Luther’s Small
Catechism
Below you will find the most
important texts every Christian needs to learn, know, believe, pray and use.
1 - The Ten Commandments
2 - The Apostles’ Creed
3 - The Lord’s Prayer
4 - The Sacrament of Holy
Baptism
5 - The Office of the
Keys and Confession
6 - The Sacrament of the
Lord’s Supper.
Also included below are the
following:
-
A Short form of Confession
-
Daily Prayers for Christians
-
The Table of Duties (How a Christian is urged to live their life)
-
Christian Questions with their answers (prepared for those about to
attend the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.)
This
is believed, confessed and taught by Abiding Savior and its members.
If
you wish to learn more, please contact the pastor at 956-968-5228. Thank You!
As the head of the family should
teach them in a simple way to his household
1. You
shall have no other gods.
What does this mean?
We should fear, love, and trust in God above all
things.
2. You
shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not use His
name to curse, swear, lie or deceive, or use witchcraft, but call upon God’s
name in every trouble, pray, praise and give thanks.
3. Remember
the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not despise
preaching and His Word, but regard it as holy, and gladly hear and learn it.
4. Honor
your father and mother, that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy
long life on the earth.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not
dishonor or anger our parents or others in authority, but honor, serve, and
obey them, and give them love and respect.
5. You shall not murder.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not
hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and befriend him in every
bodily need.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we lead a
pure and decent life in words and actions, and that husband and wife love and
honor each other.
7. You shall not steal.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not
take our neighbor’s money or property or get it by dishonest dealing, but help
him to improve and protect his property and means of income.
8.
You
shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not
tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, or give him a bad name, but defend
him, speak well of him, and take his words and actions in the kindest possible
way.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not
scheme to get our neighbor’s inheritance or house or obtain it by a show of
right, but do all we can to help him keep it.
10. You shall
not covet your neighbor’s wife, workers, animals, or anything that belongs to
your neighbor.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not
force or entice away our neighbor’s spouse, workers, or animals, but urge them
to stay and do their duty.
Conclusion:
What does God say about all these
commandments?
He says,
“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.” (Exodus 20:5-6)
What does this mean?
God threatens to punish all who transgress
these commandments. Therefore we should
fear His anger and not disobey what He commands. But He promises grace and every blessing to
all who keep these commandments.
Therefore we should love and trust in Him, and gladly obey what He
commands.
As the head of the family should teach it in a simple
way to his household
The First Article
(Creation)
I believe in God the Father
Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
What does this mean?
1. I believe that God created me and all that exists,
and that He gave me my body and soul,
eyes, ears and all my members,
my mind and all my abilities.
2. And
I believe that God still preserves me
by richly and daily providing clothing and shoes
food and
drink, house and home, spouse and
children, land,
cattle and all I own,
and all I
need to keep my body and life.
3. God also preserves me by defending me
against
all danger,
guarding and
protecting me from all evil.
4. All this God does only because He is my
good
and merciful Father in heaven,
and not
because I have earned or deserved it.
5. For all this I ought to thank and praise,
serve and
obey Him.
This is most certainly true.
The Second Article
(Redemption)
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by
the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose
again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of
God the Father almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the
dead.
What does this mean?
1. I
believe that Jesus
Christ, true God,
Begotten
of the Father from eternity,
and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary,
is my Lord.
2.
He has redeemed me, a lost and
condemned
creature,
purchased and won
me from all sins
from death
and from the power of the devil,
not with
gold or silver,
but with His
holy, precious blood
and with His
innocent suffering and death.
3. All this He did that I should be His own,
and live
under Him in His kingdom,
and serve
Him in everlasting righteousness,
innocence and blessedness,
just as He
has risen from death and lives and
rules eternally.
This is most certainly true.
The Third Article
(Sanctification)
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion
of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life
everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean?
1. I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or
choosing
believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him
2. But
the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel,
enlightened me with His gifts
sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
3. In
the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens,
and sanctifies
the whole Christian Church on earth,
and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true
faith.
4. In
this Christian Church He daily and fully
forgives all sins to me and all believers.
5. On
the Last Day, He will raise me and all the
dead,
and give eternal life to me and all believers in
Christ.
This is most certainly true.
