(Heidelberg Catechism, extended... part 10)
Q. 94.
What does God enjoin in the first commandment?
A.
That I, as sincerely as I desire the salvation of my own soul,
avoid and flee
from all idolatry, (a)
sorcery, soothsaying, superstition, (b)
invocation of saints, or any other creatures; (c)
and learn rightly to know the only true God; (d)
trust in him alone, (e)
with humility (f)
and patience submit to him; (g)
expect all good things from him only; (h)
love, (i)
fear, (j)
and glorify him with my whole heart; (k)
so that I renounce and forsake all creatures,
rather than commit even the least thing contrary to his will. (l)
(a)
1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
1 Cor.6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the
kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with
mankind,
1 Cor.6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Cor.10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is
written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
1 Cor.10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
(b)
Lev.19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek
after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
Deut.18:9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God
giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of
those nations.
Deut.18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his
son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth
divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Deut.18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a
wizard, or a necromancer.
Deut.18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the
LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive
them out from before thee.
(c)
Matt.4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve.
Rev.19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me,
See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that
have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy.
Rev.22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had
heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel
which shewed me these things.
Rev.22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy
fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which
keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
(d)
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
(e)
Jer.17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man,
and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
Jer.17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope
the LORD is.
(f)
1 Pet.5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea,
all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:
for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1 Pet.5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in due time:
(g)
Heb.10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the
will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Col.1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,
unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Rom.5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing
that tribulation worketh patience;
Rom.5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
1 Cor.10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were
destroyed of the destroyer.
Philip.2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
(h)
Ps.104:27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their
meat in due season.
Ps.104:28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand,
they are filled with good.
Ps.104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away
their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
Ps.104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou
renewest the face of the earth.
Isa.45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and
create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and
cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning.
(i)
Deut.6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Matt.22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
(j)
Deut.6:2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his
statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy
son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days
may be prolonged.
Ps.111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good
understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise
endureth for ever.
Prov.1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools
despise wisdom and instruction.
Prov.9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the
knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Matt.10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to
kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell.
(k)
Matt.4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve.
Deut.10:20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and
to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
Deut.10:21 He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for
thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.
(l)
Matt.5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it
from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members
should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Matt.5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it
from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members
should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Matt.10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy
of me.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We
ought to obey God rather than men.
Q. 95.
What is idolatry?
A.
Idolatry is,
instead of,
or besides that one true God,
who has manifested himself in his word,
to contrive, or have any other object,
in which men place their trust. (a)
(a)
Eph.5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor
covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom
of Christ and of God.
1 Chron.16:26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD
made the heavens.
Philip.3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and
whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Gal.4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them
which by nature are no gods.
Eph.2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from
the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
1 John 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:
(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
2 John 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he
hath both the Father and the Son.
John 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the
Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which
hath sent him.
35. Lord's Day
Q. 96.
What does God require in the second commandment?
A.
That we in no wise represent God by images, (a)
nor worship him in any other way
than he has commanded in his word. (b)
(a)
Deut.4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no
manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb
out of the midst of the fire:
Deut.4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the
similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Deut.4:17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness
of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,
Deut.4:18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the
likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:
Deut.4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou
seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of
heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the
LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
Isa.40:18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye
compare unto him?
Isa.40:19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith
spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
Isa.40:20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth
a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to
prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
Isa.40:21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told
you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of
the earth?
Isa.40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the
inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the
heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
Isa.40:23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges
of the earth as vanity.
Isa.40:24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown:
yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also
blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take
them away as stubble.
Isa.40:25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith
the Holy One.
Rom.1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image
made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and
creeping things.
Rom.1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the
lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between
themselves:
Acts 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not
to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone,
graven by art and man's device.
(b)
1 Sam.15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and
stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected
the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
Deut.12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following
them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou
enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve
their gods? even so will I do likewise.
Deut.12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every
abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their
gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the
fire to their gods.
Deut.12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou
shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Matt.15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men.
Q. 97.
Are images then not at all to be made?
A.
God neither can, nor may be represented by any means: (a)
but as to creatures;
though they may be represented,
yet God forbids to make, or have any resemblance of them,
either in order to worship them or to serve God by them. (b)
(a)
Isa.40:25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith
the Holy One.
(b)
Exod.23:24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor
do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite
break down their images.
Exod.23:25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless
thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst
of thee.
Exod.34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and
cut down their groves:
Exod.34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose
name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
Exod.34:17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
Num.33:52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from
before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their
molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:
Deut.7:5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their
altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and
burn their graven images with fire.
