The Heidelberg Catechism E-Book

Zacharias Ursinus

• Herausgeber: Jazzybee Verlag
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Seitenzahl: 59

Beschreibung

The Heidelberg Catechism is a Protestant confessional document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine. It has been translated into many languages and is regarded as one of the most influential of the Reformed catechisms. The Catechism is divided into fifty-two sections, called "Lord's Days," which were designed to be taught on each of the 52 Sundays of the year. The Synod of Heidelberg approved the catechism in 1563. In the Netherlands, the Catechism was approved by the Synods of Wesel (1568), Emden (1571), Dort (1578), the Hague (1586), as well as the great Synod of Dort of 1618-1619, which adopted it as one of the Three Forms of Unity, together with the Belgic Confession and the Canons of Dort. (courtesy of wikipedia.com)

Leseprobe

The Heidelberg Catechism

Contents:

Reformed Churches – A Primer

Of Prayer

The First Part - Of The Misery Of Man

The Second Part - Of Man's Deliverance

Of God The Father

Of God The Son

Of God The Holy Ghost

Of The Sacraments

Of Holy Baptism

Of The Holy Supper Of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The Third Part - Of Thankfulness

Of Prayer

The Heidelberg Catechism

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Reformed Churches – A Primer

The name given to Protestant bodies which adopted the tenets of Zwingli and, later, the doctrinal principles of Calvin. This distinctive title originated in 1561 at the colloquy of Poissy. Initiated in Switzerland, the movement from which the Churches sprang gained ground at an early date in France, some German states, the Netherlands, England, Scotland, Hungary, and Poland. Later, emigration and colonization secured a still wider diffusion of the Calvinistic system. Some of the denominations which adopted it go to-day under a special name, e.g. Presbyterianism: they receive separate treatment in this work. Others became national churches and are mentioned under the name of the country in which they exist. The denomination known as "The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in North America" until 1867, when the present name was adopted, asserts with Protestants generally the sole sufficiency of the Scriptures as a rule of faith. Its recognized theological standards are the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds, the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of the Synod of Dort. It believes in the spiritual reception of Jesus Christ by the believer in the Lord's Supper, and also accepts the distinctively Calvinistic doctrine of a limited election to salvation. The liturgy is characterized by great simplicity; its forms are optional, except in the administration of the sacraments. In policy, the Church is Presbyterian; the constitution recognizes four kinds of officers: ministers of the word, professors of theology, elders, and deacons. The elders exerecise spiritual functions and the deacons are in charge of temporal interests. At the head of individual congregations is the Consistory, which is composed of minister, elders, and deacons. The authority over a district is vested in the Classis which is itself under the jurisdiction of the Particular Synod. The General Synod exercises supreme control in the Church. The elders and deacons are elected to office for two years, after which they may be re-elected. Former elders and deacons may be called together for consultation in what is known as the "Great Consistory". The other Reformed Churches especially treated in this article are similarly constituted and organized.

Of Prayer

     Note. This Catechism is fully based on the Scriptures. The references to Scripture are indicated in parentheses with a letter. For example, the letter (a) points to the texts (a) placed after the answer.

1. Lord's Day

Question 1.

What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer.

That I with body and soul, both in life and death, (a)

am not my own, (b)

but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; (c)

who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, (d)

and delivered me from all the power of the devil; (e)

and so preserves me (f)

that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; (g)

yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, (h)

and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, (i)

and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him. (j)

(a) Rom.14:7,8. (b) 1 Cor.6:19. (c) 1 Cor.3:23; Tit.2:14. (d) 1

Pet.1:18,19; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:2,12. (e) Heb.2:14; 1 John 3:8; John

8:34-36. (f) John 6:39; John 10:28; 2 Thess.3:3; 1 Pet.1:5. (g)

Matt.10:29-31; Luke 21:18. (h) Rom.8:28. (i) 2 Cor.1:20-22; 2 Cor.5:5;

Eph.1:13,14; Rom.8:16. (j) Rom.8:14; 1 John 3:3.

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Q. 2.

How many things are necessary for thee to know, that thou, enjoying this comfort, mayest live and die happily?

A.

Three; (a)

the first, how great my sins and miseries are; (b)

the second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries; (c)

the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such

deliverance. (d)

(a) Matt.11:28-30; Luke 24:46-48; 1 Cor.6:11; Tit.3:3-7. (b) John

9:41; John 15:22. (c) John 17:3; Acts 4:12; Acts 10:43. (d) Eph.5:8-

11; 1 Pet.2:9,10; Rom.6:1,2,12,13.

The First Part - Of The Misery Of Man

2. Lord's Day

Q. 3.

Whence knowest thou thy misery?

A.

Out of the law of God. (a)

(a) Rom.3:20.

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Q. 4.

What does the law of God require of us?

A.

Christ teaches us that briefly, Matt. 22:37-40, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and the great commandment; and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (a)

(a) Deut.6:5; Lev.19:18; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27.

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Q. 5.

Canst thou keep all these things perfectly?

A.

In no wise; (a)

for I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbour.(b)

(a) Rom.3:10,20,23; 1 John 1:8,10. (b) Rom.8:7; Eph.2:3; Tit.3:3;

Gen.6:5; Gen.8:21; Jer.17:9; Rom.7:23.

3. Lord's Day

Q. 6.

Did God then create man so wicked and perverse?

A.

By no means;

but God created man good, (a)

and after his own image, (b)

in true righteousness and holiness, that he might rightly know God his Creator, heartily love him and live with him in eternal happiness to glorify and praise him. (c)

(a) Gen.1:31. (b) Gen.1:26,27. (c) Col.3:9,10; Eph.4:23,24; 2

Cor.3:18.

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Q. 7.

Whence then proceeds this depravity of human nature?

A.

From the fall and disobedience of our first parents,

Adam and Eve, in Paradise; (a)

hence our nature is become so corrupt, that we are all conceived and born in sin. (b)

(a) Gen.3; Rom.5:12,18,19. (b) Ps.51:5; Gen.5:3.

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Q. 8.

Are we then so corrupt that we are wholly incapable of doing any good, and inclined to all wickedness?

A.

Indeed we are; (a)

except we are regenerated by the Spirit of God. (b)

(a) Gen.8:21; John 3:6; Gen.6:5; Job 14:4; Job 15:14,16,36; Isa.53:6.

(b) John 3:3,5; 1 Cor.12:3; 2 Cor.3:5.

4. Lord's Day

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; (a)

for God made man capable of performing it;

but man, by the instigation of the devil, (b)

and his own wilful disobedience, (c)