Let’s be clear up front. I can assure you through Scripture(the written word of God we call THE BIBLE) that our Creator said, “Church.”
So that we are on the same page (so to speak) I will get to a written definition of Church shortly. But first — and perhaps more importantly — I have a question to ask YOU.
WHO is Asking?
Why is THIS important?
Does the person asking you about “Church“ really want to know what God said?
OR
Is this question of theirs a veiled dismissal of God
AND built on a premise opposed to the Authority of God’s Word?
Who believes that God created the CHURCH?
FIRST: Most likely NO ONE has asked you about your “church.”
If you made a list including one hundred [100] from your neighborhood, work and extended family,
HOW MANY would even ASK YOU ANYTHING about CHURCHor GOD or Jesus Christ?
Perhaps, one?
(Not even Christians of our church typically engage each other in conversation about 'church' beyond the walls of the church building or in our mortal time beyond a single worship service duplicated twice on Sunday.)
SECONDLY: IF you ever hear a person ask you about your ‘church‘ and Scripture ,
ASK YOURSELF, “WHO IS ASKING?”
You probably know several variations of the original QUESTION directly from your Bible.
Of course most of us cannot read the original so we must rely on a translation of Scripture (me included)-- but (keep in mind) --
NO man or woman can claim truth while they reconstruct Scripture into words they want the Bible to say.
WORDS have both meaning and intent. Therefore a preacher or teacher of the BIBLE MUST stick to preaching or teaching from a reliable English translation AND NOT SUBSTITUTE your own 'better,' less-offensive words.
The BIG QUESTION of THE DECEIVER goes something like the reconstruction by Satan sketched out (and linked) below.
Does the preacher of the Word who shepherds your church have the integrity to ALWAYS use the written word of God from the Bible as written?
a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place
No mention of the ‘church building’ here, although this ‘public place’ could be a building, tent, other home or anywhere two or three ‘citizens’ are gathered together.
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; G1577 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Christians and unbelievers alike think of CHURCH as an exclusive reference to a building or place where JESUS worshipers gather together as a ‘religious’ routine typically on Sunday only.
However, a deeper look into how ‘church’ is used in the Bible — Old Testament AND New — will reveal a more significant connection of this ‘gathering of citizens’ to the LORD God.
Gather me the people together – קָהַל
The summons or call to worship is from the LORD Himself!
The first reference to the ‘church’ or gathering in the Greek Septuagint comes from the LORD through Moses. Each assembly of the hebrew people, the citizens called out of Egypt and frequently out of their tents in the wilderness, was called by the LORD GOD.
The LORD calls out the CHURCH, a chosen company of worshipers of the LORD our God.
View a link to these references from the Septuagint in the common Greek of the first century Roman Empire when Israel no longer existed and JESUS taught in Galilee, Samaria and Judea.
“Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when the LORD said to me, ‘Assemble the people to Me, that I may have them hear My words so that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’
Deuteronomy 4:10
“The LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God; and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly..
“This is in accordance with everything that you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Do not let me hear the voice of the LORD my God again, and do not let me see this great fire anymore, or I will die!’
Deuteronomy 9:10; 18:16
It’s pretty serious business:
However, the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will wipe him out of My book. But go now, lead the people where I told you. Behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless on the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
Exodus 32:33-34 NASB20
— a chosen citizenry created in the image of the LORD against whom they turn (again and again)
“And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 6:4 :: WLC; 6:5 NASB20
Then God said, “Behold, I am going to make a covenant. Before all your people I will perform miracles which have not been produced in all the earth nor among any of the nations; and all the people among whom you live will see the working of the LORD, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you.
Exodus 34:10 NASB20
— the LAW of the LORD our God (broken again and again)
“Be careful that you do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.
Exodus 34:12 NASB20
— covenant, solemn promise after solemn promise (broken again and again)
“For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they eat and are satisfied and become prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant.
Deuteronomy 31:20 NASB20
AND even in the New Testament
— an often apostate church continually asking, “DID GOD REALLY SAY?“
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
YES, God — JESUS — really did say, CHURCH.
