Introduction “I am the LORD, your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” So begin the “Ten Words” or “Ten Commandments”. After our God presented himself as Yahweh, the God who brought the Israelite slaves into freedom, he put their claim … Continue reading Freedom to love the one, true God (LD 34, q&a 94-95)
Category: Catechism
The law of freedom (LD 34, q&a 92-93)
Introduction In LD 34 and following, the catechism embarks on a discussion of the law. At first glance, you might think that it teaches about the Ten Commandments. Indeed, the Ten Commandments are the organizational principle of this part of the catechism. It is like a coat rack with ten pegs. But what is hanging … Continue reading The law of freedom (LD 34, q&a 92-93)
Welcome to your new self (LD 33, q&a 90-91)
Introduction The old self must go! That is what we learned last time about true conversion. Being a Christian is not something extra, on top of the life you would normally live. If you are a real Christian, who is (as the catechism says) grafted in Christ by true faith, there are parts of you … Continue reading Welcome to your new self (LD 33, q&a 90-91)
Getting rid of the old self (LD 33, q&a 88-89)
Introduction A few years ago, a farmer in Australia cut off his own leg. While unloading corn, his ankle got trapped in the grain auger, which threatened to pull him into the machine. He was alone and couldn’t call for help. If he passed out, sooner or later the machine would pull his own body … Continue reading Getting rid of the old self (LD 33, q&a 88-89)
There must be good works (LD 32, q&a 86-87)
Introduction Throughout history, people have often made the mistake of thinking that their good works are the basis for their salvation. As if God saves us because we do so many good things; or because our good deeds outweigh our evil deeds. Already in Lord’s Day 24 the catechism said: our good works cannot be … Continue reading There must be good works (LD 32, q&a 86-87)
The discipline of the church (LD 31 q&a 85)
Introduction In Matthew 16, Peter made the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. The Lord then said: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” From … Continue reading The discipline of the church (LD 31 q&a 85)
The proclamation of the Kingdom (LD 31 q&a 83-84)
Introduction When you have the key to a building, you can open it to let someone in; or you can lock it to make sure a person stays out. Jesus used this picture about the kingdom of heaven. In Mat. 16:19, Peter had just made the first clearly Christian confession of faith: “You are the … Continue reading The proclamation of the Kingdom (LD 31 q&a 83-84)
Come, eat and drink (LD 30 q&a 81-82)
Introduction The Lord’s Supper is a spiritual banquet. Our host is the Lord himself. The food and drink on the table are the communion with Jesus himself and his sacrifice on the cross. There he gives us strength for our spiritual life and grows our faith. We now consider the guests at the table. In … Continue reading Come, eat and drink (LD 30 q&a 81-82)
Where earth and heaven meet (LD 30 q&a 80)
Introduction Q&a 80 in the Heidelberg Catechism is famous for its explicit criticism of the “mass”, that is, the way the Lord’s Supper is celebrated in the Roman Catholic church. It concludes that the mass is basically … an accursed idolatry. This hard criticism of the Roman Catholic was missing in the first edition of … Continue reading Where earth and heaven meet (LD 30 q&a 80)
A foretaste of the feast (LD 29)
Introduction At the Lord’s Supper we eat the broken body of our Lord and drink his poured-out blood. In this way we take part in his death and his resurrection. We die to sin; and we share in his new life, becoming more and more like him. But the Lord’s Supper has another aspect. It … Continue reading A foretaste of the feast (LD 29)