1:4+]\nand enter upon the enjoyment of a bliss so exalted that we cannot form\nany adequate conception of it here on earth. There will be differences\nof glory proportioned to the strength of faith and the zeal in labor\nmanifested on earth. [I Cor 15:41, 42, Luke 19:17-19] But all shall be\nperfectly happy. They shall be free from sin and from every evil, [Rev.\n21:4+] and dwell in the light of God's presence forever. [I Thess. 4:17,\nJohn 17:24, Rev. 7:15]\n\n_Eternal Death_. The impenitent and unbelieving shall be cast into\neternal torment, [Matt. 25:41] and shall suffer indescribable pain and\nmisery for ever. [Rev. 14:11] The greater their wickedness and neglected\nopportunities on earth, the deeper will be their remorse and anguish.\n[Luke 12:47, 48, Matt. 25:41] Having refused to let the Holy Spirit make\nthem fit for entrance into heaven, [Rev. 21:27, Matt. 7:23] they shall\nbe cast out into the only place for which they are fit, into hell. [Luke\n16:23, 24]\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit's work in us? 2.\nHow does the forgiveness of sins become yours? 3. Where is the\nforgiveness of sins made yours? 4. How do we obtain daily forgiveness?\n5. When will the Holy Spirit's work in you be completed? 6. Describe the\nresurrection of the dead. 7. What is to be said about everlasting life?\n8. Why will the impenitent and unbelieving be cast into hell?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--I John 1:7. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son\ncleanseth us from all sin.\n\nRom. 8:32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us\nall, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?\n\nJohn 5:28, 29. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which\nall that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth;\nthey that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that\nhave done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.\n\nActs 24:15. There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just\nand unjust.\n\nPhil. 3:21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned\nlike unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able\neven to subdue all things unto himself.\n\nI Pet. 1:4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that\nfadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.\n\nRev. 21:4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there\nshall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there\nbe any more pain: for the former things are passed away.\n\nREADING.--Christ Judging the World, Matt. 25:31-46.\n\n\n\n\nPART III.\n\nTHE LORD'S PRAYER.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIII.\n\nPRAYER.\n\n\nPrayer is the conversation of the believing heart with God. [Ps. 19:14+]\nIt is as necessary for the life of the soul, as breathing is for that of\nthe body. As children of God we must live in communion with Him; and we\ncannot be Christians without prayer. For this reason God has given us\nHis name to use in prayer, and the Saviour has taught us how to pray in\nthe Lord's Prayer.\n\nTo WHOM WE SHOULD PRAY. Our prayers should be addressed to God alone,\n[Matt. 4:10.] and not to the Virgin Mary, the saints, the angels, or any\nother creatures.\n\nWHY WE SHOULD PRAY. We should pray, 1. Because we constantly need God's\nmercy in temporal and spiritual things. 2. Because we owe God our thanks\nfor his many benefits. [Ps. 103, Jas. 1:17] 3. Because God has commanded\nus to pray. [Matt. 6:9, Matt. 26:41] 4. Because God has promised to hear\nus. [Matt. 7:7, 8+, Ps. 50:15]\n\nWHEN WE SHOULD PRAY. 1. Always; [Luke 21:36+] that is, our soul should\nlive in constant communion with God, and always be open toward Him. 2.\nWhenever we feel special need of prayer: in danger, [Matt. 8:25]\ndistress, anxiety, [Matt. 8:25] sickness, [Jas. 5:14, 15] bereavement,\nsorrow, [Ps. 25:16, 17] temptation, [Matt. 26:41] or when we are\nburdened with the sense of our guilt. [Luke 18:13.] 3. At fixed times:\n[Dan. 6:10] every morning and evening, at meal-times; in family worship;\n[Josh. 24:15+] in church. [Matt. 18:20+]\n\nFOR WHOM WE SHOULD PRAY. 1. For ourselves. 2. For our fellow-Christians.\n[Eph. 6:18+] 3. For all men: [I Tim. 2:1+] for friends and foes, [Matt.\n5:44+] the poor and the rich, the afflicted and the tempted. 4. For the\nChurch. 5. For the State.\n\nOUR PRAYERS SHOULD CONTAIN: 1. Adoration, 2. Thanksgiving. 3.\nConfession, 4. Petition. 5. Intercession.\n\nTHE MANNER. Our prayers should be the sincere utterance of our hearts;\notherwise they will be a mere mockery. [Matt. 6:5] They may be in our\nown words or those of another. It will often be profitable to use the\nprayers found in good prayer-books or in the Liturgy, and to draw\nlargely from the Psalms, which are a treasury of good and beautiful\nprayers. We should not lengthen our prayers by vain repetitions, nor\nrepeat the Lord's Prayer or any other prayer a certain number of times\nas if that were a merit. [Matt. 6:7] Nor should we shorten our prayers\nthrough laziness, indifference, and the like. The Lord's Prayer should\ngenerally be added to our own prayers as a summary of those things for\nwhich we should pray.\n\nTHE POSTURE which we assume should indicate reverence to God. We should\nkneel or stand with folded hands. If we are unable to assume either of\nthese postures, we may pray in any position. We stand in church on\nSunday, because it is the day of the Lord's resurrection and a day of\njoy. We should not sit still in church while others stand, unless we are\ntoo weak or ill to stand. Kneeling is an attitude of humiliation,\nparticularly appropriate for the confession of sins.\n\nIN CHRIST'S NAME. We should always pray in Christ's name, and never omit\nHis name to please men or avoid offence; for our prayers are only heard\nfor Christ's sake. We have the promise that whatever we ask in His name\nwill be given to us. [John 16:23] To pray in Christ's name means to\npray, 1. As one who trusts in Christ and asks to be heard for His sake.\n[Eph. 2:18+, Rom. 5:2] 2. As one who prays in Christ's spirit,\nsubmitting all things to God's will, and saying with Christ, \"Not my\nwill, but Thine, be done.\" [Matt. 26:29, Matt 6:10]\n\nIN FAITH. We should pray in faith, believing that God will answer our\nprayer for Jesus' sake. [Jas. 5:16+] If we do not pray in faith, we\nshall not be heard. [Jas. 1:6, 7]\n\nTHE ANSWER TO PRAYER. God always answers the prayer of the believer.\nThose who ask and receive not, have either asked amiss, [Jas. 4:3] or\nhave not asked in faith. If we ask anything according to His will, He\nheareth us. [John 5:14+] He answers our prayer, 1. By granting us what\nwe ask, though perhaps after a long delay, by which He tries our faith\nand patience. 2. He grants us good things instead of the hurtful things\nfor which we ignorantly ask. 3. He gives us strength to bear the burden\nwhich we pray to have removed, [II Cor. 12:9] and thus confers a greater\nblessing than the removal of the burden would be.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What is prayer? 2. To whom alone should we pray? 3. Why\nshould we pray? 4. When should we pray? 5. For whom should we pray? 6.\nWhat should our prayers contain? 7. What is to be said about the manner\nof our praying? 8. What is to be said about the posture in prayer? 9.\nWhy must we pray in Christ's name? 10. What is meant by praying in\nChrist's name? 11. What is to be said about the importance of praying in\nfaith? 12. Does God always answer prayer? 13. In what ways does He\nanswer?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Ps. 19:14. Let the words of my mouth, and the\nmeditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength,\nand my redeemer.\n\nMatt. 7:7, 8. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;\nknock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh\nreceiveth, and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it\nshall be opened.\n\nLuke 21:36. Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be\naccounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and\nto stand before the Son of man.\n\nJosh. 24:15. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.\n\nMatt. 18:20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name,\nthere am I in the midst of them.\n\nEph. 6:18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the\nSpirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication\nfor all saints.\n\nI Tim. 2:1, 2. I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications,\nprayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for\nkings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and\npeaceable life in all godliness and honesty.\n\nMatt. 5:44. Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.\n\nEph. 2:18. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the\nFather.\n\nJas. 5:16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth\nmuch.\n\nI John 5:14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we\nask anything according to his will, he heareth us.\n\nII Cor. 12:9. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for\nmy strength is made perfect in weakness.\n\nREADING.--The Pharisee and the Publican in the Temple, Luke 18:10-14.\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.--_Prayer for Self_: The Lepers, Luke 17:12, 13; The Blind\nBeggar, Luke 18:35-43; The Publican, Luke 18:13; _For Others_: Jesus,\nJohn 17, Luke 23:32; Abraham, Gen. 18:23-33; Moses, Exod. 32:11;\nStephen, Acts 7:60. _Answer to Prayer_: Israel in Bondage, Exod. 2:23,\n24; Hannah, I Sam. 1:9-20; Elijah, I Kings 17:21, 22; Jas. 5:17; The\nEarly Church, Acts 12:5-17; Paul, Acts 16:25; II Cor. 12:7-9.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIV.\n\nTHE LORD'S PRAYER.\n\n\nThe Lord's Prayer is so-called because it was given to us by the Lord\nJesus Christ. [Matt. 6:9-13, Luke 11:1-4] It teaches us how to pray\naright, and is the model after which we should fashion all our prayers.\nIt shows us the manner in which we should come to God, and the things\nfor which we should ask.\n\nITS CONTENTS. The Lord's Prayer contains an Introduction, Seven\nPetitions, and a Conclusion. The first three petitions regard God's\nglory, and deal with His Name, His Kingdom, and His Will; the last four\nregard our bodily and spiritual needs, and deal with our Daily Bread,\nForgiveness, Temptation, and Deliverance from Evil. Six petitions, the\nfirst three and the last three, refer to spiritual gifts; and only one,\nthe fourth, refers to earthly gifts. Thus we are taught that, when we\npray, we should think first of God's glory; and that we should pray more\nfor spiritual than for temporal benefits.\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\nOur Father Who art in Heaven.\n\n_What is meant by this Introduction?_\n\nGod would thereby affectionately encourage us to believe that He is\ntruly our Father, and that we are His children indeed, so that we may\ncall upon Him with all cheerfulness and confidence, even as beloved\nchildren entreat their affectionate parent.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThis Introduction shows us the manner in which we should come to God in\nprayer; namely, as His children, who are asking their Father for what\nthey need, and who are sure that He loves them and will answer their\nprayer.\n\nOUR FATHER.