Chapter VI: Part 6

1. Who are the members of the holy Christian Church? 2. By whom was the Church founded? 3. In what way does the Holy Ghost build up and preserve the Church? 4. What is the Church also called in the Third Article? 5. Who are the saints? 6. Why are believers called saints? 7. How are they sanctified by the Holy Ghost? 8. What does the Word "communion" mean? 9. What binds true believers so closely together? 10. Why is the Church called the _holy_ Church? 11. Why is it called the _Christian_ Church? 12. Where do we find the true Church? 13. Why is this so? 14. What is the visible Church? 15. Who also, besides true believers, belongs to these visible churches? 16. Which is the true visible Church? 17. How is the true visible Church called? 18. Why should we belong to this Church and avoid all false churches?

LESSON 36.

The Third Article.

The Forgiveness Of Sins.

Which is the Third Article?

_I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins._

What does this mean?

_In which Church He_ [the Holy Ghost] _daily and richly forgives all sins to me and all believers._

1. We confess in our Catechism that the Holy Ghost forgives all sins to me and all believers. _We believe that there is a forgiveness of sins. God's Word assures us of this. _"There is forgiveness with Thee."_ Ps. 130,4. _How sorely do we need forgiveness of sins!_ You know that all men, also believers, commit sin. A child of God indeed earnestly strives against committing any sin, he tries not to transgress the commandments of his heavenly Father; but, alas! also God's children sin daily and much. _"There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not."_ Eccl. 7,20. With our sins we deserve nothing but God's punishment. _"The wages of sin is death."_ Rom. 6,23. _Without forgiveness of sins we are lost.

2. _But there is a forgiveness of sins with God._ He assures us in His Word that by grace, for Christ's sake, He will forgive me all my sins. He will do so _daily and richly._ Whenever we have sinned, we should come to Him and pray to Him: Forgive me my trespasses. Even as a child who has grieved his father by his disobedience penitently comes to him and asks his forgiveness, so we in true penitence should daily come to our heavenly Father, whom we have so sorely grieved, whose punishment we deserve, and ask His forgiveness. _He will not cast us out._ He will hear our prayer, and we will praise Him: _"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases."_ Ps. 103,2.3. The _publican_ came into the Temple and humbly said: _"God be merciful to me, a sinner!"_ and God was merciful to him; he went down to his house _justified._ He had received forgiveness of his sins. Luke 18,9-14.

3. God forgives us our sins. He is moved to do this _not by our good works or merits._ God does not see anything in us which could induce Him to forgive us our trespasses. We deserve nothing but punishment. _His free grace alone moves God to forgive us all our sins._ Our God is a merciful God. He takes pity on us, His sinful children.--By grace God _forgives_ us our sins, that is, He does not look upon our sins, does not _impute_ them to us, but declares us sinners _righteous._ In the beautiful parable of our Lord which we find Matt. 18,23 ff., the wicked servant asks his Lord to have patience with him, whom he owed so much. And the kind lord, moved with compassion, loosed the servant from his fetters and forgave him all his debts, which he never would have been able to pay. _Thus God, moved with compassion, does not punish us as we have deserved, and declares us free from debt, declares us righteous, or in other words, God justifies us._

4. How can the just and holy God who has threatened to punish all who transgress His commandments forgive sins and declare sinners righteous? He does so _for Christ's sake. In Christ_ we have the forgiveness of sins. _"In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."_ Eph. 1,7 Christ fulfilled the Law of God in our stead, He suffered the punishment for our sins, and so made good for us. _He has earned full forgiveness for us; for His sake all our sins are forgiven._

5. Who _receives_ forgiveness of sins? We confess that God forgives all sins _to me and all believers._ It is true, Christ has _procured_ forgiveness _for all men_--Christ died for every sinner. God, in His grace, _offers_ this forgiveness by the Gospel _to all who hear it._ We read: _"God was in Christ, reconciling the world_ [all men] _unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of Reconciliation."_ 2 Cor. 5,19. Yet not all receive forgiveness, but only those _who believe in Christ and thus accept the forgiveness_ which Christ has earned for all men. Without faith in Christ there is no forgiveness of sins. _We are justified by faith alone._

6. We receive forgiveness of sins, we are justified before God, _without the deeds of the Law, by grace alone, for Christ's sake, through faith in our Lord._ This is the _chief article of our Christian faith._ This doctrine is taught only by the Christian Church. _It gives all the glory for our salvation to God and affords true comfort to all sinners._

REMEMBER:--

1. _God has promised in His Word to forgive us all our sins daily and richly. Come to Him every day and with true penitence, with a contrite heart, ask His forgiveness for Christ's sake. He will graciously grant it._

2. _We are justified in the sight of God without the deeds of the Law, by His grace, for Christ's sake, through faith in Him. This is the chief doctrine of the Christian Church and the only one that gives lasting comfort to all sinners._

MEMORIZE:--

_Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases._ Ps. 103,2.3.

