Mercy Shown-Justice Satisfied: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 4

Q: 9. Does not God then do injustice to man, by requiring from him in his law, that which he cannot perform?

A: Not at all, for God made man capable of performing it; but man, by the instigation of the devil,  and his own willful disobedience, deprived himself and all his posterity of those divine gifts.

Q: 10. Will God suffer such disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished?

A: By no means, but is terribly displeased  with our original as well as actual sins; and will punish them in his just judgment temporally and eternally,  as he has declared, "Cursed is every one that continues not in all things, which are written in the book of the law, to do them."

Q: 11. Is not God then also merciful?

A: God is indeed merciful,  but also just;  therefore his justice requires, that sin which is committed against the most high majesty of God, be also punished with extreme, that is, with everlasting punishment of body and soul.

It is tempting to believe that at the cross mercy triumphed over justice. We all stood condemned. God because he was such a nice God and did not want men to go to Hell, pulled a fast one and sent Jesus to earth so men could be let off the hook. And poof, mercy trumps judgment. Like a magic eraser, God takes away ours sins. But if that occurred, if God allowed the debt of sin to pass unpaid for, then God is not just. He is a trickster, who says sin is really, really bad, but I can just wipe it away without payment being made.

The Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 4 gets at a problem that most of us do not consider. What about the justice of God? We often think on God's grace shown to us at the cross. We know we are miserable, wretched sinners separated from God. We also know at the cross that Jesus dealt with our sins.  We focus on the mercy of God. You can see that assumption woven into Question 11. Questions 9 and 10 focus on judgement and wrath and the loss of divine gifts. But we say, "Is not God then also merciful?" In other words, "Doesn't God's mercy do away with all that punishment and wrath?"  Or we could say, "Doesn't mercy triumph over justice?"

The Heidelberg's answer is no. Mercy does not triumph over justice. God does not say, "Well mercy wins. Therefore now your sins are gone." He does not magically remove our sins. As the next question states:

Q: 12. Since then, by the righteous judgment of God, we deserve temporal and eternal punishment, is there no way by which we may escape that punishment, and be again received into favor?

A: God will have his justice satisfied and therefore we must make this full satisfaction, either by ourselves, or by another.

God's justice must be satisfied. At the cross, Jesus fully satisfied the demands of God's justice. Why is it mercy? Because the Innocent stood in for the guilty. It is not mercy because God decided to make our sins magically disappear or decided to overlook how bad we were. They were really and truly paid for.

Why does this matter?

First, it matters for the character of God. This is part of Paul's argument in Romans 3. How can a righteous God allow unrighteous men into his presence and not compromise his righteous? Here is Paul's answer:

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:21-26).

Paul says that God sent Jesus as a propitiation so God might be just (righteous) and the justifier, that is the one who makes men righteous. If God let sin slide with a wink, wink then he is unrighteous and wicked. His holiness demands that sin be paid for. Jesus did that. Therefore God is righteous and can make us righteous.

Second, it clarifies what happened to Christ at the cross. He did not die just as an example to us or to be a pipeline for God's mercy. He did not just die to overcome death. He hung on the cross so our sins might be laid upon him. He took our sins. Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. This is why we love Jesus. He did what we could not. He took God's justice so we might be ushered back into God's presence.

Finally, it matters for our understanding of our salvation. We can be confident that we are saved because our sins are actually paid for by Christ. They are not sitting out there, hidden away somewhere.  They have been actually taken away, actually paid for. Imagine you owed a huge debt, millions of dollars. Someone comes to you and says, "I took care of that." Oh you mean you paid it off. No. I just took care of it. Would that make you comfortable? Would you sleep easier knowing it was "taken care of" but not paid off? My guess is no. What you need to know is that the debt is gone never to be heard from again. That is what Christ did. Jesus our substitute took our sins upon himself and fully satisfied the justice of God. All of our sins are taken away in Christ.

We think often about the mercy of God and the kindness shown to us at the cross.  But the justice of God is just as important. If God is not just then our salvation unravels. How can we trust a God who does not righteously deal with sin? How can we trust that we are truly saved if our sins have not been paid for? The cross is not a place where mercy and justice fought and mercy won. At the cross God showed us mercy by sending his Son to fully to satisfy his justice. Mercy shown. Justice satisfied. Salvation accomplished.

The First Prayer: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 47

What is our first priority in prayer? When we pray what is the main goal? Jesus helps us answer this question by placing "Hallowed be your name" at the beginning of the Lord's Prayer. Here, at the very beginning of our fundamental prayer, our Lord tells us that the main concern in our prayers should be that God's name would be hallowed. That God would be worshiped and glorified and praised by our thoughts, words, and lives, as well as all peoples and nations around the world is our first prayer. Jesus will go on to tell us to pray for his kingdom to come and his will to be done. One author noted that this works backward. As God's will is done, his kingdom is made manifest, and then his name is hallowed.

I pray for many things. I pray for my children, my church, my physical needs, my leaders, my parents, and my in-laws. But only rarely do I focus those prayers towards hallowing God's name. Usually these prayers are about what God provides us, not what we are supposed to give to God. How would our prayer lives change if our primary concern, our first prayer, was that God's name, that is his character and works, would be glorified?

Which bring us to this week's Heidelberg Catechism reading says:

Q: 122. Which is the first petition?

A: "Hallowed be thy name"; that is, grant us, first, rightly to know you, and to sanctify, glorify and praise you, in all thy works, in which thy power, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy and truth, are clearly displayed; and further also, that we may so order and direct our whole lives, our thoughts, words and actions, that thy name may never be blasphemed, but rather honored and praised on our account. 

If we were to break this down here is what that first petition is asking.

First, that we might rightly know God. We should study God. Theology is a Christian duty.  Knowing God is our great aim.

Second that we might sanctify, glorify and praise God for all his wonderful works and how those works show forth His character.  What God does tells us who God is.  When we read about his wonderful deeds it should direct us back to his wonderful character, which in turn should lead to unceasing praise. 

Third, that we should live in such a way that God's name is honored on our account and not blasphemed. We can curse God with our lives as well as our tongues. Look at how it is phrased. "Order and direct our whole lives..." Those words mean we are intentional and deliberate about what we do. We think about how God can be glorified by our actions. It does not just happen.

How would our prayer lives change if the glory of God's name was our priority?  Would our requests change? Yes, I think they would.  Would our attitude change? Yes, that would change as well. Would our lives and the lives of those around us change? Certainly.  In short when we seek God's glory above all else in prayer we become consumed by the one thing that ultimately matters; that our Father, who has redeemed us and in that redemption shown his goodness, should be praised and glorified by all men everywhere. 

Kevin DeYoung summarizes it this way:

Our Father in heaven, the concern nearest to my heart and the one that shapes all other requests is that Your name would be regarded as holy, that Your fame would be heralded in the earth, that You would be honored among the nations, that Your glory would be magnified for all to see. O Lord, be pleased to cause men everywhere to take pleasure in You, that you might be praised now and forever.

Calvin says this about the first petition:

To summarize: we should wish God to have the honor He deserves; men should never speak or think of him without the highest reverence...His sternness no less than his leniency should lead us to  praise him, seeing that he has engraved marks of his glory upon a manifold diversity of works, and this rightly calls forth praises from every tongue... But the petition is directed also to this end: that all impiety which has besmirched this holy name may perish and be wiped out; that all detractions and mockeries  which dim this hallowing or diminish may be banished; and that in silencing all sacrileges, God may shine forth more and more in his majesty.

