THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.
PROPERTY. HONESTY.
PROPERTY. HONESTY.
Thou shalt not steal.
What is meant by this commandment?
We should so fear and love God as not to rob our neighbor of his money or property, nor bring it into our possession by unfair dealing or fraudulent means, but rather assist him to improve and protect it.
The object of this commandment is to protect every man in the possession of that which is lawfully his own. Without such protection the individual could not support his life, and society could not exist. The industrious and thrifty would be at the mercy of the lazy and wicked. This commandmentforbidsus to use dishonest means of acquiring property. Itcommandsus to assist our neighbor to improve and protect his own.
PROPERTY consists of whatever each person lawfully acquires of the earth's lands, forests, water, mines, houses, goods or money. It may be rightfully acquired by original claim, inheritance, gift, or labor of body or mind. Honest labor united with economy is the best way to acquire it.
UNEQUAL DIVISION. God, who is the absolute owner of all things, [I Cor. 10:26] divides to each as He will. [Jer. 27:5] He "maketh poor and maketh rich." [I Sam. 2:7, Prov. 22:2+] Much poverty, however, is due to men's own laziness, idleness, [II Thess. 3:10+] carelessness or extravagance; and much wealth has been wrongfully gained contrary to God's will as expressed in this commandment.Communism, or the equal division of property among all men, is not practicable. It failed in the apostolic Church. [Acts 5:1-10] If all things were equally divided, some would soon clamor for another division.
POVERTY AND RICHES. The happiest person is he who is neither rich nor poor, but has sufficient for his needs. [Prov. 30:7-9+, Prov. 15:16-17+] Poverty may tempt a man to dishonesty; and riches may lead him to avarice, hardness of heart, worldliness and extravagance. [I Tim. 6:9, 10, I Tim. 6:17+] Riches make it hard for a man to enter into the kingdom of God. [Matt. 19:24+, Matt. 13:22] We should respect men for what they are, and not for what they have. We should not flatter the rich nor despise the poor. [Jas. 2:1-4]
USE OF PROPERTY. God entrusts earthly property to us as His stewards. [Luke 19:12-27, Matt. 25:14-30, Luke 16:1-8] Whether we are rich or poor, we should so use our property as to be able to give an account to God.For ourselvesand those dependent on us [I Tim. 5:8+] we should use it for the supply of our bodily needs (food, clothing, shelter, a reasonable amount of pleasure) and of our spiritual needs [Luke 12:15+, Matt. 6:33, I Cor. 9:14] (the Church and the Gospel).For our fellow-menwe should, when necessary, use it according to our ability for their bodily needs (the poor) and their spiritual needs (Home and Foreign Missions). [Matt. 22:39]
I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.
I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.
1. ROBBING OUR NEIGHBOR. The grossest forms of dishonesty are Robbery, Theft, Burglary, Embezzlement, and Forgery. These are recognized by all as wrong. But it is also wrong to bring our neighbor's property into our possession, by
2. UNFAIR DEALING AND FRAUDULENT MEANS, [Prov. 29:24, Lev. 6:2, 3, Ps. 37:21, Jer. 22:13, Lev. 19:35, 36, Hab. 2:6, Prov. 15:6, Deut. 24:14, Jas. 5:4, Prov. 11:1] such as Concealing stolen property, Withholding lost or borrowed property, Evading taxes, Refusing to pay debts, Wilful idleness and beggary, Betting and gambling, Lotteries and chancing, Bribery, Useless lawsuits, Negligent management of another's property, Stealing car-rides, Unfaithful labor, Insufficient wages, Cornering the market, Overcharging, Usury, Adulterating goods, Giving short weight or measure, and Cheating of any kind.
3.Dishonesty in the Heart. Dishonesty has its source in the covetousness and greed of the human heart. [Mic. 2:2] Men first covet, and then steal or defraud. We must beware of covetousness. [Luke 12:15+] The love of money is a root of all evil. [I Tim. 6:10+] We must be honest even in small matters. He who is dishonest in little will be dishonest in much. [Luke 16:10] We must avoid all that would tempt us to dishonesty; namely, evil companions, idleness, speculation, extravagance, etc.