_In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace._ Eph. 1,7.

_God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and has committed unto us the Word of Reconciliation._ 2 Cor. 5,19.

QUESTIONS.

1. Why do we so sorely need daily forgiveness of sins? 2. What do we deserve with our sins before God? 3. Of what does God assure us in His Word with regard to our sins? 4. What should we therefore do every day? 5. How did the publican in the Temple ask for forgiveness 6. How did God answer his prayer? Luke 18, 13.14. 7. Why cannot our works and merits induce God to grant us forgiveness? 8. By what is God moved to forgive us our sins? 9. God forgives us our sins--what does that mean? 10. What do we also call this act of God by which He forgives us our sins? 11. For whose sake does God forgive, or justify, us? 12. Why do we have forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake? 13. Who only receives forgiveness of sins? 14. Why is faith in Christ necessary if we wish to receive forgiveness? 15. How are we justified before God? 16. Why is this doctrine the chief doctrine of our Church?

LESSON 37.

The Third Article

The Resurrection Of The Body And Life Everlasting.

Which is the Third Article?

_I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting._

What does this mean?

_He_ [the Holy Ghost] _will at the Last Day raise up me and all the dead and give unto me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true._

1. _We believe the resurrection of the body,_ so we confess. We believe that _God will raise up me and all the dead,_ so that our bodies which have died shall again be made alive and come forth from their graves. Our bodies _die_ and are buried, and in the grave they decay. _These same bodies_ will live again. It is true, we cannot _understand_ how this is possible. To unbelievers it seems ridiculous, they laugh and mock at this doctrine. Still we _believe_ it; we are assured by the Word of God that our dead shall live again. And _"the Word of the Lord is right."_ Ps. 33,4. Our Lord says: _"The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth."_ John 5,28. Our God is _almighty,_ with Him nothing is impossible. Luke 1,37.

2. God will raise _me and all the dead. All_ that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth from their graves. Christ will not only raise His own, His believers, but all men, those, too, who did not believe in Him, but died in their sins.--_"The hour is coming,"_ our Lord says: it is coming on _the Last Day_ of the world. On that great day, when our Lord will come again to judge the quick and the dead, all the dead shall hear the almighty voice of the Son of God and whether they will or not, shall come forth from their graves to meet their God and Lord at His judgment-seat.

3. All the dead will be raised from death and the grave; _but there will be a great difference in their resurrection._ Our Lord says: _"They that have done good_ [shall come forth] _unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation."_ John 5,29. Those who here on earth believed in Christ, and by the power of His grace served Him in His kingdom, and died in the Lord trusting in Him, will come forth to life everlasting and go with their Lord to His eternal glory. _They that have done evil,_ those who rejected their Savior and died in their sins, will rise unto _the resurrection of damnation._ They will be thrown into _hell,_ into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Matt. 25,41. May our heavenly Father keep us steadfast in the true faith and preserve us from hell and damnation!

4. _They that have done good,_ those who believed in Christ and died in the Lord, shall come forth unto _the resurrection of life. At the Last Day the risen Lord will raise all that fell asleep in Him, and will give them life everlasting, life without end._ We confess that the Lord will "give _me_ and all believers eternal life." The Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, by His grace I believe in my Savior, by grace He has kept me in the faith, and so _I am assured_ that He will give _me_ eternal life. _"Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."_ John 3,16. To me and all believers the Lord will give eternal life, but _to believers only. "He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."_ John 3,36.

5. God will give us believers _eternal life._ Christ will lead His own, His believers, soul and body, into His heavenly kingdom, there to live and reign with Him in everlasting joy and glory. In heaven there will be _no sin;_ in perfect holiness we shall serve our Lord. There will be no more _death,_ nor _sorrow,_ nor _crying,_ nor _pain._ Rev. 21,4. All these things shall have passed away. There will be pure and _true joy and happiness forever and ever._ We shall be _with God:_ we shall see Him, our heavenly King and Father, and His wondrous ways. _"We shall see Him as He is."_ 1 John 3,2. We shall _see our dear Lord and Savior,_ whom we love now even without having seen Him. We shall see Him _in His glory,_ in the glory which His Father has given Him. What unspeakable joy to see God, our Lord and Savior, to be and live with Him! _"In Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore."_ Ps. 16,11.--Our _bodies_ will share this joy. They will come forth _glorified, freed from all sin, sickness, and infirmity, fashioned_ like unto the glorious body of our risen Lord.

