Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 29

Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 29 - Communion = togetherness! 


Questions and answers:


78.       Q – Are the bread and wine changed into the real body and blood of Christ?

A – No.  Just as the water of baptism is not changed into Christ’s blood and does not itself wash away sins but is simply God’s sign and assurance, so too the bread of the Lord’s Supper is not changed into the actual body of Christ even though it is called body of Christ in keeping with the nature and language of sacraments.

 


79.       Q – Why then does Christ call the bread His body and the cup His blood, or the new covenant in His blood?  (Paul uses the words, a participation in Christ’s body and blood.)

A – Christ has good reason for these words.  He wants to teach us that as bread and wine nourish our temporal life, so too His crucified body and poured-out blood truly nourish our souls for eternal life.  But more important, He wants to assure us, by this visible sign and pledge, that we, through the Holy Spirit’s work, share in His true body and blood as surely as our mouths receive these holy signs in His remembrance, and that all of His suffering and obedience are as definitely ours as if we personally has suffered and paid for our sins.

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 33-44 part 2

Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 33-44 - The Ten Commandments, part 2 - Love God!   Questions and Answers: 93.      Q – How are these commandments divided? A – Into two tables.   The first has four commandments, teaching us what our relation to God should be.   The second has six commandments, teaching us what we owe our neighbor.   94.      Q – What does the Lord require in the first commandment? A – That I, not wanting to endanger my very salvation, avoid and shun all idolatry, magic, superstitious rites, and prayer to saints or to other creatures.   That I sincerely acknowledge the only true God, trust Him alone, look to Him for every good thing humbly and patiently, love Him, fear Him, and honor Him with all my heart.   In short, that I give up anything rather than go against His will in any way.   95.      Q – What is idolatry? A – Idolatry is having or inventing something which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed Himself in
Read more

Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 33-44

  Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 33-44 - The Ten Commandments, part 1 Questions & Answers: LORD’S DAY 34 92. Q – What does the Lord say in His law? A – The catechism quotes from Exodus 20:1-17 (the Ten Commandments): And God spoke all these words: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall l
Read more