II. WHAT IS COMMANDED.
II. WHAT IS COMMANDED.
We should
1. ASSIST OUR NEIGHBOR TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT HIS PROPERTY. [Exod. 23:4, 5, Matt. 7:12] We should help him to get along well in the world, and do what we can to prevent him from being deprived of his possessions.
2.Restore to the real ownerwhatever has been dishonestly gotten. [Luke 19:8]
3.Be Ready to use our moneyand property in order to help and benefit our neighbor. [Eph. 4:28+, Heb. 13.18+, I Pet. 4:10] We must be helpful and charitable toward our fellow-men.
QUESTIONS.—1. What is the object of the seventh commandment? 2. What does this commandment forbid? 3. What does it command? 4. How may property be rightfully acquired? 5. Explain why property is unequally divided among men? 6. What is to be said about communism? 7. Why is he who is neither rich nor poor the happiest man? 8. What is the right use of property? 9. Mention some gross forms of dishonesty? 10. Mention some other ways in which this commandment is broken? 11. Where does dishonesty have its source? 12. If we would be honest, what must we guard against? 13. In what ways does this commandment require us to assist our neighbor?
SCRIPTURE VERSES—Prov. 22:2. The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
II Thess. 3:10. This we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
Prov. 30:7-9. Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
Prov. 15:16-17. Better is little with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
I Tim. 6:17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.
Matt. 19:24. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
I Tim. 5:8. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Luke 12:15. And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
I Tim. 6:10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Eph. 4:28. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Heb. 13:16. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
READING.—The Unjust Steward, Luke 16:1-7; or, Matt. 25: 31-46.
ILLUSTRATIONS.—Poverty and Riches: The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31; The Rich Fool, Luke 12:15-21; The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11 seq.Dishonesty: Achan, Josh. 7. Gehazi, II Kings 5. Judas, Luke 12:6, Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5.Benevolence: The Good Samaritan, Luke 10:30-37; Dorcas, Acts 9:36; Cornelius, Acts 10:2.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.
TRUTHFULNESS.
TRUTHFULNESS.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
What is meant by this commandment?
We should so fear and love God as not deceitfully to belie, betray, slander, nor raise injurious reports against our neighbor, but apologize for him, speak well of him, and put the most charitable construction on all his actions.
THE OBJECT of this commandment is to secure truthfulness, [Eph. 4:25+] and to guard our good name. [Prov. 22:1+] Without truthfulness we could not believe anything we heard, and the utmost confusion would prevail in the affairs of men. A good name is one of our most precious earthly possessions.
This commandmentforbidsall lying. Itcommandsperfect truthfulness and a charitable judgment of others.
I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.
I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.
ALL LYING is forbidden. [Ps. 34:13+] False witness against otherpersonsis the worst form of lying. All lesser forms of lying are forbidden along with the greater.
1.False Witness against our Neighbor.We must not tell a falsehood about another person either in court or in every-day life. We must not
BELIE him, that is, tell an untruth about him.
BETRAY. [Prov. 11:13+, Prov. 24:28] We must not abuse our neighbor's confidence by revealing his innocent secrets, and thus annoying or harming him. One who pretends to be another's friend, and yet betrays him, is acting a lie. We dare not, however, hide crime; and we must tell what we know about others if the court, or parents, or persons who have a right to know, inquire of us.
SLANDER NOR RAISE INJURIOUS REPORTS. [Exod. 23:1+, Lev. 19:16, Ps. 15:1-3] We must not invent nor repeat false reports concerning our neighbor. We must not say behind his back what we fear to say to his face. We must not magnify his faults, [Matt. 7:3-5] nor impute evil motives to him, nor make his words and conduct look as bad as possible. The slanderer is worse than a thief and causes incalculable suffering and misery. [Prov. 25:18+, Jas. 3:5-8] We should remember that words once spoken live on for good or evil, and cannot be unsaid; and that we must give an account to God for every word we speak. [Matt. 12:36]
2.Lying of Any Kind.A lie is a conscious falsehood uttered with the purpose of deceiving. It may be acted as well as spoken. [Prov. 6:13] We must not deceive nor try to deceive others by telling an untruth, by hiding the truth or a part of it, by hypocrisy, flattery, boasting, broken promises, conventional lies, "white lies," "lies of necessity," guesses given as facts, etc.