Deut.12:3 And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their
pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the
graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that
place.
Deut.16:21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto
the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
2 Kin.18:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that David his father did.
2 Kin.18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut
down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had
made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to
it: and he called it Nehushtan.
Q. 98.
But may not images be tolerated in the churches,
as books to the laity?
A.
No:
for we must not pretend to be wiser than God,
who will have his people taught,
not by dump images, (a)
but by the lively preaching of his word. (b)
(a)
Jer.10:8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a
doctrine of vanities.
Hab.2:18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath
graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of
his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?
Hab.2:19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb
stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and
silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
(b)
Rom.10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not
believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not
heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom.10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is
written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of
peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Rom.10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God.
2 Pet.1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do
well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,
until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2 Tim.3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness:
2 Tim.3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works.
36. Lord's Day
Q. 99.
What is required in the third commandment?
A.
That we, not only by cursing (a)
or perjury, (b)
but also by rash swearing, (c)
must not profane or abuse the name of God;
nor by silence or connivance
be partakers of these horrible sins in others; (d)
and, briefly,
that we use the holy name of God no otherwise
than with fear and reverence; (e)
so that he may be rightly confessed (f)
and worshipped by us, (g)
and be glorified in all our words and works. (h)
(a)
Lev.24:11 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the
LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's
name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)
Lev.24:12 And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be
shewed them.
Lev.24:13 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev.24:14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let
all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the
congregation stone him.
Lev.24:15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
Lev.24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall
surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone
him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he
blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.
(b)
Lev.19:12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt
thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
(c)
Matt.5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for
whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
James 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by
heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your
yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
(d)
Lev.5:1 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a
witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it,
then he shall bear his iniquity.
Prov.29:24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he
heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.
(e)
Jer.4:2 And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment,
and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him,
and in him shall they glory.
Isa.45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in
righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall
bow, every tongue shall swear.
(f)
Rom.10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved.
Rom.10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Matt.10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I
confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
(g)
Ps.50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee,
and thou shalt glorify me.
1 Tim.2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy
hands, without wrath and doubting.
(h)
Rom.2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through
you, as it is written.
1 Tim.6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own
masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be
not blasphemed.
Col.3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col.3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Q. 100.
Is then the profaning of God's name, by swearing and cursing,
so heinous a sin,
that his wrath is kindled against those
who do not endeavour, as much as in them lies,
to prevent and forbid such cursing and swearing?
A.
It undoubtedly is, (a)
for there is no sin greater
or more provoking to God,
than the profaning of his name;
and therefore he has commanded this sin to be punished with death. (b)
(a)
Prov.29:24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he
heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.
Lev.5:1 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a
witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it,
then he shall bear his iniquity.
(b)
Lev.24:15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
Lev.24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall
surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone
him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he
blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.
37. Lord's Day
Q. 101.
May we then swear religiously
by the name of God?
A.
Yes:
either when the magistrates demand it of the subjects;
or when necessity
requires us
thereby to confirm a fidelity and truth
to the glory of God, and the safety of our neighbour:
for such an oath is founded on God's word, (a)
and therefore
was justly used by the saints,
both in the Old and New Testament. (b)
(a)
Deut.6:13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt
swear by his name.
Deut.10:20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and
to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
Isa.48:1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name
of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear
by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but
not in truth, nor in righteousness.
Heb.6:16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for
confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
(b)
Gen.21:24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
Gen.31:53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their
father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father
Isaac.
Gen.31:54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his
brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night
in the mount.
Jos.9:15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them,
to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
Jos.9:19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have
sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not
touch them.
1 Sam.24:22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David
and his men gat them up unto the hold.
2 Sam.3:35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat
while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more
also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.
1 Kin.1:28 Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And
she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
1 Kin.1:29 And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath
redeemed my soul out of all distress,
1 Kin.1:30 Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel,
saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall
sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.
Rom.1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the
gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always
in my prayers;
2 Cor.1:23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to
spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
Q. 102.
May we also swear
by saints
or any other creatures?
A.
No;
for a lawful oath is calling upon God,
as the only one who knows the heart,
that he will bear witness to the truth,
and punish me if I swear falsely; (a)
which honour is due to no creature. (b)
(a)
2 Cor.1:23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to
spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
Rom.9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also
bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
(b)
Matt.5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for
it is God's throne:
Matt.5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by
Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Matt.5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not
make one hair white or black.
James 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by
heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your
yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
(continued in part 11...)
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