All Articles For Believing and Confessing

Lord’s Day 22 Question 57. What comfort doth the “resurrection of the body” afford thee? Answer. 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. Question 58. What comfort takest thou from the article of “life everlasting”? Answer. That since I now feel in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, after this life I shall inherit perfect salvation, which “eye hath not seen,...

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 21 Question 54. What believest thou concerning the “holy catholic church” of Christ? Answer. That the Son of God, from the beginning to the end of the world, gathers, defends, and preserves to Himself by His Spirit and Word, out of the whole human race, a church chosen to everlasting life, agreeing in true faith; and that I am and for ever shall remain, a living member thereof. Question 55. What do you understand by “the communion of saints”? Answer. First, that all and every one who believes, being members of Christ, are, in common, partakers...

Lord’s Day 20 Question 53. What dost thou believe concerning the Holy Ghost? Answer. First, that He is true and co-eternal God with the Father and the Son; secondly, that He is also given me, to make me, by a true faith, partaker of Christ and all His benefits, that He may comfort me and abide with me for ever. In this Lord’s Day we have the Catechism’s brief treat­ment of the Holy Spirit. At first it may seem that the Reformed faith does not give enough attention to the Holy Spirit. After all, isn’t He as much God as...

Lord’s Day 19 Question 50. Why is it added, “and sitteth at the right hand of God”? Answer. Because Christ is ascended into heaven for this end, that He might appear as Head of His church, by whom the Father governs all things. Question 51. What profit is this glory of Christ, our Head, unto us?

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 18 Question 46. How dost thou understand these words, “He ascended into heaven”? Answer. That Christ, in sight of His disciples, was taken up from earth into heaven; and that He continues there for our interest, until He comes again to judge the quick and the dead. Question 47. Is not Christ then with us even to the end of the world, as He hath prom­ised? Answer. Christ is very man and very God; with respect to his human nature, He is no more on earth; but with respect to His Godhead, majesty, grace, and spirit,...

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 17 Question 45. What doth the resurrection of Christ profit us? Answer. First, by His resurrection He has overcome death, that He might make us partakers of that righteousness which He had purchased for us by His death; secondly, we are also by His power raised up to a new life; and lastly, the resurrec­tion of Christ is a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection.   This Lord’s Day brings us to the first of the four steps of Christ’s exaltation. Following His humiliation on account of our sins, Christ arose from the grave, ascended into...

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 16 Question 40. Why was it necessary for Christ to humble Himself even unto death? Answer. Because with respect to the justice and truth of God, satisfaction for sins could be made no otherwise than by the death of the Son of God. Question 41. Why was He also “buried”? Answer. Thereby to prove that He was really dead. Question 42. Since then Christ died for us, why must we also die? Answer. Our death is not a satisfaction for our sins, but only an abolishing of sin, and a passage into eternal life. Question 43....

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 15 Question 37. What dost thou understand by the words, “He suffered”? Answer. That He, all the time that He lived on earth, but especially at the end of His life, sustained in body and soul the wrath of God against the sins of all mankind; that so by His passion, as the only propitiatory sacrifice, He might redeem our body and soul from everlasting damnation, and obtain for us the favor of God, righteousness and eternal life. Question 38. Why did He suffer under Pontius Pilate as judge? Answer. That He, being innocent, and yet...

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 14 Question 35. What is the meaning of these words—“He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary”? Answer. That God’s eternal Son, who is, and continueth true and eternal God, took upon Him the very nature of man, of the flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, by the operation of the Holy Ghost; that He might also be the true seed of David, like unto His brethren in all things, sin excepted. Question 36. What profit dost thou receive by Christ’s holy conception and nativity? Answer. That He is our Mediator;...

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 13 Question 33. Why is Christ called the only begotten Son of God, since we are also the children of God? Answer. Because Christ alone is the eternal and natural Son of God; but we are children adopted of God, by grace, for His sake. Question 34. Wherefore callest thou Him our Lord? Answer. Because He hath redeemed us, both soul and body, from all our sins, not with gold or silver, but with His precious blood, and hath delivered us from all the power of the devil; and thus hath made us His own property....