[6] God is our Father and we are His children through Christ\nour Saviour. [Gal 3:26+, 1 John 3:1, 2, Rom. 8:16] We should therefore\nbe sure that He will receive us kindly for Jesus' sake whenever we come\nbefore him with our prayers. We should CALL UPON HIM WITH ALL\nCHEERFULNESS AND CONFIDENCE, EVEN AS BELOVED CHILDREN ENTREAT THEIR\nAFFECTIONATE PARENT. [Matt. 7:11+, Rom. 8:15+, Heb. 4:16]\n\n[Footnote 6: Observe how the name \"Father,\" by which we are here taught\nto address God, corresponds with the duty \"to fear, love, and trust in\nHim above all things\" as enjoined by the First Commandment.]\n\nWe are taught to say _our_ and not _my_ Father, because the Lord's\nPrayer was given to believers to use in their common worship as well as\nin their private devotions; and because we should pray not only for\nourselves but for our fellow-believers and for all men.\n\nWHO ART IN HEAVEN. An earthly father is not always able to do what his\nchildren ask, even if he desires to do so. But the Father to whom we\nhere pray is our Heavenly Father, and is abundantly able to answer all\nour prayers, [Eph. 3:20+] He not only loves us with an everlasting love,\nbut is almighty, omniscient, and all-wise. He is able to do all things\nwhich He wills to do, and will answer all our prayers in the very way\nthat is best for us.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. Why is the Lord's Prayer so called? 2. What does it teach\nus? 3. What does it contain? 4. What can you say about the seven\npetitions? 5. What does the introduction show? 6. Why do we say Our\n_Father_? 7. How should this encourage us to call upon Him? 8. Why do we\nsay _Our_ Father? 9. What is to be said about our heavenly Father in\ncomparison with earthly fathers?\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Gal. 3:26. For ye are all the children of God by\nfaith in Christ Jesus.\n\nMatt. 7:11. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto\nyour children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give\ngood things to them that ask him?\n\nRom. 8:15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;\nbut ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,\nFather.\n\nEph. 3:20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above\nall that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,\nunto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,\nworld without end. Amen.\n\nREADING.--Christ teaches His Disciples to pray, Luke 11:1-4.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXV.\n\nTHE FIRST PETITION.\n\n\nHallowed be Thy name.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\nThe name of God is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this petition\nthat it may be hallowed also by us.\n\n_How is this effected?_\n\nWhen the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the\nchildren of God, lead holy lives in accordance with it; to this may our\nblessed Father in heaven help us. But whoever teaches and lives\notherwise than as God's Word prescribes, profanes the name of God among\nus; from this preserve us, heavenly Father.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nIn this Petition we pray for grace to hallow God's name[7] by the pure\nteaching of His Word and by childlike obedience to it.\n\n[Footnote 7: There is a parallel between this Petition and the Second\nCommandment. We here pray for grace to avoid what the Second Commandment\nforbids, and to do what it commands.]\n\nTHE NAME OF GOD means not only the names by which we address Him, but\nall by which He is known to us. Compare the Second Commandment.\n\nIS INDEED HOLY IN ITSELF. [Ps. 99:3] God's name is holy, because He is\nholy. We cannot increase or diminish God's holiness by anything that we\ndo. This petition does not imply, therefore, that we are to _make_ God's\nname holy.\n\nBUT WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT IT MAY BE HALLOWED ALSO BY US. We\nhallow God's name when we regard and treat it as holy; in other words,\nwhen we honor and glorify God by worshiping and serving Him in\naccordance with the revelation which He has given of Himself in His\nWord. [John 17:6+, Ps. 100:2, 3]\n\nI. HOW GOD'S NAME IS HALLOWED.\n\n1. WHEN THE WORD OF GOD IS TAUGHT IN ITS TRUTH AND PURITY. God has\nrevealed Himself to us in His Word, and it is only from that Word that\nwe can learn to know Him and worship Him aright. [John 1:18+] Those,\ntherefore, who in the Church, the school, or the home, teach God's Word,\nas well as those who gladly hear, read, and learn it, hallow His name.\n[John 17:17+] But the Word must be taught in its truth and purity; that\nis, it must be taught as it is recorded in the Scriptures, with nothing\nadded, taken away, or changed. [Gal. 1:9, Rev 22:18, 19]\n\nAND WE AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD LEAD HOLY LIVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH IT. In\norder to hallow God's name, we must not only hear but obey His Word.\n[Jas. 1:22+, Matt. 5:16] As God's children we should think, speak, and\nact according to the rule which He has laid down in His Word, and thus\nglorify His name.\n\nTO THIS MAY OUR BLESSED FATHER IN HEAVEN HELP US. We cannot preserve\nGod's Word in its truth and purity against its foes, nor believe and\nobey it by our own strength: hence we pray for God's help.\n\nII. HOW GOD'S NAME IS PROFANED.\n\nBUT WHOEVER TEACHES AND LIVES OTHERWISE THAN AS GOD'S WORD PRESCRIBES,\nPROFANES THE OF GOD AMONG US. [Rom. 2:21-24, Tit. 1:16] False teachers,\nwho deny God's Word, or change it, or add to it, or subtract from it,\nprofane the name of God, because they hide the glory of God from those\nwho believe their teachings. Those who live otherwise than as God's Word\nprescribes, and are hypocrites or impenitent and unbelieving persons,\nprofane God's name, because they refuse to glorify Him by obedience to\nHis Word.\n\nFROM THIS PRESERVE US, HEAVENLY FATHER. We pray thus, because we are by\nnature inclined to error and sin, and have need of God's grace to\npreserve us from profaning His name.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray for in this first petition? 2. What does\nthe name of God mean? 3. Why is God's name holy in itself? 4. What does\nit mean to hallow God's name? 5. How is God's name hallowed? 6. Why do\nwe pray for God's help? 7. How is God's name profaned? 8. Why do we pray\nGod to preserve us from profaning His name?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--John 17:6. I have manifested thy name unto the men\nwhich thou gavest me out of the world.\n\nJohn 1:18. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,\nwhich is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.\n\nJohn 17:17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.\n\nJas. 1:22. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving\nyour own selves.\n\nREADING.--The Name of Jesus, Acts 4:1-21.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXVI.\n\nTHE SECOND PETITION.\n\n\nThy kingdom come.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\nThe kingdom of God comes indeed of itself without our prayer; but we\npray in this petition that it may come unto us also.\n\n_When is this effected?_\n\nWhen our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace\nwe believe His holy Word, and live a godly life here on earth and in\nheaven forever.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nIn this Petition we pray that the Kingdom of God may come to us[8] and\nto all men; that is, that we all by true faith and a godly life may\nbecome members of the Church on earth and in heaven.\n\n[Footnote 8: Since the Kingdom of God comes to us through the Gospel,\nthere is a close relation between this Petition and the Third\nCommandment, which commands us to \"deem God's Word holy and willingly\nhear and learn it.\"]\n\nTHE KINGDOM OF GOD is the Kingdom which Christ has founded, and to which\nall who believe in Him belong. It is the Kingdom of Grace in this world\nand the Kingdom of Glory in the next. [Mark 1:15, Matt. 25:34]\n\nCOMES INDEED OF ITSELF WITHOUT OUR PRAYER. Christ has established His\nkingdom and will continue to extend it, whether we pray for it or not.\n[Isa. 9:7]\n\nBUT WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT IT MAY COME TO US ALSO; that is, into\nour hearts. In other words, we pray that we may become true Christians;\n[Matt. 7:21] and if we are Christians, we pray that we may become better\nChristians.\n\n_Missions._ This petition is also a prayer for missions. [Matt. 9:37,\n38+, Mark 16:15] We here pray that God's kingdom may come to all men. If\nour prayer is sincere, then we must be willing also to give liberally,\nso that the Gospel may be preached to the heathen (Foreign Missions) and\nto the spiritually destitute in our own land (Home Missions and Inner\nMissions).\n\nHOW GOD'S KINGDOM COMES TO US.\n\nWHEN OUR HEAVENLY FATHER GIVES US HIS HOLY SPIRIT. Since only believers\nbelong to God's kingdom, and we \"cannot by our own reason or strength\nbelieve in Jesus Christ our Lord,\" we pray in this petition that God\nwould give His Holy Spirit to us,\n\nSO THAT BY HIS GRACE WE BELIEVE HIS WORD, [I Cor. 12:3] AND LIVE A GODLY\nLIFE [Tit. 2:11-13+] HERE ON EARTH AND IN HEAVEN FOREVER. The Holy\nSpirit must teach us to repent of sin and to believe in Christ, and\npreserve us in a life of daily repentance and faith. Then God's kingdom\nwill come to as more and more in this world, and in the next world we\nshall belong to it for ever.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray in this petition? 2. What is meant by the\nkingdom of God? 3. How does God's kingdom come without our prayer? 4.\nWhat do we mean when we pray that it may come to us? 5. What is to be\nsaid about this petition and missions? 6. How does God's kingdom come to\nus? 7. Why do we need the Holy Spirit?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 9:37, 38. Then saith he onto his disciples, The\nharvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore\nthe Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his\nharvest.\n\nMark 16:15. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach\nthe gospel to every creature.\n\nTit. 2:11-13. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared\nto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we\nshould live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world,\nlooking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great\nGod and our Saviour Jesus Christ.\n\nREADING.--The Harvest and the Laborers, Matt. 9:35-38.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXVII.\n\nTHE THIRD PETITION.\n\n\nThy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\nThe good and gracious will of God is done, indeed, without our prayer,\nbut we pray in this petition that it may be done by us also.\n\n_When is this effected?_\n\nWhen God frustrates and brings to nought every evil counsel and purpose\nwhich would hinder us from hallowing the name of God and prevent His\nkingdom from coming to us,--such as the will of the devil, of the world,\nand of our own flesh; and when he strengthens us and keeps us steadfast\nin His Word and in the faith even unto our end. This is His gracious and\ngood will.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nIn this Petition we pray for grace gladly to believe, do, and suffer all\nthat God wills us to believe, do, and suffer, so that His name may be\nhallowed, and His kingdom may come.