As the head of the family should
teach it in a simple way to his household
Our Father who art
in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy
name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day
our daily bread,
And forgive us our
trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against
us,
And lead us not
into temptation,
But deliver us from
evil.
For Thine
is the kingdom and the power and
the glory forever
and ever. Amen.
The Address
Our Father who art in Heaven
What does
this mean?
With these words God tenderly
invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true
children, so that we may pray to Him as boldly and confidently as dear children
ask their dear father.
The First Petition
Hallowed be Thy name
What does
this mean?
God's name is certainly
holy by itself, but we pray in this petition that we too may keep it holy.
How is God’s
name kept holy?
God's name is kept holy
when His Word is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as children of God,
lead holy lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven!
But whoever teaches and
lives contrary to God's Word dishonors God's name among us. Keep us from doing
this, dear Father in heaven!
The Second Petition
Thy kingdom come
What does
this mean?
God's kingdom certainly
comes by itself even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it
may also come to us.
How
does God’s kingdom come?
God’s kingdom comes when
our heavenly Father gives His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His
holy Word and lead a godly life now on earth and forever in heaven.
The Third Petition
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
What does
this mean?
God’s good and gracious
will certainly is done without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it
may be done among us also.
How is
God’s will done?
God's will is done when He
breaks and defeats every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our
sinful flesh, which try to prevent us from keeping God's name holy and letting
His kingdom come.
And God's will is done when
He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and in the faith as long as we
live. This is His good and gracious will.
The Fourth Petition
Give us this day our daily bread
What does
this mean?
God surely gives daily
bread without our asking, even to all the wicked, but we pray in this petition
that He would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with
thanksgiving.
What,
then, is meant by daily bread?
Daily bread includes
everything that we need for our bodily welfare, such as food and drink,
clothing and shoes, house and home, land and cattle, money and goods, a godly
spouse, godly children, godly workers, godly and faithful leaders, good
government, good weather, peace and order, health, a good name, good friends,
faithful neighbors, and the like.
The Fifth Petition
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
What does
this mean?
We pray in this petition
that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins or because of them deny
our prayers; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we ask, neither
have we deserved them, but we ask that He would give them all to us by grace;
for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment.
So we too will forgive from the
heart and gladly do good to those who sin against us.
The Sixth Petition
And lead us not into temptation
What does
this mean?
God surely tempts no one to
sin, but we pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us, so that the
devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us or lead us into false
belief, despair, and other great and shameful sins; and though we are tempted
by them, we pray that we may overcome and win the victory.
The Seventh Petition
But deliver us from evil
What does
this mean?
In conclusion we pray in this
petition that our Father in heaven would deliver us from every evil that
threatens body and soul, property and reputation, and finally when our last
hour comes, grant us a blessed end and graciously take us from this world of
sorrow to Himself in heaven.
The Doxology
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the
glory forever and ever.* Amen.
What does this mean?
We can be sure that these petitions are acceptable to our Father in
heaven and are heard by Him, for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this
way and has promised to hear us. Therefore we say, "Amen," "Yes,
it shall be so."
* These words were not in Luther’s Small Catechism. Luther’s original
question was, “What is meant by the word ‘Amen’?”
As the head of the family should teach it in a simple
way to his household
First
The Institution of Baptism
What is Baptism?
Baptism is not just plain
water, but it is water used by God's command and connected with God's Word.
Which is that Word of God?
Christ our Lord says in the
last chapter of Matthew, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit!"
(Matthew 28:19)
Second
The Blessings of Baptism
What
does Baptism do for us?
Baptism works forgiveness
of sin, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all
who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.
What
are these words and promises of God?
Christ our Lord says in the
last chapter of Mark, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not
believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16)
Third
The Power of Baptism
How
can water do such great things?
It is certainly not the
water that does such things, but God's Word which is in and with the water, and
faith which trusts this Word used with the water.
For without God's Word the
water is just plain water and not baptism. But with this Word it is baptism,
that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of rebirth by the Holy Spirit.
Where is this written?
St. Paul says in Titus,
chapter 3, "God saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy
Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so
that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope
of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.”
(Titus 3:5-8)
Fourth
The Meaning of Baptism for our Daily Life
What
does baptizing with water mean?
Baptism means that the old
Adam in us should be drowned by daily contrition and repentance, and that all
its evil deeds and desires be put to death. It also means that a new person
should daily arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Where
is this written?
