Front matter (continued 2)

2. No man knows of himself who God is and what He has done for us. God alone can tell us about these things. And God has revealed Himself to us; He has told us in His holy Word who He is and what He has done for us. From Holy Scriptures alone do we learn what we, as Christians, are to know and believe regarding God and His works. And what God tells us in His Word we verily may believe. It must be true, since God cannot and will not lie.—All the doctrines in Holy Scriptures which teach us who God is and what He has done and will do for us to save us, we call the Gospel. The word Gospel means glad tidings, good news.

3. In the first part of our Small Catechism we also studied a word of God, and we have called it the holy will of God, or the Law. So you see that there are two chief doctrines in our Bible; one we call the Law; the other, the Gospel. Both are revealed to us by our heavenly Father, both are the Word of God. But they differ greatly from each other. The Law tells us how, according to the will of God, we ought to be and what we must do and not do to please our God. From it we learn that we all are sinners, having not kept His commandments, and that God threatens to punish all who hate Him and break His commandments; that, therefore, as transgressors of His Law, we deserve His punishment, death and damnation. The Law does not bring us glad tidings.—The Gospel has quite another message for us. It brings a message of joy to sinners, to those who have broken the commandments. It tells us that God loves even us sinners. "God so loved the world," that is, all sinful men, "that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3,16. It teaches us what and how much God, moved by His love and grace toward us sinners, has done and will do to save us from the deserved punishment of the Law, from sin, death, and hell. These are indeed good tidings, tidings of great joy for all men, to know that we have a Savior who can and will save us and give us eternal happiness in heaven. This Gospel of great joy we hear and learn in the Three Articles of our Christian faith.

4. We call the Three Articles the Creed, or the Apostles' Creed. This Creed contains what the apostles of the Lord believed and what they taught in all the world, as the Lord Himself had commanded them: "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." Mark 16,15. Let us give thanks to our dear Lord for having graciously sent His Gospel also to us that we may be saved thereby.

5. We have three articles of faith, because God has done three great saving works for us. We call these Creation, Redemption, and Sanctification. In our next lesson we shall begin our study of the first of the Three Articles, which treats of Creation.

REMEMBER:—

1. In the Three Articles is contained all that we believe and confess regarding God and His saving works for us. We call them also the Apostles' Creed. Our Creed is taken from Scripture.

2. There are two chief doctrines in the Bible, the Law and the Gospel. Both are God's Word. The Law tells us how, according to the will of God, we ought to be and what we must do and not do. It also tells us that God will punish us because we have not fulfilled, His commandments.

3. The Gospel brings to us the glad tidings of the grace and love of God. It tells us what God in His grace has done and will do to save us from the punishment of the Law, from sin and hell.

MEMORIZE:—

The Gospel is the glad tidings of the grace of God toward all men, proclaiming to them salvation from sin and death in Christ Jesus.

God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3,16.

Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Mark 16,15.

QUESTIONS.

1. Of what does the Second Chief Part of our Catechism treat? 2. How do we also call these Three Articles? 3. What does the word "creed" mean? 4. Where are the Three Articles of our Christian faith taken from? 5. How many chief doctrines are contained in the Scriptures? 6. How are these two doctrines called? 7. What does our Lord tell us in His Law? 8. With what does the Law threaten us because we have not fulfilled it? 9. What will our punishment be according to the Law? 10. What is the Gospel? 11. What does the word "Gospel" mean? 12. What does God reveal to us in His Gospel? 13. Recite the Gospel-message that we find John 3,16. 14. In what work especially has God shown His love toward mankind? 15. Who, according to the words of our Savior, shall not perish? 16. What will God give to him that believeth? 17. Why are the Three Articles called the Apostles' Creed? 18. Why do we confess our faith in three articles? 19. What are the three great works which God has done and will do for our salvation? 20. To whom is the Gospel to be preached? 21. Recite the command of our Lord to His disciples to preach the Gospel to all the world. 22. What does the word "creature" in this verse mean?

LESSON 14. The First Article.

Of Creation.

Which is the First Article of the Creed?

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

What does this mean?

I believe that God has made me and all creatures.

1. "I believe in God," thus the First Article begins. Every Christian should confess and every true Christian does confess: I, I myself, believe in God. It is of no avail to us that anybody else believes, we ourselves must believe in God. We believe in God the Father Almighty. We believe that God is the Father Almighty, or the almighty Father. And why do we believe that God is the almighty Father? Because He is the Maker of heaven and earth. That is God's first great, saving work for us. He has made heaven and earth. We call this work the creation.

2. God is the Maker of heaven and earth. Our Catechism explains these words thus: "I believe that God has made me and all creatures." God has made me; it is due to Him that I came into existence, that I am living. He gave me life and everything that I have. God, however, did not only make me, but me and all creatures. Creatures are all things that God has made. Heaven and earth, all the angels, the sun, the moon, the glittering stars, all things on earth, the mountain and the mighty oceans, all animals, large and small, all the plants on land and in the water, man himself; all things that we see, yes, even those we do not see, all things, visible and invisible, are His creatures. God has made them all, they are the work of His almighty power. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Gen. 1,1. "By Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible." Col. 1,16.

3. In Bible History you have already learned how God made or created heaven and earth. Before God began to create the world, nothing was there except God alone, the Creator. God always was, is, and in all eternity will be. "From everlasting to everlasting Thou art God." Ps. 90,2.—God did not have any material out of which to make this world. Out of nothing He created heaven and earth. God simply said, "Let there be light," and there was light. He simply said, Let there be the sun and the moon and the stars, and, behold, there they were, shining in all their splendor. In this manner, by speaking, by His word, God made all things, visible and invisible, heaven and earth. God has created everything without any means; God has made heaven and earth and all creatures out of nothing, by His word. We do not understand how this is possible; but we believe it because God Himself has revealed it to us in His Word. "Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." Heb. 11,3. God made all things by His word, with the exception of His foremost creature, man. It pleased Him to form the first man in a different manner. Do you know how God made Adam? Read Gen. 1,26-28 and 2,7.—God could have made heaven and earth, as we see them now, in one instant, but it has pleased Him to do it in six days. In six days "the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them." Gen. 2,1. And when all this was finished, "God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good." Gen. 1,31.

4. When we consider this great work of our Lord, consider that He has made the whole world, the heavens and all the host of them, the mighty sun, the countless stars, the earth with all its treasures, with its millions of living creatures, must we not say that God, who created all these things by His word alone, is a mighty and powerful God, more powerful and mighty than all other things which He has made? And it is true indeed, God is more powerful than His creatures. He is almighty. We believe in God, the Father Almighty. "With God nothing shall be impossible," Holy Scripture tells us. Luke 1,37. "He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased." Ps. 115,3. God is an almighty Father. In Him we can trust. He can and will be our help. No one and nothing can resist His mighty power.

5. When we consider how wonderful this world is made, when we consider that everything that came from the hand of God was very good, that everything was made as it should be to serve its end, must we not say that God is a very wise God, being able to plan such a wonderful and good work? Yea, our God is the all-wise God. What He does is always good and wise, even if we do not understand it.—And remember, moreover, that God has created this beautiful world for us, His children. This great and wonderful earth is to be our dwelling-place; sun, moon, and the stars are to serve us. Is not our God a loving, a good, a merciful God? Truly, "the Lord is good to all; and His tender mercies are ouer all His works." Ps. 145,9. "God is Love." 1 John 4,8. In Him, our loving, merciful God, will we trust; He will surely help us.

REMEMBER:—

1. I myself must believe in God the Father Almighty. The faith of another cannot save me.

2. In six days God created heaven and earth. He is the Creator of all things, visible and invisible. He has created, that is, made, all things out of nothing, by His word. This we believe because God Himself has revealed it unto us in Holy Scriptures.

