Daily Confession

22. Lord’s Day

Q. 57. What comfort does the “resurrection of the body” afford thee?
A. That not only my soul after this life shall be immediately taken up to Christ its head; [a] but also, that this my body, being raised by the power of Christ, shall be reunited with my soul, and made like unto the glorious body of Christ. [b]

Q. 58. What comfort takest thou from the article of “life everlasting”?
A. That since I now feel in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, [a] after this life, I shall inherit perfect salvation, which “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man” to conceive, and that to praise God therein for ever. [b]

Chapter 14: Of Saving Faith

1: The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls,^[278] is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,^[279] and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word,^[280] by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.^[281]

2: By this faith, a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God Himself speaking therein;^[282] and acts differently upon that which each particular passage thereof contains; yielding obedience to the commands,^[283]trembling at the threatenings,^[284] and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.^[285] But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.^[286]

3: This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong;^[287] may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory:^[288] growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ,^[289] who is both the author and finisher of our faith.^[290]

The Second Head of Doctrine: Christ’s Death and Human Redemption Through It

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those

III

Who teach that Christ, by the satisfaction which he gave, did not certainly merit for anyone salvation itself and the faith by which this satisfaction of Christ is effectively applied to salvation, but only acquired for the Father the authority or plenary will to relate in a new way with men and to impose such new conditions as he chose, and that the satisfying of these conditions depends on the free choice of man; consequently, that it was possible that either all or none would fulfill them.

For they have too low an opinion of the death of Christ, do not at all acknowledge the foremost fruit or benefit which it brings forth, and summon back from hell the Pelagian error.

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those

IV

Who teach that what is involved in the new covenant of grace which God the Father made with men through the intervening of Christ’s death is not that we are justified before God and saved through faith, insofar as it accepts Christ’s merit, but rather that God, having withdrawn his demand for perfect obedience to the law, counts faith itself, and the imperfect obedience of faith, as perfect obedience to the law, and graciously looks upon this as worthy of the reward of eternal life.

For they contradict Scripture: They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ, whom God presented as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood (Rom. 3:24-25). And along with the ungodly Socinus, they introduce a new and foreign justification of man before God, against the consensus of the whole church.

Q. 95. Of what use is the moral law to all men?
A. The moral law is of use to all men, to inform them of the holy nature and the will of God,^[404] and of their duty, binding them to walk accordingly;^[405] to convince them of their disability to keep it, and of the sinful pollution of their nature, hearts, and lives:^[406] to humble them in the sense of their sin and misery,^[407] and thereby help them to a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ,^[408] and of the perfection of his obedience.^[409]

Q. 96. What particular use is there of the moral law to unregenerate men?
A. The moral law is of use to unregenerate men, to awaken their consciences to flee from wrath to come,^[410] and to drive them to Christ;^[411] or, upon their continuance in the estate and way of sin, to leave them inexcusable,^[412] and under the curse thereof.^[413]

Q. 97. What special use is there of the moral law to the regenerate?
A. Although they that are regenerate, and believe in Christ, be delivered from the moral law as a covenant of works,^[414] so as thereby they are neither justified^[415] nor condemned;^[416] yet, besides the general uses thereof common to them with all men, it is of special use, to show them how much they are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and enduring the curse thereof in their stead, and for their good;^[417] and thereby to provoke them to more thankfulness,^[418] and to express the same in their greater care to conform themselves thereunto as the rule of their obedience.^[419]

Q. 98. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon Mount Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone;^[420] and are recorded in the twentieth chapter of Exodus. The four first commandments containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man.^[421]

Article 30: The Government of the Church

We believe that this true church ought to be governed according to the spiritual order that our Lord has taught us in his Word. There should be ministers or pastors to preach the Word of God and adminster the sacraments. There should also be elders and deacons, along with the pastors, to make up the council of the church. By this means true religion is preserved; true doctrine is able to take its course; and evil men are corrected spiritually and held in check, so that also the poor and all the afflicted may be helped and comforted according to their need. By this means everything will be done well and in good order in the church, when such persons are elected who are faithful and are chosen according to the rule that Paul gave to Timothy.[75]