REMEMBER:--

1. _It is most certainly true that the Holy Ghost by the Gospel has called me to Christ, my Lord, and enlightened me with His gifts, with true faith in my Savior._

2. _It is most certainly true that in Christ I have forgiveness of all my sins, that I am justified before God without the deeds of the Law, by grace alone, for Christ's sake through faith._

3. _It is most certainly true that the Holy Ghost will keep me in the true faith, and at the day of my Lord raise my glorified body and give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life. I am assured of all of this by the Word of God. This is what I firmly believe and hope for in life and death._

MEMORIZE:--

_The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth: they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation._ John 5,28.29.

_We shall see Him as He is._ 1 John 3,2.

_In Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore._ Ps. 16,11.

_He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him._ John 3,36.

QUESTIONS.

1. "We believe the resurrection of the body"--what does this mean? 2. What happens to our bodies when we die? 3. Why do we believe that God will raise our bodies? 4. Why do we firmly believe that God can do this though to us it seems impossible? 5. Who will hear the voice of the Son of God when His hour has come? 6. When will His hour come? 7. What difference will there be in the resurrection of the dead? 8. Who are "they that have done good"? 9. Who are "they that have done evil"? 10. To what kind of resurrection will these come forth? 11. What will the Lord at the Last Day give unto me and all believers? 12. Why am I assured that He will give eternal life also to me? 13. What does our Lord say John 3,36? 14. What will there no longer be in eternal life? 15. What will give us everlasting joy and happiness in eternal life? 16. How will the bodies of the believers rise at that day? 17. Like unto whose body will they be fashioned? 18. Why do we believe that all we have confessed in the Third Article is most certainly true?

LESSON 38

The Third Article.

Review Lesson.

1. God the Holy Ghost has called me to Christ, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. Besides me He has called and calls others. What does the Holy Ghost also do in regard to all that He has brought to Christ? What does it mean that He gathers them? What does Scripture call the whole number of all true believers?--What is the Christian Church also called in the Third Article? Why are the believers called saints? What does the word _communion_ signify? Who only, therefore, belongs to the one true Christian Church?--Why is this Church invisible? The true Church is invisible; still we know and are convinced that it is always here on earth. Why are we certain about this? What does our Lord say concerning His Church Matt. 16,18? We call the Church the _holy_ Church; why do we do this? Why is the Church called the _Christian_ Church? Christ is the Foundation of the Church, what else?--We cannot see the Church, still we know where we can find it. Where is it to be found? Why can we be certain that the Church is where the Word of God, the Gospel, is preached and used?--There is one true Church of Christ, the congregation of all believers on earth. But Scripture also speaks of visible churches, visible congregations. What do we mean when we speak of visible churches? To these churches not only true believers belong, but who also? Of these visible churches, or denominations, there is quite a number. What difference exists among these churches? Which is the true visible Church? What is it called? To which Church should we belong?

2. In the Third Article we also confess the forgiveness of sins. Why do we so sorely need forgiveness of sins? What have we deserved with our sins? What will be our fate if we do not receive forgiveness of sins?-- Of what does God assure us in His Word concerning our sins? We daily sin much and deserve nothing but punishment; what should we therefore do every day? How did the publican in the Temple pray to God for forgiveness? How do you know that God answered his prayer?--God forgives the sins of all who come to Him in true penitence. What does not move God to forgive us our sins? Why cannot anything He sees in us induce Him to grant us forgiveness? What moves God to forgive us our sins? What do we mean when we say that God forgives sin? For whose sake does the just and holy God grant us forgiveness? In whom have we redemption, the forgiveness of sins? What has Christ done to earn this forgiveness?--For whom has Christ procured forgiveness? How does God offer this forgiveness? What, however, is necessary if we wish to receive this precious gift of God? How, therefore, are we justified in the sight of God? Why is this doctrine of justification so important? We should by all means hold fast to this doctrine: We are justified without the deeds of the Law, by God's grace alone, for Christ's sake, through faith in Him, our Savior.

