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Date: Thu, 8 Jun 1995 09:52:56 +0200
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: Catechism, 20
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP
Q. What is true faith?
A. It is a certain knowledge of God; and of his promises revealed to us
in the gospel, and a hearty confidence that all my sins are forgiven me,
for Christ's sake.
A true faith is not that kind of faith, which nearly everybody has: the
belief that there exists some godhead, or even the belief that the God
of Israel is the one God. Of course, this faith is necessary, but it is
not a true, saving faith. Even great sinners believe that there is a
God, and they tremble expecting their punishment. Through that faith,
they surely will not be saved. Also the devils believe in God, and also
they tremble. A belief in God is very well, but it is not enough. A
belief in God is a necessary condition of the true, saving faith.
A true faith consists of:
- a certain knowledge of God,
- a certain knowledge of God's promises, revealed in the gospel,
- a hearty confidence that all my sins are forgiven me,
- for Christ's sake.
Who has this faith will be saved. Who hasn't it, will undoubtedly
perish. Scripture says that the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of
Christ, is necessary: "And this is life eternal, that they might know
thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John
17:3) A belief is not something vague, but it consists in knowledge. "I
know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that
which I have committed unto him against that day. (2 Timothy 1:12) Hear
Paul speaking; he *knows* whom he believes, and he is *persuaded* that
God will keep his inheritance.
Q. What is the sum of that which God has promised in the gospel, and
commanded us to believe?
A. That is comprehended in the twelve articles of the catholic
christian Faith, which are as follows:
1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord;
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary;
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried,
he descended into hell;
5. The third day he rose again from the dead;
6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the
Father Almighty;
7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost.
9. I believe a holy catholic church; the communion of saints;
10. The forgiveness of sins;
11. The resurrection of the body;
12. And the life everlasting.
This is the oldest confession of faith of the christian church. It
speaks about
- God the Father,
- God the Son,
- God the Holy Spirit,
- The Church,
- Forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
Concerning God the Father, He is Almighty, He has made heaven and earth.
Concerning God the Son, He is Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of
God. He is our Lord. In the appointed time, He was conceived by the Holy
Ghost, and born of the virgin Mary. When He was grown up, at the end, He
suffered under the Roman judge, Pontius Pilate. They crucified Him, and
He died and was buried. On the third day, he rose again from the dead,
and after some time, He ascended into heaven. There He is now, sitting
at the right hand of God, a place of honour. From thence He will come to
judge the quick and the dead. This is said in order that we prepare
ourselves for His second coming.
Concerning the Holy Ghost, He is mentioned together with the Father and
the Son.
Concerning the Church; there is one holy catholic church. When I write
"catholic" church, I do not mean the Roman Catholic Church, but I take
the word "catholic" in its original sense: "general". So, I believe in a
holy, general church, because God's church on earth is one. It is a
communion of saints. Not all the outward professors of the faith belong
to that general church, but only those, who are of Christ. That are the
true believers, elected by God the Father, redeemed by God the Son, and
sanctified by God the Holy Spirit.
There is forgiveness of sins, namely for all true believers. There is
also a resurrection of the body. This is already shown us in the Old
Testament, wherein are a few instances of resurrection of dead people.
But at the end of the world, everybody shall stand up. The unrighteous
stand up to eternal destruction, but the righteous to eternal life.
Q. When you profess to believe in God the Father, and the Son, and the
Holy Ghost, do you mean three Gods thereby?
A. In no wise; for there is but one only true God.
There is but one only true God, as Scripture very clearly teaches us.
Listen: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD." (Deuteronomy
6:4) We believe not more then one God. The heathen, in their blindness,
have more then one god, but we haven't.
Q. Why do you then name three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost?
A. Because God has so revealed himself in his word, that these three
distinct persons, are the only one and true God, and we also are
baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost.
We believe one God, consisting in three distinct Persons. This doctrine
cannot be understood by the human understanding; yet, God has revealed
Himself in the Scripture thus. So, we have to believe it. "The Father,
the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (1 John 5:7)
Also Jesus said of Himself: "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30)
Some, however, think that the distinction of the one Godhead in three
Persons is something special christian, or something newtestamentical.
But it may be remarked that also the Old Testament knows about some
distinction, although it is there not so clearly revealed as in the New
Testament. Sometimes, we read about the Angel of the LORD, and some
verses further, that Angel appears to be the LORD Himself. An example
may prove this. In Exodus 3, the angel of the LORD appeared unto Moses
in a flame of fire. In verse two, it is said that he was an angel, but
in verse four appears the angel to be God Himself. Here follow the
texts:
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of
the midst of a bush. (Exodus 3:2)
And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him
out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. (Exodus 3:4)
The Angel of the LORD is a being, separate from the LORD, but is also
God Himself. So, some being, separate from God is yet God. There must
be, then, a distinction in the one God. Though we cannot understand it,
yet, who wishes to believe God's whole Word, and not opposes his reason
against His revelation, will undoubtedly believe it.
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Teus Benschop | t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl | editor of the list Chr-Exp
"A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel"
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Institution Practical Bible-education, the Netherlands
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file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/cate: cat-018.txt
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