Lord's Day #7
20. Q. Are all men, then, saved by Christ as they perished through Adam?
A. No; but only those who by a true faith are ingrafted into him and receive all his benefits.
21. Q. What is true faith?
A. True faith is not only a sure knowledge, whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in his Word, but also a firm confidence which the Holy Spirit works in my heart by the gospel, that not only to others, but to me also, remission of sins, everlasting righteousness and salvation are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits.
22. Q. What, then, is necessary for a Christian to believe?
A. All that is promised us in the gospel, which the articles of our catholic and undoubted Christian faith teach us in a summary.
23. Q. What are these articles?
A. I. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
II. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord;
III. Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary;
IV. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell;
V. The third day he rose again from the dead;
VI. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
VII. From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
VIII. I believe in the Holy Spirit.
IX. I believe a holy catholic Church, the communion of saints;
X. The forgiveness of sins;
XI. The resurrection of the body;
XII. And the life everlasting. |
