=I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian church, the communion
of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and
life everlasting. Amen.=
_That is_,
I believe that I cannot through my own strength believe in Jesus
Christ my Lord, or come to Him. This is the work of the Holy Spirit
alone, who has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with His
gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith;
Even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole
Christian church on earth, and preserves it in fellowship with Jesus
Christ in the one true faith.
In this Christian church He daily forgives me and all believers all
our sins, and He will raise up me and all the dead on the last day,
and will give me and all believers everlasting life.
All this is certainly true.
_199. What do you mean when you say, "I believe in the Holy
Ghost"?_
I trust with all my heart in the Holy Ghost as my guide and my
sanctifier, who gives me strength to believe in Jesus and to live
according to His will.
=1 Cor. 12:3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the
Holy Ghost.=
_200. Who is the Holy Ghost?_
The Holy Ghost is true God together with the Father and the Son.
=1 Cor. 2:10. The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep
things of God.=
=1 Cor. 3:16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.=
_201. What is the work of the Holy Spirit?_
To call, enlighten, sanctify, and preserve.
_202. How does the Holy Spirit call us?_
The Holy Spirit calls us by awakening in our hearts a deep sense of
sin, and by inviting us to accept the grace of God in Christ.
=Eph. 5:14. Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give thee light.=
_203. By what means does the Holy Spirit call us?_
By the Word of God; using the law to awaken our hearts, and the gospel
to invite us to Christ.
=Rom. 3:20. By the law is the knowledge of sin.=
=2 Thess. 2:14. He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of
the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.=
=Matt. 22:1-14.=
_204. What means does God use to make us heed the call of the
Holy Spirit?_
To this end He often uses suffering, often blessings, often the
example of others, and such other means as may lead us to reflect.
_205. Do all obey the call of the Holy Spirit?_
No; many resist the Holy Spirit, and will not repent and come to
Christ.
=Acts 7:51. Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost.=
=Isa. 65:2. I have spread out my hands all the day to a
rebellious people.=
_206. When does a person harden his heart?_
A person hardens his heart when he persistently despises and opposes
the voice of the Holy Spirit in his conscience.
_207. Who obey the call of the Holy Spirit?_
They who repent their sins and believe the Gospel.
=Mark. 1:15. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at
hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.=
_208. What is it to repent?_
He who truly repents, feels his sins with shame and sorrow, he freely
confesses his sins to God, and earnestly seeks the grace of God in
Christ.
=Isa. 55:7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous
man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will
have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly
pardon.=
=2 Cor. 7:10. [R. V.] Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto
salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow
of the world worketh death.=
=Ps. 32:5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee; and thou forgavest
the iniquity of my sin.=
_209. How do we learn that the grace of God is found in Christ?_
We learn this through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.
_210. What is meant by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit?_
Through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit our knowledge of the
Gospel truths becomes a living and saving knowledge to our hearts.
=John 14:26. But the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father
will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring
all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.=
=John 16:13. When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide
you into all truth.=
_211. Of what nature is our knowledge of these truths before the
Holy Spirit has enlightened our hearts?_
It is a dead knowledge only, which does not lead to repentance and
faith, but leaves us in our sins.
_212. What is the true and living faith in Jesus Christ?_
This is faith, that a repentant sinner lays hold of Christ as his only
Savior from sin, and death, and the power of Satan;
That he takes refuge with Christ and His righteousness, and builds
thereon with the confidence of his whole heart.
_213. Can only a repentant sinner have this faith in Christ?_
Yes; the faith which lays hold of Christ and His righteousness, can be
wrought in that heart only which bitterly feels the pain and misery of
living in sin.
=Matt. 9:12. They that be whole need not a physician, but they
that are sick.=
_214. Is the true and living faith always and in all persons
equally strong?_
No; it is often very weak and scarcely able to avail itself of the
grace of God.
=Mark 9:24. Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief.=
_215. Whereby may we know whether this weak faith is true and
living?_
The true and living faith is known by an earnest hatred of sin, and an
eager longing for grace.
_216. Does God accept this weak faith?_
Yes, indeed; only it be true and sincere.
=Isa. 42:3. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking
flax shall he not quench.=
_217. What benefit do we have from the true and living faith in
Jesus Christ?_
By faith we are justified, born anew, sanctified, and finally saved
forever.
_218. What is Justification?_
Justification is the gracious act of God whereby He for Christ's sake
acquits a repentant and believing sinner of his sin and guilt, and
looks upon him, in Christ, as though he had never sinned.
=2 Cor. 5:21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no
sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.=
=Rom. 3:24. (They are) justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus.=
_219. What, then, does the believer receive through
justification?_
He receives the forgiveness of sins, and is adopted as a child of God.
=Eph. 1:7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.=
=Gal. 3:26. For ye are the children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus.=
=Acts 10:43. To him give all the prophets witness, that through
his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of
sins.=
_220. What moves God to forgive sin so freely?_
His everlasting love and mercy alone.
_221. For whose sake does God forgive us our sins?_
For Christ's sake, who has satisfied for the sins of the whole world
by His death on the cross.
=John 1:29. Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of
the world.=
_222. To what does the forgiveness of sins necessarily lead?_
The forgiveness of sins leads to the full enjoyment of the blessed
rights which belong to a child of God; it also gives free access to
the Father's fellowship and blessing, and to the glorious inheritance
of eternal life.
=Ps. 32:1, 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.=
=Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and
in whose spirit there is no guile.=
=Rom. 8:17. And if [we are] children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ.=
_223. What is the New Birth?_
The New Birth is the gracious work of the Holy Spirit whereby He,
through His indwelling in our hearts, renews the image of God in us,
and thus creates a new spiritual man.