How do your prayers need to change so that hallowing God's name is the priority when you kneel?

Prayer from the Heart: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 45

All Christian catechisms work through three key parts of the Christian faith: the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer. These three teaching tools were used for generations to ground Christians in the basics of what it means to be a Christian. The Heidelberg Catechism is no different. The Apostles' Creed it taught from questions 20-58. The Ten Commandments are taught from questions 92-115. The Lord's Prayer is taught from questions 116-129. Lord's Day 45 begins the teaching on the Lord's Prayer:

Q 116. Why do Christians need to pray? 

A. Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us. And also because God gives his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking God for them.

Q 117. What is the kind of prayer that pleases God and that he listens to? 

A. First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, revealed to us in his Word, asking for everything God has commanded us to ask for. Second, we must fully recognize our need and misery, so that we humble ourselves in God's majestic presence. Third, we must rest on this unshakable foundation: even though we do not deserve it, God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord. That is what God promised us in his Word.

Q 118. What did God command us to pray for? 

A. Everything we need, spiritually and physically, as embraced in the prayer Christ our Lord himself taught us.

Q. What is this prayer? 

A. Our Father who art in Heaven....

The Heidelberg Catechism is one of the warmest, most pastoral catechisms out there. This section on the Lord's Prayer is no exception.  Let me draw out a few points for you. 

Prayer is the single most important way we express gratitude to God. Without a healthy, vibrant prayer life you can be sure you are living an ungrateful life. Kevin DeYoung says, "We pray out of gratitude."  The Heidelberg says that the Christian life is one of "expressing our gratitude to God for our deliverance" (Question 2). A life of prayer is a life of thanksgiving to the Lord for his many big and small gifts. 

Look at question 117.  What a rich theology of prayer in such a short paragraph!  It tells us that prayer must be sincere, from the heart. Remember the Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14).  He prayed, but not from the heart. When we enter God's presence we should ask him to help us approach him with sincerity of heart. 

Prayer also must be to the true God "revealed to us in his Word." That means we cannot pray to some vague deity or god. True prayer is directed solely at the God of Scripture. Many men pray. And God will hear those prayers from time to time. But only those who pray to the God of Scripture can be assured of having his ear. 

We pray when we recognize we are miserable sinners deserving nothing and when we see that God is majestic.  Seeing our blindness, nakedness, poverty, and sinfulness leads us to prayer. If believe we are really fine without God then why pray (Revelation 3:17-18). Proud men do not truly pray because they do not bend the knee to God. They do not need God. They may pretend to pray. Their mouths may utter prayers that sound wonderful. But they are not humble in God's presence and therefore they are not really praying. 

We know we will be heard. But this is not because we deserve to be heard. God is not in debt to us to provide us with something or to listen. However, the work of Jesus Christ and the promises attached to His work in the Scriptures provide us with an "unshakable foundation." Our Lord Jesus Christ left heaven, was born under the law, suffered at the hands of wicked men, was crucified, died and was buried. He rose again on the third day. All of this was done so we could "come boldly to the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16). Christ's work attached to the promises given in the Scriptures guarantee that our Father will hear our prayers. 

Finally, we are to ask for everything we need for body and soul. My children are rarely afraid to ask me for anything. They will ask for second helping of dessert, a third bowl of cereal, or more money. They do not always get these things, but they ask for them.  But I am glad they feel the freedom to ask for anything.  That should be our attitude toward our Father in heaven. What do you need? Do you need money? Ask him. Do you need a friend? Ask him. Do you need peace? Ask him. Do you need a husband or wife? Ask him. Do you need to overcome a persistent sin? Ask him. He will not always answer us in the way we want. But he will always hear.  And he is always delighted when his children come to him with their needs. 

I close with a few quotes from John Calvin (Institutes III:XX) on prayer. 

It is, therefore, by the benefit of prayer that we reach those riches which are laid up for us with the Heavenly Father.

We dig up by prayer the treasure that were pointed out by the Lord's gospel, and which our faith gazed upon.

Since no man is worthy to present himself to God an come into his sight, the Heavenly Father himself, to free us at once from free and shame, which might well have thrown our hearts into despair, has given us his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to be our advocate and mediator with him, by whose guidance we may confidently come to him, and with such an intercessor, trusting nothing we ask in his name will be denied us, as nothing can be denied him by the Father.

Love of Money and the Eighth Commandment:Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 42

Is there any of the Ten Commandments that gets less publicity than the eighth?  We know about breaking the Sabbath, taking God's name in vain, not honoring authorities, murder, adultery, coveting, and even bearing false witness has gotten some press lately. But theft? Who worries about stealing these days? Isn't it odd that an age preoccupied with money and possessions worries so little about the eighth commandment? 

The Heidelberg Catechism reading for this Sunday is on the eighth commandment. 

Q. What does God forbid in the eighth commandment?

A. God forbids not only outright theft and robbery, punishable by law. But in God's sight theft also includes all scheming and swindling in order to get our neighbor's goods for ourselves, whether by force or means that appear legitimate, such as inaccurate measurements of weight, size, or volume; fraudulent merchandising; counterfeit money; excessive interest; or any other means forbidden by God. In addition God forbids all greed and pointless squandering of his gifts.

 Q. What does God require of you in this commandment?

A. That I do whatever I can for my neighbor's good, that I treat others as I would like them to treat me, and that I work faithfully so that I may share with those in need.

G.I. Williamson begins where we should: What are the lawful ways to get money? He lists three ways. 

1. Inheritance-Money and possessions can be passed down to us from our parents. 

2. Gifts-Someone can freely give us money or possessions. 

3. Earning-We can get money through a lawful vocation. 

Money earned any other way is not lawful according to Williamson. I am not sure he covers everything (what about interest on savings), but it is a good start. Theft is anything that does not fit one of these three categories. 

Stating the Obvious

The eight commandment along with the rest of the teaching in Scripture is clear that we can actually own things. Private property is Biblical. The idea of communal goods is not taught in the Scripture. Nor is the idea that one person should be forced to give to another. Giving and generosity is a Biblical idea. But forced giving, whether by the government or someone else. is just a fancy way of stealing. 

What is Forbidden?

This commandment forbids all injustice or even the desire to do an injustice to another human as regards their possessions. Straight theft is of course forbidden. When I go and steal a car, a candy bar from the store, or my sister's doll then I am stealing. But many of us are sneakier than this. We swindle and scheme as the catechism says. We cheat our employer by spending our days on Youtube. We fudge on expense reports. We leave an hour early, but claim we worked the whole day. We take a small amount of money that isn't ours and think nothing of it because it was just a little bit. We sell a low quality product for a high quality price. We promise our children money and forget to pay up or make excuses for not doing so.  We charge excessive interest to people who are desperate for a loan. We claim we are giving a "gift" of money but in reality we are giving a loan that we will collect interest on later. We shade our resume a certain direction to get a higher wage.  On and on it goes. The human heart has no boundaries on the ways we can come up with to get more than we have earned or to cheat someone else out of what is rightfully their's. 