3. God, the Maker of heaven and earth, always has been and always will be. From everlasting to everlasting He is God. He is our almighty and all-wise Father, always loving, good, and merciful. In Him we can and will trust.

MEMORIZE:—

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Gen. 1,1.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. Heb. 11,3.

From everlasting to everlasting Thou art God. Ps. 90,2.

With God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1,37.

God is Love. John 4,8.

QUESTIONS.

1. Why do we say in our Creed, I believe? 2. In whom do we believe according to the First Article? 3. Why do we call God "the Father Almighty"? 4. How does our Catechism explain the words "Maker of heaven and earth"? 5. What are creatures? 6. In how many days did God create heaven and earth? 7. What does it mean when we say God created them? 8. Why do we believe that God made everything out of nothing, merely by His word? 9. Recite Heb. 11,3. 10. How was everything when God had finished the work of creation? 11. What do we learn of God from Ps. 90,2? 12. Why is God called the almighty Father? 13. How does the creation show us that God is all-wise? 14. Which other qualities of God do we learn from His work of creation? 15. Why can and will we always trust in the almighty, all-wise, loving, and merciful God?

LESSON 15. The First Article.

God Has Made Me And Still Preserves Me.

Which is the First Article of the Creed?

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

What does this mean?

I believe that God has made me and all creatures, that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them.

1. God is the Maker of heaven and earth. I believe that God made all creatures, all things in heaven and earth. He also created man. About the creation of man we read in the Holy Scriptures: "And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God, created He him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them; and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Gen. 1,26-28. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Gen. 2,7. There is a great difference between the creation of man and the creation of all other visible things. God, so to say, took especial care about this last of all His wonderful works. He did not merely say: Let there be a man, but God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as it were, deliberated and planned beforehand how to make man. God then formed man, that is, his body, out of the dust of the ground, and breathed the breath of life, his soul, into his nostrils, his nose, and so man became a living soul.—And what is more, God created man in His own image, after His likeness. As God is Lord and Master over all things and governs them, so He gave to man the power to govern all things on earth; He gave him dominion over all the creatures on earth, to be Lord over this world. God made man in His own image. Adam and Eve were created holy, without any blemish and sin. They knew and loved God, their Creator, and lived according to His holy will. Truly, man is the foremost of all of God's visible creatures. God has made all men; therefore I confess, He made me.

2. "I believe," I know it to be true from the Word of God, "that God made me." He has made me by giving me body and soul. True, God did not make me as He made Adam, by forming my body out of the dust and breathing the breath of life into my nostrils. He made me by giving me body and soul through my parents. Nevertheless it is true that God has made me, that my body and my soul are the gift of God, my heavenly Father. I confess: "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." Job 33,4.

3. How wonderfully did God make me! "He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses." Consider how beautifully and wonderfully God made your body. He gave you eyes and ears. You can see and hear; you can see all the great works of Go, the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the animals and plants, the mighty mountains and the vast seas. You can see your fellow-men, your friends and parents, and hear their voices, hear their words that instruct and console you. You ca read your Bible and hear the preaching of God's Word. He gave you not only eyes and ears, but all the members of your body—your mouth so that you are able to talk to your friends and parents and make known your needs and wishes; your feet and hands for your work.—We are wonderfully made. God has given you a soul, and He has endowed it with reason, and has given you all your senses. You are able to think about the great work of God that surround you, to try to understand what they are and for what purpose God created them, You are able to understand all that God tells you in His Word about Himself, His will, and His grace, and thus to know Him. You are able to feel His goodness, His fatherly love and mercy. Surely we must say: "I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well." Ps. 139,14.

4. "I believe that God has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them." Every Christian confesses: God, my Father, preserves me, my life, my body and soul, all that I am. God has not made us and given us His great gifts and then left it to us how to preserve and keep them. This we could never do. He is not like a builder who, having finished a house, leaves it and lets others take care of it in the future. "He is not far from every one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17, 27.28. He will preserve us, and He alone, our Almighty Father, can do it. He has preserved me until this day. The fact that I am still enjoying life, that I still have body and soul with all their precious gifts, that I still can see and hear and have the use of my members, that I still have the gift of reason and the use of my senses, all this is not my work, not due to my prudence, or the care of my parents, or the skill of a physician, but it is God's work and gift alone. "He upholds all things by the word of His power." Heb. 1,3. And I believe that God, my Father, will also in future preserve me, His child, until the hour of death, and that He will then for Christ's sake take me up to heaven, body and soul, and there preserve me forever.

REMEMBER:—

1. God has made you. He has given you your body and soul, eyes, ears, and all your members, your reason and all your senses. He is your almighty Father.

2. God has preserved and still preserves you. That you are still living, that you have body and soul and the use of your reason and all your members, is God's free gift alone. God is your almighty Father.

3. How precious are these gifts of God! Never forget how wonderfully you are made. God, your almighty Father, is also a very kind and loving Father.

MEMORIZE:—

I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well. Ps. 139,14.

He is not far from every one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17,27.28.

He upholds all things by the word of His power. Heb. 1,3.

QUESTIONS.

1. On which of the six days did God create man? 2. What is the difference between the creation of man and the creation of all other visible creatures? 3. What did God do before He created man? 4. Out of what did He form his body? 5. How did God create his soul? 6. What does it mean that God created man in His own image? 7. How were Adam and Eve after God had created them? 8. How did they show that they were holy and without sin? 9. How did God make you? 10. Through whom did He give you body and soul? 11. Which gift did God bestow upon your body? 12. Why are eyes and ears and all members such wonderful gifts of God? 13. Which is God's greatest gift to your soul? 14. Why is reason His greatest gift? 15. What does God do for us in addition to having created us? 16. What does it mean that God preserves us? 17. Until what day did God preserve you? 18. How long will He preserve you? 19. What, therefore, is God to me because He made me and preserves me?

LESSON 16. The First Article.

How My Heavenly Father Provides For Me And Guards My Life.

Which is the First Article of the Creed?

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

What does this mean?

I believe that God has given me also clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and home, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods; that He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life; that He defends me against all danger, and guards and protects me from all evil.

1. In the First Article of our Christian faith we say: "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." This means, as we have learned: I believe that God has made me and has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them. God generally does not preserve us by His word and will alone, but through earthly means. In order to preserve our life and body, we must eat and drink, have clothing, house and home, etc. True, God could preserve us without these means. He is the Almighty. He has done so at times. He preserved Moses' life for forty days and nights without food and drink on Mount Sinai. Ex. 34,28. Jesus twice, as you know, fed several thousand people with a few loaves of bread and with a few fish. God can do so to-day, and He will do it if His children are in need of it. But generally it pleases God to preserve our body and life through outward means. God preserves me by providing me with all that I need to support my body and life.

2. I need many things to support my body and life. Our Catechism names quite a number of them. In order to support our life, we must have meat and drink. We must have clothing and shoes, house and home to protect our bodies from sunshine and rain. True, you have not everything that is named in our Catechism; but all these things are necessary to preserve our lives, and somebody must have them. The farmer must have fields and cattle to provide for his life and for the lives of many other people. All my goods, all that I need and have, clothing and shoes, meat and drink house and home, father and mother, brothers and sisters, were given me by God, my heavenly Father. "The eyes of all wait upon Thee, and Thou givest them their meat in due season Thou openest Thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing." Ps. 145,15.16.

