Heidelberg Catechism of 1563: The Second Part - Of Man's Deliverance

5^th Lord’s Day

Question 12. Since then, by the righteous judgment of God, we deserve temporal and eternal punishment, is there no way by which we may escape that punishment, and be again received into favour?

Answer: God will have his justice satisfied:^a and therefore we must make this full satisfaction, either by ourselves, or by another.^b

References:
(a) Gen 2:17; Exd 20:5; Exd 23:7; Eze 18:4; Mat 5:26; 2Th 1:6; Luk 16:2
(b) Rom 8:3-4

Question 13. Can we ourselves then make this satisfaction?

Answer: By no means; but on the contrary we daily increase our debt.^a

References:
(a) Job 9:2-3; Job 15:15-16; Job 4:18-19; Psa 130:3; Mat 6:12; Mat 18:25; Mat 16:26

Question 14. Can there be found anywhere, one, who is a mere creature, able to satisfy for us?

Answer: None; for, first, God will not punish any other creature for the sin which man has committed;^a and further, no mere creature can sustain the burden of God’s eternal wrath against sin, so as to deliver others from it.^b

References:
(a) Eze 18:4; Gen 3:17; Hbr 2:14-17
(b) Nah 1:6; Psa 130:3

Question 15. What sort of a mediator and deliverer then must we seek for?

Answer: For one who is very man, and perfectly^a righteous;^b and yet more powerful than all creatures; that is, one who is also very God. ^c

References:
(a) 1Co 15:21; Jer 33:16; Isa 53:9; 2Co 5:21
(b) Hbr 7:26; Hbr 7:16
(c) Isa 7:14; Isa 9:6; Rom 9:5; Jer 23:5-6; Luk 11:22

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6^th Lord’s Day

Question 16. Why must he be very man, and also perfectly righteous?

Answer: Because the justice of God requires that the same human nature which has sinned, should likewise make satisfaction for sin;^a and one, who is himself a sinner, cannot satisfy for others.^b

References:
(a) Eze 18:4; Eze 18:20; Rom 5:12; Rom 5:15; Rom 5:18; 1Co 15:21; Hbr 2:14-16; 1Pe 3:18; Isa 53:3-5; Isa 53:10-11
(b) Hbr 7:26-27; Psa 49:7-8; 1Pe 3:18

Question 17. Why must he in one person be also very God?

Answer: That he might, by the power of his Godhead^a sustain in his human nature,^b the burden of God’s wrath;^c and might obtain for, and restore to us, righteousness and life.^d

References:
(a) Isa 9:6; Isa 63:3
(b) Isa 53:4; Isa 53:11
(c) Deu 4:24; Nah 1:6; Psa 130:3
(d) Isa 53:5; Isa 53:11; Act 2:24; 1Pe 3:18; Jhn 3:16; Acts 20:28; Jhn 1:4

Question 18. Who then is that Mediator, who is in one person both very God,^a and a real^b righteous man?^c

Answer: Our Lord Jesus Christ:^d “who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”^e

References:
(a) 1Jo 5:20; Rom 9:5; Rom 8:3; Gal 4:4; Isa 9:6; Jer 23:6; Mal 3:1
(b) Luk 1:42; Luk 2:6-7; Rom 1:3; Rom 9:5; Phl 2:7; Hbr 2:14; Hbr 2:16-17; Hbr 4:15
(c) Isa 53:9; Isa 53:11; Jer 23:5; Luk 1:35; Jhn 8:46; Hbr 4:15; Hbr 7:26; 1Pe 1:19; 1Pe 2:22; 1Pe 3:18
(d) 1Ti 2:5; Hbr 2:9; Mat 1:23; 1Ti 3:16; Luk 2:11
(e) 1Co 1:30

Question 19. Whence knowest thou this?

Answer: From the holy gospel, which God himself first revealed in Paradise;^a and afterwards published by the patriarchs^b and prophets,^c and represented by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law;^d and lastly, has fulfilled it by his only begotten Son.^e

References:
(a) Gen 3:15
(b) Gen 22:18; Gen 12:3; Gen 49:10-11;
(c) Isa 53; Isa 42:1-4; Isa 43:25; Isa 49:5-6; Isa 49:22-23; Jer 23:5-6; Jer 31:32-33; Jer 32:39-41; Mic 7:18-20; Act 10:43; Rom 1:2; Hbr 1:1; Act 3:22-24; Act 10:43; Jhn 5:46
(d) Hbr 10:1; Hbr 10:7; Col 2:7; Jhn 5:46
(e) Rom 10:4; Gal 4:4-5; Gal 3:24; Col 2:17

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7^th Lord’s Day

Question 20. Are all men then, as they perished in Adam, saved by Christ?

