Part 4
5. God demands that our hearts be holy. There should be no evil lust, no desire for any sin in our hearts, _but only a holy desire to serve our God and Father. "Ye shall be holy [without any sin], for I, the Lord, your God, am holy."_ Lev. 19,2. Our hearts should be so filled with fear and love of God and all that is good in His eyes that no evil thought, no sinful lust, can find room in them. _"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."_ Matt. 5,48.
6. These last two commandments, even as the First Commandment, especially teach us that we have not kept the commandments of our Lord, and _that we cannot keep them perfectly._ Our hearts are full of lust against the demands of God, full of evil thoughts. Our lust so often entices and tempts us to sin by word and deed. We must confess that _we all are sinners in the sight of God._ And "the wages of sin is death." We are poor and lost sinners. Therefore _we daily pray for God's forgiveness,_ we beg our heavenly Father to be gracious unto us for Christ's sake, who has fulfilled the commandments of God in our stead and borne our sins.
REMEMBER:--
_1. "Thou shalt not covet," is God's command. If you covet what belongs to your neighbor, you sin against God. Every desire in your heart to do what the Lord has forbidden is a sin in the sight of God._
_2. God wants our hearts to be without sin, perfect and holy, as He Himself is holy._
_3. My heart is sinful. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."_ Ps. 51,10.
MEMORIZE:--
_By love serve one another._ Gal. 5,13.
_Ye shall be holy; for I, the Lord, your God, am holy._ Lev. 19,2.
_Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect._ Matt. 5,48.
QUESTIONS.
1. What does God forbid in the last two commandments? 2. What does it mean to covet? 3. Why should we not covet our neighbor's property? 4. How should we not seek to get our neighbor's inheritance and house? 5. What does it mean to obtain our neighbor's property by a show of right? 6. Whom should we not force and entice away from our neighbor? 7. What should we do concerning our neighbor's inheritance and house? 8. What does our Lord tell us Gal. 5,13? 9. What should we do concerning our neighbor's wife and servants? 10. What important lesson do these commandments teach us? 11. What does every impure desire in our heart prove? 12. How should our hearts be? 13. What does our Lord command Lev. 19,2? 14. With what ought our hearts to be filled? 15. What does our Savior say Matt. 5,48? 16. What must we confess when we consider the commandments of God? 17. What should therefore be our daily prayer?
LESSON 11.
The Close of the Commandments.
What does God say of all these Commandments?
_He says thus: I, the Lord, thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them, that love Me and keep My commandments._
What does this mean?
_God threatens to punish all that transgress these commandments. Therefore we should fear His wrath, and not act contrary to them. But He promises grace and every blessing to all that keep these commandments. Therefore we should also love and trust in Him, and willingly do according to His commandments._
1. Thus says the Lord of all His commandments: _"I, the Lord, thy God, am a jealous God."_ God reminds us that He who has given us His commandments is the _Lord._ He is our Lord, we are His servants. He, as our Lord, has the right to give us His commandments, and we are in duty bound to obey them.--He furthermore reminds us that He is _our God._ Through Christ, our Savior, God has become our God, our Father. A father will give only good gifts to His children. Our heavenly Father means well in giving His commandments. They are to be a blessing to us and will be a blessing, if we rightly use them. We should thank Him for His commandments.--God tells us that He is a _jealous God._ God is not like a weak father who gives his children commands, but does not see to it that his children obey. God is a strict, a very strict father. He watches over His children whether they fulfil His commandments or break them.--And do not forget: Our God is the _almighty_ God. He has the power to do what He says, to carry out His threats and to fulfil His promises. _"There is one Lawgiver_ [this lawgiver is God, who has given us His commandments], _who is able to save and to destroy."_ Jas. 4,12.
2. God is a _jealous_ God. This He shows by _"visiting the iniquity_ [the wickedness] _of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Him."_ That means: _"God threatens to punish all that transgress these commandments."_ Those who break the commandments of God surely deserve punishment. By breaking the Law of God they sin against Him, they show that they _hate_ God, who has created and preserved them, who gives them life and all they need, who wants to be their Father in Christ, that they may become His children. Instead of loving God, they hate Him, who is the Giver of all they have and enjoy.--What punishment does God threaten those who hate Him? This is what He threatens: _"Cursed be he that confirmeth_ [keeps] _not all the words of this Law to do them."_ God's displeasure, His curse, His anger and wrath, will be upon him that sins. How fearful is it to be cursed by the almighty God!--When God gave Adam the first command, He said: _"In the day that thou eatest thereof_ [of the tree] _thou shalt surely die."_ Gen. 2,17. God threatens _death_ to every sinner. _"The soul that sinneth, it shall die."_ Ezek. 18,20. _"The wages of sin is death,"_ God tells us in His Word. Rom. 6,23. And after death eternal damnation awaits the sinner. _Verily, we should fear God's wrath and terrible punishment and not act contrary to His commandments._ We should daily pray our heavenly Father for grace to help us shun and flee all sins, even every evil thought that would bring God's wrath and punishment upon us. Daily we will go to Christ, our only Savior, who has redeemed us from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil.