3. In the Third Article we furthermore confess the resurrection of the body. How does our Catechism explain these words? How is the doctrine of the resurrection of the body regarded by the unbelievers? Why do we nevertheless believe it?--God will raise the dead. How many of them will He bring to life again? All shall hear the voice of the Son of God and come forth. When will Christ raise all the dead? What is this "Last Day"? All the dead will rise again at the Last Day; but there will be a difference among them. What will this difference be? Who will come forth unto the resurrection of damnation? Who are they that have done evil? What will be their punishment on that day? May our heavenly Father preserve us from hell and damnation!--Who will come forth unto the resurrection of life? Who are they that have done good? What will God give to me and all believers on that day? From what shall we be free in eternal life? With whom shall we be? Not only shall we be with Him, united with Him by faith, what, too, has He promised us? 1 John 3,2. Whom also shall we see in the heavenly kingdom? What do we read Ps. 16,11? How will our bodies be after the resurrection? Like whose body will they be fashioned? What do we mean by adding: "This is most certainly true"?

And we confess the Holy Ghost, Who from both fore'er proceeds, Who upholds and comforts us In the midst of fears and needs. Blest and holy Trinity, Praise forever be to Thee!

LESSON 39.

The Lord's Prayer.

The Introduction.

Which is the Introduction?

_Our Father who art in heaven._

What does this mean?

_God would by these Words tenderly invite us to believe that He is our true Father, and that we are His true children, so that we may with all boldness and confidence ask Him as dear children ask their dear father._

1. We have thus far considered the _Ten Commandments,_ the holy _Law_ of the Lord, in which our heavenly Father tells us what we should do and not do, how we, as His children, should live according to His will. We have considered the Law, which teaches us that we have not kept it, that we have sinned against God and therefore deserved His punishment, eternal death and damnation.--We have considered the _Three Articles of the Christian Faith,_ which teach us the _Gospel,_ the glad tidings of what the Triune God, our Redeemer, has done and will do for us to save us from sin and death, that we may live in His kingdom in everlasting innocence, righteousness, and blessedness. In its Third Part our Catechism explains to us the _Lord's Prayer,_ that is, the prayer that our Lord once taught His apostles.

2. We read (Luke 11,1) that, at a certain time, the disciples saw and, probably heard their Master praying, speaking with His Father in heaven. This made so deep an impression upon them that one of them asked the Lord: _"Lord, teach us to pray."_ The Lord gladly complied with this request and said: _"When ye pray, say: Our Father who art in heaven,"_ etc. The Lord Himself gave His disciples this prayer, and therefore we call it the Lord's Prayer. We say this beautiful prayer _very often, daily,_ and we should do so. Our Lord gave it to us. When we use this prayer, we know that we pray according to our Master's will. But reciting this prayer is not enough, we must also understand what we are praying. We should ever better learn _what the words of this prayer mean._ Let us see how our Catechism explains them.

3. _"Our Father who art in heaven,"_ thus our Lord teaches us to address _the true God, the Triune God._ What love God has bestowed upon us that we are called His children, and that we are permitted to call Him _Father!_ 1 John 3,1. Christ might have chosen different names to address God; but He teaches us to call God our _Father._ Why does He do so? _"God would by these words tenderly invite us to believe that He is our true Father and we are His true children."_ When we come to God to speak to Him in our prayers, we should always believe and remember that God is our true Father, and that we are His true children. _You know that God is indeed your Father and you are His child._ It is true, we are all sinners, and the holy God hates sin, but our dear Lord has redeemed us from all sins and has earned for us forgiveness of sins and righteousness in the sight of God. _Through Christ, my Brother,_ I have become God's true child, and God has become my true Father. _In Christ's name_ I come to God and call Him Father, believing that for Christ's sake God really is my Father and I am His child. _"For this cause"_ (because Christ is my Brother) _"I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."_ Eph. 3,14.15. Remember that only those who believe in Jesus Christ may call God their Father. _Only children of God, through faith in Christ, can really pray to God._

4. We pray to God, our Father. How _tenderly_ does this name _invite_ us to come to Him in our need! How this name does give us courage, _"so that we may with all boldness and confidence ask Him as dear children ask their dear father"!_ A child is not afraid to come to his beloved father, to tell him with confidence all that he wants and needs. He knows that hie dear father will gladly listen to him and help him. So it is with the children of God. They do not fear to come to their Father, for He loves them. They do not doubt, but confidently believe that their dear Father _will hear their prayer and help them._ Our Father promised to do that. By the endearing name Father, God reminds us: I am your Father, you are my dear child. Come without fear and doubt; pray with ail confidence. I will hear your prayer.

