Catechism

The true children of God have nothing to fear so far as the great Judgment is concerned, for the Judge before whom they shall appear is the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Jun 2020

The kingship of Jesus! Men in all the ages have been looking for a king, one who could fight successfully their battles, bring them deliverance, prosperity, and peace. Sometimes, in certain quarters of the world, men have thought they had found the object of their quest; some one who was able to give them the present measure of their quest. But the horizon continued to widen, the deeper longings of men’s souls were not satisfied. Here at last is the world’s desired King. He has made provision for all man’s wants. He can satisfy all man’s aspirations. He now sits, our brother and our God on the world’s central throne. He rules with a will and a power not to be calculated or controlled by man.

17 Jun 2020

We think of the meekness and gentleness, the tenderness and humility, of Jesus, and we cannot think too frequently, or adoringly, of these qualities; but it is a serious fault to forget, or fail to stress, the strength and courage of Jesus, the daring back of His lowliness, or the fact that, though love was His weapon, He wielded it with a knightly soldier’s hand. And now, in the realm of glory, the exalted God-man is the head, the generalissimo, of the armies of God both in heaven and on earth. He is the new Joshua to lead the chosen of God into the heavenly Canaan. He is the greater son of David to enlarge and solidify the Kingdom of God. With the ascended, enthroned Jesus as the captain of our salvation we need have no fear. Loud above the roar of every conflict His voice sounds clear and strong…

10 Jun 2020

Recognizing the supreme importance of this doctrine to the whole fabric of our Christian faith, the enemies of the Gospel have ever been active in trying to undermine faith in the historicity of the resurrection. This was begun at once. Those who had been instrumental in putting Jesus to death, recognizing that His resurrection would be an unanswerable testimony to the deviltry of their deed, on being notified of the fact of Jesus’ resurrection, began at once industriously to circulate the report that His body had been stolen by some of his friends. And from that day to this the enemies of Christ and His Gospel have been actively engaged in seeking to destroy this foundation truth of the Christian religion. In the earliest days the opposition was directed primarily against this particular miracle. In our modern day the opposition to the doctrine of the resurrection is prompted by the principle which maintains that miracles of any kind are impossible.

3 Jun 2020

With respect to the whole article concerning the descent into hell, we should bear in mind the advice of the great reformer, and our confessions generally, to the effect that we should not give way to idle curiosity, or be led into vain speculation. This article cannot be comprehended by the reason and the five senses. “In such mysteries of faith we have only to believe and adhere to the Word.”

27 May 2020

We must not fail to hold fast to the truth that Christ’s death was a real death. It was not merely the semblance of death, from which He afterwards revived; much less was it a feigned death. The faith of the Church, based on the unmistakable teaching of God’s Word, is that Christ really died for our sins. All four of the evangelists say, “He gave up the ghost,” that is, His spirit, or life, departed from His body. When the soldiers went out to hurry the death of those crucified by breaking their limbs, they found Jesus dead already. But one of the soldiers, from a wanton spirit, not knowing that he was thereby fulfilling Scripture prophecy, thrust a spear into the Savior’s side. This in itself would probably have caused death, but the mingled blood and water which flowed from the ghastly wound was evidence that death had already taken place. Yes, the God-man really died for us, as He had truly lived for us.

20 May 2020

Jesus Christ was, in the fullest sense of the word, the spotless Lamb of God. He never did any sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. It was love which brought Him down from heaven for the very purpose of becoming our substitute.

13 May 2020

The prophets of old were preachers of righteousness, especially in times of indifference. They held up the demands of God’s Law. They denounced sin. They pictured in fiery eloquence God’s wrath against it, and pressed home in telling terms the consequences of sin unrepented of, and unpardoned. And then they came with God’s offer of forgiveness for all the truly penitent. They told of His desire for reconciliation, of the loving favor with which He would receive every one who came with penitence, confession, and faith. Turn ye, turn ye, from your wicked way, why will ye die? As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. This was the burden of the old prophets’ message.

6 May 2020

For a man to be able to say that Jesus Christ is his Lord means not only that He is recognized to be truly the Son of God as well as the Son of man; but it means also the unreserved acceptance, in true faith, of Jesus Christ as his deliverer from sin and death and devil. In the sense of this article Jesus Christ is not the Lord of any person who is trusting for salvation in anything save Christ alone. The work-righteous man, who is trusting in his own goodness, in his own efforts, for salvation, cannot truly say — Jesus Christ is “my Lord.” It is simply not true. He is trying to be his own lord.

29 Apr 2020

In our day these clauses, “conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,” are seriously called into question. There are those who not only want them left out of the creed, but declare that it is a grievous wrong to retain them and insist on their acceptance as an article of faith. This controversy is known in the Church as the one concerning the Virgin Birth of Jesus. Of this I purpose speaking today.

22 Apr 2020