3. Our God is a _merciful_ God. This He proves _"by showing mercy unto thousands that love Him and keep His commandments."_ God threatens to punish all that transgress these commandments, but He also _"promises grace and every blessing to all that keep these commandments."_ Our God is a gracious and loving God. He promises to reward those who keep His commandments. It is true, we do not deserve any reward, even if we fulfil His Law and live according to His will. It is our duty to do so. But so kind and loving is He to His children that He will reward them if they do what they owe Him.--What does our God promise us? He promises _grace and every blessing._ The grace of God will be upon us when in love of God we try to keep His commandments. He will be well pleased with us, His children. What a great thing it is to be assured of God's grace and good will! Who can harm us when the Lord is with us? He furthermore promises _every blessing_ to those who keep His commandments. God will bless His obedient children here on earth, in this life, but far more will He bless them in the life to come with eternal salvation. In heaven we shall see Him, our Father and Savior. _Therefore we should also love and trust in Him and willingly do according to His commandments._
4. The Ten Commandments teach us the _holy will of our God,_ or, as we also call it, _His Law._ Here we learn what as God's children we should do and not do, in order to please Him. Gladly we should learn it. We desire to love Him who has loved us.--We learn also _that we have not kept the Law,_ that we cannot keep it, that we daily transgress the commandments of our Lord. We learn that we are sinners who have deserved death and damnation. This also we should learn willingly, for it teaches us _how much we need a savior._ And then we go to our only Savior, to our Lord, who has fulfilled the Law in our stead.
REMEMBER:--
_1. God is our Lord. He has a right to give us His commandments, and it is our duty to obey Him. He is a jealous God, who will see to it that His Law is fulfilled._
_2. God threatens to punish all who hate Him and transgress His commandments. Fear His wrath and do not act contrary to His holy will._
_3. God promises grace and every blessing to all who love Him and keep His commandments. Love and trust Him, and willingly do according to His will._
MEMORIZE:--
_There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy._ Jas. 4,12.
_Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them._ Deut. 27,26.
_The soul that sinneth, it shall die._ Ezek. 18,20.
_The wages of sin is death._ Rom. 6,23.
_This do, and thou shalt live._ Luke 10,28.
QUESTIONS.
1. What does God call Himself at the close of the Ten Commandments? 2. What right has God as our Lord? 3. What is our duty to Him? 4. Of what does God remind us when He calls Himself a jealous God? 5. What does God threaten to all that transgress His commandments? 6. What is the punishment that God threatens? 7. What is the wages of sin? 8. What punishment does God threaten the sinner after his death? 9. What does God promise those that love Him and keep His commandments? 10. Why do we not deserve any reward? 11. What is the reward which God promises us? 12. What should we do because God promises such rich reward? 13. What do the Ten Commandments teach us? 14. What do we furthermore learn from them? 15. Of whom are we in need because we are sinners? 16. Who is our true and only Savior?
LESSON 12.
Review.
1. We have studied the Ten Commandments. Who gave us these commandments? In all His commandments God tells us His holy will; He tells us what we should do and not do. Why should we gladly obey Him? What is our Father's will according to the _First Commandment?_ When do we regard God as our God? When do we show that we fear and love Him? What does it mean to trust in God? What sin do we commit if we fear and love any one more than the true God?
2. Which is the _Second Commandment?_ Our Catechism begins the explanation of every commandment after the First with these words: "We should fear and love God." What do we learn from this? In the Second Commandment God reveals His will concerning His holy name. Mention some of God's names. In all these names God shows us who and what He is. His name should therefore be sacred to us. When do we take His holy name in vain? What does it mean to curse by God's name? How should we use His holy name?
3. Which is the _Third Commandment?_ We celebrate as our holy-day the first day of the week, Sunday. Who instituted this holy-day? How do we sanctify our holy-day? We should not despise preaching and His Word. When do we despise preaching and God's Word? How should we hold God's Word? How is this done?--To whom do the first three commandments relate? What is their sum? To whom do the other commandments relate? How should we love our neighbor?