5. _"Our Father who art in heaven."_ This Father of ours to whom we pray is not a weak, not an earthly father. God is the _heavenly Father;_ He is the almighty God, the Lord of heaven and earth. He can do whatsoever He wills. With all confidence we come to Him and believe that He not only will hear our prayers, but _is also able to help us in every need and trouble._

6. Our Lord teaches us to say: _"Our_ Father who art in heaven." He reminds us of the fact that _all true believers are children of God, and that all children of God pray for and with each other._ "One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all." Eph. 4,6. I am not the only one praying to God, but a great host of fellow-men, all my brethren in Christ, are praying with me and for me. In Christ's name I pray to my Father in heaven for and with all my brethren; should I not therefore with all confidence ask my dear Father, as dear children ask their dear father?

REMEMBER:--

1. _Always pray in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior. Through Him alone God is your true Father, and you are His true child. In His name you may and should ask your Father in heaven as dear children ask their dear father._

2. _As God's child through Christ pray to your Father without fear and doubt, with the firm, confidence that He will hear and accept your prayer._

3. _The Father to whom you pray is the heavenly Father, the almighty God. To Him we pray with all confidence that He not only will, but also can answer our prayers and help us in all our troubles._

MEMORIZE:--

_Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God._ 1 John 3,1.

_For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named._ Eph. 3,14.15.

_One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all._ Eph. 4,6.

QUESTIONS.

1. Of what does the Third Part of our Catechism treat? 2. Why do we call this prayer the Lord's Prayer? 3. On what occasion did the Lord teach His disciples this prayer? 4. Why do we Christians use this prayer so often? 5. But it is not enough to recite this prayer if we would use it correctly; what else is needed? 6. Whom do we address when we say "Our _"Father"?_ [tr. note: punctuation is correct] 7. Why did Jesus teach us to use the name Father in this prayer? 8. How does God become our Father, and how do we become His children? 9. In whose name should we therefore always pray? 10. Who only can really pray to God? 11. Of what is a child certain when he asks his father for something? 12. What may we confidently expect when we pray to our dear Father? 13. Of what do the words "who art in heaven" remind us in our prayer? 14. Our Father to whom we pray is the almighty God; what can He therefore do regarding our prayers? 15. Why does our Lord teach us to say, _"Our_ Father"?

LESSON 40.

The Lord's Prayer.

The First Petition.

Which is the First Petition?

_Our Father who art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy name._

What does this mean?

_God's name is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this petition that it may be holy among us also._

How is this done?

_When the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead a holy life according to it. This grant us, dear Father in heaven. But he that teaches and lives otherwise than God's Word teaches, profanes the name of God among us. From this preserve us, Heavenly Father!_

1. _"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name,"_ this is our first petition. It is a matter of utmost importance that God's name be hallowed among us; for this reason our Lord teaches us to pray for it in the first place. _"God's name is indeed holy in itself."_ God has a name above every other name. In heaven and earth there is no name higher or more sacred than the name of our heavenly Father; no name can be compared with it. It is holy in itself. We cannot and we need not _make it holy._ What, then, do we ask for in this petition? Since the name of our Father in heaven is so holy and so exalted, we pray _that it may be holy among us also,_ that we, His children, may hold it sacred and use it rightly both in words and deeds.

2. _How is this done?_ We shall place God's name above every other name in heaven and on earth and hold it holy, sacred, only when we rightly _know God as He is, and what He has done and will do for us His children._ God has revealed Himself and His great name _only in His Word._ There alone we learn to know our heavenly Father and the great things He has done for our temporal and eternal welfare. We shall hold His name holy and sacred "when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity." God's Word must be preached among us without the admixture of any human thoughts and errors, just as God has given it to us, just as it reads. In God's Word we learn how great God, our Father, is, the perfectly holy and just God, and yet gracious, ever ready to forgive all our sins and heal all our transgressions, when we come to Him in the name of Christ; the almighty Ruler of heaven and earth and yet our dear Father in Christ, who pities those that fear Him, as a father pities his children Ps. 103,13. The more we learn from His Word how great our God is, the more we shall hold His name sacred, the more we shall exalt and praise it.

3. It is not enough that God's Word is taught and preached among us in its truth and purity, that we only hear it; we must also, as God's children, _lead a holy life according to it. By a holy life we honor the name of our Father._ If a child disobeys his father, if he leads a bad life, committing sins and crimes, he will not only bring dishonor upon himself, but he will also disgrace his father's name. Remember how the sons of Eli, the high priest, brought dishonor upon their father's fair name. 1 Sam. 2,12. When, on the other hand, a child is obedient to his father, doing the will of his good father, leading an upright and honest life, his father will be honored by the good deeds of his son. We are children of God. We confess that He is our true Father. If we were to lead an ungodly life, how would His name be dishonored among men! But when we live according to our Father's Word and will, if we live in accordance with the Word of God, our friends and neighbors will see our good works. By our godly life we shall help others, too, to know and honor the great name of God. Our Savior says: _"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven."_ Matt. 5,16.--By our own strength we cannot preach the Word of God in its truth and purity among us, nor can we by our own strength lead a holy life according to it; therefore we pray: _Grant us, O Heavenly Father, the pure doctrine of Thy Word and a Holy life according to it._