II. WHAT IS COMMANDED.
II. WHAT IS COMMANDED.
1.Truthfulness.Truth is of God; [Deut. 32:4] lying is of the devil. [John 8:44] As children of God we must be truthful. [Col. 3:9+] A liar is an abomination in God's sight. [Prov. 12:22, Prov. 17:15] If necessary, we should be ready to suffer and die for the truth.
2.A Charitable Judgment of Others.We should
APOLOGIZE FOR OUR NEIGHBOR, and defend him when his character is unjustly assailed. [Matt. 7:12, Prov. 31:8, 9] We must be careful, however, not to excuse or make light of sin. [Isa. 5:20+] We should
SPEAK WELL OF HIM whenever we can do so truthfully. We should speak of his virtues rather than of his faults. [Matt. 7:1, 2+, Jas. 4:11] If we cannot speak well of him, then, unless it is absolutely necessary, we had better not speak of him at all. We should
PUT THE MOST CHARITABLE CONSTRUCTION ON ALL HIS ACTIONS. [I Pet. 4:8+, I Cor. 13:4-7, Gal. 6:1] We should, as far as possible, make the best and not the worst of what our neighbor says and does. We should think and speak of him only in kindness.
QUESTIONS.—1. What a the object of this commandment? 2. What does it forbid? 3. What does it command? 4. What is the worst form of lying? 5. What is included under false witness? 6. What is meant by belying our neighbor? 7. What is to be said about betraying him? 8. What is to be said about slander and the slanderer? 9. Define a lie. 10. In what ways do men speak and act lies? 11. Why should we be truthful? 12. What is to be said about apologizing for our neighbor? 13. What rule should we follow in speaking of others? 14. How should we think and speak of our neighbor?
SCRIPTURE VERSES.—Eph. 4:25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Prov. 22:1. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Ps. 34:13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Prov. 11:13. A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
Exod. 23:1. Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Matt. 7:3-5. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Prov. 25:18. A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
Col. 3:9. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.
Is. 5:20. Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Matt. 7:1, 2. Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
I Pet. 4:8. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
READING.—The False Witnesses against Stephen, Acts 6:8-15.
ILLUSTRATIONS.—False Witness: Against Christ, Matt. 26:60; against Naboth, I Kings 21:10; against Paul, Acts 25:7.Slander: Absalom against David, II Sam. 15:1 seq.;Lying: Jacob, Gen. 27:19; Jacob's Sons, Gen. 37:32.Betrayal: Judas.Speaking well: Jonathan, I Sam. 19:4.
THE NINTH AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS.
THE NINTH AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS.
A RIGHT HEART.
A RIGHT HEART.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
What is meant by this Commandment?
We should so fear and love God as not to desire by craftiness to gain possession of our neighbor's inheritance or home, or to obtain it under the pretext of a legal right; but be ready to assist and serve him in the preservation of his own.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
What is meant by this Commandment?
We should so fear and love God as not to alienate our neighbor's wife from him, entice away his servants, nor let loose his cattle, but use our endeavors that they may remain and discharge their duty to him.
Both these commandments forbid coveting; hence, we may consider them together. They deal with the root and source of all sin; namely, the evil lusts and desires of the heart. [Matt. 15:19+, Jas. 1:14, 15]
THE OBJECT of these two commandments is to emphasize the necessity of a right state of heart. [I Sam. 16:7+, Matt. 5:5] All the commandments must, indeed, be kept in thought as well as in word and deed. But by adding these two special commandments against coveting, God desires to impress upon us most strongly that wrong thoughts and desires make us guilty before Him. We are not keeping God's commandments unless we are free from thedesireto transgress them. As a man "thinketh in his heart, so is he." [Prov. 23:7]
THE HEART BY NATURE SINFUL. We are born with a sinful nature and a natural inclination to evil (Original sin), which we have inherited from our ancestors as a result of the fall into sin. [John 3:6+, Jer. 17:9] This natural inclination to evil manifests itself in wrong thoughts and desires which arise in the heart. [Rom. 7:18, 19+] These wrong desires or lusts are in themselves sinful: and if they are not subdued, they lead to sins of words and deeds. [Jas. 1:14, 15+]
These commandmentsforbidus to covet anything that is our neighbor's. Theycommandus to assist and serve him in retaining his own.