Answer: No;^a only those who are ingrafted into him, and, receive all his benefits, by a true faith.^b

References:
(a) Mat 7:14; Mat 22:14
(b) Mar 16:16; Jhn 1:12; Jhn 3:16; Jhn 3:18; Jhn 3:36; Isa 53:11; Psa 2:12; Rom 11:17; Rom 11:19-20; Rom 3:22; Hbr 4:2-3; Hbr 5:9; Hbr 10:39; Hbr 11:6

Question 21. What is true faith?

Answer: True faith is not only a certain knowledge, whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in his word,^a but also an assured confidence,^b which the Holy Ghost^c works by the gospel in my heart;^d that not only to others, but to me also, remission of sin, everlasting righteousness and salvation,^e are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ’s merits.^f

References:
(a) Jam 2:19
(b) 2Co 4:13; Eph 2:7-9; Eph 3:12; Gal 2:16; Hbr 11:1; Hbr 11:7-10; Hbr 4:16; Jam 1:6; Mat 16:17; Phl 1:19; Rom 4:17; Rom 4:21; Rom 5:1; Rom 1:16; Rom 10:10; Rom 10:17; Rom 4:16; Rom 4:18-20; Rom 3:24-25
(c) Gal 5:22; Mat 16:17; 2Co 4:13; Jhn 6:29; Eph 2:8; Phl 1:19; Act 16:14
(d) Rom 1:16-17; 1Co 1:21; Act 10:44; Act 16:14
(e) Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Hbr 10:10; Hbr 10:38; Gal 2:16
(f) Eph 2:8; Rom 3:24; Rom 5:19; Luk 1:77; Luk 1:78

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

Question 23. What are these articles?

Answer:

• 1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
• 2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
• 3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
• 4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell:
• 5. The third day he rose again from the dead:
• 6. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
• 7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
• 8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:
• 9. I believe a holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
• 10. The forgiveness of sins:
• 11. The resurrection of the body:
• 12. And the life everlasting.

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8^th Lord’s Day

Question 24. How are these articles divided?

Answer: Into three parts; the first is of God the Father, and our creation; the second of God the Son, and our redemption; the third of God the Holy Ghost, and our sanctification.

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 1:2-3; Psa 33:6; Isa 48:16; Psa 110:1; Mat 3:16-17; 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 3:5-6

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9^th Lord’s Day

Question 26. What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?

Answer: That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them;^a who likewise upholds and governs the same by his eternal counsel and providence)^b is for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father;^c on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but he will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body^d and further, that he will make whatever evils he sends upon me, in this valley of tears turn out to my advantage;^e for he is able to do it, being Almighty God,^f and willing, being a faithful Father.^g

References:
(a) Gen 1; Gen 2; Exd 20:11; Job 33:4; Job 38; Job 39; Psa 33:6; Act 4:24; Act 14:15; Isa 45:7
(b) Mat 10:29; Hbr 1:3; Psa 104:27-30; Psa 115:3; Mat 10:29; Eph 1:11
(c) Jhn 1:12; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5-7; Eph 1:5
(d) Psa 55:23; Mat 6:25-26; Luk 12:22
(e) Rom 8:28
(f) Rom 10:12; Luk 12:22; Rom 8:23; Isa 46:4; Rom 10:12
(g) Mat 6:25-34; Mat 7:9-11

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10^th Lord’s Day

Question 27. What dost thou mean by the providence of God?

Answer: The almighty and everywhere present power of God;^a whereby, as it were by his hand, he upholds and governs^b heaven, earth, and all creatures; so that herbs and grass, rain and drought,^c fruitful and barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness,^d riches and poverty,^e yea, and all things come, not by chance, but by his fatherly hand.^f

References:
(a) Act 17:25-28; Jer 23:23-24; Isa 29:15-16; Eze 8:12
(b) Hbr 1:3
(c) Jer 5:24; Act 14:17
(d) Jhn 9:3
(e) Pro 22:2
(f) Mat 10:20; Pro 16:33

Question 28. What advantage is it to us to know that God has created, and by his providence does still uphold all things?

Answer: That we may be patient in adversity;^a thankful in prosperity;^b and that in all things, which may hereafter befall us, we place our firm trust in our faithful God and Father,^c that nothing shall separate us from his love;^d since all creatures are so in his hand, that without his will they cannot so much as move.^e

References:
(a) Rom 5:3; Jam 1:3; Psa 39:9; Job 1:21-22
(b) Deu 8:10; 1Th 5:18
(c) Psa 55:22; Rom 5:4
(d) Rom 8:38-39
(e) Job 1:12; Job 2:6; Act 17:28; Act 17:25; Pro 21:1