=2 Cor. 5:17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things have passed away; behold, all things are new.=
=John 1:12, 13. But as many as received him, to them gave he power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:=
=Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor
of the will of man, but of God.=
_224. What change is wrought in us in the New Birth?_
We get a new heart or a new spiritual life; namely,
In the understanding, a new spiritual light;
In the conscience, real peace and joy;
In the will, a holy desire and a steadfast purpose.
=Ezek. 36:26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit
will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out
of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.=
=Eph. 4:24. Put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness.=
=Gal. 5:22. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace.=
_225. In what does this new life really consist?_
In consists in love to God who first loved us.
_226. By what means is the New Birth accomplished?_
In little children it is accomplished by water and the Spirit in
baptism; but in those who have fallen from the grace of their baptism,
also by the Word of God.
=John 3:5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God.=
=1 Peter 1:23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth
forever.=
_227. Is the New Birth necessary to our salvation?_
Yes, indeed; except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of
God. John 3: 3. [R. V.]
=John 3:6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.=
_228. What does the Holy Spirit further work in the believer?_
He sanctifies and preserves him.
_229. What is Sanctification?_
Sanctification is the gracious work of the Holy Spirit whereby He day
by day renews the believer more and more after the image of God.
_230. How is the daily renewal accomplished?_
The old man, or sin, is put away more and more, and the new man, or
the new spiritual life, appears more and more in all our conduct.
=Eph. 4:22-24. [R. V.] Put away, as concerning your former manner
of life, the old man, which waxeth corrupt after the lusts of
deceit;=
=And be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind,=
=And put on the new man, which after God hath been created in
righteousness and holiness of truth.=
_231. How does this new conduct appear in the daily life of a
Christian?_
A Christian denies himself, strives against the devil, the world, and
his own flesh; he grows in love toward God and man, and seeks to do
the will of God in all things.
=Matt. 16:24. If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.=
=1 Cor. 16:13. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like
men, be strong.=
=1 Tim. 6:12. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal
life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good
profession before many witnesses.=
_232. Is the believer, then, justified and saved by his own good
works?_
No; our best works avail nothing to this end: we must build our hope
of salvation on Christ alone and His righteousness.
=Luk. 17:10. When ye shall have done all these things which are
commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done
that which was our duty to do.=
_233. What is the work of Preservation done by the Holy Spirit?_
Preservation is the gracious work of the Holy Spirit whereby He keeps
us, through all temptations, in the true and living faith in Jesus,
until the end.
=Phil. 1:6. [R. V.] He which began a good work in you will
perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.=
_234. By what means does the Holy Spirit sanctify and preserve
the believer?_
By the Word of God and the Lord's Supper.
_235. How does the Holy Spirit preserve the believer?_
He teaches and guides, corrects and comforts him.
_236. What are they called whom the Holy Spirit thus sanctifies
and preserves in faith?_
They are called the children of God; the Elect of God; Holy and
Beloved; Members of the Body of Christ. In a body they make up the
holy Christian church.
_237. What is the holy Christian church?_
The holy Christian Church is the congregation of saints or true
believers, where the Word of God is preached and the sacraments are
administered according to the ordinance of God.
_238. Why is the church called holy?_
The church is called holy because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit,
who performs His sanctifying work in all its members. For this reason
the church is called holy, in spite of its sins and shortcomings.
=1 Peter 2:9. Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the
praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvellous light.=
_239. Why is the church called universal?_
The church is called universal because its object is to gather all
nations, and because it includes all true believers of all times and
all places.
_240. What is the state of the church on earth?_
The church of God on earth is militant.
_241. Who are the enemies of the church?_
The enemies of the church are the devil, the world, and our own flesh.
Its last enemy is death.
_242. What will be the state of the church in heaven?_
It will be triumphant, because all its enemies are conquered.
=Rev. 7:9, 10. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude,
which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and
people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the
Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;=
=And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.=
_243. Is the holy Christian church found in this place?_
Yes; in the congregation, which in the Scriptures is called "the body
of Jesus Christ", and "the house of God."
=Eph. 1:22, 23. 1 Tim. 3:15.=
_244. Are all the members of the organized body, called a
congregation, true Christians?_
No; in this organized body both hypocrites and true Christians are
found.
=Matt. 13:24-30; 47-50.=
_245. Who are hypocrites?_
Hypocrites are they who indeed make outward confession of Christ, but
who inwardly and in their conduct deny Him.
=2 Tim. 3:5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof.=
_246. Should not the congregation remove these hypocrites from
its midst?_
Yes; the congregation should expel the openly ungodly and unbelieving;
but it cannot judge concerning the secret thoughts of the heart.
=1 Cor. 5:13. Therefore put away from among yourselves that
wicked person.=
=Matt. 18:15-17.=
_247. Who, then, are true Christians and the real members of the
congregation?_
They who believe in Christ with all their heart, and confess Him both
in word and deed.
=Rom. 10:10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness:
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.=
_248. What is the intimate fellowship called in which all true
Christians live with one another?_
The Communion of Saints.
=Eph. 4:4-6. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are
called in one hope of your calling;=
=One Lord, one faith, one baptism,=
=One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all,
and in you all.=
_249. What precious gift does the Holy Spirit bestow upon us in
this Christian church?_
In this Christian church He daily forgives me and all believers all
our sins.
_250. But does a sanctified person need the forgiveness of sins
every day?_
Yes; because sanctification is never perfected in this life, and sin
cleaves to a Christian as long as he is in the world.
_251. Whom has God given power to declare the forgiveness of sins?_