\n\nTHY WILL. God's will is, 1. That we should believe the Gospel and be\nsaved. [I Tim 2:4+] 2. That we should obey His commandments and be holy.\n[I Thess. 4:3+] 3. That we should willingly submit to all His dealings\nwith us, and suffer patiently when He lays a cross on us. [Rom. 8:17+]\n\nBE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. We pray that God's will may be done\nby all men and especially by us, as heartily, as continually, and as\ncompletely as it is done by the holy angels. [Ps. 103:20, 21]\n\nTHE GOOD AND GRACIOUS WILL OF GOD. The will of God is always good and\ngracious, because He always wills those things which He, in His wisdom\nand love, [I John 4:16] sees are best. He does all things well, even\nwhen we do not understand His ways. [Isa. 55:8, 9, Rom. 8:28]\n\nIS DONE INDEED WITHOUT OUR PRAYER. There will always be some persons who\npermit God to accomplish His good and gracious purposes in them, whether\nwe pray for it or not. [Isa. 55:11]\n\nBUT WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT IT MAY BE DONE BY US ALSO; [Rom.\n12:12] that is, that we may believe His Gospel, obey His Commandments,\nand trustfully permit Him to lead us in whatsoever paths He will.\n\nWHAT WE PRAY GOD TO DO.\n\nIn order that God's good and gracious will may be done by us, all\nopposing wills must be overcome. [Luke 22:31] We therefore pray God\n\n1. TO FRUSTRATE AND BRING TO NOUGHT THE WILL OF THE DEVIL, [II Cor.\n2:11] OF THE WORLD [I John 2:15, 16] (wicked persons), AND OF OUR OWN\nFLESH [Gal. 5:17+] (our natural heart). For these are the great enemies\nof our souls, who by their EVIL COUNSELS AND PURPOSES WOULD HINDER US\nFROM HALLOWING THE NAME OF GOD AND PREVENT HIS KINGDOM FROM COMING TO\nUS. They tempt us to oppose God's will by despising His Gospel,\ndisobeying His Commandments, and murmuring against His dealings with us.\nWe pray God\n\n2. TO STRENGTHEN US, [Phil. 2:13] so that we may be able to overcome\nthese enemies and do God's will in spite of them. [Eph. 6:11, 12+] They\nare very powerful, but if we are in earnest about overcoming them, God\nwill give us the needful strength in answer to our prayer. We pray God\n\n3. TO KEEP US STEADFAST IN HIS WORD IN THE FAITH EVEN OUR END, [Phil.\n1:6, I Pet. 4:19] so that we may believe the Gospel with all our heart,\nlive holy Christian lives, trust God to lead us as He sees best, and be\nfaithful unto death, that we may receive the crown of life.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray for in this petition? 2. What do we mean\nby God's will in this petition? 3. How do we pray that God's will may be\ndone? 4. Why is the will of God good and gracious? 5. How is God's will\ndone without our prayer? 6. When do we do God's will? 7. What three\nthings do we pray God to do? 8. What three wills oppose the will of God?\n9. What do the devil, the world, and our own flesh seek? 10. Why do we\npray God to strengthen us? 11. When do we remain steadfast in God's Word\nand in the faith?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Tim. 2:4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to\ncome unto the knowledge of the truth.\n\nI Thess. 4:3. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.\n\nRom. 8:17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs\nwith Christ: if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also\nglorified together.\n\nGal. 5:17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit\nagainst the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that\nye cannot do the things that ye would.\n\nEph. 6:11, 12. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to\nstand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh\nand blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the\nrulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in\nhigh places.\n\nREADING.--Jesus in Gethsemane, Matt. 26:36-44.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXVIII.\n\nTHE FOURTH PETITION.\n\n\nGive us this day our daily bread.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\nGod gives, indeed, without our prayer, even to the wicked also, their\ndaily bread; but we pray in this petition that He would make us sensible\nof His benefits, and enable us to receive our daily bread with\nthanksgiving.\n\n_What is implied in the words \"our daily bread\"?_\n\nAll things that pertain to the wants and the support of this present\nlife; such as food, raiment, money, goods, house and land, and other\nproperty; a believing spouse and good children; trustworthy servants and\nfaithful magistrates; favorable seasons, peace and health; education and\nhonor; true friends, good neighbors, and the like.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nIn this Petition we acknowledge that every good gift comes from God;\n[Jas. 1:17] and we pray that He would give us, day by day, those things\nwhich we need for our earthly support and comfort, and would make us\ncontent and thankful.\n\nTHE PETITION ITSELF.\n\nWhile we are to pray first and chiefly for spiritual blessings, the\nSaviour here teaches us that we may and should pray for temporal\nbenefits also.\n\nGIVE. By praying God to _give_ us our daily bread, we acknowledge that\nit comes from Him.[9] He is the absolute owner of all things, [I Cor.\n10:26] and divides to all men as He will. All that we have is His gift.\nHe gives it as a blessing upon our labor; hence, we must work as well as\npray. [II Thess. 3:10] But without His blessing, our labor would be in\nvain. [Ps. 127:1] The farmer sows, but God gives the increase.\n\n[Footnote 9: Compare this Petition with the First Article of the Creed\nand its Explanation.]\n\nUS. We are taught to pray not only for ourselves, but for others also.\nWe should be concerned that they too may have their daily bread; and,\nwhen necessary, we should give them a portion of what God has first\ngiven to us, and thus become the means through which He supplies their\nwants. [Heb. 13:16]\n\nTHIS DAY. We are not to pray for \"much goods for many years,\" but only\nfor this one day's needful supply. When the morrow comes, if we are\nstill alive, we are to pray again. [Matt.6:34+] We are to depend upon\nGod from day to day. We are, indeed, to make a proper provision for our\nfuture, but we are not to give way to anxious, unbelieving care about\nit.\n\nOUR. We ask for bread which we may call our own, bread honestly gotten,\nbread which God intends we shall have as a reward of our labor; not some\none's else bread, and not such things as God, in His wisdom, sees fit to\nwithhold from us.\n\nDAILY BREAD. According to Luther's explanation in the Catechism, our\ndaily bread includes\n\nALL THINGS WHICH PERTAIN TO THE WANTS AND THE SUPPORT OF THIS PRESENT\nLIFE; such as:--\n\nFOOD, RAIMENT, to supply our bodily wants;\n\nMONEY, GOODS, HOUSE AND LAND, AND OTHER PROPERTY, by means of which we\nmay procure the supply of our bodily wants;\n\nA BELIEVING SPOUSE AND GOOD CHILDREN, that we may have a good Christian\nhome;\n\nTRUSTWORTHY SERVANTS AND FAITHFUL MAGISTRATES, that we may have the help\nand protection which we need for the enjoyment of our own;\n\nFAVORABLE SEASONS, PEACE AND HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HONOR, TRUE FRIENDS,\nGOOD NEIGHBORS, AND THE LIKE,--all those things which increase our\nearthly well-being and happiness.\n\nWhile we pray in this petition that God would give us all the things\nenumerated above, _if He sees fit_, we should remember that He is still\ngiving us our daily bread when He gives us only those things which we\nactually must have for the support of our life. [1 Tim. 6:8]\n\nWHY WE PRAY THUS.\n\nGOD GIVES INDEED, WITHOUT OUR PRAYER, EVEN TO THE WICKED [Matt. 5:45]\nALSO THEIR DAILY BREAD; for God is good, and seeks to lead men to\nrepentance by His goodness. [Rom. 2:4]\n\nBUT WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT HE WOULD MAKE US SENSIBLE OF HIS\nBENEFITS, so that we may acknowledge them as His gifts, [Deut. 8:10] and\nnot ascribe them to our own efforts or to chance, as the worldly and\nunbelieving do.\n\nAND ENABLE US TO RECEIVE OUR DAILY BREAD WITH THANKSGIVING. [Eph. 5:20+]\nSince all the blessings we enjoy are God's gifts, bestowed without any\nworthiness on our part, [Gen. 32:10] we pray that we may always receive\nthem with thankful hearts, and express our gratitude with our lips and\nin our lives. We should give thanks at every meal, and in all our\nprayers.\n\n_Contentment_. True thankfulness implies contentment with those gifts\nwhich God sees fit to bestow upon us. [Heb. 13:5+, 1 Tim. 6:6-8+] We\nmust not murmur because He does not include in our daily bread some\nthings which we desire to have; nor dare we permit the withholding of\nthose things to prevent us from being truly thankful for the many\nbenefits which God does bestow upon us.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What do we acknowledge and for what do we pray in this\npetition? 2. Why do we pray God to \"give\"? 3. Why do we pray, \"give\n_us_\"? 4. Why do we pray \"this day\"? 5. Why do we say _our_ daily bread?\n6. What does daily bread include? 7. How much must God give us in order\nto answer this prayer for daily bread? 8. Why does God give, even to the\nwicked? 9. What should we bear in mind with respect to all our\nblessings? 10. How should we receive our daily bread? 11. How should we\nexpress our gratitude? 12. What is to be said about contentment?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 6:34. Take therefore no thought for the morrow:\nfor the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient\nunto the day is the evil thereof.\n\nEph. 5:20. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father\nin the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.\n\nHeb. 13:5. Let your conversation be without covetousness: and be content\nwith such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee,\nnor forsake thee.\n\n1 Tim. 6:6-8. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we\nbrought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing\nout. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.\n\nREADING.--The Feeding of the Five Thousand, John 6:1-13.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIX.\n\nTHE FIFTH PETITION.\n\n\nAnd forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against\nus.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\nWe pray in this petition that our heavenly Father would not regard our\nsins, nor deny us our requests on account of them; for we are not worthy\nof anything for which we pray, and have not merited it; but that He\nwould grant us all things through grace, although we daily commit much\nsin and deserve chastisement alone. We will, therefore, on our part both\nheartily forgive and also readily do good to those who may injure or\noffend us.\n\nIn this Petition we acknowledge our sinfulness, pray for forgiveness,\nand promise to forgive our fellow-men.\n\nThe word \"And\" connects this petition very closely with the preceding\none. The daily forgiveness of our sins is as necessary for our souls as\nour daily bread is for our bodies.\n\nAND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES.\n\nThese words are at once a Confession of Sin, and a Prayer for Pardon.