Then you have means of theft that are "legitimate." Here we find employers who promise employees a certain wage, but through technicalities refuse to pay. We have older employees fired or let go before they reach retirement so the company does not have to pay out as much. We have the government's constant printing of more money thus reducing the value of the money we currently have. We have changes in laws that make us poorer. Welfare and all government programs like it , despite being legal, are a form of theft. Many times theft is accomplished with the full consent of the law. All the "ts" are crossed and all the "is" are dotted. But it is still theft. 

Why Do We Steal? 

Theft is usually motivated by two things that often interlock; greed and laziness. We want what we do not have and are not willing to lawfully work to get it.  A third leg might be jealousy. This is what drives many of the policies of theft that the government uses. The rich in the government stir up jealousy among the poor (it isn't fair) in order to take from the rich in the private sector. In the end the rich in the government get richer, while the private sector rich get poorer and the poor stay poor. There is more than that going on.  But that is certainly part of it. The Bible calls this the love of money, the love of our stuff. We steal or want to steal because we love our stuff more than we love God and our neighbor. 

Kevin DeYoung rightly says, "It is impossible to give a one-sentence summary of the Bible's perspective on money. But it is possible to give a one sentence summary on what God thinks about loving money. The love of money is a very, very bad thing." 

One sign that we are greedy and lazy is we are always looking for a quick fix financially. 

Squandering God's Gifts

The catechism tells us that this commandment does not just forbid theft, but also the squandering of God's good gifts. We are stewards of what God has given to us. He wants us to use our possessions wisely. Good stewardship is not easy in our day, mainly because we have so much. If we were scraping for food we would not be as tempted to throw food away. If I had no easy way of getting a winter coat, I would save and scrap until I knew I would be warm come January. But few, if any of us, are in this scenario. We can waste and still pay the bills, have warm clothes, eat nice meals, etc.

How can we be good stewards? Here are a couple of quick pointers. 

First, tithe to the church. Money given to the Lord is good stewardship. 

Second, pay your bills and provide for your family. There is balance between luxury and being too stingy. Provide well for your family. This does not mean they need a BMW and a 5,000 square foot home. But is also doesn't mean eating rice five nights a week. 

Third, be generous. Most of us have money left over after we do the two things above. Our temptation is usually to pour that money back into ourselves through things like savings and home improvements. I would encourage generosity before that. Can you give 20%? Does someone at church need a little extra? Is there a missionary you know who could use a nice care package? 

Fourth, save for the future. A wise man saves money because he knows things go wrong. Cars break down. Water heaters burn out. Jobs are lost. Why do I put saving behind generosity? This is the priority the Scriptures set. As long as generosity is not equated with the throwing money away with little thought or wisdom you can be generous and still save. But remember generosity should hurt, at least some to the time. If your giving never hurts then you are probably saving too much,. 

Frugal and Still Loving Money

Frugality has reached epic proportions in our age.  From clipping coupons, points on our credit cards, reward programs, garage sales, and reselling our used items we are all looking for ways to save money.  Does frugality equal holiness though? It can be a good use of our resources.  But there is a danger here as well. Frugality can be a cover for our love of money.  We put our frugality in "righteous" terms. We are being "good stewards." We are "wisely" using our money. We quote Bible verses about how important it is to be prudent with our money. And all this is true. But our hearts are easily deceived. Too many folks claim to be prudent with their money when the truth is that they are greedy and rarely sacrifice for others. They carefully manage their money not to give more (Eph. 4:28), but to protect themselves from harm. 

Then End of the Matter

Work hard. Be completely honest in all your business dealings whether formal or informal. Keep your financial promises no matter how small. Never excuse theft, lying, cheating, deceit, or swindling of any kind. Tithe. Provide for those in your care. Give generously to those around you. Save. But above all fight the greed in your own heart. Guard your heart against the love of money (Prov. 27:20, I Timothy 6:10). 

Other Blog Posts on the Heidelberg Catechism

Lord's Day 41-Adultery

Lord's Day 35-Carved Images

Lord's Day 26-Baptism & the Forgiveness of Sins

Sexual Purity & the Seventh Commandment: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 41

This Sunday is the 41st Lord's Day in 2015. The Heidelberg Catechism reading for this Sunday is:

Q. What does the seventh commandment teach us?

A. That God condemns all unchastity, and that therefore we should thoroughly detest it and live decent and chaste lives, within or outside of the holy state of marriage.

 Q. Does God, in this commandment, forbid only such scandalous sins as adultery?

A. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, body and soul, and God wants both to be kept clean and holy. That is why God forbids all unchaste actions, looks, talk, thoughts, or desires, and whatever may incite someone to them.

Kevin DeYoung sets the stage by saying:

Is there any command more ridiculed in our culture than the Seventh Commandment? Adultery is a joke; homosexuality is a right; sex before marriage is the norm; no fault divorce and remarriage is assumed; bestiality is increasingly considered avant gard. This is the world we live in. Sex has always been a leading vote-getter in the most popular sin contest, but never before in this country has sexual deviance been made to look so normal and God's standard make to look so obscene...The Seventh Commandment is not just broken in this country; it's being smashed to pieces.

In our world, our bodies are rarely pure, much less our thoughts and desires. We are so at home with sexual immorality in our TV shows and music, but perhaps more deadly in our churches. Notice that the Heidelberg uses the word "detest" for our attitude towards "unchastity." Notice is says also that we should "thoroughly detest" it. We are not encouraged to a mild disdain for sexual immorality. But to a deep, abiding hatred of lust. We are not encouraged to a casual approach to sexual purity, but to a whole-hearted pursuit of it. Is that our attitude towards sexual immorality? How many of us detest the idea of getting caught looking porn, but do not detest the porn itself? How many of us hate that a friend or spouse might see us lusting after that girl in yoga pants or that guy in a tight jeans, but do not hate the fact that we want to lust after her/him? For most of us, the consequences of sexual sin are what we hate, not the sin itself. Until we learn to hate the sin and the desires that give birth to those sins we will never gain the victory.

The Heidelberg rightly points to our redemption by Christ and the filling of the Holy Spirit as the reason for holiness in this area. God does not just own our souls. He owns and fills our bodies as well. Therefore our entire self, body, soul, imaginations, thoughts, desires, emotions, and words are to be brought in submission to Christ.

What are some things we can do to fight against the pervasive sexual immorality in our lives?

-Learn what sins lead to sexual sins. Here is a good post to help you with that. Sins come in clusters. Sexual sin is rarely the engine driving the train. Usually it is the middle car in a train of sins.

-Don't be afraid to be radical in cutting off that sin. Put filters on your computer. Don't go to that section of the bookstore. Block that website. Stop "innocently" flirting at work or stopping by her desk to chat. If the job situation it too hard maybe you should leave. Don't kiss before marriage. Yes these are rules and do not get to the heart of your problem. But they might keep you from making a huge mistake while you deal with your lust.

-Worship weekly in a good Christian church where the Word is preached, the Psalms are sung, the saints fellowship with each other, and there is real accountability to elders. If an elder never visits you at home or has lunch with you and asks you about your sexual sins then there is not real accountability.

-Memorize Scripture. DeYoung gives 12 passages that we can use to fight sexual sin: Lamentations 3:25-27, Proverbs 5:18-19, James 1:14-15, Romans 14:21, Matthew 5:27-30, Galatians 6:7, I Cor. 6:15-20, II Corinthians 5:17, Hebrews 10:24-25, James 4:6, Matthew 5:8, and Ephesians 1:18-21. You can probably think of others.  Hide God's Word in your hearts.