I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.
I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.
COVETING, To covet means to desire what we have no right to have. To wish to obtain something in a lawful way is not coveting. But we must not have
1.An Unlawful Desire[Gal. 5:24+] for our neighbor's possessions, whether it be his property, wife, servants, cattle, or anything that is his. We must not envy him on account of them, nor begrudge them to him, nor wish that we had them in his stead. We must not make
2.Any Attempt to Gratify such Unlawful Desiresand TO GAIN POSSESSION OF OUR NEIGHBOR'S INHERITANCE OR HOME
BY CRAFTINESS, shrewdness, cunning, deceit and the like. [Prov. 15:6] Nor dare we seek TO OBTAIN IT
UNDER THE PRETEXT OF A LEGAL RIGHT; that is, by ways which human laws allow and appear to sanction, but which are not right before God. [Matt. 23:14+] Nor dare we attempt to
ALIENATE (estrange), ENTICE or drive away from him his wife, servants, or cattle, by persuasion, flattery, falsehood, promises, threats, or force.
II. WHAT is COMMANDED.
ASSISTANCE AND SERVICE. We should
1. ASSIST AND SERVE HIM IN THE PRESERVATION OF HIS OWN. [Phil. 2:4+, Gal. 5:12] Instead of wishing to get his property away from him, we should most heartily wish that he may be able to keep it, and should help him to retain it. We should
2. USE OUR ENDEAVORS THAT THEY who belong to him MAY REMAIN AND DISCHARGE THEIR DUTY TO HIM. We should help him to retain their affection and faithfulness. We should heartily wish them to remain, and persuade them to do so.
QUESTIONS.—1. Why may these two commandments be considered together? 2. With what do they deal? 3. What is the object of these two commandments? 4. When only are we keeping God's commandments? 5. What is to be said about the natural state of the heart. 6. What do these commandments forbid? 7. What do they command? 8. Define coveting. 9. If we would avoid breaking this commandment, what must we not do? 10. How should we be of assistance and service to our neighbor?
SCRIPTURE VERSES.—Matt. 15:19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
I Sam. 16:7. The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
John 3:6. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Rom. 7:18, 19. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Jas. 1:14, 15. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Gal. 5:24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Matt. 23:14. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore, ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Phil. 2:4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
READING.—Naboth's Vineyard, I Kings 21:1-19.
ILLUSTRATIONS.—Coveting: Ahab; David, II Sam. 12; Absalom, II Sam. 15.Assistance and Service: Paul, Philemon 10-17.
THE CONCLUSION OF THE COMMANDMENTS.
THE CONCLUSION OF THE COMMANDMENTS.
PUNISHMENT OR BLESSING.
PUNISHMENT OR BLESSING.
What does God declare concerning these Commandments?
He says: "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 in meant by this Declaration?
God threatens to punish all those who transgress these commandments; we should therefore dread His displeasure and not act contrarily to these commandments. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep them; we should therefore love and trust in him, and cheerfully do what he has commanded us.
A JEALOUS GOD. God claims our highest love, and is grieved and offended if we turn our affections away from Him and disobey His law. He will punish or bless men according as they hate or love Him: [Rom. 2:6-10, Deut. 11:26-28, Gal. 6:7-8] "to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him," and "unto thousands of them that love Him and keep His commandments."