\n\n1. _A Confession._ The praying of this petition presupposes a penitent\nstate of heart. If we are not truly penitent, this petition is a mockery\non our lips. We have need to confess our guilt, because\n\nWE DAILY COMMIT MUCH SIN. [I John 4:8] If we are true Christians, we do\nnot sin wilfully and intentionally. But with our best efforts, we still\nsin much through weakness, [Rom. 7:19] not only by commission, but still\nmore by omission. Not a day passes by, in which we do not transgress\nGod's law by thoughts and words and deeds. We often do the wrong and\nomit doing the right without even knowing that we have done so. [Ps.\n19:12]\n\nAND DESERVE CHASTISEMENT (Punishment) ALONE. Our sins make us guilty and\ndeserving of punishment, even though they be sins of weakness. We must\nnot excuse or extenuate them. God never excuses any one. But if we\npenitently confess our sins, He will forgive us for Jesus' sake. [Ps.\n32:5+, I John 1:9]\n\n2. _A Prayer for Pardon._ As in the fourth petition we daily pray\n\"Give,\" so in this fifth petition we daily pray \"Forgive.\" Since Jesus\nhas taught us to pray thus, and we pray as God's children, this petition\npresupposes that we pray in faith. We pray as those who believe that God\nwill be gracious and merciful to us for Jesus' sake.\n\nWE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WOULD NOT REGARD OUR\nSINS, [Ps. 25:7, Ps. 51:9] but would look upon the righteousness which\nJesus has acquired for us \"with His holy and precious blood and His\ninnocent sufferings and death.\" [1 John 1:7]\n\nNOR DENY US OUR REQUESTS ON ACCOUNT OF THEM. If God should regard our\nsins, He would send only punishment upon us, [Ps. 130:3+, Ps.143:2] and\nnot give us any of those benefits for which we ask in our prayer.\n\nFOR WE ARE NOT WORTHY OF ANYTHING FOR WHICH WE PRAY, HAVE NOT MERITED\nIT. Nothing which we have done or are able to do can make amends for our\nsins, or earn any blessing from God. [Dan. 9:18, Luke 15:18-19+] We\ntherefore pray THAT HE WOULD GRANT US ALL THINGS THROUGH GRACE alone for\nJesus' sake,\n\nAS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US.\n\n3. _A Promise to Forgive our Fellow-men._ God's mercy to us must move as\nto be merciful to others. [Eph. 3:32] If it does not, God will withdraw\nHis mercy from us, [Matt. 6:14, 15+] as the master withdrew his from the\nunmerciful servant in the parable. [Matt. 18:32-35] Forgiving others is\nnot a merit which entitles us to receive God's forgiveness. It follows\nas a result of God's mercy to us. Because God so mercifully forgives us\nfor Jesus' sake, we promise that\n\nWE WILL, THEREFORE, ON OUR PART, BOTH HEARTILY FORGIVE AND ALSO READILY\nDO GOOD TO THOSE WHO MAY INJURE OR OFFEND US. No matter how greatly\nothers may have sinned against us, we have sinned much more against God.\nIf He is willing to forgive us our great debt, we should be willing to\nforgive our fellow-men their lesser debt. If we refuse to forgive\nothers, God will lay our own sins to our charge, and punish us.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What three things do we do in this petition? 2. What is\nto be said about the close connection between this petition and the\npreceding one? 3. What does this petition presuppose? 4. Why do we need\nto confess our guilt to God? 5. Is sin ever excusable? 6. Why does this\npetition presuppose faith? 7. What do we pray God to do with our sins?\n8. If God regarded our sins, how would He treat our requests? 9. Why do\nwe promise to forgive others? 10. Why must we be willing to forgive\nthem?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Ps. 32:5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine\niniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto\nthe LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.\n\nPs. 130:3. If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall\nstand?\n\nLuke 15:18, 19. I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him,\nFather, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more\nworthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.\n\nMatt. 6:14, 15. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly\nFather will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their\ntrespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.\n\nREADING.-The Unmerciful Servant, Matt. 18:23-35.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXX.\n\nTHE SIXTH PETITION.\n\n\nAnd lead us not into temptation.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\nGod, indeed, tempts no one to sin; but we pray in this petition that God\nwould so guard and preserve us, that the devil, the world, and our own\nflesh may not deceive us, nor lead us into error and unbelief, despair,\nand other great and shameful sins; and that, though we may be thus\ntempted, we may nevertheless finally prevail and gain the victory.\n\nAs children of God we must not only seek forgiveness for past sins, but\nbe anxious to avoid sin in the future. We therefore pray that, as far as\nis possible according to His gracious will, God would keep us from being\ntempted, and would give us strength to overcome when we are tempted.\n\nIf we are in earnest in praying this Petition, we will not run into\ntemptation ourselves, [Matt. 4:7] nor lead others into it.\n\nHOW WE ARE TEMPTED.\n\nGOD INDEED TEMPTS NO ONE TO SIN: for He wishes us to do good, and not\nevil. But He leads us into circumstances in which we are _tried_, and\nmust decide for or against Him, for good or for evil. This is the sense\nin which the Bible speaks of God as tempting persons. [Gen. 22:1] He\ntries or tests us. Remembering that we are weak, we pray in this\npetition that God would spare us such trials as much as is possible\naccording to His will, and strengthen us in them, that we may be\nfaithful.\n\n_The Devil, the World, and our own Flesh tempt us to Sin_. These are the\ngreat enemies of our souls, who will lead us to destruction if we do not\nearnestly resist them and repel their temptations.\n\nWHAT WE PRAY.\n\n1. _That we may not be Deceived or Misled by these Enemies_.\n\nWE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT GOD WOULD SO GUARD AND PRESERVE US, THAT\n\nTHE DEVIL, who puts evil thoughts into our hearts, [Gen. 3:4, 5, II Cor.\n11:3]\n\nTHE WORLD (wicked persons in the world), [Prov. 1:10+, John 15:18] which\ntempts us by example, allurements, and threats,\n\nAND OUR OWN FLESH (our natural heart), [Rom. 8:7+] which inclines and\nurges us to sin,\n\nMAY NOT DECEIVE US, by promising us happiness in the paths of sin, while\nin reality such paths lead only to misery and destruction. [Matt. 7:13,\n14+]\n\nNOR LEAD US INTO ERROR AND UNBELIEF, and thus into ruin, since our\nsalvation depends on believing the truth as it is in Jesus; nor into\n\nDESPAIR; because we are lost if we despair of God's mercy, instead of\nbelieving His precious promises in Christ;\n\nAND OTHER GREAT AND SHAMEFUL SINS, in addition to the error, unbelief,\nand despair mentioned above.\n\n2. _That we may Overcome these Enemies and be saved_,\n\nAND THAT, THOUGH WE MAY BE THUS TEMPTED, WE MAY NEVERTHELESS FINALLY\nPREVAIL, AND GAIN THE VICTORY. The struggle against these enemies is a\nwarfare (the good fight of faith) [I Tim. 6:12+] which lasts to the end\nof our days. We dare never think that we are safe without further\nwatchfulness, effort, and prayer. [I Cor. 10:12+] If we sometimes fall,\nwe must not despair nor give up, but repent and determine to do better.\nIf we earnestly pray for God's help, arm ourselves with His Word, and\nbeware of false security, we shall be enabled to overcome these foes\nmore and more each day. [I Cor. 10:13] And when, at last, our end\napproaches and the warfare is over, God will give us the victory, and\nbestow upon us for Jesus' sake the crown of life. [Jas. 4:7, II Tim.\n4:7, 8]\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. Why do we pray this petition? 2. What do we mean by it?\n3. If we are in earnest in praying it, what will we not do? 4. In what\nsense does God tempt? 5. Who tempts us to sin? 6. What do we pray\nagainst these enemies? 7. How does the devil tempt us? the world? our\nown flesh? 8. How do they try to deceive us? 9. Into what do they try to\nmislead us? 10. How long must we fight against these enemies? 11. If we\nfall, what should we do? 12. How may we overcome these foes? 13. When\nonly shall we be completely victorious over them?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Prov. 1:10. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent\nthou not.\n\nRom. 8:7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not\nsubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.\n\nMatt. 7:13, 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate,\nand broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be\nwhich go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,\nwhich leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.\n\nI Tim. 6:12. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,\nwhereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession\nbefore many witnesses.\n\nI Cor. 10:12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.\n\nREADING.--Peter denying the Lord, Luke 22:54-62; or, The Temptation of\nJesus, Matt. 4:1-11.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXI.\n\nTHE SEVENTH PETITION.\n\n\nBut deliver us from evil.\n\n_What is meant by this Petition?_\n\nWe pray in this petition, as in a summary, that our heavenly Father\nwould deliver us from ail manner of evil, whether it affect the body or\nthe soul, property or character, and at last, when the hour of death\nshall arrive, grant us a happy end, and graciously take us from this\nworld of sorrow to Himself in heaven.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nAs in the sixth Petition we pray to be preserved from sinning, so in\nthis seventh Petition we pray to be delivered from all the evil which\nhas come upon our race as a consequence of sin.[10] But this petition\ncomes last, because we should be more anxious to be delivered from the\nsin itself, than from the evil results which follow upon it.\n\n[Footnote 10: There is a very close connection between the last two\npetitions, marked by the word \"But.\" \"Temptation will not cease until\ndeliverance from evil [and from the evil one] has come; and again, when\ndeliverance from evil has come, temptation will cease to assail\nus.\"--Luekrs.]\n\nWE PRAY IN PETITION AS IN A SUMMARY. All the petitions which precede it\nare included in this last one.\n\nTHAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WOULD DELIVER US FROM ALL MANNER OF EVIL:--\n\nI. IN THIS WORLD.\n\nWHETHER IT AFFECT THE BODY,--sickness, pain, hunger, thirst,\ndestitution,\n\nOR THE SOUL,--sin, impenitence, unbelief, sorrow, anxiety, care,\ndespondency, insanity, and the like,\n\nPROPERTY,--poverty, want, famine, fire, flood, wars, riots, etc.,\n\nOR CHARACTER,--disgrace, slander, and the like.\n\n_How we pray for this Deliverance_. God wills that we should sometimes\nsuffer affliction, in order that our repentance and faith may be\nincreased. [Isa. 48:10+, Rev. 3:19+, II Cor. 4:17, 18] Consequently, our\nprayer for deliverance from evil in this world is a prayer: 1. That,\nwhenever it is possible according to His will, God would ward off\naffliction from us. 2. That He would give us grace to bear patiently\nthose afflictions which He sends, [II Cor. 12:9+, Rom 8:28] and would\nmake them a blessing in disguise for us. 3. That in His own time He\nwould remove from us whatever distresses us. [I Sam. 2:6, 7]\n\nWe should not grow discouraged or despondent under affliction, but trust\nin God's mercy and bear our cross cheerfully. [Matt. 10:38] And we\nshould see to it that we do not, by our own sin and folly, bring upon\nourselves evils which might have been avoided.