4. As the name of our Father is glorified here on earth by the preaching of His pure Word and by our holy life, so it is dishonored by _false doctrine and an ungodly life._ In our sinful hearts we are always inclined _to teach and live otherwise than God's Word teaches,_ and thus to profane the name of God. _"Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonorest thou God. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you."_ Rom. 2,23.24. Therefore we pray: _Preserve us, O Heavenly Father, for Christ's sake, from false doctrine and an ungodly life!_

REMEMBER:--

_We pray in this petition:_--

1. _Dear Heavenly Father, grant that we may always teach Thy Word in its truth and purity, and that we may always live in accordance with it, so that Thy name may be hallowed among us!_

2. _Dear Heavenly Father, preserve us from ever teaching and living otherwise than Thy Word teaches!_

MEMORIZE:--

_Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven._ Matt. 5,16.

_Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonorest thou God. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you._ Rom. 2,23.24.

QUESTIONS.

1. Why does Christ teach us to pray in the first place that God's name may be hallowed, held sacred, among us? 2. How is God's name in itself? 3. Why do we nevertheless pray that His name be hallowed? 4. What must we know before we shall hold God's name sacred as we should? 5. Where has God revealed Himself? 6. How, therefore, is God's name hallowed among us? 7. How must God's Word be taught among us? 8. What does it mean to teach God's Word in its truth and purity? 9. What, furthermore, is necessary if we wish to glorify our Father's name? 10. In what way is God's name honored by a godly life? 11. What does our Lord say Matt. 5,16? 12. Who profanes God's name among us? 13. From what do we ask God to preserve us? 14. What are the two things for which we pray in the First Petition?

LESSON 41.

The Lord's Prayer.

The Second Petition.

Which is the Second Petition?

_Our Father who art in heaven. Thy kingdom come._

What does this mean?

_The kingdom of God comes indeed without our prayer, of itself; but we pray in this petition that it may come unto us also._

How is this done?

_When our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead a godly life, here in time and hereafter in eternity._

1. _"Thy kingdom come,"_ that is the Second Petition. We pray for the kingdom of our heavenly Father. In the Second Article of our faith we already heard of a kingdom, the _kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ._ There we learned that our Lord has redeemed us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, in order that we may be His own, and in His _kingdom_ live under Him in everlasting innocence, righteousness, and blessedness. _Christ's kingdom and our Father's kingdom is the same thing._ Christ established this kingdom by His sufferings and death. All that believe in Christ belong to this kingdom. Christ is their Lord and King; He governs them, bestowing upon them in His kingdom all His gifts: forgiveness of sins, the grace of God, true righteousness, peace with God, etc. He protects them against all their enemies, against sin, Satan, and death. We also call this kingdom of our Father the _Kingdom of Grace,_ or the _true Christian Church._ It has its beginning here on earth; but when our Lord and King will come again at the Last Day, He will lead it to His glory in heaven. Then we shall call this kingdom the _Kingdom of Glory._

2. Our Lord teaches us to pray for the _coming_ of this kingdom. True, _"the kingdom of God comes indeed without our prayer, of itself."_ Christ lives and reigns, and He gathers His congregation through the Gospel from all nations, and He will lead it to its heavenly glory even if we do not pray for it. But still the Lord teaches us to pray for the coming of His kingdom. We pray _"that it may come to us also."_ It is God's will to give _us_ His kingdom. Our Lord says: _"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."_ Luke 12,32. But God wants us to _pray_ for His good gifts. We pray in this petition that our Father's kingdom may come to us also, that we, too, may belong to His kingdom and remain in it, _"here in time and hereafter in eternity."_

3. _"How is this done?"_ How does the kingdom of God come to us? The kingdom of God comes to us only through faith in Christ. Only those who believe in Him can enter the kingdom. But _"I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Christ, or come to Him."_ (In what part of your Catechism did you learn this?) To bring us to Christ is _the work of the Holy Ghost._ He has called me to Christ and His grace by the Gospel. _"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."_ John 3,5. The kingdom of God, therefore, comes to us _"when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead a godly life."_ The Holy Ghost can and will graciously, by the Gospel, work within our hearts, so that we believe God's holy Word, believe in Jesus Christ, our Savior; and in this way the kingdom of God will come to us.