3. God provides me with all that I need to support my life. God generally does it through the work of our hands. He can do it without our work, or labor, and at times has done so. Remember how God gave manna from heaven to the children of Israel when they were in the desert. Deut. 8,3.4. Remember how He fed His prophet Elijah during the famine by sending the ravens to bring him his daily bread. 1 Kings 17. God can do the same thing to-day, and He certainly will do so whenever His children are in need of it. "Cast all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." 1 Pet. 5,7. As a rule, however, God wants us to work diligently and carefully to save what we earn. But still it is God that provides for us. He gives us strength and health for our work. He blesses our labors. Without His blessing all our labor would be in vain. "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." Ps. 127,1.

4. God provides me with all that I need for mv life and body, and He does so richly and daily. God provides me richly. I have a rich Father. He is the Maker of heaven and earth. Everything belongs to Him. Out of His abundance He gives us richly all that we need, and often more than we need. He gives us daily, that is, He never tires of giving. Every morning He begins anew to bless us by giving us our daily bread.

5. One thing more is needed to preserve us. Our life and our body are in constant danger. But a child of God confesses: "He defends me against all danger, and guard and protects me from all evil." Remember how He defended the children of Israel against their enemies, the Egyptians, at the Red Sea. Ex. 13.14. Remember how He guarded His Son, the Christ- child, whom King Herod sought to kill. Matt. 2,13-15. So God defends and guards all His children. "There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." Ps. 91,10. True, also children of God have to suffer, they have many troubles and misfortunes; but their Father protects them in all these troubles, so that nothing can really harm them, but that everything must work together for good to them. Joseph in Egypt had to suffer much that was meant to do him harm, being cast into prison; but God was with him and made everything turn out for his welfare. He himself said to his brothers: "Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." Gen. 50,20.—In protecting His children from evil, God often uses His angels, those holy spirits whom He has created, and whom He sends out to minister to His children. By an angel God protected Daniel in the den of the lions and the three men in the fiery furnace. He sends His angels to protect us from evil. "He shall give His angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." Ps. 91, 11.12.

REMEMBER:—

1. God preserves you by providing you with all things that you need for your life and body. He does so richly and daily. Therefore trust in Him, your rich and merciful Father.

2. God wants you to work diligently and earn your daily bread; He also wants you to be thrifty, saving, with what He has given you. But with all your working and saving you could never provide the necessary food and clothing without God's blessing. He alone provides for you.

3. Trust in God! He will defend you against all danger and guard and protect you from all evil. He will send His angels so that no evil may harm you.

MEMORIZE:—

The eyes of all wait upon Thee, and Thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. Ps. 145,15.16.

Cast all your care upon Him, for He careth for you. 1 Pet. 5,7.

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Ps. 91,10.

He shall give His angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. Ps. 91, 11.

Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. Ps. 37,5.

QUESTIONS.

1. How does God preserve you? 2. What must you do to preserve your life and body? 3. Where has God shown that He can preserve us without any means? 4. In what manner does God generally preserve us? 5. Which of the things that are needed to support our life and body does our Catechism mention? 6. Who gave me all the good things I have? 7. In what way does God generally provide us with the things necessary for our life? 8. When, for instance, did God show that He can provide for us without the labor of our hands? 9. What, however, is God's rule in this matter? 10. Can you show that God provides for us even though we work to earn our living? 11. How does God provide you with all that is needed for your life? 12. Why can He provide richly for His children? 13. What more does God do to preserve us? 14. Give examples of God's protecting care over His children. 15. What is our consolation when we have troubles and misfortunes? 16. Whom does God often send forth to protect His children? 17. What do we read Ps. 37,5?

LESSON 17. The First Article.

God Has Made Me And Preserves Me Out Of Fatherly, Divine Goodness And Mercy.

Which is the First Article of the Creed?

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

What does this mean?

I believe that God does all this out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without an merit or worthiness in me.

1. We have learned that God has made me by giving me my body and soul, and that He still preserves me by giving me richly and daily all that I need for life and body, by guarding and protecting me from all evil. Now we ask, Why has God done all this for me? Our Catechism answers: He has done "all this purely out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy." This answer is taken from the Word of God. "The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works." Ps. 145,9.— God is moved by His goodness to bestow His manifold blessings on us. Our God is good. Ps. 118,1. He loves all His creatures, especially those whom in Holy Baptism and through faith in Jesus Christ He has accepted as His children. He wishes to make them happy here on earth and above all, eternally in heaven. He also loves you; therefore He has formed your body so beautifully and given you an immortal soul; therefore He provides you with all that is needed for your life and body, and does this richly and daily.

2. God is moved by His mercy to provide for me and protect me. "His tender mercies are over all His works." Our God is a merciful God. He knows that without Him, without His provident care, we are helpless, unable to support our life, not even for a single day. And He has compassion on us. He does not like to see His children in need and danger. His tender mercies are over you also; therefore He feeds and clothes you through your parents or friends; therefore He guards and protects you, His child.

3. His goodness and mercy is fatherly goodness and mercy. He provides for me and protects me as a father provides for his children and protects them. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him." Ps. 103,13. Not only in His Word does God assure us that He is our loving Father, but He daily proves it to us by the blessings He sends us. He has given me my beautiful body and a rational soul, that is, powers to think and understand; He daily provides for everything I need; He is at my side in every danger to defend me; from every evil that comes near me He protects me. Surely God is my Father.—His goodness and mercy are a divine goodness and mercy, such as only God has and can have, a perfect and never- failing goodness and mercy. My Father is the Father Almighty, who daily will and can provide for and protect His children. "His compassions fail not. They are new every morning." Lam. 3,22.— Therefore I confess: I believe in God, my almighty Father, that is, I do not only know from the Word of God and from the blessings I am daily receiving from Him that the almighty God is my Father, but with all my heart I trust in Him, I confide in Him, I rely on Him as on my true Father. When I am in need, I trust in Him, my Father; He will and can provide for me. When dangers surround me, I trust in Him, my Father; He will and can defend me. When evil seems to come near me, I trust in Him, my Father; He will and can protect me. To believe in God the Father Almighty means to be fully assured that the almighty God is my Father, and with all my heart to trust in Him who is my Father for Jesus' sake.

4. Whatever God does for His children, He does "purely out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy." His fatherly goodness and mercy— nothing else—moves Him to show us goodness and mercy. He provides and protects me "without any merit or worthiness in me." When a man performs some work for another man, he has done something for him and thereby earned, or merited, payment for such service. We have not given anything to God, so that He would be in duty bound to reward us for it. We have not earned His fatherly love, nor can we ever do so.— When a rich man bestows a free gift upon a poor man, this poor man has certainly not merited this gift, but he may be worthy of the help. His worthiness may have moved the rich man to take pity on him. We are not worthy of anything that God bestows upon us; we do not deserve His fatherly love and kindness. We have transgressed, and daily transgress, His holy commandments. We are sinners. We so often misuse God's kindness and His gifts. If God were to treat us according to our merits and worthiness, He would not be able to bless us, but he would have to punish and condemn us. In us God does not find anything that might move Him to love us and to care for us. It is purely out of His fatherly, divine goodness and mercy that He loves me and provides for me, an unworthy sinner. We must confess with Jacob: "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which Thou hast showed unto Thy servant." Gen. 32,10.

REMEMBER:—

1. In bestowing all His blessings on me God is moved only by His goodness and mercy, not by any merit or worthiness in me. All I am and all I have and receive is a free gift of His love and kindness.

2. God's goodness and mercy are a fatherly and divine goodness and mercy. He daily shows that He is my Father indeed, who loves me and cares for me with a most perfect, never-failing, never-ceasing love.

3. To believe in God the Father Almighty means to know and be assured from Scripture that the almighty God is my Father, and with all my heart to trust and confide in Him who is my Father for Christ's sake.