\n\nII. IN THE NEXT WORLD.\n\nIn this world we shall have to endure some evils as long as we live.\n[John 16:33] But if we are faithful, God will not only overrule them all\nfor our good, [Gen. 50:20] but will finally, at death, deliver us from\nall evil. [II Tim. 4:18]\n\nAND AT LAST, WHEN THE HOUR OF DEATH SHALL ARRIVE, GRANT US A HAPPY END.\nAn unhappy death is the worst of all evils. But a happy death will more\nthan compensate for all the evils endured in this world. [Rom. 8:18+] A\nhappy death will be ours, if we persevere in the faith and die in\nChrist. [Rev. 14:13+] For then God will pardon all our sins for Jesus'\nsake,\n\nAND GRACIOUSLY TAKE US FROM THIS WORLD OF SORROW TO HIMSELF IN HEAVEN.\n[Rev. 7:14-15] There all evils shall cease for ever. [Rev. 21:4+] For\nsin, and all that follows upon sin, shall be no more. In this entrance\ninto heaven at last, all our highest hopes and prayers shall find their\ncomplete and eternal fulfilment.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray for in this petition? 2. What connection\nexists between the sixth and seventh petitions? 3. Why is this petition\ncalled a summary? 4. From what kind of evils do we suffer in this world?\n5. How do we pray for deliverance from evil in this world? 6. When shall\nwe be completely delivered from all evil? 7. What is to be said about a\nhappy end? 8. Why shall we suffer from no evil in heaven?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Isa. 48:10. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with\nsilver: I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.\n\nRev. 3:19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous\ntherefore, and repent.\n\nII Cor. 12:9. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for\nmy strength is made perfect in weakness.\n\nRom. 8:18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not\nworthy to be compared with the glory which shall be repealed in us.\n\nRev. 14:13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth;\nYea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their\nworks do follow them.\n\nRev. 21:4. These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have\nwashed their robes, and made them, white in the blood of the Lamb.\nTherefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night\nin his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.\n\nREADING.--The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXII.\n\nTHE CONCLUSION.\n\n\nFor Thine Is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever and\never. Amen.\n\n_What is meant by the word \"Amen\"_?\n\nThat I should be assured that such petitions are acceptable to our\nheavenly Father, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us\nto pray in this manner, and has promised that He will hear us. Amen,\namen, that is, yea, yea, it shall be so.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nIn this Conclusion we give the reason why we address our prayer to our\nheavenly Father, and why we expect to be heard. It contains a Doxology,\nand an Amen.\n\nTHE DOXOLOGY.\n\nFOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM: Thou art King and Lord of all; [I Tim. 1:17]\nfrom Thee ail gifts must come. [Jas. 1:17]\n\nAND THE POWER: with Thee nothing is impossible; [Luke 1:37] Thou art\nable to do abundantly above all that we ask or think. [Eph. 3:20]\n\nAND THE GLORY: Thou art God alone, [Isa. 46:4] infinite in holiness,\npower, and love; to Thy name alone be all praise. [Ps. 115:1]\n\nFOR EVER AND EVER. The kingdoms of earth and their glory pass away; but\nThy kingdom and power and glory endure for evermore. [Dan. 4:3, Ps.\n145:11-13+]\n\nTHE AMEN.\n\nAMEN means Verily. By adding it to our prayer we express our assurance,\n\nTHAT SUCH PETITIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND ARE HEARD\nBY HIM. The petitions for temporal and spiritual blessings which we here\nbring before Him are the very ones which He desires us to present. [I\nJohn 5:14]\n\nFOR HE HIMSELF HAS TAUGHT US TO PRAY IN THIS MANNER, and to ask for\nthese things,\n\nAND HAS PROMISED THAT HE WILL HEAR US. [II Cor. 1:20] The promise is,\nthat whatsoever we ask in Christ's name shall be given to us. [John\n16:23] Hence we add at the end of our prayer: Amen, that is, it shall be\nso; God will answer our prayer. [Matt. 7:9-11]\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. Why do we add the conclusion to the Lord's Prayer? 2.\nWhat two parts does the conclusion contain? 3. What do we mean by\nsaying, \"Thine is the kingdom\"? the power? the glory? forever? 4. What\ndoes Amen mean? 5. Why do we add it to our prayer? 6. Why are we sure\nthat these petitions are acceptable to our heavenly Father? 7. What\npromise have we with respect to our prayers?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSE.--Ps. 145:13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and\nthy dominion endureth throughout all generations.\n\nREADING.--Asking and Receiving, Luke 11:5-13.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXIII.\n\nTHE MEANS OF GRACE.\n\n\nThe spiritual blessings spoken of in the Creed and asked for in the\nLord's Prayer are brought to us through the Means of Grace.\n\nWHAT THEY ARE. The Means of Grace are: 1. The Word of God, 2. The\nSacrament of Holy Baptism, 3. The Sacrament of the Altar. They are\ncalled the means of grace, because they are the means or vehicles\nthrough which God's grace comes to us. It is through the Word of God and\nthe Sacraments that the Holy Spirit does His work in us.\n\nTHE WORD OF GOD.\n\nTHE CHIEF MEANS OF GRACE is the Word of God. [I Pet. 1:23] For through\nit the Holy Spirit \"calls, enlightens, sanctifies, and preserves us in\nthe true faith.\" Even in the Sacraments, the principal thing is the Word\nof God with its command and promise; and without the Word of God there\nwould be no sacrament.\n\nITS POWER. The Holy Spirit is always in the Word, and gives it saving\npower. Through the Law and the Gospel which the Word contains, He brings\nto repentance and faith all those persons who do not wilfully resist His\ngrace. [Heb. 4:12] Through it He not only tells us what to do, but gives\nus the power to obey. [Eph 2:4, 5] Because He is in the Word, \"it is the\npower of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.\" [Rom 1:16]\n(Compare what is said concerning the Bible in Chapter I., and concerning\nthe Work of the Holy Spirit in Chapter XX.)\n\nTHE SACRAMENTS.\n\nWHAT A SACRAMENT IS. A sacrament is a holy ordinance, instituted by\nChrist, in which invisible heavenly gifts are bestowed upon us through\nthe use of visible earthly elements.\n\nHOW MANY THERE ARE. In the sense in which we use the word \"Sacrament\"\nthere are only two holy ordinances to which the name may be applied;\nnamely, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. For these are the only two which\npossess the three essentials of a sacrament: 1. The Command of Christ;\n2. The Use of Earthly Elements; 3. The Communication of a Heavenly\nGift.[11]\n\n[Footnote 11: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there are seven\nsacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Confession, the Lord's Supper,\nOrdination, Marriage, and Extreme Unction. But five of these lack one or\nmore of the essentials of a sacrament enumerated above.]\n\nOLD TESTAMENT TYPES. The rite of Circumcision, practised in Old\nTestament times, was a type of Baptism; and the Passover was a type of\nthe Lord's Supper.\n\nTHEIR PURPOSE. The sacraments have been given to us in order that they\nmight bring a special comfort to our souls, in addition to the comfort\nwhich we find in God's Word. For the Grace of God which is offered to\nall men in the Word, is brought and sealed to each believer\n_individually_ in the sacraments. My baptism assures me that all the\nblessings of Christ's redemption are meant for _me_: and the Lord's\nSupper assures me that Christ's body and blood were given and shed for\n_me_ for the remission of _my_ sins.\n\nFAITH NECESSARY. Without faith, no one can obtain any benefit from the\nsacraments. But he who believes receives the heavenly gifts offered in\nthem, and has the blessed assurance that he is a child of God and an\nheir of heaven.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. How are the spiritual blessings spoken of in the Creed\nand asked for in the Lord's Prayer brought to us? 2. What are the Means\nof Grace? 3. Why are they so called? 4. What is the chief means of\ngrace? 5. Why does the Word of God possess saving power? 6. What is a\nSacrament? 7. How many Sacraments are there? 8. What are the three\nessentials of a sacrament? 9. What is the purpose of the sacraments? 10.\nDoes every one who receives the sacraments derive a benefit from them?\n\nSCULPTURE READING.--The Man Born Blind, John 9:1-7.\n\n\n\n\nPART IV.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXIV.\n\nTHE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM\n\n\nI. _What is Baptism?_\n\nBaptism is not simply water, but it is the water comprehended in God's\ncommand, and connected with God's Word.\n\n_What is that Word of God?_\n\nIt is that which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as it is recorded in the\nlast chapter of Matthew, verse 19: \"Go ye, and teach (make disciples of)\nall nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and\nof the Holy Ghost.\"\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nWHAT BAPTISM IS.\n\nBaptism consists in applying water to a person \"in the name of the\nFather and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,\" as Christ has commanded.\n[Matt. 28:19]\n\nBAPTISM IS NOT SIMPLY WATER. In one sense, indeed, the water used in\nbaptism is simply ordinary water from well, cistern, or stream; [Acts\n8:36] but when used in baptism it ceases to be simply water, and\npossesses special value and power, because\n\nIT IS THE WATER COMPREHENDED IN GOD'S COMMAND. The water of baptism is a\nwater which God has commanded us to use,--His command being, \"Go ye and\nmake disciples of all nations, baptizing them,\" etc.\n\nAND CONNECTED WITH GOD'S WORD. In baptism, water is applied \"in the name\nof the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost\"; and thus it is used\nin connection, with the very words of Christ Himself. The water and the\nWord together make the sacrament.\n\nITS NECESSITY. Baptism is necessary for all, because Christ has\ncommanded that all should be baptized, and has connected the blessing of\nsalvation with this sacrament. [Matt. 16:16] Those who despise it and\nrefuse to be baptized, cannot be saved. But if any person should desire\nbaptism and be unable to obtain it, he would not on that account be\nlost. It is not the lack of baptism, but the despising of baptism that\ncondemns.\n\nBaptism is to be administered by the pastor. But if there should be\nextreme peril of death before a minister could possibly arrive, any\nmember of the Church may baptize. Such lay-baptism, however, should\nafterwards be announced in church, and be declared valid.