Catechisma

Lord’s Day 1

Q2. How many things do you need to know so that you may live and die in the joy of this comfort?

Three things: first, how great my sin and misery are; second, how I am redeemed from all my sins and misery; third, how I am to thank God for such redemption.

Scripture Proofs — King James Version

1

Luke 24:46–47

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 6:11

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

2

John 9:41

Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Romans 3:10

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.

3

John 17:3

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Acts 4:12

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Acts 10:43

To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

4

Ephesians 5:8–10

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

1 Peter 2:9–10

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Modernized CommentaryZacharias Ursinus (1616)

The question of comfort is placed first and treated before all others because it captures both the purpose and the substance of the catechism. The purpose is that we might be led to genuine and lasting comfort, both in life and death. With this in mind, all divine truth has been revealed by God and deserves our most careful study. The substance of this comfort rests on the fact that we are grafted into Christ by faith, that through Him we are reconciled to God and loved by Him, and that He therefore cares for us and will save us eternally.

Regarding this comfort, we must ask:

I. What is it?