MEMORIZE:—

The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. Ps. 145,9.

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. Ps. 103,13.

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which Thou hast showed unto Thy servant. Gen. 32,10.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, that is, I know and am assured that the almighty God is my Father; with all my heart, therefore, I trust and confide in Him who is my Father for Christ's sake.

QUESTIONS.

1. Who has made you and still preserves you? 2. What moves God to do this? 3. Whom among His creatures does God especially love? 4. How does He show His goodness and love toward His children? 5. What furthermore moves God to care for His children? 6. What does it mean that God is merciful? 7. How are His goodness and mercy called in our Catechism? 8. What do we read Ps. 103,13? 9. How does God daily show His fatherly goodness toward you? 10. How are His goodness and mercy furthermore called in our Catechism? 11. Why is His goodness called a divine goodness? 12. What do we therefore confess because God daily shows us His fatherly love and mercy? 13. What does this mean, "I believe in God the Father Almighty"? 14. Why may and should we trust and confide in God as in our Father? 15. What does not move God to love us and provide for us? 16. Why do we not merit God's love and kindness? 17. Why are we not worthy of His goodness and mercy? 18. What have we sinners merited? 19. Recite what Jacob said to the Lord. Gen. 32,10.

LESSON 18. The First Article.

For His Goodness And Mercy I Will Thank And Praise My Father, And Serve And Obey Him.

Which is the First Article?

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

What does this mean?

I believe that for all this it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.

1. Great are the blessings which we daily receive from our heavenly Father. It is He who preserves our bodies and souls. It is He who provides us with all that we need for our lives, and who defends us against all danger and guards and protects us from all evil. And He does all this without any merit or worthiness in me, moved purely by His fatherly, divine goodness and mercy. When we consider all this love and kindness, we ask, What, then, is our duty toward our Father in heaven? "What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?" Ps. 116,12. Our Catechism answers: "For all which it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him."

2. For all His benefits we should, and, most certainly, every child of God gladly will, thank our Father. When somebody has shown us a kindness and given us valuable gifts, we certainly thank him. How we do look down with contempt upon an ungrateful person! If we give thanks to our human benefactors, how much more should we thank God, our greatest Benefactor, from whom we receive every good and perfect gift! It is God's will that we thank Him. "O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good, because His mercy endureth forever." Ps. 118,1. Remember how well pleased our Lord was with the grateful Samaritan who alone of the ten came back to thank Him for the gift of his health. Luke 17, 17-19. To be able to thank God we must believe in our hearts that everything that we are, have and enjoy is God's gracious gift. Yet many do not admit this. They boast that they themselves provide for their life by their daily work, that they themselves defend their bodies and souls from danger and evil, and so they do not consider it their duty to thank the Lord. We are assured that all we have is a free gift of God, and therefore we must and will thank Him in all our prayers. Do not forget to do this, especially in your morning and evening prayers, as well as before and after meals. (See the prayers in your Catechism.)

3. We should praise God, our Father. With glad and rejoicing hearts we will tell others, our fellow-men, of the great and wondrous things the Lord has done for us. We will make know to them what a mighty and wise as well as gracious, merciful, and loving Father our God is, and thus glorify His name in the world, also in the presence of unbelievers. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits!" Ps. 103,2. "To God, the Father of all love, the God of earth and heaven, the mighty God who reigns above, be praise and glory given! With healing balm my soul He fills and every pain and sorrow stills: To God all praise and glory!"

4. It is our duty to serve the Lord. God, it is true, is not in need of our poor services, for it is He who gives us day by day everything we have. But He has told us in His Word that what we do to our brethren for His sake we have done unto Him. Matt. 25,40. In serving our brethren we serve God. We serve Him by not using the gifts we receive from Him merely for our own benefit, much less for sinful purposes, in the service of sin and Satan, but by using them to help our neighbor in distress. We serve Him by using our worldly goods to further our Father's kingdom here on earth, by laboring and giving for His Church, for Foreign and Home Missions, and for all purposes pleasing to God. In this manner our whole life will be a service and a thank-offering to God, our gracious Father. "O grant that I may through Thy grace use all my powers to show Thy praise, and serve and help my neighbor."

5. Finally, it is my duty to obey Him, my Father. I know that God is my Father, and I am His child. How can a child show his love and his gratitude toward his father better than by obeying him? So will I render my thanks unto my heavenly Father by cheerfully and willingly obeying Him and by doing according to His commandments. Above all, I will, according to His First Commandment, love Him and trust in Him, my Father, in every need and danger, firmly believing that He will never leave nor forsake me.

6. "This is most certainly true." With these words we conclude our First Article. These words are the explanation of the word Amen which we find at the end of our Creed. Amen means: "This is most certainly true." We declare it to be most certainly true what we have confessed and what we believe. It is most certainly true that God has made me and still preserves me. It is most certainly true that God has given me my body and soul, that He provides for me and defends, guards, and protects me. It is most certainly true that He has done all this purely out of His fatherly, divine goodness and mercy. It is most certainly true that God is my almighty Father whom I, His child, am in duty bound to thank and praise, to serve and obey. From God's Word we know that all this is most certainly true.

REMEMBER:—

1. God is our heavenly Father, our greatest Benefactor; therefore we should thank and praise, serve and obey Him. Let us never forget all His benefits.

2. We thank God when we believe and acknowledge it to be true that all we have is the gift of God's goodness and mercy, given us without any merit or worthiness in us.—We praise Him when we glorify Him and His gracious deeds also before our fellow-men.

3. We serve our heavenly Father by devoting all the powers of body and soul, all of which are His gifts, not to the service of sin and Satan, but to the service of our fellow-men and of the Church of God.—We obey Him by fulfilling His will, by keeping His commandments, especially by loving Him and trusting in Him.

MEMORIZE:—

What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me? Ps. 116,12.

O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; because His mercy endureth forever. Ps. 118,1.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits! Ps. 103,2.

QUESTIONS.

1. Which are the great blessings we receive from God, according to the First Article? 2. What do we ask when we consider these blessings? 3. How is this expressed in Ps. 116,12? 4. How does our Catechism answer this question? 5. Why is it our duty to thank God? 6. How can you prove from Scripture that God is pleased with our gratitude? 7. What must we admit in our hearts in order really to thank God? 8. Most men do not admit this; what do they believe regarding their worldly goods? 9. At what time especially should we thank God for His benefits? 10. What does it mean to praise God? 11. Before whom also should we glorify Him? 12. Recite Ps. 103,2. 13. What, in addition, is our duty towards God? 14. How can we serve our Father? 15. How do you know that you are serving God by serving your neighbor? 16. What should I also do to serve God? 17. What finally, is our duty towards our Father in heaven? 18. When do we obey Him? 19. How should we obey Him, according to the First Commandment? 20. What do we express in the last words of the First Article? 21. How do we know that everything we have confessed in this article is most certainly true?

LESSON 19. The First Article.

Review Lesson.

1. We have begun to study the Three Articles of our Creed. These articles contain all that we believe and confess regarding God and His works, all that He has done and Will do for us, His children. Where did God reveal Himself and His works to us? What do we call all the doctrines of Scripture that teach us who God is and what He has done for us? What is the meaning of the word Gospel? There are two chief doctrines in the Bible. What are they called? What does the Law tell us? What are the good tidings brought to us in the Gospel?