\n\nWHO ARE TO BE BAPTIZED.\n\nThe command of Christ to \"make disciples\" includes \"all nations.\" All\nthose persons, therefore, who are willing to become disciples are to be\nbaptized; namely, adults who have received the proper religious\ninstruction and profess faith in Christ, and children whom competent\nsponsors present for baptism.\n\nINFANT BAPTISM. Infants should be baptized at a very early age, and thus\nbe received into God's covenant as His children. Since they cannot be\ninstructed before baptism, they should be carefully instructed\nafterwards [Matt. 28:20] and be brought up in the nurture and admonition\nof the Lord, [Eph. 6:4] so that they may always remain faithful and\nobedient children of God.\n\nSPONSORS answer the questions for the child at its baptism, and promise\nto see to it that the child is properly instructed and trained in the\nChristian religion. Sponsors must themselves be members in good standing\nin the Church.\n\nWHY CHILDREN SHOULD BE BAPTIZED.[12] As children were received into the\nOld Testament covenant by the rite of circumcision, which was a type of\nbaptism, so God desires that they shall be received into the New\nTestament covenant by baptism. Some of the reasons for infant baptism\nare the following:--\n\n[Footnote 12: Baptists sometimes argue against infant baptism on the\nbasis of the Scripture passage: \"Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing\nthem,\" etc., claiming that Christ says first teach and then baptize.\nBut, as a matter of fact, Christ mentions baptizing before teaching in\nthis passage. For in its correct translation, as given in the Revised\nVersion of the English Bible, it reads, \"Go ye therefore, and _make\ndisciples_ of all the nations, _baptizing_ them into the name of the\nFather and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; _teaching_ them to observe\nall things whatsoever I commanded you.\" If the order in which the two\nwords \"baptize\" and \"teach\" occur in this passage proved anything with\nrespect to the baptism of infants, it would prove that they _should_ be\nbaptized. For in the case of children, baptizing comes first and\nteaching follows, just as in the passage quoted.]\n\n1. Children form part of the \"nations\" whom Christ commanded His\ndisciples to baptize.\n\n2. They are by nature sinful and need God's grace as well as adults.\n[John 3:5, 6, Job 14:4] While they have not yet committed any conscious\ntransgressions, they have inherited a sinful heart, and the germs of sin\nin them will soon grow into actual transgressions.\n\n3. Christ has commanded that little children should be brought to Him,\nand we obey this command by baptizing them and teaching them. [Luke\n18:16]\n\n4. Christ says of children, \"Of such is the kingdom of God\": [Mark\n10:14, 15+] and they have a right, therefore, to receive that sacrament\nby which we enter God's kingdom.\n\n5. The promise of God's grace is given to children as well as to adults.\n[Acts 2:39]\n\n6. Children have capacity for faith. [Matt. 18:6]\n\n7. The apostles baptized whole families. [Acts 16:33]\n\nHOW BAPTISM IS TO BE ADMINISTERED.\n\nIn His command to baptize, Christ does not specify any mode of baptism.\nIt may be performed in any one of three ways; namely, by sprinkling,\npouring, or immersion. One mode of baptism is just as valid as the\nothers. The most convenient mode, the one best adapted to all\ncircumstances, and the one most widely used in the Christian Church, is\nby pouring or sprinkling. Immersion is not advisable in our climate, and\nin many cases, such as severe sickness, it could not possibly be\nemployed.\n\nIMMERSION NOT ESSENTIAL. The word \"baptize\" does not necessarily mean to\nimmerse, as the Baptists claim. When the Saviour instituted this\nsacrament, He did not coin a new word, but employed one already in use.\nThe original Greek word from which our English word \"baptize\" is\nderived, is used in the New Testament in the sense of washing [Mark 7:4]\nand sprinkling. [I Cor. 10:2] The baptism of the three thousand on the\nday of Pentecost [Acts 2:41] and of the Philippian jailor [Acts 16:33]\ncould hardly have been by immersion, on account of the scarcity of water\navailable for such a purpose. When Jesus was baptized, He \"came up out\nof the water\"; [Matt. 3:16] but it is quite probable that He stood in\nthe stream while John poured water on His head.\n\nTHE ESSENCE OF BAPTISM consists in applying water \"in the name of the\nFather and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost\"; and its gracious effect\ndepends, not on the amount of water that is used, but on the Word of God\nwith which the water is connected.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What does baptism consist in? 2. Why is baptism not\nsimply water? 3. What is meant by \"water comprehended in God's command\"?\n4. What is meant by \"water connected with God's Word\"? 5. What is to be\nsaid about the necessity of baptism? 6. Who are to be baptized? 7. What\nis to be said about infant baptism? 8. Who may be sponsors, and what is\ntheir duty? 9. Give some reasons for infant baptism. 10. What is to be\nsaid about the mode of baptism? 11. Why is immersion not essential? 12.\nIn what does the essence of baptism consist?\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--John 3:5, 6. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say\nunto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot\nenter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh;\nand that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.\n\nMark 10:14, 15. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said\nunto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them\nnot: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever\nshall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not\nenter therein.\n\nREADING.-The Baptism of Jesus, Matt. 3:13-17.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXV.\n\n\nII. _What gifts or benefits does Baptism confer?_\n\nIt works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and\nconfers everlasting salvation on all who believe, as the Word and\npromise of God declare.\n\n_What are such words and promises of God?_\n\nThose which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as they are recorded in the\nlast chapter of Mark, verse 16: \"He that believeth and is baptized shall\nbe saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.\"\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTHE BENEFITS OF BAPTISM.\n\nBaptism is God's means of receiving us into His covenant, and opening up\nto us all the treasures of Christ's redemption. Through this sacrament\nHe adopts us as His children and receives us into membership in His\nChurch. [Gal. 3:36, 27+] We are baptized in (into) the name of the\nFather (who sent His Son to save us), and of the Son (who died to redeem\nus), and of the Holy Ghost (who applies Christ's redemption to our\nsouls). Therefore every baptized person may say, \"God is _my_ Father,\nChrist is _my_ Redeemer, the Holy Ghost is _my_ Sanctifier, and all the\nbenefits of Christ's redemption are offered to _me_.\" Hence we declare\nof baptism, that\n\nIT WORKS FORGIVENESS OF SINS, [Acts 2:38+, Acts 22:16, Eph. 5:25, 26]\nDELIVERS FROM DEATH AND THE DEVIL, AND CONFERS EVERLASTING SALVATION.\nThese are the very benefits which Christ has acquired for me by His\ninnocent sufferings and death (see Article II, of the Creed, Chapter\nXIX.). And since I have been \"baptized into Christ's death,\" [Rom 6:3+]\nall these benefits belong to me if I only accept them by faith. [Mark\n16:16] I am regarded by God as having already suffered the full penalty\nof my sins in Christ's death, and for His sake I am pardoned and saved.\n\nON ALL WHO BELIEVE. Faith is the hand with which we grasp and hold fast\nthe treasures of God's grace offered in this sacrament. The benefits are\noffered to every one who is baptized, but they are accepted and\npossessed only by him who believes.\n\nAS THE WORD AND PROMISE OF GOD DECLARE. The benefits belong to all who\nare baptized and believe, because God has said so. [Numb. 23:19] He has\npromised, \"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.\"\n\nWITHOUT FAITH baptism will not save any one. \"He that believeth not\nshall be damned\" even though he is baptized. For while such a person has\nbeen adopted as God's child, he is a disobedient and rebellious child,\nand therefore is disinherited, and loses the heavenly inheritance [Pet.\n1:4] which would have been his, if he had remained faithful.\n\nBAPTISM PERMANENT. Baptism, once properly administered, is not to be\nrepeated. It is a permanent covenant between God and us. While men are\noften unfaithful to their covenant, God never is. [II Cor. 1:20, Rom.\n3:3] He bestows the blessings of baptism on all who comply with its\nconditions. Having received us by baptism as His children, He ever\nafterwards remains our loving heavenly Father, to whom we may turn with\nfullest confidence. And if any who have fallen from grace repent and\nseek His mercy, they find Him standing with open arms to receive them.\n[Luke 15:11-24] Such persons need not be re-baptized; their old baptism\nstands. A rebellious son who repents needs not to be re-adopted, but\nneeds only to be forgiven.\n\nIII. _How can water produce such great effects?_\n\nIt is not the water, indeed, that produces these effects, but the Word\nof God which accompanies and is connected with the water, and our faith\nwhich relies on the Word of God connected with the water. For the water\nwithout the Word of God is simply water, and no baptism. But when\nconnected with the Word of God, it is a baptism, that is, a gracious\nwater of life and a washing of regeneration in the Holy Ghost; as St.\nPaul says to Titus in the third chapter, verses 5-8: \"According to His\nmercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the\nHoly Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our\nSaviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs\naccording to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying.\"\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nWHY BAPTISM HAS POWER TO CONFER SUCH BENEFITS.\n\nIT IS NOT THE WATER, INDEED, THAT PRODUCES THESE EFFECTS. Water alone\ncannot wash away sins. Yet the water of baptism is necessary, because\nChrist has commanded its use, and has connected the promise of salvation\nwith it.\n\nBUT THE WORD OF GOD WHICH ACCOMPANIES AND IS CONNECTED WITH THE WATER.\nIt is the Word of God, with its command and promise, that makes baptism\na sacrament, and gives it power to confer such great benefits. [John\n6:63]\n\nAND OUR FAITH WHICH RELIES ON THE WORD OF GOD CONNECTED WITH THE\nWATER.[13] The baptism is a real baptism and offers these great benefits,\nwhether we believe or not. But the benefits become ours, only when we\nbelieve the promises of God. [Mark 16:16]\n\n[Footnote 13: The story of Naaman the leper (II Kings 5:8-14) illustrates\nhow water, the Word of God, and faith can produce great effects. It was\nnot the water of the Jordan that cured Naaman; yet he could not have\nbeen cured without the water, because the promise of healing was\nconnected with its use. When he _believed_ the Word of promise and used\nthe water as he was commanded, he was healed. So the water, the Word,\nand our faith, which trusts in the Word, cleanse us from the leprosy of\nsin.]