Scripture — spoken by the LORD, written in the Law and the Prophets, preached by the Lord Jesus Christ, taught by the Apostles — Scripture affirms Christ’s Church already built by HIM and in no need of tearing down out of a lack of faith.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man [messenger] of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
Why do you ask?
"Did God really say, Church?" is our first post for a NEW TalkofJESUS.com SERIES, addressing philosophies and questions underlying intentional deconstruction of the 21st Century Church.
ONLY FIVE – 5 Sola’s of the Protestant Reformation
You likely understand something of the history of the Church, especially if you’ve followed my previous Saturday posts on Doctrine or our current series in ACTS. Sola in celebration of ‘Reformation Day’ of the Protestant Church, I’ll ask: ‘Do you know what Protestants were protesting about the ‘Catholic Church?’
Jesus changes how sinners give glory to God.
The Apostles then set out on the sola journey of the faith grounded in Scripture and in Christ.
You may know about The Great Schism and certainly know something about a doctrinal line in the sand which marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesesto the church door at Wittenberg, on 31 October, A.D. 1517.
Today, however, I will nail just two doctrinal questions about the teaching of your ‘church’to the door of your thinking:
Do you know the 5 Sola’s of the Protestant Reformation?
How have these five doctrines defined differences even today betweenthose professing other faiths (including Roman Catholics) andProtestants?
HERE is a bit of researched HISTORY about October 31, in the year of our Lord 1517 AND events leading up to the PROTEST against the authority of 'The Church' from Rome.
Luther
Luther originally had no intention of breaking from the Catholic church, assuming that his call for theological and ecclesiastical reform would be heard, and ordinarily his theses would have been of interest only to professional theologians. However, various political and religious situations of the time, and the fact that printing had been invented, combined to make the theses known throughout Germany within a few weeks. Luther did not give them to the people, although he did send copies to the archbishop of Mainz and to the bishop of Brandenburg. Others, however, translated them into German and had them printed and circulated. Thus, they became a manifesto that turned a protest about an indulgence scandal into the greatest crisis in the history of the Western Christian church, and ultimately Luther and his followers were excommunicated.
Luther’s 95 complaints to the Church concerned indulgences and other imperfections of a politically-driven Papacy. He was by no means the only cleric who objected to Church corruption, defects in doctrine and cardinal crimes.
The Roman Catholic Church survived the fifth century fall of Rome by an authoritarian political intervention of an aristocratic league of bishops led by the Bishop of Rome.
In fact, by the fifteenth century the common people of Europe no longer had to rely on certain corrupt church officials who intentionally misinterpreted the Holy Bible.
The movable type of Gutenberg’s printing press lit the light of the Renaissance with its rebirth of Scripture in the hands of everyday saints, written in their everyday vernacular rather than ancient Latin.
The Protestant Reformation
“The Reformers did not see themselves as inventors, discoverers, or creators,” according to historian Stephen Nichols. “Instead, they saw their efforts as rediscovery. They weren’t making something from scratch but were reviving what had become dead. They looked back to the Bible and to the apostolic era, as well as to early church fathers such as Augustine (354–430) for the mold by which they could shape the church and re-form it. The Reformers had a saying, ‘Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda,’ meaning ‘the church reformed, always reforming.’”
It is translated by English refugees and published by John Calvin’s brother-in-law, William Whittingham. The Geneva Bible is the first English Bible to add numbered verses to the chapters. It becomes the Bible of the Protestant Reformation, more popular than the 1611 King James Version for decades after its original release.
To answer my first question to name five solas,first you must know what a sola is.
from Latin:– solus, sola, solum – alone, only, unique.. (similar to ‘solo,’ meaning one);
plural: solas or solae (similar to soli, i.e. multiple soloists)
consequently, each of the five ‘Solas’ has a singular focus.
Sola – a Singular focus
In time, the message of the Reformers became encapsulated in five slogans known as the solas of the Reformation: sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”), solus Christus (“Christ alone”), sola gratia (“grace alone”), sola fide (“faith alone“), and soli Deo gloria (“the glory of God alone”).