4. We should love our neighbor as ourselves. Of all our fellow-men our dear _parents_ are nearest to us. What is God's will concerning our parents? What place does God give them by commanding us to honor them? Whose representatives are they? We should honor our parents as God's representatives. God has placed them over us. What should we therefore not do with regard to our parents? When do we honor them?
5. In the _Fifth Commandment_ God teaches us His will regarding the life, body, and health of our neighbor. Who is the Giver of all life? What right, therefore, belongs to God alone? God forbids us to kill, to take the life of our neighbor. But He forbids more. What does God furthermore forbid in this commandment? When do we hurt our neighbor in his body? When do we harm him in his body? When should we help and befriend our neighbor? What is "bodily need"? How should our hearts be disposed towards our neighbor according to the Fifth Commandment?
6. According to the _Sixth Commandment_ we should lead a chaste and decent life. How should our hearts be in order that we may lead such a life? When are our hearts chaste? When do we lead a chaste and decent life in words? What acts must we shun to lead a chaste and decent life in deed? Our hearts, by nature, are unclean and full of evil lust; what should we do that our hearts may become clean? Do you know the prayer for a clean heart? Ps. 51,10. What kind of place is this world? What may meet us everywhere? What places should we therefore shun? What does God command of married people in this commandment?
7. In the _Seventh Commandment_ God protects our neighbor's property. From whom do we receive all that belongs to us? The property of our neighbor should be sacred to us because it is given him by God. What does God therefore forbid in this commandment? When do we steal our neighbor's property? There are many ways of taking our neighbor's property. Name some of them. How do we take our neighbor's goods and money by false ware and dealing? In what way should we help our neighbor to keep and improve his property?
8. Which is the _Eighth Commandment?_ What is false witness? When do we bear false witness against our neighbor? When do we tell a lie? Never tell a lie. God hates all liars. Who was the first liar? What does it mean to slander and defame our brother? How should we act toward our neighbor according to the Eighth Commandment? When do we put the best construction on everything we hear about him? Of which member of our body should we take special care?
9. _The Ninth and the Tenth Commandment_ begin with these words: "Thou shalt not covet." Covetousness is in the heart. What important lesson do we therefore learn from these commandments? What should not be found in our hearts according to these commandments? How should our hearts be? Are they holy? What must we therefore confess? What should be our daily prayer?
10. _What does God say of all these commandments?_ Why does He call Himself the Lord? What does He mean when He calls Himself a jealous God? What does He threaten in these words? Whom will He punish? What does He threaten those who hate Him and transgress His commandments? Therefore we should fear His wrath and not act contrary to His commandments. What does God promise those who love Him and keep His commandments? What is the reward which He promises them? Why does He give His children such rich rewards? What should this grace and kindness of God induce us to do? What do the Ten Commandments teach us? We do not perfectly fulfil the will of God; we are sinners. Whom are we in need of because we are sinners? Who is our true and only Savior?
Let us all diligently study the Ten Commandments and learn therefrom the will of our Father. Let us pray to God for His Spirit that we may live according to His will more and more.
LESSON 13.
Our Creed.
1. You have already learned by heart the Three Articles of the Creed. These articles, together with their explanation, form the _Second Chief Part of our Small Catechism._ The Three Articles are called the _Creed,_ that is, the _Christian faith._ In these articles is contained all that we Christians _believe_ in our hearts, and _confess_ with our mouths, _regarding God and His works,_ all that He has done and will do for us, His children. Through Baptism you have become God's children; you must therefore also believe and confess what our Church confesses in these Three Articles. Consequently it is necessary for us to study them, in order that we may understand them.