As the head of the family should
teach it in a simple way to his household
First
What
is the use of the Keys?
The use of the Keys is that
special power and right which Christ gave to His church on earth, to forgive
the sins of penitent sinners but to refuse forgiveness to the impenitent as
long as they do not repent.
Where
is this written?
The holy Evangelist John
writes in chapter 20, "Jesus breathed on his disciples and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If
you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them,
they are not forgiven." (John 20:22-23)
Second
How does a Christian congregation use the Keys?*
A Christian congregation
with its called servant of Christ uses the Keys in accordance with Christ's
command by forgiving those who repent of their sin and are willing to amend,
and by excluding from the congregation those who are plainly impenitent that
they may repent.
I believe that, when this
is done, it is as valid and certain in heaven also, as if Christ, our dear
Lord, dealt with us Himself. (cf. Matthew 18)
* This question may not
have been composed by Luther himself but reflects his teaching and was included
in editions of the catechism during his lifetime.
As the head of the family should teach it in a simple
way to his household
What
is Confession?
Confession has two parts.
The one is that we confess
our sins;
the other, that we receive absolution or forgiveness
from the pastor as from God Himself,
not doubting but firmly believing that our sins are
thus forgiven before God in heaven.
What
sins should we confess?
Before God we should plead
guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's
Prayer.
But before the pastor we
should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.
How can we recognize these sins?
Consider your place in life
according to the Ten Commandments.
Are you a father, mother,
son, daughter, employer or employee?
Have you been disobedient,
unfaithful, or lazy? Have you hurt anyone by word or deed?
Have you been dishonest,
careless, wasteful, or done other wrong?
**A Short Form of Confession**
Luther
intended the following form to serve only as an example of private confession
for Christians of his time.
The penitent says:
Dear
confessor, I ask you to please hear my confession and to pronounce forgiveness
in order to fulfill God’s will.
I,
a poor sinner, plead guilty before God of all sins.
In particular, I confess before you
that…
Let
the penitent confess whatever else he has done against God’s commandments and
his own position. If, however, someone
does not find himself burdened with these or greater sins, he should not
trouble himself or search for or invent other sins, and thereby make confession
a torture. Instead, he should mention
one or two that he knows: in particular
I confess that I have cursed; I have used improper words; I have neglected this
or that, etc… Let that be enough. But if you know of none at
all (which hardly seems possible), then mention none in particular, but receive
the forgiveness upon the general confession which you make to God before the
confessor.
I am sorry for all of this
and I ask for grace.
I want to do better.
Then the confessor shall say:
God be merciful to you and
strengthen your faith. Amen.
Furthermore:
Do you believe that my
forgiveness is God’s forgiveness?
Yes,
dear confessor.
Then let him say:
Let it be done for you as you believe.
And I, by the command of our Lord
Jesus Christ, forgive you your sins in the name of the Father and of the † Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Go in † peace.
A confessor
will know additional passages with which to comfort and to strengthen the faith
of those who have great burdens of conscience or are sorrowful and
distressed. This is intended only as a
general form of confession.
As the head of the family should
teach it in a simple way to his household
First
The institution of the Lord’s Supper
What
is the sacrament of Holy Communion?
It is the true body and
blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ
for us Christians to eat and to drink.
Where
is this written?
The holy Evangelists
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the Apostle Paul tell us: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on
the night He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke
it and gave it to His disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body, which is
given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave
it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which
is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink
it, in remembrance of me."
Second
The Blessings of the Lord’s Supper
What
blessing do we receive through this eating and drinking?
That is shown us by these
words, "Given
and poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins." Through these words we receive forgiveness
of sins, life, and salvation in this sacrament. For where there is forgiveness
of sins, there is also life and salvation.
Third
The Power of the Lord’s Supper
How
can eating and drinking do such great things?
It is certainly not the
eating and drinking that does such things, but the words, "Given and poured out for
you for the forgiveness of sins." These words are the
main thing in this sacrament, along with the eating and drinking.
And whoever believes these
words has what they plainly say, the forgiveness of sins.
Fourth
The Reception of the Lord’s Supper
Who,
then, is properly prepared to receive this sacrament?
