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Biblical Catechism
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From the New City Catechism Curriculum, it is a 52-week series of core Biblical theology.
Question #39: With what attitude should we pray?
Answer: With love, perseverance, and gratefulness; in humble submission to God’s will, knowing that, for the sake of Christ, he always hears our prayers. Scripture: Philippians 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Source:...
Question #38: What is prayer?
Answer: Prayer is pouring out our hearts to God in praise, petition, confession of sin, and thanksgiving. Scripture: Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah - Psalm 62:8 Source: New City Catechism Read Comments - on Medium Author -...
Question #37: How does the Holy Spirit help us?
Answer: The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, comforts us, guides us, gives us spiritual gifts and the desire to obey God; and he enables us to pray and to understand God’s Word. Scripture: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the...
Question #36: What do we believe about the Holy Spirit?
Answer: That he is God, coeternal with the Father and the Son, and that God grants him irrevocably to all who believe. Scripture: And...
Question #35: What is our only hope in life and death?
Answer: That we are not our own but belong, body and soul, both in life and death, to God and to our Savior...
Question #34: Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through Christ alone, must we still do good works and obey God’s Word?
Answer: Yes, because Christ, having redeemed us by his blood, also renews us by his Spirit; so that our lives may show love...
Question #33: Should those who have faith in Christ seek their salvation through their own works, or anywhere else?
Answer: No, they should not, as everything necessary to salvation is found in Christ. To seek salvation through good works is a denial...
Question #32: What do justification and sanctification mean?
Answer: Justification means our declared righteousness before God, made possible by Christ’s death and resurrection for us. Sanctification means our gradual, growing righteousness,...
Question #31: What do we believe by true faith?
Answer: Everything taught to us in the gospel. The Apostles’ Creed expresses what we believe in these words: We believe in God the...
Question #30: What is faith in Jesus Christ?
Answer: Faith in Jesus Christ is acknowledging the truth of everything that God has revealed in his Word, trusting in him, and also...
Question #29: How can we be saved?
Answer: Only by faith in Jesus Christ and in his substitutionary atoning death on the cross; so even though we are guilty of...
Question # 28: What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith?
Answer: At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. They will be cast...
Question #27: Are all people, just as they were lost through Adam, saved through Christ?
Answer: No, only those who are elected by God and united to Christ by faith. Nevertheless God in his mercy demonstrates common grace...
Question #26: What else does Christ’s death redeem?
Answer: Christ’s death is the beginning of the redemption and renewal of every part of fallen creation, as he powerfully directs all things...
Question #25: Does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven?
Answer: Yes, because Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for our sin, God graciously imputes Christ’s righteousness to us as...
Question # 24: Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die?
Answer: Since death is the punishment for sin, Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of...
Question # 23: Why must the Redeemer be truly God?
Answer: That because of his divine nature his obedience and suffering would be perfect and effective; and also that he would be able...
Question #22: Why must the Redeemer be truly human?
Answer: That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and...
Question #21: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
Answer: One who is truly human and also truly God. Scripture: Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is...
Question #20: Who is the Redeemer?
Answer: The only Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, in whom God became man and bore the penalty...
Question #19: Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God’s favor?
Answer: Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from...
Question #18: Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished?
Answer: No, every sin is against the sovereignty, holiness, and goodness of God, and against his righteous law, and God is righteously angry...
Question #17: What is idolatry?
Answer: Idolatry is trusting in created things rather than the Creator for our hope and happiness, significance and security. Scripture: Romans 1:21,25 - For...
Question #16: What is sin?
Answer: Sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created, rebelling against him by living without reference to him, not being...
Question #15: Since no one can keep the law, what is its purpose?
Answer: That we may know the holy nature and will of God, and the sinful nature and disobedience of our hearts; and thus...
Question #14: Did God create us unable to keep his law?
Answer: No, but because of the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, all of creation is fallen; we are all born...
Question #13: Can anyone keep the law of God perfectly?
Answer: Since the fall, no mere human has been able to keep the law of God perfectly, but consistently breaks it in thought,...
Question #12: What does God require in the ninth and tenth commandments?
Answer: Ninth, that we do not lie or deceive, but speak the truth in love. Tenth, that we are content, not envying anyone...
Question #11: What does God require in the sixth, seventh, and eighth commandments?
Answer: Sixth, that we do not hurt, or hate, or be hostile to our neighbor, but be patient and peaceful, pursuing even our...
Question #10: What does God require in the fourth and fifth commandments?
Answer: Fourth, that on the Sabbath day we spend time in public and private worship of God, rest from routine employment, serve the...
Question #9: What does God require in the first, second and third commandments?
Answer: First, that we know and trust God as the only true and living God. Second, that we avoid all idolatry and do not...
Question #8: What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments?
Answer: You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in...