You may encounter the five solas in different orders, but keep in mind the equal importance of EACH singular issue to the reformers of the Church we now call 'Protestants.' - RH
I can only speak briefly to each of these five solas; therefore we will address EACH as part of an ANSWER to my more difficult second question:
How do these five doctrines define differences even today between those professing other faiths and Protestants?
email your answers and questions to Roger@talkofJESUS.com or comment on this post as you share it.
by Scripture alone
Scripture of the HOLY BIBLE:
All Scripture is [God-breathed] inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for [reprimand or proof] rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness;
The short answer of Luther and the reformers is that IF HOLY SCRIPTURE is “God-breathed,” THEN it contains the final and only (sola) Authority of what God says; THEREFORE
NO Pope, Bishop, Priest or Preacher may cling to ANY authority to over-rule the Written Word of God.
sola Scriptura – ONLY Scripture, by the Holy Spirit of Almighty God can interpret Holy Scripture.
Learn more from my earlier post linked here: sola scriptura = ONLY SCRIPTURE: The Highest Authority of GOD!
* NOTE: For each of the 5 Sola's I will provide secure links for your further study to both the Hebrew & Greek roots containing additional Biblical references using the same word, as well as definitions.
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield. The LORD will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
Tehillim 84:12 WLC; Psalm 84:11 HNV
Using this same Hebrew word for favor Zechariah prophesies:
“And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of pleading, so that they will look at Me whom they pierced; and they will mourn for Him, like one mourning for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.
Christians, of course, bring the Good News [Gospel] of grace through Jesus Christ to the world primarily from the (Greek) writings of the New Testament.
For of His fullness we have all received, and graceG5485 upon graceG5485. For the Law was given through Moses; graceG5485and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
Gospel of John 1:16-17 NASB20 – His emphasis on grace
The KJV translates Strong’s G5485 in the following manner: GRACE(130x), FAVOR favour (6x), THANKS (4x), THANK (4x), thank (with G2192) (3x)[*quoted below], PLEASURE (2x), miscellaneous (7x).
And I thank [καί echō g2192 – {to have, i.e. to hold} charis G5485 {with grace}] Christ Jesus our Lord [christos iēsous hēmōn kyrios], who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry
1 Timothy 1:12KJVΚαὶ Χάριν ἔχω τῷ ἐνδυναμώσαντί με Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν ὅτι πιστόν με ἡγήσατο θέμενος εἰς διακονίαν – Greek Textus Receptus with Strong’s links from blueletterbible.org
through Faith Alone
Faith is NOT just an unfounded belief, as some would accuse God’s faithful.
conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it
relating to God, relating to Christ, the religious beliefs of Christians, belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same
fidelity, faithfulness
the character of one who can be relied on
Biblical faith was not changed from the Old Testament to the New or by challenges from faithful Protestant Reformers.
Roger@TalkofJESUS.com
Faithful Roman Catholic clerics like Martin Luther struggled with this.
Old Testament Prophet like Habakkuk and New Testament letters to Rome, Galatia and to the Hebrews (throughout the Roman world)ALL pointed through Scripture that the righteous will live by FAITH!
Even though Catholic Bishops with their emphasis on works (to fund their great cathedrals of worship) may have quoted James as Jesus’ brother writes to the church:
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
As a Catholic cleric Luther had a Bible. He recognized that by taking Scripture out of context, FAITH can be discounted to the unread saints of the church in order that ALL will believe the Overseers of Church Authority.
Yet Luther and many more who READ and studied SCRIPTURE understood James’ context and a critical connection between FAITH and works.
For James wrote to saints under persecution, just as the Protestant reformers would soon suffer.
Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faithG4102produces [steadfastness] endurance. And let endurance have its perfect [Lit work] result, so that you may be [mature] perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4 NASB20 – Jesus’ half-brother & ‘bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,’ leader of the Jerusalem church
The gloryH3519 of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. And to the eyes of the sons of Israel, the appearance of the gloryH3519 of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.
“Has a nation changed gods, When they were not gods? But My people have exchanged their glory For that which is of no benefit. Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) 2:11
primarily denotes “an opinion, estimation, repute;” in the NT, always “good opinion, praise, honor, glory, an appearance commanding respect, magnificence, excellence, manifestation of glory;” hence, of angelic powers, in respect of their state as commanding recognition, “dignities,” 2Pe 2:10; Jud 1:8. See GLORY, HONOR, PRAISE, WORSHIP.