-Check your desires. What do you want most? Not what do you tell people you want most. But what does your mind dwell on? What brings you comfort? What makes you happy? Do you regularly set aside lesser goods, such as watching TV, for greater goods, such as spending time with your children? Do you approach God's Word with same delight as you approach that newest show or movie? Love Jesus. Love the Scriptures. Love the folks at your church. Love your spouse and your children. Our desires drive us. And rarely are they as pure as we think they are. What do you love?

-Pray when tempted. Pray before you go into tempting situations. Pray when you leave. Proverbs 7:26 says that many strong men have fallen to the seductress. Or as the ESV says all those who have fallen to her are a "mighty throng." Either way her lures are not easy to resist. Do we really think we can fight her without prayer?

-Enjoy your spouse sexually. Here is a quote from G.I. Williamson's book on the Heidelberg Catechism:

The antidote to adultery is, or should be-for most of us- a good marriage. This means a marriage in which there is the right kind of sexual fulfillment. Sex is not evil. How could it be, when God himself designed it? And because it is one of the good gifts of God, it must not be neglected. What do we mean by this statement? Well, we mean this: in every other aspect of life we have to apply some real effort in order to achieve something. This is true for the farmer in his work, or an amateur musician in his hobby, or a Saturday golfer in his sport. We invest time and effort in these things, in order to do them well and to keep them interesting and exciting. Well, a good sexual relationship requires some of the same...There is no legitimate place for prudery in Christian marriage. 

Victory over sexual sin is hard to achieve in our age. Most of us have scars from sexual sins, those we have done and those committed against us. The good news is we serve a risen Lord who conquered death, which means he freely covers all our sins, heals us from sins committed against us, and he can give us power to conquer our sins. Sinful sexual desires and actions do not have to hold us in bondage.

Images & the 2nd Commandment: Heidelberg Catechism~ Lord's Day 35

Our church started reciting the Heidelberg Catechism in worship this year. It has been a great way to introduce reformed theology to our congregation. Doing this year after year will give our folks good foundation of basic Biblical teaching. This Sunday in our worship we will recite Lord's Day 35 from the Heidelberg Catechism, which addresses the 2nd Commandment. Here is the 2nd Commandment:

You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments (Exodus 20:4-6).

Here are the three questions from the Heidelberg Catechism on the 2nd Commandment:

Q 96. What is God's will for us in the second commandment.

A. That we in no way make any image of God nor worship him in any other way than has been commanded in God's Word.

Q 97. May we then not make any image at all?

A. God cannot and may not be visibly portrayed in any way. Although creatures may be portrayed, yet God forbids making or having such images if one's intention is to worship them or to serve God through them.

Q 98. But may not images be permitted in churches in place of books for the unlearned?

A. No, we should not try to be wiser than God. God wants the Christian community instructed by the living preaching of his Word—not by idols that cannot even talk. 

There several things to note from these questions and answers.

First, this is not just about images though images of God are forbidden. It is also about worshiping according to God's Word. There is a lot of debate about what the Word teaches concerning the particulars of worship especially how to apply the Regulative Principle of Worship. However, at the very least, Question 96 says our worship practices must be rooted in Scripture and not the tradition or imaginations of men.

Second, images of creatures are not forbidden. Some extreme Christian traditions have rejected all art. The Heidelberg Catechism leaves room for art of all kinds, as long as it does not become worship of any kind.

Third, the Heidelberg Catechism rightly says that images set up to worship are dumb idols. God's people cannot be taught by dead images. They are to be taught by the lively preaching of the word. One of the  key recoveries of the Reformation was the priority of the preached word in worship.

Are pictures of Jesus forbidden? This is often debated. G.I. Williamson says that pictures of Christ are forbidden because Jesus is God. I believe this was the majority report in the Reformed tradition, but is currently in the minority. Kevin DeYoung says pictures of Jesus are fine, but he urges caution, which would probably be my stance. I did not watch The Passion of the Christ because I did not want the movie running through my mind when I read the crucifixion accounts. Also there are so many bad pictures of Jesus it might be worthwhile to ban them just so Christians will stop embarrassing themselves. Pictures like the one below do not help our cause.

What specifically is forbidden by this commandment? Artwork of any kind that depicts the invisible God and yes that means the Sistine Chapel is a violation of the 2nd Commandment. Any images, statues, paintings, pictures, carvings and/or stained glass of any creatures, but especially Jesus, Bible scenes, Mary, the saints, and the cross, that are kissed, prayed to, bowed down to, meditated on, venerated, considered a pathway to God, considered sacred, or thought of as something that brings us into communion with God are forbidden.  This does not mean there can be no statues of Mary. But it does mean when people bow before it, kiss its feet, pray to it, expect to get closer to God because it is there, or surround the statue like a shrine it has become an idol. Also any other practices that are contrary to the Bible's teaching on how to worship God are forbidden.

Roman Catholic Teaching on the 2nd Commandment
Compare the Heidelberg with the statements made in the Roman Catholic Catechism sections 2129-2132. (By the way the Roman Catholics consider this part of the 1st Commandment.)

The divine injunction included the prohibition of every representation of God by the hand of man. Deuteronomy explains: "Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a graven image for yourselves, in the form of any figure...."It is the absolutely transcendent God who revealed himself to Israel. "He is the all," but at the same time "he is greater than all his works." He is "the author of beauty."

So far so good.

Nevertheless, already in the Old Testament, God ordained or permitted the making of images that pointed symbolically toward salvation by the incarnate Word: so it was with the bronze serpent, the ark of the covenant, and the cherubim.

Ah, but then comes that pesky "nevertheless."  Three points why this does not prove that we can make images in the New Covenant. First, God commanded these Old Testament images to be made. Where in the NT are we commanded to make images of any kind? If there is no command from God to make images of Mary, Jesus, or the cross as part of our worship then we should refrain. Second, the bronze serpent shows the danger of even God ordained images. It became an idol that was worshiped (II Kings 18:4) and had to be destroyed. If an image commanded by God can become an idol how much more is that the case with images that are not commanded by Him. Third, there is no indication that any of these images were objects of worship, veneration, prayer, etc. They were symbols of God's activity and presence. But even the ark of the covenant where God actually dwelt is not the object of worship. Were the cherubim woven into the Tabernacle curtains ever prayed to? Did they bow before the lamp stand?  Did God command them to kiss the show bread? Again if images and types commanded by God were not worshiped how much more should we avoid doing so with images that are not ordained by God.

Basing itself on the mystery of the incarnate Word, the seventh ecumenical council at Nicaea (787) justified against the iconoclasts the veneration of icons - of Christ, but also of the Mother of God, the angels, and all the saints. By becoming incarnate, the Son of God introduced a new "economy" of images.

Not sure what a "new 'economy' of images is? Here is the text from the 2nd Council of Nicaea in 787. It would be nice to see a NT text that proves this idea is Biblical. But hey, when you have tradition, who needs the Bible. Obviously the invisible God became visible through Jesus Christ. I am not sure how that gives us the freedom to make images of angels, Mary, saints, or even Jesus and use them in our worship or to try to get to God through them.  

The Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the first commandment which proscribes idols. Indeed, "the honor rendered to an image passes to its prototype," and "whoever venerates an image venerates the person portrayed in it." The honor paid to sacred images is a "respectful veneration," not the adoration due to God alone: Religious worship is not directed to images in themselves, considered as mere things, but under their distinctive aspect as images leading us on to God incarnate. the movement toward the image does not terminate in it as image, but tends toward that whose image it is.

Here is where the Reformers understood the human heart better than Roman Catholics. Is there really that much difference between adoration, worship, veneration, etc.? But even if you try to create different levels of worship in print, in real life men like to worship things even God ordained things like the bronze serpent. They want to walk by sight not by faith. Therefore this attempt is doomed from the start. People pray to/through these images, meditate on these images, find a spiritual connection in these images, kiss these images, ascend to heaven through these images, get to "God incarnate" through these images, and yet somehow they do not worship them? Somehow this looks like idol worship in every way and yet isn't? This distinction between the image and the thing the image represents and the various types of worship is splitting hairs and pastorally dangerous.

Summary 
Images of God are forbidden. Images of other creatures can be made,  perhaps even Christ, but they must not be worshiped in any way. Human hearts are prone to idol worship therefore worship should be carefully guarded to prevent even the appearance of worshiping an image. There are no Biblical commands or inferences that allow us to set up images in worship or to use them to aid our worship. The key way we get to know God and His Son Christ is when the Spirit works through the preached Word while in fellowship with other living saints.

Forgiveness and Holiness: Heidelberg Catechism~Lord's Day 26

In the Christian life there is constant tension between the forgiveness of our sins and holiness or to put it in theological terms between justification and sanctification. This is not a Biblical tension, but it is an experiential one. If all of my sins are forgiven in Christ then why do I need to be more holy? If I must be holy to see God then how am I not earning my salvation?  Many books have been written on the subject. The answer is that Jesus does not come to us in pieces. We do not get his work on the cross, the forgiveness of our sins, without also getting the work of His Spirit, sanctification. The Heidelberg Catechism says this well in question 70, which is part of the section for worship tomorrow. Here is question and answer:

Q: 70. What is it to be washed with the blood and Spirit of Christ?

A: It is to receive of God the remission of sins, freely, for the sake of Christ's blood, which he shed for us by his sacrifice upon the cross;  and also to be renewed by the Holy Spirit, and sanctified to be members of Christ, that so we may more and more die unto sin, and lead holy and blameless lives.

When we come to Christ we also receive His Spirit, who begins the work of sanctification. Forgiveness of sins and growth in holiness are connected because they both flow from the work of Christ upon the cross. The Christ who took our place on the cross so that we might not be condemned (I Peter 2:24) is the same Christ who gave his Spirit so that we might be holy (Acts 2:33). This same paradigm is seen in Romans where Paul talks about the forgiveness of our sins in Romans 5 and then tells us that we must put sin to death in Romans 6. Here are a few take away points from this. 

We cannot separate forgiveness of sins and holiness. Some like the holiness side and diminish the forgiveness of sins. Some like forgiveness, but do not see growth in holiness as important. The first group fears that if we preach forgiveness of sins folks will run off and live wicked lives. The second group fears works righteousness. But they are making enemies out of friends. Forgiveness and holiness both come from Christ and are part of his work for and in the Christian. 

Forgiveness of sins is freely given because of Christ's work. We cannot earn any of God's grace, It is all free. One a the great dangers in the Christian life is that as we grow we can forget that everything we have has been given to us. Slowly we begin to think we have earned God's favor. 

The Spirit is given so we might become holy. Too often the Holy Spirit is connected to outward, dramatic displays of emotion or to feelings we might have at certain points in our Christian life. We equate the Holy Spirit with emotion. But He is there to make us holy. In the trenches of everyday life the Spirit is working to make us more like Jesus (Romans 8:29).

We must strive to kill sin and lead holy lives. Many Christians are afraid of legalism, which is a legitimate fear, therefore they do not strive for holiness. But this is a failure to understand what the Scriptures teach. Holiness is not legalism. Holiness is walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26). We must pursue holiness by obeying God's Word. But this too is a work of grace. Just as forgiveness of sins is free so is holiness. Sanctification is a gift of grace just like justification. 

Holiness involves putting aside certain sins and putting on righteous actions. Too often holiness is primarily about what we don't do. We don't commit adultery. We don't cuss. We don't watch dirty movies. But in Scripture holiness is about doing the right things. Don't view your walk with God primarily by what you don't do. Are you becoming more patient, joyful, peaceful, etc.? 

Finally, all of this is pictured in baptism. Lord's Day 26 (and 27) in the Heidelberg Catechism is about baptism.  Here are questions 69 and 70 together. Baptism pictures the forgiveness of our sins and the pouring out of the Spirit so we might be holy. 

69. How are you admonished and assured by holy baptism, that the one sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is of real advantage to you?

A: Thus: That Christ appointed this external washing with water, adding thereto this promise, that I am as certainly washed by his blood and Spirit from all the pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, as I am washed externally with water, by which the filthiness of the body is commonly washed away.

 Q: 70. What is it to be washed with the blood and Spirit of Christ?

A: It is to receive of God the remission of sins, freely, for the sake of Christ's blood, which he shed for us by his sacrifice upon the cross;  and also to be renewed by the Holy Spirit, and sanctified to be members of Christ, that so we may more and more die unto sin, and lead holy and blameless lives.

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 25

Our church is reciting the appropriate section of the Heidelberg Catechism each Sunday. This past Sunday we did Lord's Day 25, which focuses on the Sacraments.

Q: 65. Since then we are made partakers of Christ and all his benefits by faith only, whence does this faith proceed?

A: From the Holy Spirit, who works faith in our hearts by the preaching of the gospel, and confirms it by the use of the sacraments.

Q: 66. What are the sacraments?

A: The sacraments are holy visible signs and seals, appointed of God for this end, that by the use thereof, he may the more fully declare and seal to us the promise of the gospel, that is, that he grants us freely the remission of sin, and life eternal, for the sake of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross.

Q: 67. Are both word and sacraments, then, ordained and appointed for this end, that they may direct our faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, as the only ground of our salvation?

A: Yes, indeed: for the Holy Spirit teaches us in the gospel, and assures us by the sacraments, that the whole of our salvation depends upon that one sacrifice of Christ which he offered for us on the cross.

Q: 68. How many sacraments has Christ instituted in the new covenant, or testament?

A: Two: namely, holy baptism, and the holy supper.

What are some things we can learn from these four questions? Kevin DeYoung in his book The Good News We Almost Forgot gives us four points. 

First, we are not saved by the sacraments, but by faith alone...The sacraments are means of grace only insofar as we receive by faith the gospel truths promised in the elements. 

Second, the Reformers agreed, against the Roman Catholic Church, that the number of sacraments instituted by Christ was only two: baptism and the Lord's supper.

Third, the Reformers agreed that the sacraments could in no way add to or repeat Christ's one sacrifice upon the cross.

Fourth, the sacraments are signs and seals...The sacraments do not create faith; rather they confirm it, make us understand the gospel promises more clearly and assure of us of our salvation...They are holy signs symbolizing  the spiritual realities of the gospel, and seals reminding us of God's sure promises.