2. We confess in the First Article that God is the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. God is the Maker of heaven and earth. What do we call this great work of God? What is the meaning of the word create? What do we call all the things that God has made? What does it mean to say: God created all things by His word? In how many days did God create this world, heaven and earth?—When we thoughtfully consider this great work of God, His creation, we can learn from it how wonderful our God is. What does creation teach us about God? When we say, God is almighty, what does that mean? How does creation teach us that God is an all-wise God? How does creation show us God's great love and kindness toward His creatures? How were all creatures when God had made them?

3. God is the Maker of heaven and earth, He created all things. Therefore He also created man. How did God create the first man? Man is the foremost of all the visible creatures. How do we prove this? In whose image did God make our first parents? In what respect did God make man in His image? How were our first parents when God had made them? Whom did they know and love? How did they live?—God made all men; whom, therefore, did He also make? What did God give me in making me? It is true that God did not make me in the same manner as He made our first parents. Through whom did He give me my body and soul?—Consider how wonderfully God has made you. Why did God give you eyes and ears? What can you do because God endowed your soul with reason? All this proves that we are God's foremost creatures.—God has made you, but what do we furthermore confess? What does this statement mean: God preserves me? What do we read Heb. 1,3? In whom do we all live and move and have our being?

4. We confess in the First Article that our heavenly Father has made me and all creatures, that He has given me my body with all its members, my soul, my reason and all my senses, and that He still preserves me, so that in Him we live and move, and have our being. How does God preserve me? from whom do we receive all things to support our body and life? Recite Ps. 145,15.16. In what manner does God, as a rule, provide us with all the things that we need to support our body and soul? Why is it that we, nevertheless, must say that God provides for us? What must God also do to preserve my body and life? Whom does God often use to protect His children from danger and evil?

5. God has done great things for me. He has made me, He has given me my body and soul. He still preserves me by providing daily and richly all that I need for my life and body, by guarding and protecting me from all evil. What moves God to give me all these great benefits? Recite Ps. 145,9. What does that mean: God is good to all His creatures? Whom especially does God love? What does that mean: God is merciful? How are God's goodness and mercy called in our Catechism? Why is His goodness called a fatherly goodness? Why is it called a divine goodness? Why do we say that it is purely fatherly and divine goodness that moves God? What have we merited by our conduct toward God? Why are we unworthy of all the benefits of God? What must we confess with Jacob? Gen. 32,10. What do we say by confessing: "I believe in God the Father Almighty"?

6. Great are the blessings which we have received, and daily are receiving, from our heavenly Father. And He gives all His blessings out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. What, therefore, is our duty over against God? We should, in the first place, thank our Father. What do we think of an ungrateful person? What do we read Ps. 118,1? With whom was our Lord well pleased? Why are so many men not thankful to God? When only shall we be truly thankful? —In the second place, we should praise our Father. What does it mean to praise God? Before whom also should we glorify God?—In the third place, we should serve God in order to show Him our gratitude. How can we serve God although He is not in need of our services? How ought we to use all the gifts of God in order to serve Him?—Lastly, we should obey our Father. When do we obey Him? Which commandment, especially, should we keep? What does this commandment require of us? Why do we close the First Article with the words: "This is most certainly true"?

We all believe in one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Present Helper in all need, Praised by all the heavenly host, By whose mighty power alone All is made and wrought and done.

LESSON 20. The Second Article: Of Redemption.

I Believe That My Lord Jesus Christ Is True God.

Which is the Second Article?

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, ... is my Lord.

1. "I believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord" thus the Second Article of our Creed begins. Every true Christian, every child of God, confesses: I believe in my Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord. We do not only believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, but likewise in our Lord Jesus Christ. You know what it means to believe in Jesus Christ. It means, I know and am assured by God's Word that Jesus Christ is my Lord, and with all my heart I trust and confide in Him as in my Lord. Our Catechism teaches us two things about our Lord Jesus Christ: 1. who our Lord Jesus Christ is, and 2. what He has done for me to become my Lord.

2. Who is our Lord Jesus Christ? We confess "I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son," that is, God the Father's only Son. Many are called, and in truth are, God's children. "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Gal. 3,26. All who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ are sons and daughters of God. How, then, can we say that Jesus Christ is God's only Son? Our Catechism says: "I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, is my Lord." All those who believe in Christ are God's children; God has adopted them as His children for Christ's sake. Christ, however, is God's own Son, begotten, born of the Father from eternity. Before God created heaven and earth, Christ was God's Son, begotten of the Father. God Himself says to this His only Son: "Thou art My Son; this day [that is, from eternity] have I begotten Thee." Ps. 2,7. "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3,16. Christ is God's Son, begotten of the Father from eternity, and it is for this reason, too, that in the First Article we call God the Father. He is the Father of His own only Son, through whom He is also our Father.

3. Whoever is born of human parents is a true man; he has a human body and a human soul. Our Lord Jesus Christ is born of the Father from eternity, and therefore He is true God. We confess that we believe in Jesus Christ, true God. He is true God in the same sense as the Father is true God. Together with the Father He is the one true God. He himself has said: "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." John 14,9. "I and My Father are one." John 10,30 The Father is the almighty God; likewise the Son, our Lord, is the almighty God. "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." Matt. 28,18. God the Father is always with us wherever we are; likewise the Son, our Lord, is with us always. "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matt. 28,20. God the Father has created all things; likewise the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." John 1,3. He tells us that we should honor Him as we honor the Father. "All men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father." John 5,23. He tells us that we should believe in Him as we believe in the Father. "Ye believe in God, believe also in Me." John 14,1.

4. Jesus Christ is true God from eternity. When our Lord was dwelling here on earth among men, He showed that He was true God. His apostle John tells us: "We [the apostles] beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father." John 1,14. With His almighty word He healed the sick, He made the blind to see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, He brought the dead to life again: the daughter of Jairus, the son of the widow in Nain, and Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha. Remember how the winds and the sea obeyed Him, how He stilled the storm and walked on the sea as on dry land, how He changed water into wine.

5. Our Lord Jesus Christ is true God, the only-begotten Son of the Father. His disciples confessed it time and again. Simon Peter confessed regarding the Lord: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matt. 16,16. Thomas said to Him, "My Lord and my God." John 20,28. And Jesus was well pleased with their confessions and accepted them. "This [our dear Lord] is the true God and eternal life," is what John the Apostle tells of Him. 1 John 5,20. And St. Paul writes: "Who [Christ] is over all, God blessed forever." Rom. 9,5. From our Bible, from the Word of God, we know it to be most certainly true that our Lord is true God, begotten of the Father from eternity.

6. Never forget that our dear Lord, together with the Father, is the one true God. Therefore I believe in Him and trust in Him with all my heart. In every need and trouble, in every danger, I lift up my hands to my Lord and God and pray to Him. He will not forsake me, for He is "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday to-day and forever." Heb. 13,8.

REMEMBER:—

1. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only Son of God the Father, His own Son, begotten of the Father from eternity.

2. Our Lord Jesus Christ is true God, with God the Father the one true God in whom we believe, and to whom we pray.

3. This we know and believe because God Himself has revealed it to us in His holy Word. Our confession is and always will be: "I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son." I believe that Jesus Christ is true God, begotten of the Father from eternity.

MEMORIZE:—

This is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5,20.

Who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. Rom. 9,5.

Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God. John 20,28.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3,16.

All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Matt. 28,18.

Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Matt. 28,20.

QUESTIONS.