I. PUNISHMENT.
I. PUNISHMENT.
GOD THREATENS TO PUNISH
GOD THREATENS TO PUNISH
1.Whom?ALL THOSE WHO TRANSGRESS THESE COMMANDMENTS [Rom: 1:18+, Lev 26:14-15, Isa 59:2, Ezek. 18:4+, Rom. 6:23+] by commission, (doing what is forbidden) or omission (not doing what is commanded), whether it be transgression by deed or word or thought. Every transgression, great or small, is sin, and makes men guilty and punishable. [Gal. 3:10]
2.Why?Because justice demands it. [Gal. 6:7+] God cannot be unjust. He cannot overlook or excuse sin. [Eccl. 11:9] Earthly governments must and do punish offenders, or they would be unjust to those persons who obey the law. A law without a penalty would amount to nothing. God, who governs the universe, is and must be just. [Gen. 18:25+]
3.How?
In this WorldGod punishes sin by Pangs of Conscience; [Matt. 26:75, Matt. 27:3-4] Pains and Sufferings which are the results of wrong-doing, [Jer. 17:10]e.g., the results of drunkenness and licentiousness; Legal Penalties which the State, as God's servant to punish crime, inflicts by fines, imprisonment and hanging; [Rom. 13:4] Special Judgments upon individuals [1 Cor. 10:5] in the form of sickness, accidents and reverses, though we must remember that afflictions are not always a judgment, but are often sent upon the godly as a chastening; [Heb. 12:6+] General Judgments upon wicked communities, such as that which God sent upon Sodom and Gomorrah. [Gen. 19:24]
Children are often obliged to suffer for the sins of their parents. [Jer. 31:29] If the children also are wicked, their sufferings are a punishment; [Ezek. 18:20, Prov. 3:12, Rom. 8:28] if they are godly, their sufferings are a chastening.
In the Next WorldGod will punish by Exclusion from Heaven and from His Presence; [Matt. 22:13] and by Eternal Misery in Hell. [Rev. 21:8, Matt. 25:41]
II. BLESSING.
II. BLESSING.
GOD PROMISES GRACE AND EVERY BLESSING. [Rom. 2:10+]
1.To Whom?TO ALL WHO KEEP THESE COMMANDMENTS. It is true, all men are sinners, and no one keeps these commandments perfectly. [Rom. 3:23+] But the godly try earnestly to keep them, [I Cor. 9:27] and are truly sorry for every failure to do so. [Rom. 7:24] To them, therefore, God promises grace and every blessing.
2.Why?God will bless them, not because they have earned a reward, but because He is merciful and gracious. [Ps. 103:11+, Joel 2:13] We cannot earn anything from God but punishment. His blessing is bestowed upon us solely as a gift of grace.
3.How?
In this WorldGod blesses the godly with: Peace of Heart; [John 14:27] His Favor and Guidance; [Ps. 34:15+] True Success in Life; [Rom. 8:28] and a Blessed Hope of Salvation. [Rev. 2:10+]
Children and remote descendants share in the blessing of godly ancestors.
In the Next WorldGod will grant them: Entrance into Heaven for Christ's Sake; [Matt. 25:34] and Eternal Glory and Blessedness. [John 14:2-3, Rev. 3:21]
A WARNING. An impenitent life will bring upon us God's punishment in time and eternity. WE SHOULD THEREFORE DREAD HIS DISPLEASURE, AND NOT ACT CONTRARILY TO THESE COMMANDMENTS.
AN ENCOURAGEMENT. Agodly lifewill bring upon us God's blessing in time and eternity. WE SHOULD THEREFORE LOVE AND TRUST IN HIM, CHEERFULLY DO WHAT HE HAS COMMANDED US.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS CONDEMN US; for we have broken them by thought, word, and deed. [John 1:8-10+, Rom 3:23, Eccl 7:20, Jas 2:10+]
We are not able to keep them perfectly. [Rom 7:18-19] Consequently we cannot be saved by them. [Gal 3:11] They are meant to show us our sinfulness, [Rom 3:20] to lead us to repentance, and to direct as to Christ for salvation. [Gal 3:24] We can be saved only through Him. [John 14:6+, Acts 4:12+] We are taught concerning Christ, and confess our faith in Him in the Second Part of the Catechism which now follows, namely, The Creed.