DeYoung closes with this:

We often forget amidst the calls for sensory worship and appeals to visual learning styles that God has  already given us His own self-appointed means of using our senses in worship. He's given us the sacraments that we might see, smell, taste, and touch the same promises of the gospel we hear proclaimed in the preaching of the Word. 

And that is why we do the Lord's Supper every week.

Happiness Begins with Knowing That You are a Great Sinner

The 2nd question in the  Heidelberg Catechism is this:

Q: 2. How many things are necessary for you to know, that you, enjoying this comfort, may live and die happily?

What a great question! What do I need to know that I might live and die happily?  Isn't this what everyone wants? What man, woman, or child does not want to live a happy life? Who doesn't want to die happy? But what is the answer? How much do I need to know that my life might be a happy one? Do I need to know how to get rich? Do I need to know how to be a good person? Do I need to know how to get married? Do I need to know the joys of freedom from law? What do I need to know to live and die happily? Here is the answer given by the Heidelberg:

A: Three; the first, how great my sins and miseries are;  the second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries;  the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such deliverance. 

Not what you expected? We don't usually put the fact that our sins are great at the top of things that will help us live and die happily. In fact, sin is usually considered the beginning of all our problems. But here is where happiness begins. Your best life now begins with the fact that your sins are so great that if they were drops of water the oceans would be too small to hold them all. The life of joy and happiness begins with your heart being black and your hands being covered in blood. 

Why does happiness begin at such an odd place?

First, the fact that we are great sinners is reality. Human beings, even Christians, often think we are not really that bad. We justify our sins. We minimize our sins. We pretend we don't sin. We blame our sins on other people. We cover up our sins. We do anything we can to make sure our sins don't look great.  But reality is never defined by us. It is always defined by God's Word. Psalm 130:3 states that our sins are great. Romans says the same thing. In fact, it is assumed from Genesis 3 on that our sins are so great that we cannot save ourselves. Understanding that we are great sinners helps us see the world (and ourselves) the way it is and not the way we want it to be.  

Second, only when we understand that our sins are great will we understand Jesus and His substitutionary work on the cross for us. When we minimize sin we minimize the cross and Jesus. When we minimize Jesus happiness, joy, comfort, delight, and peace are all lost.  Without sin there is no need for Christ. Without Christ all good things disappear. Until our sins are seen for what they are we cannot see Jesus rightly. And only by seeing Jesus rightly can we have pleasures forevermore. 

As odd as it sounds, happiness begins with seeing yourself as a great sinner.  

Are you a happy person? Do you enjoy life? Do you enjoy the comfort of the great salvation given to us in Jesus Christ? Would your spouse, your children, your co-workers, your neighbors describe you as a joyful person? If you died tomorrow would you "die happily?" If the answer is no, then perhaps you think too much of yourself. Perhaps you do not realize how great your sins are. Perhaps you spend a lot of time hiding your sins, pretending they are "mistakes" or "flaws." Perhaps you are more concerned about how you look to others than about the reality of who you are. Step into the light. Your sins are great. That is a fact. But Jesus is greater. And only in a great Jesus can true happiness be found. 

Heidelberg Catechism on the Lord's Supper

Of The Holy Supper Of Our Lord Jesus Christ

28. Lord's Day

Q: 75. How are you admonished and assured in the Lord's Supper, that you are a partaker of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross, and of all his benefits?

A: Thus: That Christ has commanded me and all believers, to eat of this broken bread, and to drink of this cup, in remembrance of him, adding these promises:  first, that his body was offered and broken on the cross for me, and his blood shed for me, as certainly as I see with my eyes, the bread of the Lord broken for me, and the cup communicated to me; and further, that he feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life, with his crucified body and shed blood, as assuredly as I receive from the hands of the minister, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, as certain signs of the body and blood of Christ.

Q: 76. What is it then to eat the crucified body, and drink the shed blood of Christ?

A: It is not only to embrace with believing heart all the sufferings and death of Christ and thereby to obtain the pardon of sin, and life eternal;  but also, besides that, to become more and more united to his sacred body,  by the Holy Spirit, who dwells both in Christ and in us; so that we, though Christ is in heaven  and we on earth, are notwithstanding "flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone"  and that we live, and are governed forever by one spirit,  as members of the same body are by one soul.

Q: 77. Where has Christ promised that he will as certainly feed and nourish believers with his body and bleed, as they eat of this broken bread, and drink of this cup?

A: In the institution of the supper, which is thus expressed:  "The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and: said: eat, this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying: this cup is the new testament in my blood; this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For, as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.". This promise is repeated by the holy apostle Paul, where he says "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread."

Heidelberg Catechism on the Lord's Prayer

Recently I have been preaching through the Lord's Prayer. I have found the catechisms from the reformation to be a great help throughout the sermon series. Here is the section on the Lord's Prayer from the Heidelberg Catechism.

Q: 116. Why is prayer necessary for Christians?
A: Because it is the chief part of thankfulness which God requires of us and also, because God will give his grace and Holy Spirit to those only, who with sincere desires continually ask them of him, and are thankful for them.

Q: 117. What are the requisites of that prayer, which is acceptable to God, and which he will hear?
A: First, that we from the heart pray to the one true God only, who has manifested himself in his word, for all things, he has commanded us to ask of him; secondly, that we rightly and thoroughly know our need and misery, that so we may deeply humble ourselves in the presence of his divine majesty; thirdly, that we be fully persuaded that he, notwithstanding that we are unworthy of it, will, for the sake of Christ our Lord, certainly hear our prayer, as he has promised us in his word.

Q: 118. What has God commanded us to ask of him?
A: All things necessary for soul and body; which Christ our Lord has comprised in that prayer he himself has taught us. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Q: 119. What are the words of that prayer?
A: Our Father which are in heaven, 1 Hallowed be thy name. 2 Thy kingdom come. 3 Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 4 Give us this day our daily bread. 5 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 6 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Q: 120. Why has Christ commanded us to address God thus: "Our Father"?
A: That immediately, in the very beginning of our prayer, he might excite in us a childlike reverence for, and confidence in God, which are the foundation of our prayer: namely, that God is become our Father in Christ, and will much less deny us what we ask of him in true faith, than our parents will refuse us earthly things.

Q: 121. Why is it here added, "Which are in heaven"?
A: Lest we should form any earthly conceptions of God's heavenly majesty, and that we may expect from his almighty power all things necessary for soul and body.

Q: 122. Which is the first petition?
A: "Hallowed be thy name"; that is, grant us, first, rightly to know you, and to sanctify, glorify and praise you, in all thy works, in which thy power, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy and truth, are clearly displayed; and further also, that we may so order and direct our whole lives, our thoughts, words and actions, that thy name may never be blasphemed, but rather honored and praised on our account.

Q: 123. Which is the second petition?
A: "Thy kingdom come"; that is, rule us so by thy word and Spirit, that we may submit ourselves more and more to you; preserve and increase thy church; destroy the works of the devil, and all violence which would exalt itself against you; and also all wicked counsels devised against thy holy word; till the full perfection of thy kingdom take place, wherein you shall be all in all.

Q: 124. Which is the third petition?
A: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"; that is, grant that we and all men may renounce our own will, and without murmuring obey thy will, which is only good; that every one may attend to, and perform the duties of his station and calling, as willingly and faithfully as the angels do in heaven.