SHALL GLORY be given to a mere man in the pulpit?
To a Bishop over Bishops — a Shepherd of this world — a Saint long gone?
SHALL GLORY be given to a Father confessor —
Or as worship of a mortal mother who served the Son of God?
THESE are the questions of the Protesters and Reformers who asked for Soli Deo gloria – GLORY to GOD ALONE!
“anointed,” translates, in the Sept., the word “Messiah,” a term applied to the priests who were anointed with the hol for today in the city of David, oil, particularly the High Priest, e.g., Lev 4:3, 5, 16.
The prophets are called hoi christoi Theou, "the anointed of God," ..
The title ho Christos, "the Christ," is not used of Christ in the Sept. version of the Inspired Books of the OT. In the NT the word is frequently used with the article, of the Lord Jesus, as an appellative rather than a title, e.g., Mat 2:4; Act 2:31; without the article, Luk 2:11; 23:2; Jhn 1:41. Three times the title was expressly accepted by the Lord Himself, Mat 16:17; Mar 14:61, 62; Jhn 4:26.
It is added as an appellative to the proper name “Jesus,” e.g., Jhn 17:3, the only time when the Lord so spoke of Himself; Act 9:34; 1Cr 3:11; 1Jo 5:6.
It is distinctly a proper name in many passages, whether with the article, e.g., Mat 1:17; 11:2; Rom 7:4; 9:5; 15:19; 1Cr 1:6, or without the article, Mar 9:41; Rom 6:4; 8:9, 17; 1Cr 1:12; Gal 2:16.
The single title Christos is sometimes used without the article to signify the One who by His Holy Spirit and power indwells believers and molds their character in conformity to His likeness, Rom 8:10; Gal 2:20; 4:19; Eph 3:17.
As to the use or absence of the article,
the title with the article specifies the Lord Jesus as “the Christ;”
the title without the article stresses His character and His relationship with believers.
Again, speaking generally, when the title is the subject of a sentence it has the article; when it forms part of the predicate the article is absent. See also JESUS.
These things Jesus spake, and when he had cast up his eyes into heaven [and the eyes lifted up to heaven], he said, Father, the hour cometh, clarify thy Son, that thy Son clarify thee.
John 17:1 Wycliffe Bible
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to all them that thou hast given him.
John 17:2 + 1599 Geneva Bible
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Excerpts from Scripture in the letter from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, and Timothy,
Note the small 's' in saints, the faithful worshipers in Christ Jesus who are His Church. - RH
To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who are at Colossae:
We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope reserved for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel..
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation:
.. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Colossians 1:15,17 NASB20
He is also the head of the body, the church;
and He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
.. I was made a minister of this church according to the commission from God granted to me for your benefit,
so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,
that is, the mystery which had been hidden from the past ages and generations,
but now has been revealed to His saints,
to whom God willed to make known what the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, the mystery that is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
.. Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over every ruler and authority..
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:15-16 NASB20
“.. specifically seen in Colossians 3 when Paul commands the Church to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly when we meet together, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” – Keith Getty
Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
from the letter to the saints at Collosae 3:17
sola: + by Scripture alone + by Grace Alone + through Faith Alone + to the glory of God Alone + in Christ Alone
The TEACHING & solaDOCTRINES OF GOD, CHRIST, GRACE, FAITH and SCRIPTURE as taught by JESUS and the APOSTLES remain foundational for THE CHURCH.
Catechism – Teaching Church Doctrine summarized by Questions & Answers, formal teaching of Doctrines to members of a Church utilizing verbal recitation of questions and answers.
Creed – I believe this.. Confession of Faith – We (the church) believe this.. & Catechism – Our church teaches these Doctrines: 1.. 2.. 3.. etc.
Last week in our series on Doctrine I defined and shared a brief look at Creeds. We discovered that a Creed is simply a brief statement of what you(supposedly) believe. And while some churches ritually repeat these as part of worship, every church has an underlying defined set of beliefs preached to the masses and taught to the uninitiated.