QUESTIONS.—1. What does God mean when He says that He is a jealous God? 2. Whom will God punish? 3. Why will He punish? 4. How does He punish? 5. To whom does God promise grace and blessing? 6. Why will He bless them? 7. How will He bless them? 8. What warning is contained in the Conclusion of the Commandments? 9. What encouragement is contained in it? 10. Why can we not be saved by the Ten Commandments? 11. What are the Commandments meant to do? 12. How only can we be saved? 13, Where are we taught concerning Christ?
SCRIPTURE VERSES.—Rom. 1:18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
Ezek. 18:4. The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Rom. 6:23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Gal. 6:7. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gen. 18:25. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Heb. 12:6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.
Rom. 2:10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.
Rom. 3:23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Ps. 103:11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Ps. 34:1-5. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
Rev. 2:10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
I John 1:8-9. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Jas. 2:10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
John 14:6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
READING.—The Fall into Sin and its Punishment, Gen. 3.
ILLUSTRATIONS.—Punishment: Adam and Eve; Cain, Gen. 4:9-15; The Deluge, Gen. 6-8; Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen. 19; The Ten Plagues, Exod. 7-12; Korah, Numb. 16; Saul, I Sam. 15; The Assyrian and Babylonian Captivities, II Kings 17, II Kings 25.Blessing: Abraham, Gen. 12:2; Joseph, Gen. 45:4-8; David, II Sam. 7:16; Cornelius, Acts 4:10.
THE CREED.
THE CREED.
CREEDS OR CONFESSIONS.
CREEDS OR CONFESSIONS.
THE CREED, from the LatinCredo, I believe, means that which we as Christians believe. The Creed given in our Catechism is the Apostles' Creed. It is so called, not because it was written by the apostles, but because it contains, in a brief summary, the doctrines which the apostles taught. It grew out of the words of the baptismal formula: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." [Matt 28:19] It has come down to us from the early centuries of the Church's history, and isher confession of faith. It should be our confession also; we should say from the heart, "I believe in God, etc." There are
Two KINDS OF CREEDS or Confessions of Faith:—
I.Oecumenicalor Universal Creeds, which are accepted by the whole Christian Church throughout the world. They are
1. The Apostles' Creed.
2. The Nicene Creed.
3. The Athanasian Creed.
II.ParticularCreeds or Confessions, which are accepted by the various Churches and Denominations as their distinctive confessions.
Our Lutheran Confessions are:—
1. The Augsburg Confession.
2. The Apology (Defense) of the Augsburg Confession.
3. The Schmalcald Articles.
4. The Small Catechism.
5. The Large Catechism.
6. The Formula of Concord.
These nine confessions together form the Book of Concord.
THE APOSTLES' CREED CONTAINS, in Three Articles, a statement of what the Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, has done and still does for us.
Article I. treats of God the Father and His work ofCreation.
Article II. treats of God the Son and His work ofRedemption.
Article III. treats of God the Holy Ghost and His work ofSanctification.
THE TRINITY. There is only one God, [Deut. 6:4] but there are three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Hence, we say that God is the Holy Trinity, or the Three in One. We cannot understand or explain how God can be three Persons and yet only one God. But we must not expect with our finite mind to comprehend the infinite God. We must accept the truth concerning God as He himself has revealed it to us in His Word. He plainly tells us that He is One; for He says, "Iam the Lord thy God; thou shalt have no other gods beforeMe." [Exod. 20:2-3] Yet He also plainly tells us that there are three Persons. They are expressly mentioned in Christ's command to His disciples, "Go ye, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." [Matt. 28:19] And they were all revealed at the baptism of Jesus, when the Father spoke from heaven and said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased," and the Holy Ghost descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. [Matt. 3:16-17] Each Person of the Holy Trinity has a share in the work of our salvation. The Father sent His Son to save us; [John 3:16] the Son became man and died for us; [Rom. 5:8] and the Holy Spirit applies redemption to our souls [I Cor. 12:3] through the Word of God and the Sacraments.