Q: 125. Which is the fourth petition?
A: "Give us this day our daily bread"; that is, be pleased to provide us with all things necessary for the body, that we may thereby acknowledge you to be the only fountain of all good, and that neither our care nor industry, nor even thy gifts, can profit us without thy blessing; and therefore that we may withdraw our trust from all creatures, and place it alone in you.

Q: 126. Which is the fifth petition?
A: "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"; that is, be pleased for the sake of Christ's blood, not to impute to us poor sinners, our transgressions, nor that depravity, which always cleaves to us; even as we feel this evidence of thy grace in us, that it is our firm resolution from the heart to forgive our neighbor.

Q: 127. Which is the sixth petition?
A: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"; that is, since we are so weak in ourselves, that we cannot stand a moment; and besides this, since our mortal enemies, the devil, the world, and our own flesh, cease not to assault us, do you therefore preserve and strengthen us by the power of thy Holy Spirit, that we may not be overcome in this spiritual warfare, but constantly and strenuously may resist our foes, till at last we obtain a complete victory.

Q: 128. How do you conclude your prayer?
A: "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever"; that is, all these we ask of you, because you, being our King and almighty, are willing and able to give us all good; and all this we pray for, that thereby not we, but thy holy name, may be glorified forever.

Q: 129. What does the word "Amen" signify?
A: "Amen" signifies, it shall truly and certainly be: for my prayer is more assuredly heard of God, than I feel in my heart that I desire these things of him. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. If we believe not, yet he is faithful: he cannot deny himself.

HC: Lord's Day 30-Excommunication

Q: 80. What difference is there between the Lord's supper and the popish mass?
A: The Lord's supper testifies to us, that we have a full pardon of all sin by the only sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which he himself has once accomplished on the cross; and, that we by the Holy Spirit are grafted into Christ, who, according to his human nature is now not on earth, but in heaven, at the right hand of God his Father, and will there be worshipped by us. But the mass teaches, that the living and dead have not the pardon of sins through the sufferings of Christ, unless Christ is also daily offered for them by the priests; and further, that Christ is bodily under the form of bread and wine, and therefore is to be worshipped in them; so that the mass, at bottom, is nothing else than a denial of the one sacrifice and sufferings of Jesus Christ, and an accursed idolatry.

Q: 81. For whom is the Lord's supper instituted?
A: For those who are truly sorrowful for their sins, and yet trust that these are forgiven them for the sake of Christ; and that their remaining infirmities are covered by his passion and death; and who also earnestly desire to have their faith more and more strengthened, and their lives more holy; but hypocrites, and such as turn not to God with sincere hearts, eat and drink judgment to themselves.

Q: 82. Are they also to be admitted to this supper, who, by confession and life, declare themselves unbelieving and ungodly?
A: No; for by this, the covenant of God would be profaned, and his wrath kindled against the whole congregation; therefore it is the duty of the Christian church, according to the appointment of Christ and his apostles, to exclude such persons, by the keys of the kingdom of heaven, till they show amendment of life.

Applications
1. Here we come to the warnings concerning the Lord's Supper. First, hypocrites are not to be admitted to the table. Those who claim Christ, but do not walk worthy are to be excluded. This does not mean sinners cannot come to the table. It means unrepentant sinners cannot come to the table. Sinners must come, but they must come ready to turn from their sins. Those who are excluded from Supper are those who want the privilege of being counted among Christians, but do not want their life to conform to Christ. These hypocrites are to be cast out the church until they repent and turn. Second, if someone chooses to eat and drink while not turning they will be judged by Almighty God. Even if the elders do not know, God does. He will bring the person who profanes the table to account.

HC: Lord's Day 29-We Really Partake

Q: 78. Do then the bread and wine become the very body and blood of Christ?
A: Not at all: but as the water in baptism is not changed into the blood of Christ, neither is the washing away of sin itself, being only the sign and confirmation thereof appointed of God; so the bread in the Lord's supper is not changed into the very body of Christ; though agreeably to the nature and properties of sacraments, it is called the body of Christ Jesus.

Q: 79. Why then does Christ call the bread "his body", and the cup "his blood", or "the new covenant in his blood"; and Paul the "communion of body and blood of Christ"?
A: Christ speaks thus, not without great reason, namely, not only thereby to teach us, that as bread and wine support this temporal life, so his crucified body and shed blood are the true meat and drink, whereby our souls are fed to eternal life; but more especially by these visible signs and pledges to assure us, that we are as really partakers of his true body and blood by the operation of the Holy Spirit as we receive by the mouths of our bodies these holy signs in remembrance of him; and that all his sufferings and obedience are as certainly ours, as if we had in our own persons suffered and made satisfaction for our sins to God.

Applications
1. There is not much to say on question 78. However, I do like the analogy to baptism.

2. Question and answer 79 is rich with great theological truth. First, note again that the Lord's Supper is a sign of assurance. It is there to assure us that we are really partakers of Christ's body and blood. In other words, the point of the supper is not to make us doubt whether we really partake of Christ's blood or not. Second, the picture painted of imputation is beautiful. God looks on us, because of the work of Christ, as if we ourselves had suffered and made satisfaction for our sins. We are united to Christ in such a way that his sacrifice becomes ours. His righteousness becomes ours. This is good news indeed!

HC: Lord's Day 28-Assurance Yet Again

Q: 75. How are you admonished and assured in the Lord's Supper, that you are a partaker of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross, and of all his benefits?
A: Thus: That Christ has commanded me and all believers, to eat of this broken bread, and to drink of this cup, in remembrance of him, adding these promises: first, that his body was offered and broken on the cross for me, and his blood shed for me, as certainly as I see with my eyes, the bread of the Lord broken for me, and the cup communicated to me; and further, that he feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life, with his crucified body and shed blood, as assuredly as I receive from the hands of the minister, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, as certain signs of the body and blood of Christ.

Q: 76. What is it then to eat the crucified body, and drink the shed blood of Christ?
A: It is not only to embrace with believing heart all the sufferings and death of Christ and thereby to obtain the pardon of sin, and life eternal; but also, besides that, to become more and more united to his sacred body, by the Holy Spirit, who dwells both in Christ and in us; so that we, though Christ is in heaven and we on earth, are notwithstanding "flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone" and that we live, and are governed forever by one spirit, as members of the same body are by one soul.

Q: 77. Where has Christ promised that he will as certainly feed and nourish believers with his body and bleed, as they eat of this broken bread, and drink of this cup?
A: In the institution of the supper, which is thus expressed: "The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and: said: eat, this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying: this cup is the new testament in my blood; this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For, as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.". This promise is repeated by the holy apostle Paul, where he says "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread."

Applications
1. Question 75 is one of the most marvelous statements of the purpose of the Lord's Supper in print. And guess what? It makes the exact same point as was made in the baptism section. The sacraments are there to assure us of our salvation. How many modern churches use communion to do exactly the opposite? Communion is a time to doubt your salvation. Communion is the time to wonder if we actually do believe or not. But the gospel is good news. Jesus' life, death, resurrection and ascension is good news. And if these things are what communion is about, then how can we possibly turn it into a time filled with scare tactics, guilt trips and beat downs? Believe that as surely as you eat and drink Christ's body was broken and his blood spilled for you.