Confession that Jesus is κύριος – Lord would have been a first Creed of the Way (Christians).
What does your church believe?
After glancing at a few Creeds and Confessions of faith do you now know more about what you believe and what your church believes and preaches?
New believers and children are far more likely to have heard the catechism of your church than a casual weekly ‘worshiper’ gathering for its music and preaching. YES, every church has a catechism (whether veiled, indoctrinated or responsibly taught to its members).
You likely have a few questions of your own (& please do not hesitate to share your question via a comment to this post).
Christian Catechism 100
Allow me to ask you just a few questions you might have heard and can answer from a catechism of your church.
Some will recognize that a 100 series in teaching addresses pre-requisite knowledge; therefore your answers may come more readily to these selective catechism questions than from a 'Catechism 803'theology course.
Note that your children may be taught more than these in their second or third year of 'Sunday School' or a Christian Academy you have chosen for them in lieu of a 'public' school indoctrinating ALL with world-class 'education.'
Do YOU know the answers to your children’s’ catechism questions?
What is the Trinity?
Who is the Holy Spirit?
What is the Law of God and what does it require?
What is sin?
What is idolatry?
What happens when we die?
Will all be saved to eternal life?
Who is Christ?
What is the resurrection?
How does Christ redeem me from sin?
Bonus Question: What makes the Bible Holy?
What do YOU believe?
Catechism? You get the idea from these sample questions above.
Catechism is teaching.
Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.
Preaching and Teaching
Christians hold to and teach a reasoned faith.
Through our study of the Holy Bible, Christians Creeds and Confessions of Faith we grow in our confidence in the Lord God and Jesus Christ, and by the Holy Spirit we continue in the confidence of our salvation God has predestined for those faithful followers of Christ Jesus.
But before we look at Catechisms, let’s briefly define preaching and teaching, comparing their distinct yet parallel roles in the lives of the Church.
Preaching
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim H7121 liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim H7121 the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
from קָרָאqârâʼ, kaw-raw’; a primitive root (rather identical with H7122 through the idea of accosting a person (metaphor); to call out to
but we preachG2784 Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness,
Strong’s G2784 – κηρύσσωkērýssō, kay-roos’-so; of uncertain affinity; to herald (as a public crier), especially divine truth (the gospel):—preacher(-er), proclaim, publish. – 1 Corinthians 1:20 NASB20
Greek definition used of the public proclamation of the gospel and matters pertaining to it, made by John the Baptist, by Jesus, by the apostles and other Christian teachers
Teaching
Now note from this New Testament letter of Paul to Timothy (written in Greek) some particular similarities and differences between preachers and teachers. (We will not dig into the many doctrines covered in these few verses.)
.. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
for which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.
κῆρυξ – a preacher – a herald, i.e. of divine truth (especially of the gospel):—preacher.
ἀπόστολος – an apostle – a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders
διδάσκαλος – a teacher – in the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man
From διδάσκω (G1321) – .. to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, to impart instruction,
instill doctrine into one.. to explain or expound a thing, to teach one something
Catechism & Teaching Doctrine
The Creeds, Catechisms and Confessions are useful study tools to assist in understanding the Scriptures and in teaching Bible studies to others. These documents help to reaffirm the tenants of the traditional, historic Christian faith.
Why Catechisms MUST reflect Biblical Authority ABOVE all Church authority
The following article and resource originally ran on July 8, 2018. A few weeks later, Pope Francis announced a redaction of the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church..
Luther wrote his little catechism for parents to instruct their children in the faith just as he wrote his larger catechism as remedial instruction for pastors. Catechism in its Latin form means “book of instruction.”
From its Greek roots, catechism means literally “sounding down in the ears” or, more pointedly, “indoctrination” in the Christian faith.
For Martin Luther, basic catechesis (doctrinal instruction) in the Christian faith refers to teaching children (and their parents!) the Ten Commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the biblical basis for Baptism, Eucharist, and Confession.
Although the complete Catechisms may be read on secure links, ONLY a few EXAMPLES of KEY DOCTRINAL TEACHING can be included in this brief post. - RH
128 questions & answers; later,129 questions and answers were divided into 52 “Lord’s Days” with a view to the Catechism’s being explained in one of the services on the Lord’s Day.