1. What does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord? 2. What two things does our Catechism teach us about our Lord Jesus Christ? 3. Whose only Son is Jesus Christ? 4. Who also are God's children? 5. Why is Jesus called God's only Son? 6. Where in the Bible is Christ called the only-begotten Son of God? John 3,16. 7. Christ is the own, the only- begotten Son of God; what must He therefore be? 8. What is Christ together with the Father? 9. Where does our Lord Himself say so? 10. Where does our Lord say that He is almighty? 11. Where does He promise that He will always be with us? 12. What great work of God the Father is also done by the Son? 13. How should we honor the Son? 14. How did Christ show, when He wae dwelling visibly on earth, that He is true God? 15. What did Peter confess of the Lord? 16. What did Thomas say to Him? 17. What does the Apostle John write about the Lord? 18. What does St. Paul write? 19. How do we know that it is most certainly true that Christ is true God? 20. What must our confession regarding Christ always be?

LESSON 21. The Second Article.

I Believe That My Lord Is True God And True Man.

Which is the Second Article?

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord.

1. We confess that Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, begotten of the Father from eternity and therefore true God. We also confess that He is born of the Virgin Mary and therefore is a true man, with a human soul and a human body. Holy Scripture expressly calls our Lord a man. "There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Tim. 2,5. Our Lord is indeed true man. While He was visibly dwelling here on earth, He lived as a man among men. He was born in Bethlehem as a little child. In the house of His mother and His foster-father Joseph He grew up like other children. He became hungry and thirsty, He ate and drank, He grew tired and slept, and lastly, He died.

2. Christ, our Lord, is true man, man in the true sense of the word. He is our Brother. But there is one great difference between Him and all other men. We confess in the Second Article that He was conceived by the Holy Ghost. Though our Lord was born of a human mother, He did not have a human father. He was conceived by the power of God the Holy Ghost without sin. "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee [the Virgin Mary], and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Luke 1,35. Christ, our Lord, was born holy, without sin, and during His life He never committed any sin, but always fulfilled the will of God, His Father.

3. Christ, our Lord, is true God and true man. There are not two Christs, one who is God, and another who is man, but only one Christ, who is God and man at the same time, God and man in one person, the God- man. He is Emmanuel, that is, God with us, God in our flesh and blood. Matt. 1,23. How this is possible we cannot understand, but we firmly believe it because God Himself has revealed it to us in His Word. The Son of God, the true God, became a true man, born of a woman. "The Word [the Son of God] was made flesh [man], and dwelt among us." John 1,14.

4. The Son of God, the true God, became man, but more than that. He also humbled Himself. He did not, as a rule, show forth His divine glory nor use His divine powers, but was like any other man. He did not come to us as a great prince, in kingly splendor, but though He is our God and King, He came to us as a low, poor man. From Bible History you know the life of the God-man, how He was born a little child in Bethlehem, of the Virgin Mary, a lowly maid in Israel, though she came from the royal house of the great King David. And after He was born, He suffered. His whole life was a constant suffering. He was despised by His people, persecuted by the priests and Pharisees. He was so poor that He did not have where to lay His head. Remember how He suffered that unspeakable agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and in the courts of His enemies, where they passed that cruel sentence of death upon Him who had never committed a sin. And under Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea, He was crucified, nailed to a cross. And on the cross He died, died the death of a criminal. And after His death His friends buried His body, just as they would have buried that of any other man. Verily, the Son of God, our Lord, deeply humbled Himself; He humbled Himself unto death, even the death of the cross.

5. Why did our Lord do all this? Why did the Son of God become man? Why did our Lord humble Himself so deeply? He did it for our sake, for the sake of all men, for those who are His enemies. He did it for me that He might become my Lord and Savior. Therefore our Lord was called Jesus. This name means helper, savior. It was given to our Lord by the will of God; for He had an angel tell Joseph: "She [the Virgin Mary] shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins." Matt. 1,21. Jesus is our Savior.—Our Lord is also called Christ. Christ means the Messiah. Our Lord is the Messiah whom God had promised to His people in the Old Testament. All the prophecies regarding the Messiah in the Old Testament have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, our Lord.—Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior, and He is our only Savior. "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Acts 4,12.

REMEMBER:—

1. Our Lord Jesus Christ is true God, born of the Father from eternity; but He is also true man, born in time of the Virgin Mary. He is like unto other men, except that He is holy and without sin.

2. Christ, our Lord, is true God and true man in one person—the God- man. As such He is my Savior.

3. The Son of God did not only become man, He also humbled Himself, suffering and dying, dying on the cross.

4. Christ, our Lord, has done all this to be Jesus, the Savior of all men, to be Christ, the promised Messiah. He has done all this for me that He might become my Lord.

MEMORIZE:—

There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. 2,5.

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1,14.

She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins. Matt. 7,21.

Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Acts 4,12.

QUESTIONS.

1. What do we confess regarding our Lord? 2. What do we also confess? 3. Recite the passage of Scripture where Christ is expressly called man. 4. How did our Lord show in His life here on earth that He was truly a man? 5. By whom was Christ conceived? 6. How was He, therefore, when He was born? 7. What, therefore, is the difference between Him and all other men? 8. We confess that Christ is God and man, What do we mean by this? 9. What did the Son of God become? 10. How do we read John 1,14? 11. Our Lord became true man; what did He also do? 12. What did He, as a rule, not show and use while He was here on earth? 13. What kind of man did our Lord become? 14. How was He born? 15. What was His whole life here on earth? 16. How poor did He become? 17. How did He die? 18. Why did Christ do all this? 19. For whose sake also did He humble Himself? 20. Why is my Lord called Jesus? 21. Why is He called the Christ?

LESSON 22. The Second Article.

My Lord Has Redeemed Me, A Lost And Condemned Creature.

Which is the Second Article?

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil.

1. We have learned that our Lord is true God and true man. We have heard that the Son of God became man and humbled Himself even unto death for our sake to become our Lord and Savior. Our Catechism furthermore tells us by what means Jesus Christ, true God and true man, became my Lord and Savior. That is the great work of our Lord: He came into this world to save, to redeem us. His work is our redemption. Let us diligently and prayerfully consider this great work of our Lord—our redemption.

2. Christ has redeemed me, so I confess. We were in great need of such a Lord and of the redemption which He was to bring. For without such a Lord we are lost and condemned creatures. We are lost creatures. What does this mean? Remember the beautiful story of the Prodigal Son. The father in this story said of his son after his return that he had been lost. Wilfully and sinfully the son had left his home and his father and gone into a far country, where he spent all his goods with riotous living. He was now far away from his father, separated from him and his home. He was lost in that far-away country, where great misery and distress soon overtook him. Without his father he would have perished with hunger. Thus we are lost without Christ. We have sinned against our heavenly Father, we have transgressed His commandments. By committing sins we have left our Father and are separated from Him. We are in a far-away country, in this sinful world, where misery and distress surround us. We are without God and without hope in the world. Without our Lord we must perish, suffer eternal death. Without Christ we are indeed lost. Every one of us must confess: I am a lost creature. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way." Is. 53,6.

3. I confess also that I am a condemned creature. God, as you have learned, is a righteous and jealous God. He threatens to punish all that transgress His commandments. When Adam and Eye transgressed God's command, the threatened punishment came over them. "In the day that thou eatest thereof," God had told Adam, "thou shalt surely die." Gen. 2,17. Death is the punishment of all sinners, not only death here on earth, but eternal death, that is, eternal damnation. That is the sentence which God passed upon all that have sinned, that they should be separated from Him in eternity, from Him in whom alone we find life and true happiness.—It was the devil that tempted Adam and Eve to sin. They heard and obeyed his voice instead of the voice of their Father. He became their Lord and master. "He that committeth sin is of the devil." 1 John 3,8. Because we have sinned, we are under the power of the devil, we belong to his kingdom. Without Christ we are all lost and condemned creatures, that is, we are separated from God, our Father; we are under God's judgment of damnation; we are under the powers of sin, death, and the devil. They are our masters. "We were by nature the children of wrath." Eph. 2,3.