\n\nIT IS A GRACIOUS WATER OF LIFE, because the Word and promise of God,\nwhich are connected with it, give it power to bestow life and salvation\non all who believe.\n\nAND A \"WASHING OF REGENERATION\" in the Holy Ghost, because it is the\nmeans through which the Holy Ghost causes us to be \"born again,\" as\nGod's children.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What does God do for us through baptism? 2. What may\nevery baptized person say? 3. What benefits does baptism confer? 4. Who\nhas acquired these benefits for you, and how? 5. Why do they become\nyours through baptism? 6. What has faith to do with the reception of\nthese benefits? 7. How do we know that baptism confers all these\nbenefits on all who believe? 8. What is to be said about those who are\nbaptized but do not believe? 9. What is to be said about the permanence\nof baptism? 10. Why has baptism power to confer such great benefits? 11.\nWhy is it a \"gracious water of life,\" and a \"washing of regeneration\"?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Gal. 3:26, 27. For ye are all the children of God by\nfaith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into\nChrist, have put on Christ.\n\nActs 2:38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one\nof you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye\nshall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.\n\nRom. 6:3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus\nChrist were baptized into his death?\n\nNumb. 23:19. God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of\nman, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or\nhath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?\n\nREADING.--Naaman, II Kings 5:1-14.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXVI.\n\n\nIV. _What does such baptising with water signify?_\n\nIt signifies that the old Adam in us is to be drowned and destroyed by\ndaily sorrow and repentance, together with all sins and evil lusts; and\nthat again the new man should daily come forth and rise, that shall live\nin the presence of God in righteousness and purity forever.\n\n_Where is it so written?_\n\nSt. Paul, in the epistle to the Romans, chapter 6, verse 4, says: \"We\nare buried with Christ by baptism into death; that like as He was raised\nup from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk\nin newness of life.\"\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTHE DUTY WHICH BAPTISM IMPOSES.\n\nBaptism bestows upon us the great privilege of being children of God;\nbut it also imposes upon us the duty to live and act as God's children.\nEvery one who is baptized promises, either with his own lips or through\nhis sponsors, that he will live thus. God is always faithful to His part\nof the baptismal covenant; we should always be faithful to ours. Our\nduty is two-fold:--\n\n1. THE OLD ADAM IN US IS TO BE DROWNED, DESTROYED BY DAILY SORROW AND\nREPENTANCE, TOGETHER WITH ALL AND EVIL LUSTS. By the \"old Adam in us\" is\nmeant our old sinful self, as we are by nature. For we are born into the\nworld with a sinful heart and a natural inclination to evil. This evil\nnature still clings to us even after we have been \"born again\" into\nsonship with God. [Rom. 7:18-24] This old sinful self, together with the\nsins and lusts to which it prompts us, must be suppressed, subdued, and\ngradually destroyed. [Eph. 4:22+, Gal. 5:24+] We should gain the mastery\nover it more and more every day. We shall do this, if we daily mourn\nover our sinfulness, and ask God for Christ's sake to grant us\nforgiveness and strength.\n\n2. THE NEW MAN SHOULD DAILY COME FORTH AND RISE, THAT SHALL LIVE IN THE\nPRESENCE OF GOD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PURITY FOREVER. By the \"new man\" is\nmeant our new self,--what we have become by the work of the Holy Spirit\nin us. For if we have been baptized and believe, there has been\nimplanted in us a new life. We have become new creatures, [II Cor. 5:17]\nwho by God's grace hate sin and desire from the heart to do God's will\nalone. As the old man in us should daily become weaker and gradually\ndie, so the new man in us should daily grow stronger, [Eph. 4:23, 24+,\nII Pet 3:18] and cause us to live in constantly increasing righteousness\nand purity here on earth, [Phil. 3:12+] till at last we are received\ninto God's presence for Jesus' sake, and live before Him in perfect\nrighteousness and purity forever.\n\nCONFIRMATION.\n\nThe rite of confirmation is closely connected with the baptism of\nchildren. For the children who have been baptized are afterwards to be\ntaught \"to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded\"; [Matt.\n28:20] and, when they have reached an age at which they are able to\nexamine themselves, they should be confirmed.\n\nPRECEDED BY INSTRUCTION. Confirmation is to be preceded by thorough\ninstruction in the doctrines and duties of the Christian religion. In\naddition to the instruction received in the home and the Sunday-school,\nthose who desire to be confirmed are specially instructed in the\ncatechetical class by the pastor. Confirmation is the Church's testimony\nthat the catechumens have received the necessary instruction to fit them\nfor intelligent and earnest participation in the full privileges of\nChurch membership. This instruction is the principal thing, and without\nit confirmation would lose its meaning.\n\nWHAT CONFIRMATION IS. In confirmation the catechumen makes no new\npromises, but repeats with his own lips the confession of faith and the\npromise of faithfulness to Christ which were made for him by his sponsor\nat his baptism. Thereupon the minister lays his hand upon the head of\neach catechumen, and the minister and congregation pray that God would\ngive to each His Holy Spirit to keep him in the faith and to cause him\nto grow in holiness.\n\nWHY WE CONFIRM. Confirmation is not commanded in the Scriptures, but is\na useful ordinance of the Church. It does not make us members of the\nChurch; for we become members by baptism; but it admits us to\n_communicant_ membership in the Church. Those who have been confirmed\nare admitted to the Lord's Supper. They are also entitled to act as\nsponsors at the baptism of children. The right to vote depends upon the\nconstitution of the particular congregation.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What duty does baptism impose? 2. In what two-fold way is\nthis duty to be performed? 3. What is meant by \"the old Adam in us\"? 4.\nWhat shall be done with our old sinful self? 5. How shall we succeed in\ngaining the mastery over it? 6. What is meant by the \"new man\"? 7. What\ndoes our new self prompt us to do? 8. What should the new man in us do?\n9. What is to be done with children who have been baptized? 10. By what\nis confirmation to be preceded? 11. What is to be said about the\nimportance of this instruction? 12. Tell what confirmation is? 13. Why\ndo we confirm? 14. What privileges does confirmation confer?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--Eph. 4:22. That ye put off concerning the former\nconversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful\nlusts.\n\nGal. 5:24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the\naffections and lusts.\n\nEph. 4:24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in\nrighteousness and true holiness.\n\nPhil. 3:12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already\nperfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also\nI am apprehended of Christ Jesus.\n\nREADING.--The Lame Man of Bethesda, John 5:1-14.\n\n\n\n\nPART V.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXVII.\n\nTHE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR.\n\n\nI. _What is the Sacrament of the Altar?_\n\nIt is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread\nand wine, given unto us Christians to eat and to drink, as it was\ninstituted by Christ Himself.\n\n_Where is it so written?_\n\nThe holy evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, together with St. Paul,\nwrite thus: \"Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was\nbetrayed, took bread: and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and\ngave it to His disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body, which is\ngiven for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also\nHe took the cup when He had supped, gave thanks, and gave it to them,\nsaying, Drink ye all of it: this cup is the New Testament in My blood,\nwhich is shed for you, for the remission of sins: this do, as oft as ye\ndrink it, in remembrance of Me.\"\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nITS NAMES. This sacrament is called: 1. The Sacrament of the Altar,\nbecause it is administered at the altar. 2. The Lord's Supper, because\nit was instituted by the _Lord_ while the disciples were eating the\nPassover _Supper_. 3. The Table of the Lord, because the Lord here gives\nfood and drink to our souls. 4. The Communion, because it is a communion\nof bread and wine with the body and blood of Christ, a communion of\nbelievers with Christ, and a communion of believers with one another. 5.\nThe Eucharist--a name derived from a Greek word meaning to give\nthanks--because the administration of the Lord's Supper is attended with\nthanksgiving.\n\nWHAT THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR IS.\n\nThe Lord's Supper was instituted by OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE SAME NIGHT\nIN WHICH HE WAS BETRAYED, while He and the disciples were eating the\nPassover Supper. [I Cor. 11:23-25, Matt. 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke\n22:19-20] What the Lord's Supper is, we learn from the words of Christ\nHimself as given by the evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and by St.\nPaul.\n\nTHE EARTHLY ELEMENTS. The Lord TOOK BREAD, AND WHEN HE HAD GIVEN THANKS,\nHE BROKE IT AND GAVE IT TO HIS DISCIPLES. AFTER THE SAME MANNER ALSO HE\nTOOK THE CUP containing the wine, WHEN HE HAD SUPPED, GAVE THANKS, AND\nGAVE IT TO THEM. The earthly elements used in this sacrament are,\ntherefore, bread and wine. The wafers which are generally used in\nLutheran Churches are unleavened bread--the kind which Christ\nused--because at the time of the Passover no other but unleavened bread\ndared be used by the Jews. The wine which Christ used was real wine, not\nunfermented grape juice. We are not permitted to substitute anything\nelse in place of the earthly elements used by Christ in instituting this\nsacrament.\n\nTHE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. When Christ gave His disciples the bread,\nHE SAID, TAKE, EAT; THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU. When He\ngave them the wine, HE SAID, DRINK YE ALL OF IT; THIS CUP IS THE NEW\nTESTAMENT IN MY BLOOD, WHICH IS SHED FOR YOU FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.