"For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be the Lord both of the dead and of the living." (Romans 14:7-9, ESV)
The Heidelberg Catechism
Written at the request of the ruler of the Palatinate, Elector Fredrick III, in 1563, the Heidelberg Catechism has proven to be one of the most widely distributed and well-loved catechisms to come out of the Reformation period of Church history (1517-1648).
Zacharias Ursinus, the German theologian who is credited as being one of the primary authors of the Catechism, is remembered for his God-given ability to explain the truths of the Christian faith in such a way that the Heidelberg Catechism is suitable not merely for teaching the fundamentals of the faith, but also for promoting confessional unity among individual congregations.
The Catechism is broken into three sections: Misery, Deliverance, and Gratitude.
Each section presents a number of question and response articles that speak to different aspects of the believer’s life and death, the basis of Christian assurance, the doctrine of God, the sacraments, holy living, the Church of God, prayer, and more.
In the many years since the Heidelberg Catechism was approved by the Synod of Dort, it has been a great comfort to the people of God. By God’s grace, it will continue to serve Christ’s Church for many more years to come, both for His glory and for the good of His people - as they grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
Beginning with the opening lines of the Catechism, the reader is comforted by the true testimony of the Scriptures, being reminded of the reality that Christ has purchased His people by His blood.
Consider the following Question & Answer series from Lord’s Day 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism:
Question & Answer 1:
Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A. That I am not my own, but belong - body and soul, in life and in death - to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
Ursinus and the other writers of the Heidelberg Catechism understood that, as believers, Christ is our ballast of assurance, our only hope, our sure and steady anchor, our very righteousness. The testimony of the Scriptures points to the reality that God is sovereignly orchestrating all things by His holy providence, to such a degree that not even a hair can fall from our heads without the will of God the Father, and this truth is beautifully reflected in Question and Answer 1.
Through struggle, pain, hardship, affliction, and even death, the Lord is able to keep all those whom the Father has given to Him (John 6:37-40). Though we may give up hope, go astray, or despair, we need not, for the Light of Heaven shines ever brightly in this present darkness. Like the late Adoniram Judson declared, all those who belong to Christ Jesus may say, “In spite of sorrow, loss, and pain, our course be onward still…”
As Christians, we have been raised from death to life by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit, by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ the righteous, in accordance with the Father’s sovereign will. Having all authority in heaven and on earth, Christ has secured eternal life, free from sin and death, for all who believe in His name (John 1:13).
Therefore, the believer may hope in Christ both in life and in death, for Christ is Lord of both the living and the dead. No matter what comes to pass, they may trust that the gracious Lord of the universe is working all things together, so that they might be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). It is to this very end that He died and rose again, triumphant King and Lord over all.
Consider Paul’s words to Timothy:
“But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.” (2 Timothy 1:12, ESV)
Approaching his death, the imprisoned Apostle was in the midst of much suffering at the hands of the Roman Empire. Persecuted for his faith, Paul held fast to the Gospel that had been entrusted to him by God. He was willing to endure suffering, even unto death, for the cause of Christ, knowing the God in whom he had placed his trust. Understanding that whether in life or in death, the Lord Himself is the one who keeps the believer (Jude 1:24-25), the Apostle Paul saw no cause to stand ashamed.
The most essential knowledge we must have is the knowledge of the living God. The highest calling to which we may devote ourselves is to this end. Paul’s confidence was not found in his own accomplishments, rather it was in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His entire life devoted to preaching Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). Having heard the call of the Gospel and having responded in repentance and faith, we too may set ourselves at work in this great endeavor, seeking the Lord while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6).
In the midst of the daily struggles of this life, we need not be carried around by fleeting passions or gnostic experiences; we need only remember the truth of the Gospel that has once for all been delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). As we read in the Heidelberg Catechism, we need only remember that we belong to Jesus Christ the risen Lord, who is providentially working all things for His glory and for the good of His people. Regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves, we may hold fast to this trustworthy saying: Christ our hope, in life and death.
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Recommended Reading:
Christ Our Hope in Life and Death, by Getty Music
MacArthur’s Quick Reference Guide to the Bible, by John MacArthur
The Heidelberg Catechism, by Zacharias Ursinus
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