4. The Holy Spirit does not only bring us to Christ, so that we, through faith, enter the kingdom of God, but He also _preserves us in the true faith;_ by means of the Gospel He gives us strength to prove our faith _by a godly life_ and thus remain in the kingdom to the end. He will lead us to the glory of our Lord, to the kingdom of glory in heaven. _"The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom."_ 2 Tim. 4,18. By the Holy Spirit the kingdom of God comes to me _"here in time"_ (the Kingdom of Grace) _"and hereafter in eternity"_ (the Kingdom of Glory). In this petition we especially pray our heavenly Father to grant us _the most precious gift --His Holy Ghost._

5. But we do not only pray that the kingdom of God would come to _us_ and remain with us, we also pray that it may come to _all men_ who as yet are not members of this kingdom. We pray that all men may become true believers in Christ through the preaching of the Gospel. This work, preaching the Gospel to all nations, we call _mission-work. The Second Petition is the great mission-prayer of the Church._ The Lord admonishes us: _"Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth laborers into His harvest."_ Matt. 9,38.

REMEMBER:--

1. _In this petition we pray: Dear heavenly Father, grant me Thy Holy Spirit that by His grace I may believe in Jesus Christ, my King, and by faith in Him lead a godly life, so that I may be with my Savior in His kingdom, here in time and hereafter in eternity._

2. _Do not forget to pray for our missions when you say this petition. Mission is the work our Lord has entrusted to all Christians, saying: "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature."_ Mark 16,15.

MEMORIZE:--

_Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom._ Luke 12,32.

_Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth laborers into His harvest._ Matt. 9,38.

_The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom._ 2 Tim. 4,18.

QUESTIONS.

1. How did Christ establish His kingdom on earth? 2. Who belongs to it? 3. Who is Lord and King of this kingdom? 4. What does Christ bestow upon His own in His kingdom? 5. From whom does He protect and against whom does He defend us? 6. What do we also call the kingdom of Christ? 7. What will Christ do with His kingdom when He shall come in His glory at the Last Day? 8. What shall we then call this kingdom? 9. What does our Lord teach us to pray in behalf of His kingdom? 10. What, indeed, is true concerning the coming of His kingdom? 11. Why do we nevertheless pray for His kingdom? 12. How does the kingdom of God come to us? 13. Why do we need the Holy Ghost for this purpose? 14. The Holy Spirit does not only bring us to Christ and into His kingdom, what does He also perform in us? 15. What do we call the work for which we are especially praying in this petition?

LESSON 42.

The Lord's Prayer.

The Third Petition.

What is the Third Petition?

_Our Father who art in heaven, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven._

What does this mean?

_The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also._

How is this done?

_When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow God's name nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and preserves us steadfast in His Word and faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will._

1. We pray in this petition that the will of our Father in heaven may be done. _His will is a good and gracious one._ Being the will of our heavenly Father, how could it be otherwise than good and gracious? He wills, or desires, that His name be hallowed among us, that His kingdom may come to us and all men, or, in other words, _that all men be saved. "God will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."_ 1 Tim. 2,4. He earnestly desires that His saving Gospel be preached to all men, that all men, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, may believe in Christ and through Him have eternal life. This is most assuredly the good and gracious will of our heavenly Father.

2. We pray that this will of our Father _may be done on earth, that it may prevail. "The goo and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also,"_ that His gracious will may prevail against all such as try to hinder our salvation.

3. _How is the will of our heavenly Father done?_ Our Catechism answers: _"When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not lat us hallow God's name nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh."_ There is an evil counsel and will here on earth. It is the will of the _devil,_ the _world,_ that is, all godless men, who are in the service of Satan, and of the _flesh,_ our own sinful heart, which is always in accord with Satan and the world. These our enemies do not want us to hallow God's name, to come into Christ's kingdom or to remain therein, to remain steadfast in faith, to remain true to Christ, our Savior. Theirs is an evil will, which desires to _lead us astray from God, our Father, into sin, into the power and the kingdom of the devil._ If their evil will and counsel prevails, we are lost. Against these mighty enemies we are powerless; we ourselves have no strength whatever to resist them and their temptations. Therefore we daily pray our Father in heaven to break and hinder their evil will and counsel, in order that they may not be able to fulfil their evil desires.

