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The Heidelberg Catechism

Introduction. Lord's Day 1

Question 1 What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Question 2 How many things are necessary for thee to know, that thou, enjoying this comfort, mayest live and die happily?

The First Part--Of The Misery Of Man. Lord's Day 2

Question 3 Whence knowest thou thy misery?

Question 4 What does the law of God require of us?

Question 5 Canst thou keep all these things perfectly?

Question 6 Did God then create man so wicked and perverse?

Lord's Day 3

Question 7 Whence then proceeds this depravity of human nature?

Question 8 Are we then so corrupt that we are wholly incapable of doing any good, and inclined to all wickedness?

Lord's Day 4

Question 9 Does not God then do injustice to man, by requiring from him in his law, that which he cannot perform?

Question 10 Will God suffer such disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished?

Question 11 Is not God then also merciful?

The Second Part--Of Man's Deliverance. Lord's Day 5

Question 12 Since then, by the righteous judgment of God, we deserve temporal and eternal punishment, is there no way by which we may escape that punishment, and be again received into favour?

Question 13 Can we ourselves then make this satisfaction?

Question 14 Can there be found anywhere, one, who is a mere creature, able to satisfy for us?

Question 15 What sort of a mediator and deliverer then must we seek for?

Lord's Day 6

Question 16 Why must he be very man, and also perfectly righteous?

Question 17 Why must he in one person be also very God?

Question 18 Who then is that Mediator, who is in one person both very God, and a real righteous man?

Question 19 Whence knowest thou this?

Lord's Day 7

Question 20 Are all men then, as they perished in Adam, saved by Christ?

Question 21 What is true faith?

Question 22 What is then necessary for a christian to believe?

Question 23 What are these articles?

Lord's Day 8

Question 24 How are these articles divided?

Question 25 Since there is but one only divine essence, why speakest thou of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?

Lord's Day 9

Question 26 What believest thou when thou sayest, "I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth"?

Lord's Day 10

Question 27 What dost thou mean by the providence of God?

Question 28 What advantage is it to us to know that God has created, and by his providence does still uphold all things?

Lord's Day 11

Question 29 Why is the Son of God called "Jesus", that is a Saviour?

Question 30 Do such then believe in Jesus the only Saviour, who seek their salvation and welfare of saints, of themselves, or anywhere else?

Lord's Day 12

Question 31 Why is he called "Christ", that is anointed?

Question 32 But why art thou called a Christian?

Lord's Day 13

Question 33 Why is Christ called the "only begotten Son" of God, since we are also the children of God?

Question 34 Wherefore callest thou him "our Lord"?

Lord's Day 14

Question 35 What is the meaning of these words "He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary"?

Question 36 What profit dost thou receive by Christ's holy conception and nativity?

Lord's Day 15

Question 37 What dost thou understand by the words, "He suffered"?

Question 38 Why did he suffer "under Pontius Pilate, as judge"?

Question 39 Is there anything more in his being "crucified", than if he had died some other death?

Lord's Day 16

Question 40 Why was it necessary for Christ to humble himself even "unto death"?

Question 41 Why was he also "buried"?

Question 42 Since then Christ died for us, why must we also die?

Question 43 What further benefit do we receive from the sacrifice and death of Christ on the cross?

Question 44 Why is there added, "he descended into hell"?

Lord's Day 17

Question 45 What does the "resurrection" of Christ profit us?

Lord's Day 18

Question 46 How dost thou understand these words, "he ascended into heaven"?

Question 47 Is not Christ then with us even to the end of the world, as he has promised?

Question 48 But if his human nature is not present, wherever his Godhead is, are not then these two natures in Christ separated from one another?

Question 49 Of what advantage to us is Christ's ascension into heaven?

Lord's Day 19

Question 50 Why is it added, "and sitteth at the right hand of God"?

Question 51 What profit is this glory of Christ, our head, unto us?

Question 52 What comfort is it to thee that "Christ shall come again to judge the quick and the dead"?

Lord's Day 20

Question 53 What dost thou believe concerning the Holy Ghost?

Lord's Day 21

Question 54 What believest thou concerning the "holy catholic church" of Christ?

Question 55 What do you understand by "the communion of saints"?

Question 56 What believest thou concerning "the forgiveness of sins"?

Lord's Day 22

Question 57 What comfort does the "resurrection of the body" afford thee?

Question 58 What comfort takest thou from the article of "life everlasting"?

Lord's Day 23

Question 59 But what does it profit thee now that thou believest all this?

Question 60 How are thou righteous before God?

Question 61 Why sayest thou, that thou art righteous by faith only?

Lord's Day 24

Question 62 But why cannot our good works be the whole, or part of our righteousness before God?

Question 63 What! do not our good works merit, which yet God will reward in this and in a future life?

Question 64 But does not this doctrine make men careless and profane?