2. Question 76 points to the idea of communion increasing our union with Christ and with his body. It is not simply about remembering, but something happens as we eat and drink. The Spirit unites us to the living Christ and unites us to the living Body of Christ, the Church.

HC: Lord's Day 27-Where to Find Assurance

Q: 72. Is then the external baptism with water the washing away of sin itself?
A: Not at all: for the blood of Jesus Christ only, and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sin.

Q: 73. Why then does the Holy Spirit call baptism "the washing of regeneration," and "the washing away of sins"?
A: God speaks thus not without great cause, namely, not only thereby to teach us, that as the filth of the body is purged away by water, so our sins are removed by the blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ; but especially that by this divine pledge and sign he may assure us, that we are spiritually cleansed from our sins as really, as we are externally washed with water.

Q: 74. Are infants also to be baptized?
A: Yes: for since they, as well as the adult, are included in the covenant and church of God; and since redemption from sin by the blood of Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the author of faith, is promised to them no less than to the adult; they must therefore by baptism, as a sign of the covenant, be also admitted into the Christian church; and be distinguished from the children of unbelievers as was done in the old covenant or testament by circumcision, instead of which baptism is instituted in the new covenant.

Applications
1. There is a theme in these sections on the sacraments; assurance. The answer to question 67 says, "The Holy Spirit assures us in the sacraments." Question 69 says that as surely as I am washed externally with water so I am "certainly washed by his blood and Spirit from all pollution of my soul." And here in question 73 we see that baptism is given so that we might be assured that we are spiritually clean. Not to belabor the point, but the sacraments are given, like the promise of the Gospel, to assure us that Christ has paid all and our sins can be forgiven in him. Assurance is first found by looking at Christ, the cross, the gospel and the sacraments. It will not be found in the closet of your heart.

2. Children should be baptized. They belong to the covenant people. To not baptize children is to say they are excluded from the church of God and strangers to the covenants of promise.

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 26

Q: 69. How are you admonished and assured by holy baptism, that the one sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is of real advantage to you?
A: Thus: That Christ appointed this external washing with water, adding thereto this promise, that I am as certainly washed by his blood and Spirit from all the pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, as I am washed externally with water, by which the filthiness of the body is commonly washed away.

Q: 70. What is it to be washed with the blood and Spirit of Christ?
A: It is to receive of God the remission of sins, freely, for the sake of Christ's blood, which he shed for us by his sacrifice upon the cross; and also to be renewed by the Holy Spirit, and sanctified to be members of Christ, that so we may more and more die unto sin, and lead holy and blameless lives.

Q: 71. Where has Christ promised us, that he will as certainly wash us by his blood and Spirit, as we are washed with the water of baptism?
A: In the institution of baptism, which is thus expressed: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit", And "he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believes not, shall be damned.", This promise is also repeated, where the scripture calls baptism "the washing of regenerations" and the washing away of sins.

Applications
1. Notice the first question. How do we know that the cross is of real advantage to us? We all wonder this at times. How do I know that I am a Christian or that Christ died for me? One way is by looking at our baptisms and the promise given there. As sure as the water was poured, sprinkled or I was dunked in it, I can be assured that Christ shed his blood for me.

2. The answer to the second perfectly balances justification and sanctification. Christ's blood means that my sins are forgiven and that I should lead a holy life. It does not mean that my sins are forgiven so I can do as I please. It does not mean that I must earn forgiveness. It means that I am holy in Christ and I need to grow up into that holiness.

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 25

Q: 65. Since then we are made partakers of Christ and all his benefits by faith only, whence does this faith proceed?
A: From the Holy Spirit, who works faith in our hearts by the preaching of the gospel, and confirms it by the use of the sacraments.

Q: 66. What are the sacraments?
A: The sacraments are holy visible signs and seals, appointed of God for this end, that by the use thereof, he may the more fully declare and seal to us the promise of the gospel, that is, that he grants us freely the remission of sin, and life eternal, for the sake of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross.

Q: 67. Are both word and sacraments, then, ordained and appointed for this end, that they may direct our faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, as the only ground of our salvation?
A: Yes, indeed: for the Holy Spirit teaches us in the gospel, and assures us by the sacraments, that the whole of our salvation depends upon that one sacrifice of Christ which he offered for us on the cross.

Q: 68. How many sacraments has Christ instituted in the new covenant, or testament?
A: Two: namely, holy baptism, and the holy supper.

Applications
1. The Holy Spirit operates in both the preaching of the Gospel and in the sacraments. Most Protestants would say yes to the first, but no to the second. This also means that just as the Holy Spirit works only in the elect via the preached word, so He works only in the elect via the sacraments.

2. The sacraments are there to assure us that Christ's work upon the cross is sufficient for our salvation. In other words, the sacraments cause us to look away from ourselves to the cross. They are not there so that we might look into our hearts or into some past experience.

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 24

Q: 62. But why cannot our good works be the whole, or part of our righteousness before God?
A: Because, the righteousness, which can be approved of before the tribunal of God, must be absolutely perfect, and in all respects conformable to the divine law; and also, that our best works in this life are all imperfect and defiled with sin.

Q: 63. Do not our good works merit that which God will reward in this and in a future life?
A: This reward is not of merit, but of grace.

Q: 64. But does not this doctrine make men careless and profane?
A: By no means: for it is impossible that those, who are implanted into Christ by a true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness.

Applications
1. All of our works in this life are marred with sin. Therefore, there is no room for pride. Without Christ's blood even what we consider "good works" would send us straight to Hell.

2. The Heidelberg does a great job of keeping its answers tied to Scripture. A lot of men feel that any talk of reward is unbiblical. However, the Bible plainly teaches that there are rewards to the faithful. (See II Timothy 4:7-8 and Hebrews 11:6) The question is not, "Is there is a reward?" But rather, "What type of reward is it?" The Heidelberg rightly answers that it is a reward of grace.

3. The doctrine of grace does not lead to men doing whatever they please. Note that last phrase, "It is impossible..." If a man is born again, he grows in holiness. Any other teaching is not from the Bible.

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 23

Q: 59. But what does it profit you now that you believe all this?
A: That I am righteous in Christ, before God, and an heir of eternal life.

Q: 60. How are you righteous before God?
A: Only by a true faith in Jesus Christ; so that, though my conscience accuse me, that I have grossly transgressed all the commandments of God, and kept none of them, and am still inclined to all evil; notwithstanding, God, without any merit of mine, but only of mere grace, grants and imputes to me, the perfect satisfaction, righteousness and holiness of Christ; even so, as if I never had, nor committed any sin: yea, as if I had fully accomplished all that obedience which Christ has accomplished for me; inasmuch as I embrace such benefit with a believing heart.

Q: 61. Why do you say, that you are righteous by faith only?
A: Not that I am acceptable to God, on account of the worthiness of my faith; but because only the satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, is my righteousness before God; and that I cannot receive and apply the same to myself any other way than by faith only.

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 22

Q: 57. What comfort does the "resurrection of the body" afford you?
A: That not only my soul after this life shall be immediately taken up to Christ its head; but also, that this my body, being raised by the power of Christ, shall be reunited with my soul, and made like unto the glorious body of Christ.

Q: 58. What comfort do you take from the article of "life everlasting"?
A: That since I now feel in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, after this life, I shall inherit perfect salvation, which "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man" to conceive, and that to praise God therein forever.