QUESTIONS.—1. Define the word Creed. 2. Why is the Apostles' Creed so called? 3. How did it originate? 4. What two kinds of creeds are there? 5. Name the oecumenical creeds. 6. Name the particular creeds or confessions of the Lutheran Church? 7. What does the Apostles' Creed contain? 8. Of what do the three articles of the Apostles' Creed treat? 9. What is meant by the Holy Trinity? 10. How do we know that God is only one God? 11. How do we know there are three Persons? 12. How do the three Persons of the Trinity share in the work of our salvation?
THE FIRST ARTICLE.
THE FIRST ARTICLE.
OF GOD THE FATHER, OR CREATION.
OF GOD THE FATHER, OR CREATION.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
What is meant by this Article?
I believe that God has created me and all that exists; that He has given and still preserves to me my body and soul, with all my limbs and senses, my reason and all the faculties of my mind, together with my raiment, food, home and family, and all my property: that He daily provides me abundantly with all the necessaries of life, protects me from all danger, and preserves me and guards me against all evil; all which He does out of pure, paternal and divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I am in duty bound to thank, praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.
I BELIEVE IN, that is, I trust in, I rely upon.
GOD THE FATHER, He is the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, [Matt. 11:25] and the first Person of the Holy Trinity. Through Christ He is also my Father. [John 20:17, Eph. 1:3+]
ALMIGHTY, He is able to do all things, and to help me in every time of need.
MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. [Ps. 102:25] He has made all things,—the universe and all that it contains. The world did not come into being of itself or by chance, nor did it exist from eternity. God made it out of nothing. In the beginning He created the heaven and the earth. [Gen. 1:1+, Ps 33:6, 9] They were at first a formless mass; [Gen. 1:2] but in six days God fashioned the formless mass into the world as it now exists. On these six days He created, 1. Light, 2. The Firmament, 3. Land and Sea, 4. Sun, moon and stars, 5. Fishes and birds, 6. Beasts and man. [Gen 1:3-31]
God's Chief Creatures are the angels in heaven and men on earth. All His creatures, as they came from His hands, were very good. [Gen. 3:31] But some of the angels sinned, and became bad angels or devils. [II Pet. 2:4] And man also, though created in the image of God, fell into sin, and lost his original righteousness and holiness. [Gen. 3, Gen. 8:21, Eph. 4:24]
Luther's explanation of this Article in the catechism tells us:
I. What God has done and still does for me,
II. Why God does all this for me,
III. What I owe to God in return.
I. WHAT GOD HAS DONE AND STILL DOES FOR ME.
I. WHAT GOD HAS DONE AND STILL DOES FOR ME.
I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS
I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS
1. CREATED ME [Job. 33:4+] AND ALL THAT EXISTS; [Neh. 9:6, Col. 1:16+] THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO ME
MY BODY,—WITH ALL MY LIMBS AND SENSES. Though my body, like that of the beasts, is made of the dust of the ground, [Gen. 2:7+] it is vastly superior to their bodies, and is a marvelous piece of divine workmanship, [Ps. 139:14] exquisitely adapted to be the earthly tabernacle of the soul which inhabits it.
MY SOUL, [Gen. 2:7+]—MY REASON AND ALL THE FACULTIES OF MY MIND, by which I am placed so far above the brute creation. God made the human soul to be a likeness of Himself; [Gen. 1:27, Gen. 9:6] that is, He gave to man in a limited measure those powers and faculties which He Himself possesses in unlimited and infinite measure. And while the human mind has become dimmed by the fall, its powers and faculties are still most wonderful.
2. PRESERVES ME. [Neh. 9:6] All that has helped to support my life has been God's gift; namely, MY RAIMENT, FOOD, HOME AND FAMILY, AND ALL MY PROPERTY. I continue to live because He sustains me. [Jas. 1:17+, Acts 17:28+]
HE DAILY PROVIDES ME ABUNDANTLY WITH ALL THE NECESSARIES OF LIFE. [Ps. 115:15-16+] His care for me is a constant, daily care. His mercies are new every morning. [Matt. 6:31-32+, Lam. 3:22-23+]
HE PROTECTS ME FROM ALL DANGER, SEEN AND UNSEEN. [Ps. 34:7, Matt. 10:30] I am beset with perils on every hand. If God withdrew His protecting hand, I should perish immediately.