Fasting and other outward preparations may serve a good purpose, but he
is properly prepared who believes these words, "Given and poured out for you for the
forgiveness of sins." But whoever does not believe these words or
doubts them is not prepared, because the words "for you"
require nothing but hearts that believe.
How the head of the family should teach his
household to pray morning and evening.
Morning
Prayer
In the morning when you get up,
make the sign of the holy cross and say:
In the name of the Father, Son (†), and Holy
Spirit.
Amen.
Then kneeling or standing, repeat
the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. If you
choose, you may also say this little prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus
Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and
danger. Keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and
life may please You. Into Your hands I commend my body
and soul and all things. Let Your holy angel be with
me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen
Then
go joyfully to your work, singing a hymn, like that of the Ten Commandments, or
whatever your devotion may suggest.
Evening
Prayer
In the evening when you go to
bed, make the sign of the holy cross and say:
In the name of the Father, Son (†), and Holy
Spirit.
Amen.
Then kneeling or standing, repeat
the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. If you
choose, you may also say this little prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus
Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day. Forgive me
all my sins, and graciously keep me this night. Into Your hands I commend my
body and soul and all things. Let Your holy angel be
with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen
Then go
to sleep at once and in good cheer.
Asking a Blessing
The children and
members of the household shall go to the table reverently, fold their hands,
and say:
The eyes of all look to you, O Lord, and you
give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the
desires of every living thing. Amen. (Psalm 145:15-16)
Then shall be said the Lord’s Prayer and the following:
Lord God,
heavenly Father, bless us through these gifts which we receive from Your
bountiful goodness, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Returning Thanks
Also, after
eating, they shall, in like manner, reverently and with folded hands say:
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures
forever. Amen. (Psalm 136:1)
Then shall be
said the Lord’s Prayer and the following:
Lord God,
heavenly Father, we thank You for all your gifts, through Jesus Christ, our
Lord. Amen.
Certain passages of Scripture for various Holy Orders
and positions, admonishing them about their duties and responsibilities.
TO BISHOPS, PASTORS, AND PREACHERS
Now the overseer must be above reproach, the
husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable,
able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not
quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with
proper respect. (1 Timothy 3:2-4)
He
must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the
same judgment as the devil. (1 Timothy 3:6)
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy
message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound
doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
(Titus 1:9)
WHAT THE HEARERS OWE THEIR PASTORS
AND TEACHERS
In the same way, the Lord has commanded that
those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. (1
Corinthians 9:14)
Anyone who receives instruction in the word
must share all good things with his instructor.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
(Galatians 6:6-7)
The elders who
direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially
those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the
Scripture says, "The worker deserves his wages." (1 Timothy 5:17,18.)
Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those
who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.
Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace
with each other. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)
Obey
your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who
must give an account. Obey them so that
their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to
you. (Hebrews 13:17.)
OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT
Everyone must
submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except
that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been
established by God. Consequently, he who
rebels against theauthority is rebelling against what
God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
For he is God's
servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not
bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring
punishment on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:1-4.)
OF CITIZENS
Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God
what is God’s. (Matthew 22:21)
It is necessary to submit to the
authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of
conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s
servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe
him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then
respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:5-7)
I urge, then, first of all, that requests,
prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all
those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness
and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
Remind the people to be subject to rulers
and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good. (Titus 3:1)
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to
every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme
authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong
and to commend those who do right. (1
Peter 2:13-14)
TO HUSBANDS
Husbands, [in the same way] be
considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the
weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that
nothing will hinder your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7)
Husbands, love your wives
and do not be harsh with them. (Colossians 3:19.)
TO WIVES
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
(Ephesians 5:22)
They
were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and
called him master. You are her daughters
if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. (l
Peter 3:5-6.)
TO PARENTS
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead,
bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
TO CHILDREN
Children, obey
your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
"Honor your father and mother--which is the first commandment with
a promise---that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on
the earth." (Ephesians 6:1-3.)
TO WORKERS OF ALL KINDS
[Slaves], obey your earthly masters with respect
and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them
not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of
Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you
were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward
everyone for whatever good he does. (Ephesians 6:5-8.)
TO EMPLOYERS AND SUPERVISORS
[And masters,] Treat your slaves in the same way.
Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours
is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. (Ephesians 6:9.)