2. No man knows of himself who God is and what He has done for us. _God alone_ can tell us about these things. And God has revealed Himself to us; He has told us in His holy _Word_ who He is and what He has done for us. From Holy Scriptures alone do we learn what we, as Christians, are to know and believe regarding God and His works. And what God tells us in His Word we verily may believe. It must be true, since God cannot and will not lie.--All the doctrines in Holy Scriptures which teach us who God is and what He has done and will do for us to save us, we call the _Gospel._ The word Gospel means _glad tidings, good news._
3. In the first part of our Small Catechism we also studied a word of God, and we have called it the _holy will of God,_ or the _Law._ So you see that there are _two chief doctrines in our Bible;_ one we call the Law; the other, the Gospel. Both are revealed to us by our heavenly Father, both are the Word of God. _But they differ greatly from each other._ The _Law_ tells us how, according to the will of God, we ought to be and what we must do and not do to please our God. From it we learn that we all are sinners, having not kept His commandments, and that God threatens to punish all who hate Him and break His commandments; that, therefore, as transgressors of His Law, we deserve His punishment, death and damnation. The Law does not bring us glad tidings.--The _Gospel_ has quite another message for us. It brings a message of joy to sinners, to those who have broken the commandments. It tells us that God loves even us sinners. _"God so loved the world,"_ that is, all sinful men, _"that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."_ John 3,16. It teaches us what and how much God, moved by His love and grace toward us sinners, has done and will do to save us from the deserved punishment of the Law, from sin, death, and hell. These are indeed good tidings, tidings of great joy for all men, to know that we have a Savior who can and will save us and give us eternal happiness in heaven. This Gospel of great joy we hear and learn in the Three Articles of our Christian faith.
4. We call the Three Articles the Creed, or the _Apostles' Creed._ This Creed contains what the apostles of the Lord believed and what they taught in all the world, as the Lord Himself had commanded them: _"Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature."_ Mark 16,15. Let us give thanks to our dear Lord for having graciously sent His Gospel also to us that we may be saved thereby.
5. We have three articles of faith, because God has done three great saving works for us. We call these _Creation, Redemption, and Sanctification._ In our next lesson we shall begin our study of the first of the Three Articles, which treats of Creation.
REMEMBER:--
1. _In the Three Articles is contained all that we believe and confess regarding God and His saving works for us. We call them also the Apostles' Creed. Our Creed is taken from Scripture._
2. _There are two chief doctrines in the Bible, the Law and the Gospel. Both are God's Word. The Law tells us how, according to the will of God, we ought to be and what we must do and not do. It also tells us that God will punish us because we have not fulfilled, His commandments._
3. _The Gospel brings to us the glad tidings of the grace and love of God. It tells us what God in His grace has done and will do to save us from the punishment of the Law, from sin and hell._
MEMORIZE:--
_The Gospel is the glad tidings of the grace of God toward all men, proclaiming to them salvation from sin and death in Christ Jesus._
_God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life._ John 3,16.
_Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature._ Mark 16,15.
QUESTIONS.
1. Of what does the Second Chief Part of our Catechism treat? 2. How do we also call these Three Articles? 3. What does the word "creed" mean? 4. Where are the Three Articles of our Christian faith taken from? 5. How many chief doctrines are contained in the Scriptures? 6. How are these two doctrines called? 7. What does our Lord tell us in His Law? 8. With what does the Law threaten us because we have not fulfilled it? 9. What will our punishment be according to the Law? 10. What is the Gospel? 11. What does the word "Gospel" mean? 12. What does God reveal to us in His Gospel? 13. Recite the Gospel-message that we find John 3,16. 14. In what work especially has God shown His love toward mankind? 15. Who, according to the words of our Savior, shall not perish? 16. What will God give to him that believeth? 17. Why are the Three Articles called the Apostles' Creed? 18. Why do we confess our faith in three articles? 19. What are the three great works which God has done and will do for our salvation? 20. To whom is the Gospel to be preached? 21. Recite the command of our Lord to His disciples to preach the Gospel to all the world. 22. What does the word "creature" in this verse mean?
LESSON 14.
The First Article.
Of Creation.
Which is the First Article of the Creed?
_I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth._
What does this mean?
_I believe that God has made me and all creatures._
1. _"I believe in God,"_ thus the First Article begins. Every Christian should confess and every true Christian does confess: _I, I myself,_ believe in God. It is of no avail to us that anybody else believes, we ourselves must believe in God. _We believe in God the Father Almighty._ We believe that God is the Father Almighty, or the almighty Father. And why do we believe that God is the almighty Father? Because He is _the Maker of heaven and earth._ That is God's first great, saving work for us. He has made heaven and earth. We call this work the _creation._
2. _God is the Maker of heaven and earth._ Our Catechism explains these words thus: _"I believe that God has made me and all creatures."_ God has made _me;_ it is due to Him that I came into existence, that I am living. He gave me life and everything that I have. God, however, did not only make me, but me _and all creatures._ Creatures are all things that God has made. Heaven and earth, all the angels, the sun, the moon, the glittering stars, all things on earth, the mountain and the mighty oceans, all animals, large and small, all the plants on land and in the water, man himself; all things that we see, yes, even those we do not see, all things, visible and invisible, are His creatures. God has made them all, they are the work of His almighty power. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Gen. 1,1. "By Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible." Col. 1,16.