4. God sincerely desires us to be saved, to obtain eternal life. But our Lord says: _"He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."_ Matt. 24,13. We cannot endure by our own strength. _"Ye are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation."_ 1 Pet. 1,5. Therefore we pray our dear Father to _"strengthen and preserve us steadfast in His Word and faith unto our end."_ We ask Him for Christ's sake to grant us strength to remain steadfast in His _Word,_ to continue to hear, read, and use it. By means of the Gospel the Holy Spirit will _preserve our faith_ in our Lord and Savior; through faith He will give us strength gladly to do His will and to live according to His commandments. In this way God will preserve us _unto our end,_ to our dying hour, and thus His gracious and good will is done.

5. God, our dear Father, _directs and guides our whole life_ according to this will of His to lead us to salvation. For this purpose our Father sometimes will permit _sufferings and troubles_ to come over us. In such times especially we should pray: _"Thy will be done,"_ my Father! Give me strength to remain steadfast and faithful in all sufferings and cheerfully to submit to your gracious will. Even our Lord Jesus Christ prayed in the hour of His deep agony: _"Not as I will, but as Thou wilt."_ Matt. 26,39.

6. The _first three petitions_ belong together. They are connected by the words _"on earth as it is in heaven."_ We pray that our Father's name may be hallowed on earth as it is hallowed in heaven, that His kingdom may come to us on earth as it is in heaven, and that His gracious will may be done among us on earth as it is done in heaven. _We ask our heavenly Father for His heavenly gifts._ These gifts we most urgently need, and therefore our Lord teaches us to pray for them first of all.

REMEMBER:--

1. _We pray in this petition: My dear heavenly Father, break and hinder every evil will of my enemies, the devil, the world, and my own flesh, that I may hallow Thy name and Thy kingdom may come to me._

2. _My dear heavenly Father, strengthen and preserve me in Thy Word and in true faith unto my end, to my dying hour, that Thy gracious and good will may be done._

MEMORIZE:--

_God will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth._ 1 Tim. 2,4.

_Ye are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation._ 1 Pet. 1,5.

_He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ._ Phil. 1,6.

QUESTIONS.

1. We pray that God's will may be done among us. What is God's will toward us? 2. What is this will, therefore, called in our Catechism? 3. This good and gracious will of God is indeed done without our prayer; why do we nevertheless pray that it may be done? 4. There is an evil will and counsel against us, the children of God. Whose will is this? 5. What is their evil will and desire against us? 6. Why must we ask God to break and hinder their evil will? 7. God earnestly desires us to be saved, to obtain eternal life. Who only will be saved and obtain eternal life? Matt. 24,13. 8. By whose power are we kept unto salvation? 1 Pet. 1,5. 9. How do we, therefore, pray? 10. Why is it necessary for us to remain steadfast in the Word of God? 11. Unto what time will God preserve our faith through the Gospel? 12. Why does God sometimes permit suffering and trouble to come over His children? 13. How should we pray especially in such times? 14. What gifts do we pray for in the first three petitions? 15. Why does Christ teach us to pray first of all for His heavenly gifts?

LESSON 43.

The Lord's Prayer.

The Fourth Petition.

Which is the Fourth Petition?

_Our Father who art in heaven, Give us this day our daily bread._

What does this mean?

_God gives daily bread indeed without our prayer, also to all the wicked; but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to know it and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving._

What, then, is meant by "daily bread"?

_Everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like._

1. For _our daily bread_ our Lord bids us pray in this petition. By daily bread everything is meant that _belongs to the support and wants of our body,_ everything we need to support our life. Our Catechism enumerates quite a number of such things. For all these things we pray as far as we need them for our daily bread. We do not pray for _riches,_ for many comforts or luxuries, but for that which we need. We pray: _"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. 30,8.9. The apostle says: _"Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content."_ 1 Tim. 6,8.

2. We pray for our daily bread. _"God gives daily bread indeed without our prayer";_ He gives it _"also to all the wicked,"_ who cannot and will not pray for it. _"He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."_ Matt. 5,45. If God gives daily bread without our prayer, why, then, do we pray for it? _"We pray in this petition that He would lead us to know it,"_ that is, we pray that God may lead us to know that our daily bread, all we have and receive in this life, is _His gracious gift._ Wicked, unbelieving men do not acknowledge this. They believe that they are earning their daily bread by means of their labor or receiving it by other natural means. Christians also often forget that all their earthly goods are the gift of their Father in heaven. Therefore we pray that God would grant us to know that every good gift comes from above, from Him, our Father. _"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."_ Ps. 145,15.16. When we acknowledge this, _we shall receive our daily bread with thanksgiving._ Then our daily bread, all our earthly goods, _will be a blessing to us,_ a blessing for both our body and our soul. Knowing that our daily bread is God's gift, we receive it with thanksgiving; therefore we pray before each meal and, having finished it, say grace.