4. I am a lost and condemned creature; I am in the power of sin, death, and the devil. Who can help me in this misery and redeem and save me? Surely not I myself. How could I deliver myself from these mighty enemies? I have nothing with which I might atone for my sins or remove God's wrath and curse. Neither can any other man help me, powerful and wise though he may be. All men are lost and condemned creatures, just as helpless as I am. There is only One who is able to help and redeem us, Jesus Christ, our Lord. He is the God-man. He could conquer these fearful enemies, sin, death, and the devil. He is the almighty God. He alone among men is without sin, and therefore not in the power of the devil. He can redeem me, and He has redeemed me. In order to redeem the world, the Son of God became man, humbled Himself, and suffered and died. Thankfully I confess that Christ has redeemed me, that He is my Lord.

5. I confess that Christ, my Lord, has redeemed me. But not only me did He redeem, but all men, from Adam up to the last man that will be born before the Day of Judgment. God loved the world, all mankind, and He so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son to redeem and save the world. All men are lost and condemned creatures, all are under God's wrath and in the power of sin, and our Savior Himself said: "The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost." Matt. 18,11. John the Baptist pointed to Him and said: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1,29. "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2,2. Christ, my Lord, has redeemed all mankind, and therefore I know that it is most certainly true: He has redeemed also me.

REMEMBER:—

1. Without Christ, my Lord, I am a lost and condemned creature. I am without God and hope in this world, separated from God and under the sentence of damnation.

2. By nature I am in the power of sin, death, and the devil. I belong to Satan's kingdom. Sin, death, and the devil were my masters.

3. In this dreadful distress no man was able to help me. Only Christ could redeem me, for He is the God-man; and He has redeemed me and all the world.

MEMORIZE:—

He that committeth sin is of the devil. 1 John 3,8.

The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost. Matt. 18,11.

Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1,29.

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2,2.

QUESTIONS.

1. What do we call the great work which Christ has done for us and all men? 2. What do I confess in the Second Article concerning myself? 3. From which parable of our Lord do we learn what it means to be lost? 4. Why was the Prodigal Son called lost? 5. How did he become separated from his father? 6. What happened to him in that far-away country? 7. How did we become separated from our heavenly Father? 8. What always separates us from God? 9. What do we furthermore confess concerning ourselves? 10. Why are we condemned creatures? 11. What does God threaten to those who transgress His commandments? 12. In what does the punishment of sin consist? 13. What death is meant? 14. Who tempted Adam and Eve to sin? 15. Of whom is he who commits sin? 16. Under whose power are we because we have sinned? 17. Who alone is able to help us in our misery? 18. Why can Jesus Christ surely help and save us? 19. Whom did Christ redeem? 20. How can you prove from Scripture that Christ has redeemed all men?

LESSON 23. The Second Article.

Christ, My Lord, Has Redeemed Me With His Holy, Precious Blood.

Which is the Second Article?

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.

1. Christ has redeemed and purchased us, that is, He bought us. Our Lord had to pay a price, a very high price for our redemption. He has purchased or bought me not with gold or silver. "Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold." 1 Pet 1,18. Gold and silver are, indeed, highly prized among men. Much can be accomplished, much can be bought with gold and silver for the support of our life and for our comfort here in this world. But all the gold and silver, all the treasures in the world, cannot buy our redemption. Gold and silver cannot redeem one lost and condemned sinner from sin, death, and the powers of the devil, from hell and damnation. A much higher price was necessary. Our Lord has paid this price.

2. Christ redeemed and purchased us with His blood. He shed His blood for us. He gave His life for our redemption. Consider the great love of our Lord. He gave His life not for His friends, but for us, who were His enemies. We call this blood a holy blood. It is the blood of a holy man. Our Savior was born without sin, and He never committed a sin in His life. We have been redeemed, not with gold or silver, "but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Pet. 1,19. We call the blood of Christ a precious blood. This blood is the most precious thing in heaven and earth. It is the blood of the Son of God, shed for our sins. "The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1,7.

3. Christ purchased us with His blood and with His suffering and death. Suffering and dying our Lord shed His blood for us. We say it was an innocent suffering and death, because He did not deserve this. He was without sin, He never did any wrong. He did not suffer and die because of any guilt of His own. He suffered and died on account of my guilt and the guilt of the whole world. During His whole sinless life He fulfilled God's commandments. We ought to have kept the commandments, but we could not do it because we were born in sins. Christ, our Lord, has fulfilled the Law of God for us, in our stead. He came into this world and was made under the Law that He might redeem us, who were under the Law. We had transgressed the commandments, therefore the wrath of God was upon us, and we deserved His punishment. We ought to have suffered death, eternal death. Christ was innocent, without sin, and still He suffered death on the cross. He did all this for us, in our stead. "Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.... He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed." Is. 53,4.5.—It was a high price that Jesus paid for our salvation. He gave Himself for us. How thankful we ought to be to our dear Savior, who lived and died for us that we may be saved! How thankful we ought to be to our heavenly Father, who "so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life"! John 3,16.

4. Christ paid a high price for me. He gave Himself a ransom for my salvation. But before His death on the cross my Savior cried out: "It is finished." His great work is finished indeed. My Lord has purchased and redeemed me and all mankind. Because Christ shed His precious blood, and suffered and died for us in our stead, we are redeemed and free from our sins. By leading a sinless life Christ has fulfilled all commandments of God for us; in Him we have fulfilled them. We are free from the curse of the Law. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us." Gal. 3,13. All the punishments for our sins were suffered by Christ. In Him God has punished us, and therefore we no longer need to suffer punishment for our sins.—We have been redeemed from all sins. There is not a single sin, either great or small, from which Christ, our Lord, has not redeemed us. He has earned forgiveness of all sins for us.

5. The penalty of sin is death, eternal death and damnation. Christ, our Lord, has taken away our sins, He has earned forgiveness for us; therefore we have been redeemed from death. He has suffered death for us and therefore we are free from death. Eternal death has no power over us; for "Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light." 2 Tim. 1,10. We no longer need to fear death. In death our Lord gives us everlasting life.

6. Since Christ has suffered and died for us, we have also been redeemed from the power of the devil. Through sin the devil has power over us. Our sins are forgiven; by His death the Lord destroyed the works of the devil. Satan has lost his power over me. He cannot force me to sin nor keep me in his kingdom. "Through death He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Heb. 2,14. We thank the Lord for having redeemed us from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil.

REMEMBER:—

1. I have been bought with a price. My Lord has purchased me, not with treasures of this world, but with His own precious blood, with His innocent suffering and death.

2. In my stead Christ fulfilled all the commandments of God. In my stead He suffered and died for my sins. With His stripes I am healed.

3. Now I am redeemed and free from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. In Christ I have forgiveness of all my sins.

MEMORIZE:—

Ye know that ye ware not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Pet. 1,18.19.

The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sins. 1 John 1,7.

Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.... He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed. Is. 53,4.5.

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us. Gal. 3,13.

Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light. 2 Tim. 1,10.

QUESTIONS.

1. What does it mean when we say that the Lord purchased us? 2. Wherein did the price which He paid for us not consist? 3. With what did our Lord redeem us? 4. Why do we call His blood a holy blood? 5. Why do we call it a precious blood? 6. What do we read 1 John 1,7? 7. Why do we call the suffering and death of our Lord an innocent suffering and death? 8. Why did our Lord not deserve suffering and death? 9. For whom did He suffer and die? 10. What did Christ during His whole life fulfil? 11. For whom did He do this? 12. What did we deserve for our sins? 13. Who suffered the punishment we had deserved in our stead? 14. What does the prophet say Is. 53,4.5? 15. What do we know regarding this great work of our Lord? 16. From what have we been redeemed? 17. What did Christ earn for us with regard to our sins? 18. From what have we also been redeemed? 19. What need we no longer fear? 20. In what respect are we redeemed also from the power of the devil?