\nConsequently, when we receive the bread in this sacrament, we receive\nalso the body of Christ; and when we receive the wine, we receive also\nthe blood of Christ. And we say of the Sacrament of the Altar, that\n\nIT IS THE TRUE BODY AND BLOOD OF OUR LORD CHRIST, UNDER (along with) THE\nBREAD AND WINE, GIVES UNTO US CHRISTIANS TO EAT TO AS IT WAS INSTITUTED\nBY HIMSELF. The bread and wine _do not simply represent_ the body and\nblood of Christ (Zwingli's view). The bread and wine are _not changed\ninto_ the body and blood of Christ (the Roman Catholic view, or\ntransubstantiation). The bread and wine are not united with the body\nand blood of Christ into a third substance different from both\n(consubstantiation). The bread and wine remain real bread and wine\nthroughout the administration of the Lord's Supper. [I Cor. 11:28] But\nthere is a communion of the bread and wine with the body and blood of\nChrist, [I Cor. 10:16+] so that when the communicant receives the bread\nhe receives also the body of Christ, and when he receives the wine, he\nreceives also the blood of Christ. The bread and wine are the earthly\nvehicles through which the heavenly gift of Christ's body and blood,\nwhich were given, and shed for us for the remission of sins, are\ncommunicated to us. [I Cor. 10:28, 29]\n\nDOCTRINES COMPARED. The Reformed, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic doctrines\nof the Lord's Supper may be compared and illustrated thus:--\n\nReformed.    Lutheran.     Roman Catholic.\n\nBread.      Bread-Body.      Body.\nWine.       Wine-Blood.      Blood.\n\nAccording to the Reformed view, only bread and wine are present;\naccording to the Roman Catholic[14] view, only the body and blood of\nChrist are present; according to the Lutheran and Scriptural doctrine,\nboth the bread and wine and the body and blood of Christ are present in\nthe Holy Supper, and are received by every communicant.\n\n[Footnote 14: Because of its false doctrine concerning the Lord's Supper,\nthe Roman Catholic Church has fallen into these additional errors: 1.\nThe Sacrifice of the Mass, in which the priest, by blessing the bread\nand wine, is supposed to turn them into the body and blood of Christ,\nand thus to offer an unbloody sacrifice of Christ which is as effective\nas Christ's death on the cross. 2. The Withholding of the cup from the\nlaity, lest a single drop of Christ's blood should be spilled. 3. The\nElevation of the Host, in which the wafer or host is adored as the body\nof Christ.]\n\nA GREAT MYSTERY. The Lord's Supper is a great mystery; but also a great\ncomfort. We cannot understand how Christ can give us His body and blood\nin this sacrament. But it is the part of faith to take the Saviour at\nHis word. This the Lutheran Church does in her doctrine.\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. By what different names is this sacrament known and why?\n2. From what do we learn what the Lord's Supper is? 3. What is to be\nsaid about the earthly elements? 4. When Christ gave His disciples the\nbread and the wine, what did He say? 5. What do we receive, therefore,\nin the Lord's Supper? 6. What is to be said about Zwingli's view? 7.\nWhat is to be said about the Roman Catholic view, and what is it called?\n8. What other false doctrine besides these two is to be rejected? 9. How\nmay the Reformed, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic doctrines of the Lord's\nSupper be compared? 10. Is the true doctrine to be rejected because we\ndo not understand it?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Cor. 10:16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is\nit not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break,\nis it not the communion of the body of Christ?\n\nREADING.--The Institution of the Lord's Supper, Matt. 26:17-30.\n\nII. _What benefits are derived from such eating and drinking?_\n\nThey are pointed out in these words: \"given and shed for you, for the\nremission of sins\"; namely, through these words, the remission of sins,\nlife and salvation are granted unto us in the sacrament. For where there\nis remission of sins, there are also life and salvation.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTHE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM THE LORD'S SUPPER.\n\nThe benefits offered in this sacrament and bestowed upon all who receive\nit In faith ARE POINTED OUT IN THESE WORDS of the institution: \"GIVEN\nAND SHED FOR YOU, FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.\" Accordingly, the benefits\nare: \"REMISSION OF SINS, LIFE AND SALVATION.\" For while only the\nremission (forgiveness) of sins is mentioned in the institution, yet\nWHERE THERE IS REMISSION OF SINS, THERE ARE ALSO LIFE AND SALVATION.\n[Rom. 6:22] The Lord's Supper confers all the benefits which Christ\nsecured by His sufferings and death. [Eph. 1:7] Each communicant is\nassured by the words of Christ Himself that the body which he receives\nalong with the bread was given for _him_, and that the blood which he\nreceives along with the wine was shed for _him_, for the remission of\n_his_ sins. The promise of grace and forgiveness held out to all in the\nGospel is thus brought home to each individual in the Lord's Supper.\nEach believing communicant is individually assured that Christ is _his_\nSaviour, and that _he_ has the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation\nthrough Christ's death.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nIII. _How can the bodily eating and drinking produce such great\neffects?_\n\nThe eating and the drinking, indeed, do not produce them; but the words\nwhich stand here, namely, \"given and shed for you for the remission of\nsins.\" These words are, besides the bodily eating and drinking, the\nchief things in the sacrament; and he who believes these words has that\nwhich they declare and set forth; namely, the remission of sins.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nWHY THE LORD'S SUPPER HAS POWER TO CONFER SUCH BENEFITS.\n\nTHE EATING AND THE DRINKING, INDEED, DO NOT PRODUCE SUCH GREAT EFFECTS.\nFor bread and wine have no power in themselves to bestow spiritual\nblessings.\n\nBUT THE WORDS WHICH STAND HERE, \"GIVEN AND SHED FOR YOU, FOR THE\nREMISSION OF SINS.\" It is the Word of God which gives the sacrament its\npower. [John 6:63] For Christ has commanded us to use the bread and wine\nin this way, and has connected the promise of forgiveness with their\nuse. Without the Word, there would be nothing but bread and wine. But\nChrist fulfils the promise which He has bound up with the BODILY EATING\nAND DRINKING, and gives us, with the bread and the wine, His body and\nblood which were given and shed for us for the remission of sins.\n\nAND HE WHO BELIEVES THESE WORDS HAS THAT WHICH THEY DECLARE, [Matt.\n8:13] NAMELY, THE REMISSION OF SINS. Forgiveness of sins, life, and\nsalvation are offered to all who partake of this sacrament, but they are\naccepted and possessed only by those who believe. The impenitent and\nunbelieving, if they come to the Lord's Table, receive the body and\nblood of Christ also, but they receive it to their condemnation, because\nthey do not receive it with a penitent and believing heart. [I Cor\n11:29+]\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nIV. _Who is it that receives this sacrament worthily?_\n\nFasting and bodily preparation are, indeed, a good external discipline;\nbut he is truly worthy and well prepared who believes these words:\n\"given and shed for you, for the remission of sins.\" But he who does not\nbelieve these words or who doubts, is unworthy and unfit; for the words\n\"for you\" require truly believing hearts.\n\nHOW THE LORD'S SUPPER IS TO BE RECEIVED.\n\nThose who come to the Lord's Table must prepare themselves to come\n_worthily_, if they would receive the benefits offered in this\nsacrament. [I Cor. 11:28+, II Cor. 13:5]\n\nFASTING AND BODILY PREPARATION ARE INDEED A GOOD EXTERNAL DISCIPLINE.\nFasting before the Lord's Supper is not required. It may be practiced by\nthose who desire to do so, if they do it in order to fit themselves for\na more earnest participation in the Holy Supper, and not with the idea\nthat fasting constitutes a merit, The true preparation for the Lord's\nSupper is not bodily, but spiritual. [Joel 2:13+]\n\nHE IS TRULY WORTHY AND WELL-PREPARED, WHO BELIEVES THESE WORDS, \"GIVEN,\nAND FOR YOU, FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.\" We are to come worthily, not in\nthe sense of deserving, but of earnestly _desiring_ the benefits offered\nin the sacrament. We come worthily when we come with penitent and\nbelieving heart, [Ps. 51:17+, Matt. 11:28+] lamenting our sins, longing\nfor forgiveness and for strength to do better, and believing the words\nspoken to us, \"given and shed for _thee_ for the remission of sins.\"\n\nTHE CONFESSIONAL SERVICE. The administration of the Lord's Supper is\nalways preceded by the service of confession and absolution, so that\nthose who desire to come to the Lord's Table may prepare themselves to\ncome worthily. At this service we make a public confession of our sins,\nof our faith in Christ our Saviour, and of our earnest determination by\nGod's grace to lead a holy life. Since Christ has conferred upon the\nChurch the Power of the Keys, saying, \"Whosesoever sins ye remit, they\nare remitted, unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are\nretained,\" [John 20:23] the minister uses this power and pronounces the\nabsolution. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy\nGhost he declares to all who truly repent and believe, the entire\nforgiveness of all their sins. On the other hand, to all who are\nimpenitent and unbelieving he declares, that their sins are retained so\nlong as they do not come to true repentance and faith.\n\nOur Church does not require private confession of sins to the pastor;\nbut if any one is troubled in conscience, and desires to make confession\nto the minister and to obtain the comfort of an absolution pronounced\nspecially upon him, there is provision for private confession and\nabsolution. Such private confessions are regarded by every true pastor\nas sacredly confidential. (See the \"Questions on Confession,\" which form\none of the additions to the Five Principal Parts of the Catechism.)\n\nQUESTIONS.--1. What are the benefits derived from the Lord's Supper? 2.\nWhere are they pointed out? 3. How have these benefits been secured for\nus? 4. What assurance does each communicant receive? 5. Why has the\nLord's Supper power to confer such benefits? 6. Does every communicant\nreceive the benefits offered? 7. How is the Lord's Supper to be\nreceived? 8. What is to be said about fasting as a preparation? 9. What\nis the true preparation? 10. What is meant by receiving the Lord's\nSupper worthily? 11. Describe the confessional service? 12. What is to\nbe said about private confession and absolution?\n\nSCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Cor. 11:29. For he that eateth and drinketh\nunworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the\nLord's body.\n\nI Cor. 11:28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that\nbread, and drink of that cup.\n\nJoel 2:13. And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the\nLORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of\ngreat kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.\n\nPs. 51:17. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.\n\nMatt. 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I\nwill give you rest.\n\nREADING.--The Wedding Garment, Matt. 22:1-14.","title":"An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":51425}