Heidelberg?

If you've never read the Heidelberg Catechism, you should. It is a delightful record of the historic Christian faith. You can read it here. As a bonus, below is a sweet picture of Ursinus, one of the church fathers who helped write the catechism. I don't care what you say, that's a sweet beard.


As we discussed a few weeks back, we're going to be taking regular looks at the great creeds and catechisms of the church. These documents have stood through history as great teachers of theology. They do not stand authoritatively over the Bible (just as the Systematic Theologies of today don't!), but the historic creeds and catechisms have served the church by teaching sound doctrine for a long time. Also, in an age of short-lived emphases and "new-fangled" ministry ideas, these creeds and catechisms help us remember what has been important to the church historically. History isn't everything (and certainly it isn't always right!), but it does help us keep perspective in our ever-changing world.

What is a catechism you might well ask? Well, a catechism is nothing more than a teaching document. It's a way of teaching truth by way of question. So, catechisms all kind of look the same. They have questions, and then they have answers.

Today we'll just take a quick look at the first question of the catechism...

Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?

A. That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.

Meditate on this question & answer for just a minute... There is so much truth packed into such a short statement. What really is our only comfort? Think about all the other things we could take comfort in? When it comes down to it, those things are really no comfort at all. Our only comfort is that we truly are "not our own." We've been purchased by another, and we belong to Him. Jesus preserves Christians, and brings about their salvation. My assurance is not in anything I have done or will do, but it's in what Jesus has done. Amen. Praise be to God.