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In: Heidelberg Catechism

God’s Justice Lord’s Day 4 brings us to the end of the first section of the Heidelberg on the nature and origin of our sin and misery.  This is one of the three things that is necessary for us to know in order to embrace the comfort of salvation in Jesus Christ.  Unless we can understand and accept something about our condition, we will never accept such a radical and humbling solution as the death of the Son of God on our behalf. The Heidelberg does not purport to answer all the questions that arise over this doctrine.  It approaches the issue from the perspectiveRead More →

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Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 2 The Definition of our Misery We all know there is a problem with the human race.  The Catechism takes no time to demonstrate that there is a problem, but rather jumps straight to its diagnosis.  That there is a problem is immediately evident to all of us.  We do get very good at distracting ourselves from this or at blaming our difficulties on circumstances or other people.  How many people do you know who are blind to their own self-destructive behavior and constantly externalize all the guilt that arises from their own choices by shifting the responsibility to someone orRead More →

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My Only Comfort:  Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day #1 A seminary professor of mine, Dr. Paul Fowler, told us that he thought the first question of the Heidelberg Catechism was the finest expression of the Gospel anywhere outside of Scripture itself.  One of the things that has always made the Heidelberg so beloved is its very warm, personal and pastoral tone, and the first question is a great example. The whole of the Gospel is the subject of this first question.  Our only real comfort in all the circumstances in life are found in that Gospel, in the truth that by the redemption we have inRead More →

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Saved by Faith 60. How are you righteous before God? Only by true faith in Jesus Christ: that is, although my conscience accuses me, that I have grievously sinned against all the commandments of God, and have never kept any of them, and am still prone always to all evil; yet God, without any merit of mine, of mere grace, grants and imputes to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never committed nor had any sins, and had myself accomplished all the obedience which Christ has fulfilled for me; if only I accept such benefit with a believingRead More →

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1 O God, your judgments give the King, his son your righteousness; with right he shall your people judge, your poor with uprightness. And then the mountains shall bring forth to all the people peace; the hills because of righteousness their blessing shall increase. 2 The people’s poor ones he shall judge, the needy’s children bless; and he will break in pieces those who would the poor oppress. The just shall flourish in his days, and prosper in his reign; and while the moon endures he shall abundant peace maintain. 3 His large and great dominion shall from sea to sea extend; it from theRead More →

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Love Divine, All Loves Excelling 1 Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heav’n, to earth come down: fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown: Jesus, thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art; visit us with thy salvation, enter ev’ry trembling heart.   2 Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit into ev’ry troubled breast; let us all in thee inherit, let us find the promised rest: take away the love of sinning; Alpha and Omega be; End of faith, as its Beginning, set our hearts at liberty.   3 Come, Almighty to deliver, let us all thy life receive;Read More →

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Christ is Made the Sure Foundation 1 Christ is made the sure foundation, Christ the head and cornerstone, chosen of the Lord and precious, binding all the church in one; holy Zion’s help forever and her confidence alone. 2 All that dedicated city, dearly loved of God on high, in exultant jubilation pours perpetual melody; God the One in Three adoring in glad hymns eternally. 3 To this temple, where we call thee, come, O Lord of hosts today: with thy wonted loving-kindness hear thy people as they pray; and thy fullest benediction shed within its walls alway. 4 Here vouchsafe to all thy servantsRead More →

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1 O Splendor of God’s glory bright, from light eternal bringing light, O Light of light, light’s living Spring, true Day, all days illumining: 2 Come, very Sun of heaven’s love, in lasting radiance from above, and pour the Holy Spirit’s ray on all we think or do today. 3 And now to thee our pray’rs ascend, O Father, glorious without end; we plead with Sovereign Grace for pow’r to conquer in temptation’s hour. 4 Confirm our will to do the right, and keep our hearts from envy’s blight; let faith her eager fires renew, and hate the false, and love the true. 5 ORead More →

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Tearing the Veil When one studies the Old Testament forms of worship that God gave to Israel, one is struck with the very mediated nature of it. God is presented as very holy, and given the sinfulness of the people, a very dangerous presence. The people insist that Moses put a veil over his face, for even the reflected glory of God is too much for them. They say, “Who can stand before this God?” and turn instead to the worship of the golden calf, a worship they can control. But the presence of God in their midst requires the constant offering of sacrifices, theRead More →

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1 Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; set your minds on things eternal, for with blessing in his hand Christ our God to earth descended, come our homage to command. 2 King of kings, yet born of Mary, once upon the earth he stood; Lord of lords we now perceive him in the body and the blood. He has given to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food. 3 Rank on rank, the host of heaven stream before him on the way, as the Light of Light, descending from the realms of endless day, comes, the powersRead More →