HE PRESERVES ME AND GUARDS ME AGAINST ALL EVIL. [Ps 121:5, 8+] No real evil can come upon God's children. What seems an evil is meant for a good purpose, and is a blessing in disguise. [Rom. 8:28+, Isa. 55:8-9, Jer. 29:11, Ps. 23:4+]
II. WHY GOD DOES ALL THIS FOR ME.
II. WHY GOD DOES ALL THIS FOR ME.
He does it purely
1. OUT OF PATERNAL AND DIVINE GOODNESS AND MERCY. [Ps. 103:13+] It is
PATERNAL or fatherly [Ps 103:13+] goodness and mercy, because He is my Father through Jesus Christ, and loves me as His child. It is
DIVINE goodness and mercy, because God is love, [I John 4:16+] and only His unspeakable love could move Him to bestow His great benefits upon sinful men, even upon the wicked and unthankful. [Matt. 5:45+]
2. WITHOUT ANY MERIT OR WORTHINESS IN ME. [Gen. 32:10+] I have merited (deserved) nothing and I am worthy of nothing but punishment; for I am a sinful being, [Ps. 51:5] and I have broken God's law many times by thoughts and words and deeds. [Jer. 14:7]
III. WHAT I OWE TO GOD IN RETURN.
III. WHAT I OWE TO GOD IN RETURN.
For all His goodness and mercy
I AM IN DUTY BOUND [Ps. 116:12+, Ps. 50:14]
1. TO THANK AND PRAISE HIM. I must not receive God's benefits as a matter of course, but must recognize them as gifts of His grace, and daily thank and praise Him in my heart and with my lips. [Ps. 103:1+]
2. TO SERVE AND OBEY HIM. I must show my gratitude in my life by obeying God's commandments and giving myself with all my heart to His service. [Rom. 12:1+]
THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY TRUE; namely, 1. That all the blessings I enjoy come from God, 2. That they are the gifts of His grace and that I am unworthy of them, 3. That I owe to God the fullest gratitude of heart and life.
QUESTIONS.—1. What does "I believe" mean? 2. Why do we say "God theFather"? 3. What does "Almighty" mean? 4. What has God made? 5. Name His chief creatures. 6. What three things does Luther's explanation of this article tell us? 7. What has God done and what does He still do for us? 8. In creating us, what has God given us? 9. How does He preserve us? 10. Why does God do all this for us? 11. Why are we not worthy of it? 12. What do we owe to God in return? 13. What is meant by thanking and praising Him? 14. What is meant by serving and obeying Him? 15. What is most certainly true according to this article?
SCRIPTURE VERSES.—Eph. 1:3. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
Gen. 1:1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Job 33:4. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
Col. 1:16. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.
Gen. 2:7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Jas. 1:17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Acts 17:28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being.
Ps. 145:15, 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
Matt. 6:31, 32 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink, or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Lam 3:22, 23. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning.
Ps. 34:7. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Ps. 121:5, 8. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Rom. 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Ps. 23:4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Ps. 103:13. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
I John 4:16. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Matt. 5:45. He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Gen. 32:10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant.
Ps. 116:12. What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
Ps. 103:1. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Rom. 12:1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
READING.—The Creation of the World, Gen. 1.
ILLUSTRATIONS.—Provides: Manna, Exod. 16:14; Elijah, I Kings 17:6, 14; Feeding the Five Thousand, Matt. 14:15-21.Protects: The Israelites, Exod. 14:19seq.; Daniel, Dan. 6:22; Paul, Acts 22:12-33; Acts 27: 42-44.Guards from evil: Joseph; Job.Thankfulness: Noah, Gen. 8:20; The Samaritan, Luke 17:15,16.