The Heidelberg Catechism
<< Q 35 & 36
Question 60. How are you righteous before God?
Note: This question is found in the section headed "Lord's Day 23" in Part Two which deals with Our Deliverance.
Answer:
Only by true faith in Jesus Christ.1
Although my conscience accuses me that I have grievously sinned against all God's commandments, have never kept any of them,2
and am still inclined to all evil,3
yet God, without any merit of my own,4
out of mere grace,5
imputes to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ.6
He grants these to me as if I had never had nor committed any sin, and as if I myself had accomplished all the obedience which Christ has rendered for me,7
if only I accept this gift with a believing heart.8
Scriptural support
1 Rom 3:21-28; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8, 9; Phil 3:8-11.
2 Rom 3:9, 10.
3 Rom 7:23.
4 Deut 9:6; Ezek 36:22; Tit 3:4, 5.
5 Rom 3:24; Eph 2:8.
6 Rom 4:3-5; 2 Cor 5:17-19; 1 Jn 2:1, 2.
7 Rom 4:24, 25; 2 Cor 5:21.
8 Jn 3:18; Acts 16:30, 31; Rom 3:22.
standard citation for this article:
“The Heidelberg Catechism”,
27 Jan 2008,
Gilnahirk Baptist Church Web site.
http://www.gilnahirkbaptist.org.uk/resources/worship/heidelberg.060.php (accessed 31 Jul 2010).
SIDEBAR
The text is based on an HTML adaption of the e-text version provided by The Christian Classsics Ethereal Library (CCEL). You can read a brief History of the Heidelberg Catechism in Cyclopedia Of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, by James Strong & John McClintock.
The text is also available at the Website of the Canadian and American Reformed Churches Book of Praise: Heidelberg Catechism, revised 2004.
Note. This Catechism is fully based on the Scriptures. The references to Scripture are indicated in parentheses with a letter. For example, the letter (a) points to the texts (a) placed after the answer.
Carl R. Trueman writes about the catechism, "I was asked recently what I read to keep myself sane (if indeed I am such), and I responded that the Heidelberg Catechism, with its pastoral overview of the basics of the Christian faith, has become my constant companion over the years. . . . the Catechism covers the Apostle's Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer. It is pretty basic material. It takes less than an hour to read, but more than a lifetime to master." ("A Lesson from Peter the Barber" (Minority Report), Themelios, 34:1 (April 2009): 4-5)
