Heidelberg Catechism

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Of Man's Deliverance

Questions 12-25

12. Q. Since, according to God's righteous judgment we deserve temporal and eternal punishment, how can we escape this punishment and be again received into favour? 

A. God demands that His justice be satisfied.[1] Therefore full payment must be made either by ourselves or by another.[2] 

[1] Ex. 20:5; 23:7; Rom. 2:1-11. 

[2] Is. 53:11; Rom. 8:3, 4. 

13. Q. Can we ourselves make this payment? 

A. Certainly not. On the contrary, we daily increase our debt.[1] 

[1] Ps. 130:3; Matt. 6:12; Rom. 2:4, 5. 

14. Q. Can any mere creature pay for us?

A. No. In the first place, God will not punish another creature for the sin which man has committed.[1] Furthermore, no mere creature can sustain the burden of God's eternal wrath against sin and deliver others from it.[2] 

[1] Ezek. 18:4, 20; Heb. 2:14-18. 

[2] Ps. 130:3; Nah. 1:6. 

15. Q. What kind of mediator and deliverer must we seek? 

A. One who is a true[1] and righteous[2] man, and yet more powerful than all creatures; that is, one who is at the same time true God.[3] 

[1] I Cor. 15:21; Heb. 2:17. 

[2] Is. 53:9; II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 7:26.

[3] Is. 7:14; 9:6; Jer. 23:6; John 1:1; Rom. 8:3, 4. 

16. Q. Why must He be a true and righteous man? 

 A. He must be a true man because the justice of God requires that the same human nature which has sinned should pay for sin.[1] He must be a righteous man because one who himself is a sinner cannot pay for others.[2] 

[1] Rom: 5:12, 15; I Cor. 15:21; Heb. 2:14-16. 

[2] Heb. 7:26, 27; I Pet. 3:18. 

17. Q. Why must He at the same time be true God? 

A. He must be true God so that by the power of His divine nature[1] He might bear in His human nature the burden of God's wrath,[2] and might obtain for us and restore to us righteousness and life.[3] 

[1] Is. 9:5.

[2] Deut. 4:24; Nah. 1:6; Ps. 130:3. 

[3] Is. 53:5, 11; John 3:16; II Cor. 5:21. 

18. Q. But who is that Mediator who at the same time is true God and a true and righteous man? 

A. Our Lord Jesus Christ,[1] whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption (I Corinthians 1:30). 

[1] Matt. 1:21-23; Luke 2:11; I Tim. 2:5; 3:16. 

19. Q. From where do you know this? 

A. From the holy gospel, which God Himself first revealed in Paradise.[1] Later, He had it proclaimed by the patriarchs[2] and prophets,[3] and foreshadowed by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law.[4] Finally, He had it fulfilled through His only Son.[5] 

[1] Gen. 3:15. 

[2] Gen. 12:3; 22:18; 49:10. 

[3] Is. 53; Jer. 23:5, 6; Mic. 7:18-20; Acts 10:43; Heb. 1:1. 

[4] Lev. 1:7; John 5:46; Heb. 10:1-10. 

[5] Rom. 10:4; Gal. 4:4, 5; Col. 2:17. 

20. Q. Are all men, then, saved by Christ just as they perished through Adam? 

A. No. Only those are saved who by a true faith are grafted into Christ and accept all His benefits.[1] 

[1] Matt. 7:14; John 1:12; 3:16, 18, 36; Rom. 11:16-21. 

21. Q. What is true faith? 

A. True faith is a sure knowledge whereby I accept as true all that God has revealed to us in His Word.[1] At the same time it is a firm confidence[2] that not only to others, but also to me,[3] God has granted forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness, and salvation,[4] out of mere grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits.[5] This faith the Holy Spirit works in my heart by the gospel.[6] 

[1] John 17:3, 17; Heb. 11:1-3; James 2:19. 

[2] Rom. 4:18-21; 5:1; 10:10; Heb. 4:16. 

[3] Gal. 2:20. 

[4] Rom. 1:17; Heb. 10:10. 

[5] Rom.3:20-26; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-10. 

[6] Acts 16:14; Rom. 1:16; 10:17; I Cor. 1:21. 

22. Q. What, then, must a Christian believe? 

A. All that is promised us in the gospel,[1] which the articles of our catholic and undoubted Christian faith teach us in a summary. 

[1] Matt. 28:19; John 20:30, 31. 

23. Q. What are these articles? 

A. 1. I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord; He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; On the third day He arose from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; I believe a holy catholic Christian church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. 

24. Q. How are these articles divided? 

A. Into three parts: the first is about God the Father and our creation; the second about God the Son and our redemption; the third about God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification. 

25. Q. Since there is only one God,[1] why do you speak of three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? 

A. Because God has so revealed Himself in His Word[2] that these three distinct persons are the one, true, eternal God. 

[1] Deut. 6:4; Is. 44:6; 45:5; I Cor. 8:4, 6. 

[2] Gen. 1:2, 3; Is. 61:1; 63:8-10; Matt. 3:16, 17; 28:18, 19; Luke 4:18; John 14:26; 15:26; II Cor. 13:14; Gal. 4:6; Tit. 3:5, 6. 

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