TO YOUTH
Young men, be submissive to those who are older.
Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because "God opposes
the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore,
under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:5-6.)
TO WIDOWS
The widow who is really in need and left all alone
puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for
help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. (1 Timothy 5:5-6.)
TO EVERYONE
The commandments are summed up in this one rule:
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Romans 13:9)
I urge …that requests, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for everyone. (1 Timothy 2:1.)
Let each his
lesson learn with care, and all the household well shall fare.
Prepared by Dr. Martin Luther for those who intend to
go to the sacrament.
After
confession and instruction in the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s
Prayer, and the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the pastor may
ask, or Christians may ask themselves these questions.
1.
Do you believe that you are a sinner?
Yes, I believe it. I am a sinner.
2.
Ho do you know this?
From the Ten
Commandments, which I have not kept.
3.
Are you sorry for your sins?
Yes, I am sorry that I have sinned against
God.
4.
What have you deserved from God because of your sins?
His wrath and
displeasure, temporal death, and eternal damnation. (Romans 6:21, 23)
5.
Do you hope to be saved?
Yes, that is my hope.
6.
In whom then do you trust?
In my dear Lord
Jesus Christ.
7.
Who is Christ?
The Son of God,
true God and man.
8.
How many Gods are there?
Only one, but there are three persons:
Father, Son and
Holy Spirit.
9.
What has Christ done for you that you trust in Him?
He died for me and shed His blood for me on
the cross for the forgiveness of sins.
10. Did the Father also die for you?
He did not.
The Father is God only, as is the Holy Spirit; but the Son is both true
God and true man.
He died for me and shed His blood for me.
11. How do you know this?
From the Holy Gospel,
from the words instituting the Sacrament,
and by His body and blood given me as a pledge
in the Sacrament.
12. What are the words of
institution?
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
on the night He was betrayed, took bread,
and when He had given thanks,
He broke it and gave it to the disciples and
said:
“Take and eat, this is My
body, which is given for you. Do this in
remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after
supper, and when He had given thanks,
He gave it to them, saying: “Drink from it, all of you; this is My blood of the new covenant,
which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance
of Me.”
13. Do you believe, then, that the
true body and blood of Christ are in the Sacrament?
Yes, I believe it.
14. What convinces you to believe
this?
The word of Christ:
Take, eat, this is My
body;
drink of it, all of you, this is My blood.
15. What should we do when we eat His
body and drink His blood, and in this way receive His pledge?
We should remember and proclaim His death
and the shedding of His blood, as He taught us:
Do this, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of Me.
16. Why should we remember and
proclaim His death?
First, so we may learn to believe that no
creature could make satisfaction for our sins.
Only Christ, true God and man, could do
that.
Second, so we may learn to be horrified by
our sins, and to regard them as very serious.
Third, so we may find joy and comfort in
Christ alone, and through faith in Him be saved.
17. What motivated Christ to die and
make full payment for your sins?
His great love for His Father and for me and
other sinners, as it is written in John 14; Romans 5; Galatians 2 and Ephesians
5.
18. Finally, why do you wish to go to
the Sacrament?
That I may learn to believe that Christ, out
of great love, died for my sin, and also learn from Him to love God and my
neighbor.
19. What should admonish and encourage
a Christian to receive the Sacrament frequently?
First, both the
command and the promise of Christ the Lord.
Second, his own
pressing need, because of which the command, encouragement, and promise are
given.
20. But what should you do if you are
not aware of this need and have no hunger and thirst for the Sacrament?
To such a person no better advice can be
given than this:
First, he should touch his body to see if he
still has flesh and blood. Then he
should believe what the Scriptures say of it in Galatians 5 and Romans 7.
Second, he should look around to see whether
he is still in the world, and remember that there will be no lack of sin and
trouble, as the Scriptures say in John 15-16 and in 1 John 2 and 5.
Third, he will certainly have the devil also
around him, who with his lying and murdering day and night will let him have no
peace, within or without, as the Scriptures picture him in John 8 and 16; 1
Peter 5; Ephesians 6; and 2 Timothy 2.
Note
These
questions and answers are no child’s play, but are drawn up with great
earnestness by the venerable and devout Dr. Luther for both young and old.
Let each
one pay attention and consider it a serious matter; for