Lord's Day 25

Question 65 Since then we are made partakers of Christ and all his benefits by faith only, whence does this faith proceed?

Question 66 What are the sacraments?

Question 67 Are both word and sacraments, then, ordained and appointed for this end, that they may direct our faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, as the only ground of our salvation?

Question 68 How many sacraments has Christ instituted in the new covenant, or testament?

Lord's Day 26

Question 69 How art thou admonished and assured by holy baptism, that the one sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is of real advantage to thee?

Question 70 What is it to be washed with the blood and Spirit of Christ?

Question 71 Where has Christ promised us, that he will as certainly wash us by his blood and Spirit, as we are washed with the water of baptism?

Lord's Day 27

Question 72 Is then the external baptism with water the washing away of sin itself?

Question 73 Why then does the Holy Ghost call baptism "the washing of regeneration," and "the washing away of sins"?

Question 74 Are infants also to be baptized?

Lord's Day 28

Question 75 How art thou admonished and assured in the Lord's Supper, that thou art a partaker of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross, and of all his benefits?

Question 76 What is it then to eat the crucified body, and drink the shed blood of Christ?

Question 77 Where has Christ promised that he will as certainly feed and nourish believers with his body and bleed, as they eat of this broken bread, and drink of this cup?

Lord's Day 29

Question 78 Do then the bread and wine become the very body and blood of Christ?

Question 79 Why then doth Christ call the bread "his body", and the cup "his blood", or "the new covenant in his blood"; and Paul the "communion of body and blood of Christ"?

Lord's Day 30

Question 80 What difference is there between the Lord's supper and the popish mass?

Question 81 For whom is the Lord's supper instituted?

Question 82 Are they also to be admitted to this supper, who, by confession and life, declare themselves unbelieving and ungodly?

Lord's Day 31

Question 83 What are the keys of the kingdom of heaven?

Question 84 How is the kingdom of heaven opened and shut by the preaching of the holy gospel?

Question 85 How is the kingdom of heaven shut and opened by christian discipline?

The Third Part--Of Thankfulness. Lord's Day 32

Question 86 Since then we are delivered from our misery, merely of grace, through Christ, without any merit of ours, why must we still do good works?

Question 87 Cannot they then be saved, who, continuing in their wicked and ungrateful lives, are not converted to God?

Lord's Day 33

Question 88 Of how many parts does the true conversion of man consist?

Question 89 What is the mortification of the old man?

Question 90 What is the quickening of the new man?

Question 91 But what are good works?

Lord's Day 34

Question 92 What is the law of God?

Question 93 How are these commandments divided?

Question 94 What does God enjoin in the first commandment?

Question 95 What is idolatry?

Lord's Day 35

Question 96 What does God require in the second commandment?

Question 97 Are images then not at all to be made?

Question 98 But may not images be tolerated in the churches, as books to the laity?

Lord's Day 36

Question 99 What is required in the third commandment?

Question 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?

Lord's Day 37

Question 101 May we then swear religiously by the name of God?

Question 102 May we also swear by saints or any other creatures?

Lord's Day 38

Question 103 What does God require in the fourth commandment?

Lord's Day 39

Question 104 What does God require in the fifth commandment?

Lord's Day 40

Question 105 What does God require in the sixth commandment?

Question 106 But this commandment seems only to speak of murder?

Question 107 But is it enough that we do not kill any man in the manner mentioned above?

Lord's Day 41

Question 108 What does the seventh commandment teach us?

Question 109 Does God forbid in this commandment, only adultery, and such like gross sins?

Lord's Day 42

Question 110 What does God forbid in the eighth commandment?

Question 111 But what does God require in this commandment?

Lord's Day 43

Question 112 What is required in the ninth commandment?

Lord's Day 44

Question 113 What does the tenth commandment require of us?

Question 114 But can those who are converted to God perfectly keep these commandments?

Question 115 Why will God then have the ten commandments so strictly preached, since no man in this life can keep them?

Lord's Day 45

Question 116 Why is prayer necessary for christians?

Question 117 What are the requisites of that prayer, which is acceptable to God, and which he will hear?

Question 118 What has God commanded us to ask of him?

Question 119 What are the words of that prayer?

Lord's Day 46

Question 120 Why has Christ commanded us to address God thus: "Our Father"?

Question 121 Why is it here added, "Which art in heaven"?

Lord's Day 47

Question 122 Which is the first petition?

Lord's Day 48

Question 123 Which is the second petition?

Lord's Day 49

Question 124 Which is the third petition?

Lord's Day 50

Question 125 Which is the fourth petition?

Lord's Day 51

Question 126 Which is the fifth petition?

Lord's Day 52

Question 127 Which is the sixth petition?

Question 128 How dost thou conclude thy prayer?

Question 129 What does the word "Amen" signify?