Here is the typical Q & A format with Scriptural references supporting the Authority of each answer:
Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?
PAUSE: IF you yourself have never heard this or considered this life and death question,
NOW might be a good time to pray for an answer (prior to reading the Scripturally supported ANSWER below). - RH
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 mef 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
You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money.
They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful.
They will consider nothing sacred.
They will be unloving and unforgiving;
they will slander others and have no self-control.
They will be cruel and hate what is good.
They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.
Stay away from people like that!
Heidelberg Catechism of 1563: The Second Part – Of Man’s Deliverance
Trinity and the true faith of Scripture as expressed in Creeds caution the church (or the saints {small ‘s’} in these life and death matters. For these are matters concerning ETERNAL LIFE with the Lord or the God-given punishment of Hell and Death deserved by ALL.
Question 12: Answer: God will have his justice satisfied: and therefore we must make this full satisfaction, either by ourselves, or by another.
Question 16. Why must he be very man, and also perfectly righteous?
Question 17. Why must he in one person be also very God?
Here (among other doctrines) is where false teachers DENY TRINITY & refuse to teach the Very Truth of Scripture.
If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Gospel of John 10: Question of the Jews as Jesus was walking in the temple area, in the portico of Solomon.
Question 22. What is then necessary for a christian to believe?
Answer: All things promised us in the gospel,a which the articles of our catholic undoubted christian faith briefly teach us.
References: (a) Jhn 20:31; Mat 28:19; Mar 1:15
What follows as the answer to Question 23 is THE APOSTLES CREED.
I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
TRINITY, from the beginning – Father, begotten Son and Holy Ghost [or Holy Spirit].
Question 25. Since there is but one only divine essence,(a) why speakest thou of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?
Answer: Because God has so revealed himself in his word,(b) that these three distinct persons are the one only true and eternal God.
References:
(a) Deu 6:4; Eph 4:6; Isa 44:6; Isa 45:5; 1Co 8:4; 1Co 8:6
(b) Isa 61:1; Luk 4:18; Gen 1:2; Gen 1:3; Psa 33:6; Isa 48:16; Psa 110:1; Mat 3:16; Mat 3:17; Mat 28:19; 1Jo 5:7; Isa 6:1; Isa 6:3; Jhn 14:26; John 15:26; 2Co 13:13; Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18; Tts 3:5; Tts 3:6
Heidelberg Catechism of 1563: The Second Part – Of God the Son
Question 29. Why is the Son of God called “Jesus”, that is a Saviour?
Answer: Because he saveth us, and delivereth us from our sins;(a) and likewise, because we ought not to seek, neither can find salvation in any other.(b)
References: (a) Mat 1:21; Hbr 7:24-25 (b) Act 4:12; Jhn 15:4-5; 1Ti 2:5; Isa 43:11; 1Jo 5:11
Now the birth of Jesus the [From Gr Christos, which means Messiah (Heb for Anointed One)]Messiah was as follows: .. an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph.. that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. “She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He himself will save His people from their sins.”
The Gospel of Matthew excerpt from 1:18a,20b,d,v.21
This section of the Heidelberg Catechism of the 16th century asks students of true faith a question still relevant to you, to me and to every 21st century Christian:
(I'll paraphrase question 32 to update the translation from German into the King's English used in the KJV.)
[Time to PAUSE & think through your reasoned Christian faith before you answer the KEY QUESTION below.]
Do YOU, my 21st century brother (or sister) in Christ have an answer of your Christian witness?
Is the Doctrine (teaching or catechism) from which you learned your answer based on Holy Scripture?
As a Christian with a free and good conscience I may fight against sin and Satan in this life;
References: (f) 1Pe 2:11 Rom 6:12-13; Gal 5:16-17; Eph 6:11; 1Ti 1:18-19
and after this mortal life, Christ may choose me to reign with him eternally, over all creatures.
References: (g) 2Ti 2:12; Mat 24:34
*Complete Scripture will open in BlueLetterBible.org as you read each Question, Answer & Reference. I recommend it for your further prayer and study. RH
The statement is trustworthy: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we will deny Him, He will also deny us;
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