LESSON 24. The Second Article.

My Lord Has Won Me That I May Be His Own.

Which is the Second Article?

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord, who has won me, that I may be His own, and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.

1. Christ, my Lord, has redeemed and purchased me, and we add: He has won me. He has won me after a hard fight with sin, death, and the devil. In the first prophecy of the promised Messiah, God said to the serpent, to Satan: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her Seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel." Gen. 3,15. This prophecy has been fulfilled in the coming of Christ, our Lord. He is the Seed of the woman. The serpent, Satan, indeed, bruised His heel. Christ had to suffer and die for us. But through His death on the cross our Lord has gained the victory He has bruised the serpent's head and destroyed his works. He has delivered us out of the hand of our enemies. Sin, death, and the devil no longer have any power over us. Christ has won us for Himself. He has become my Lord. I now am His own, I belong to Him, to Him alone, who has bought me and won me. Christ has won me in order that He may be my Lord and I His own.

2. Christ, my Lord, has won me that I may live in His kingdom. Without Christ we are all in Satan's kingdom, living under him. He is our evil master, who rules over us But Christ has delivered us out of the hand of our enemies that we should live in His kingdom.—Our Lord has a kingdom here on earth. For the purpose of founding this His kingdom, He came into the world and humbled Himself, and suffered and died for us. Our Lord, truly, is a King. He Himself told us so. When Pontius Pilate asked Him, "Art Thou a king, then?" He answered: "Thou sayest that I am a King." To His kingdom all those belong who believe and trust in Him and accept Him as their Lord and King. For this purpose my Lord redeemed and won me, that I, too, may belong to His kingdom and live under Him.

3. The kingdom of our Lord and King is a most glorious kingdom. The Lord Himself reigns and rules in His kingdom with His grace and love. In His kingdom we live under Him. He rules and governs my whole life. Under His rule and care I shall not want. I live under Him, under His protection. He protects me from the temptations of sin, the godless world, and the devil. My Lord and King is always with me. Under His care and protection I am safe; for my King is the almighty God, whom nothing can withstand. All power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth. Matt. 28,18. This kingdom of our Lord we call the Kingdom of Grace; for with grace and love our King governs all who accept Him as their Lord and King.

4. For this purpose Christ has redeemed and won me, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him, who has become my Lord. Before Christ became our Lord, we had other masters. We served our enemies, sin and the devil. We could not but serve them, and we served them willingly, even joyfully. How miserable to be a servant of Satan and sin, to do their will, to obey them! The wages of sin is death, eternal, death and damnation. Our Lord has delivered us from sin and Satan, He has won us as His own. "That we, delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life." Luke 1, 74.75. We live in the kingdom of our Lord under His care; we need not fear our enemies if we do not serve them. We serve Him who has delivered us. In His kingdom our Lord gives us strength to serve Him by living according to His commandments, by doing His good and gracious will. To serve this Lord is a noble service. Can there be a nobler service than to serve God, the highest Lord, to serve the highest King, who has bought and won us out of the hands of our enemies, of sin and Satan? Gladly and joyfully will we serve Him, our Savior and our Lord.

5. We serve our Lord in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. The kingdom of our Lord is, indeed, a glorious kingdom. In His kingdom we serve Him in righteousness. We are not righteous in ourselves, but our Lord has gained a perfect righteousness for us. He has fulfilled the Law in our stead. Clothed in Christ's blood and righteousness, we serve our Lord, and therefore our poor service is well-pleasing to God.—We serve our Lord in innocence. We are free from the guilt of our sins. Sad to say, we daily sin in the service of our Lord, we deserve nothing but punishment; but God forgives us our sins daily and richly for Christ's sake, and so we are innocent in His sight. In holiness and righteousness we will serve Him all the days of our life.—We serve Him in blessedness. It is blessedness to serve this our Lord. He blesses His servants with all His rich gifts. He blesses them here on earth and leads them to eternal blessedness in heaven. It is everlasting righteousness and innocence and blessedness that our Lord gives us. He leads His servants to His kingdom in heaven. Here in this world His kingdom is a Kingdom of Grace; in heaven it is the Kingdom of Glory. "The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom; to whom be glory forever and ever! Amen." 2 Tim. 4,18.

REMEMBER:—

1. Through His sufferings and death, Christ has become my Lord, and therefore I am His own. I am living in His kingdom, under Him, my King, being delivered from the hands of all my enemies. He cares for me and protects me.

2. In His kingdom I am serving my King in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, which He bestows on me. For my Lord's sake God forgives me all my sins and accepts my poor sinful service.

3. Our Lord's kingdom is a twofold kingdom, the Kingdom of Grace here on earth, in which our King reigns with His grace, with forgiveness of sins, and the Kingdom of Glory in heaven, in which we shall reign with our King, freed from all evil, in His glory forever and ever.

MEMORIZE:—

I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her Seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise His heel. Gen. 3,15.

Pilate, therefore, said unto Him, Art Thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest, I am a King. John 18,37.

That we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. Luke 1,74.75.

The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom; to whom be glory forever and ever! Amen. 2 Tim. 4,18.

QUESTIONS.

1. From whom has our Lord won me? 2. To whom do I now belong? 3. Recite the first prophecy of the promised Messiah. 4. Who has no power over me since Christ has won me? 5. In whose kingdom may I live? 6. What does it mean to live under Him? 7. What will our Lord do as our King? 8. Why are we safe under His rule and protection? 9. How do we call His kingdom here on earth? 10. Because Christ is our Lord, what should we therefore do? 11. Whom must we serve when we are not in our Lord's service? 12. Why is this service a miserable service? 13. Why can we now serve our Lord? 14. Why is His service a glorious service? 15. who has given us the righteousness in which we serve our Lord? 16. Why are we innocent before God? 17. Why is it blessedness to serve the Lord? 18. How do we call His kingdom in heaven?

LESSON 25. The Second Article.

Review Lesson.

(1) 1. In whom does every Christian believe according to the Second Article? 2. What do we mean when we say: I believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord? 3. What two things does our Catechism teach us about our Lord Jesus Christ? 4. What do we confess in the Second Article concerning the person of our Lord? 5. Prove from Scripture that Christ is God's only Son, the only-begotten Son of the Father. 6. If Christ is God's only- begotten Son of the Father, He must be true God with the Father. How can you prove this from Holy Writ? 7. How did the apostles confess Jesus Christ as their God? 8. What do we confess about our Lord in the beginning of the explanation of the Second Article? 9. Together with whom is Christ true God? 10. In what respect is there no difference between Jesus and His Father? Christ is coequal with the Father. He has the same divine majesty, glory and honor.

(2) We confess that Jesus Christ is God's only Son and therefore, together with the Father, true God from eternity. 1. What do we furthermore confess concerning our Lord? 2. How can you prove that Christ is true man? 3. Christ is indeed true man, born of the Virgin Mary. But there is one great difference between Him and all other men. Which is it? 4. Why was Christ conceived and born without sin? 5. Christ is true God and true man; there are, however, not two Christs, one true God and the other true man; there is but one Christ. What is He? 6. The Son of God became true man, but He did more. What kind of a man did He become? 7. How does the Second Article describe the lowly life of our Savior here on earth? 8. Why did Christ humble Himself so deeply? 9. What does the name Jesus mean? 10. Why is He called Savior? 11. Why was Jesus called the Christ?