Lord's Day 21

Question 54. What believest thou concerning the "holy catholic church" of Christ?
Answer. That the Son of God [a] from the [b] beginning to the end of the world, gathers, [c] defends, and [d] preserves to himself by his [e] Spirit and word, out of the [f] whole human race, a [g] church chosen to everlasting life, agreeing in true faith; and that I am and for ever shall remain, a [h] living member thereof.

Question 55. What do you understand by "the communion of saints"?
Answer. First, that all and every one, who believes, being members of Christ, are in common, [i] partakers of him, and of all his riches and gifts; secondly, that every one must know it to be his duty, readily and [j] cheerfully to employ his gifts, for the advantage and salvation of other members.

Question 56. What believest thou concerning "the forgiveness of sins"?
Answer. That God, for the sake of [k] Christ's satisfaction will no more [l] remember my sins, neither my corrupt nature, against which I have to struggle all my life long; but will graciously impute to me the righteousness of Christ; that I may never be [m] condemned before the tribunal of God.
A Brief Topical Index to the
Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day

Lord's Day #

  1. Our Only Comfort and its Enjoyment
  2. The Knowledge of our Misery by the Law
  3. The Source of our Misery, not by Creation but by the Fall, and its Extent
  4. The Justice of God and the Necessity of Satisfaction and Atonement
  5. The Way of Satisfaction, not by any mere Creature
  6. The Mediator We Need, Jesus Christ
  7. Saved by Christ of Grace though True Faith
  8. The Triune God
  9. God the Father, Creation
  10. The Providence of God
  11. Jesus the Complete Savior
  12. Christ's Anointing and Ours in Him
  13. The Only Begotten Son, Our Lord
  14. The Birth of Christ, our Mediator
  15. Jesus Suffering an Accursed Death
  16. Jesus' Death, Burial, and Hellish Agony
  17. Jesus' Resurrection
  18. Jesus' Ascension to Glory
  19. Jesus' Exalted Glory and Coming to Judge
  20. The Holy Ghost
  21. The Church of Christ
  22. The Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting
  23. Righteous before God in Christ by Faith Without Works
  24. Works, Not our Righteousness but its fruit and Graciously Rewarded
  25. Faith Wrought of the Spirit by the Word and Confirmed by the Sacraments
  26. The Sign and Seal of Baptism
  27. The Washing by the Blood and Spirit of Christ, Signified, Embracing also the Infants of Believers
  28. The Sign and Seal of the Lord's Supper
  29. The Spiritual Presence of Christ, Signified, and Communion with Him
  30. The Error of the Mass and the Necessity of Supervision of the Lord's Supper
  31. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, Preaching and Church Discipline
  32. The Necessity of Conversion and the Fruit of Good Works
  33. The Grace of Conversion and its Elements
  34. The Law the Rule of Gratitude and the First Commandment
  35. The Second Commandment
  36. The Third Commandment
  37. A Godly Oath in God's Name
  38. The Fourth Commandment
  39. The Fifth Commandment
  40. The Sixth Commandment
  41. The Seventh Commandment
  42. The Eighth Commandment
  43. The Ninth Commandment
  44. The Tenth Commandment and the Imperfect Christian
  45. Prayer the Chief Part of Gratitude, The Requisites of Prayer
  46. Our Father, Which Art in Heaven
  47. Hallowed be Thy Name
  48. Thy Kingdom Come
  49. Thy Will Be Done
  50. Prayer for Daily Bread
  51. Prayer for Forgiveness of sins
  52. Temptation and Deliverance, Concluding Prayer
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Scriptural Proof
  1. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10:11

  2. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Gen. 26:4

  3. Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Rom. 9:24;

    That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: Eph. 1:10

  4. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, John 10:16

  5. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; Isa. 59:12

  6. Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD' thy God, the earth also , with all that therein is . Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. Deut 10:14,15

  7. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Acts 13:48

  8. Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 1Cor. 1:8,9;

    Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Rom. 8:35ff

  9. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:3,4;

    He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Rom. 8:32;

    For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 1Cor. 12:13

  10. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 1Cor. 13:5;

    Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Phil. 2:4,5,6

  11. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1John 2:2;

    To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. ... For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2Cor. 5:19,21

  12. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.Jer. 31:34;

    Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; ... He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. Psa. 103:3,4,10,11;

    There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: Rom. 8:1,2,3

  13. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18
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