Article 31: The Officers of the Church

We believe that ministers of the Word of God, elders, and deacons ought to be chosen to their offices by a legitimate election of the church, with prayer in the name of the Lord, and in good order, as the Word of God teaches. So everyone must be careful not to push himself forward improperly, but he must wait for God’s call, so that he may be assured of his calling and be certain that he is chosen by the Lord. As for the ministers of the Word, they all have the same power and authority, no matter where they may be, since they are all servants of Jesus Christ, the only universal bishop, and the only head of the church. Moreover, to keep God’s holy order from being violated or despised, we say that everyone ought, as much as possible, to hold the ministers of the Word and elders of the church in special esteem, because of the work they do, and be at peace with them, without grumbling, quarreling, or fighting.

Article 32: The Order and Discipline of the Church

We also believe that although it is useful and good for those who govern the churches to establish and set up a certain order among themselves for maintaining the body of the church, they ought always to guard against deviating from what Christ, our only Master, has ordained for us. Therefore we reject all human innovations and all laws imposed on us, in our worship of God, which bind and force our consciences in any way. So we accept only what is proper to maintain harmony and unity and to keep all in obedience to God. To that end excommunication, with all it involves, according to the Word of God, is required.

Q. 32. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?
A. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.^[90]

Q. 72. How many commandments did God give on Mount Sinai?
A. Ten commandments.

Q. 73. What are the ten commandments sometimes called?
A. The Decalogue.

21. Lord’s Day

Q. 54. What believest thou concerning the “holy catholic church” of Christ?
A. That the Son of God [a] from the beginning to the end of the world, [b] gathers, defends, and preserves [c] to himself by his Spirit and word, [d] out of the whole human race, [e] a church chosen to everlasting life, [f] agreeing in true faith; [g] and that I am and forever shall remain, [h] a living member thereof. [i]

Q. 55. What do you understand by “the communion of saints”?
A. First, that all and every one, who believes, being members of Christ, are in common, partakers of him, and of all his riches and gifts; [a] secondly, that every one must know it to be his duty, readily and cheerfully to employ his gifts, for the advantage and salvation of other members. [b]

Q. 56. What believest thou concerning “the forgiveness of sins”?
A. That God, for the sake of Christ’s satisfaction, will no more remember my sins, neither my corrupt nature, against which I have to struggle all my life long; [a] but will graciously impute to me the righteousness of Christ, [b] that I may never be condemned before the tribunal of God. [c]

Chapter 13: Of Sanctification

1: They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection,^[265] by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them:^[266] the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,^[267] and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified;^[268] and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces,^[269] to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.^[270]

2: This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man;^[271] yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part;^[272] whence arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.^[273]

3: In which war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may much prevail;^[274] yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part does overcome;^[275] and so, the saints grow in grace,^[276] perfecting holiness in the fear of God.^[277]

The Second Head of Doctrine: Christ’s Death and Human Redemption Through It

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those

I

Who teach that God the Father appointed his Son to death on the cross without a fixed and definite plan to save anyone by name, so that the necessity, usefulness, and worth of what Christ’s death obtained could have stood intact and altogether perfect, complete and whole, even if the redemption that was obtained had never in actual fact been applied to any individual.

For this assertion is an insult to the wisdom of God the Father and to the merit of Jesus Christ, and it is contrary to Scripture. For the Savior speaks as follows: I lay down my life for the sheep, and I know them (John 10:15, 27). And Isaiah the prophet says concerning the Savior: When he shall make himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days, and the will of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand (Isa. 53:10). Finally, this undermines the article of the creed in which we confess what we believe concerning the Church.

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those

II

Who teach that the purpose of Christ’s death was not to establish in actual fact a new covenant of grace by his blood, but only to acquire for the Father the mere right to enter once more into a covenant with men, whether of grace or of works.

For this conflicts with Scripture, which teaches that Christ has become the guarantee and mediator of a better – that is, a new-covenant (Heb. 7:22; 9:15), and that a will is in force only when someone has died (Heb. 9:17).