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The Small Catechism of Martin Luther
The Ten Commandments The First Commandment Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
What does this mean? We
must respect, love, and trust God more than anything else.
The Second Commandment Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
What does this mean? We
must respect and love God, so that we will not use
God's
name to curse, swear, cast a spell, lie or deceive, but will use
it to call upon God, pray to God, praise and thank God in all
times of trouble.
The Third Commandment Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it
holy.
What does this mean? We must respect and love God, so that we will
not look
down on preaching or God's Word, but consider it holy, listen
to it willingly, and learn it.
The Fourth Commandment Thou shalt honor
thy father and thy
mother, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long
on the earth.
What does this mean? We must respect and love God, so that we will
neither look
down on our parents or superiors nor irritate them, but will honor
them, serve them, obey them, love them, and value them.
The Fifth Commandment Thou shalt not kill.
What does this mean? We must respect and love God, so that we will
neither harm
nor hurt our neighbors' bodies, but help our neighbors and care
for them when they are ill.
The Sixth Commandment Thou shalt not commit adultery.
What does this mean? We
must respect and love God, so that our words and
actions
will be clean and decent and so that everyone will love and honor
their spouses.
The Seventh Commandment Thou shalt not steal.
What does this mean? We
must respect and love God, so that we will neither take
our neighbors' money or property, nor acquire it by fraud or by
selling them poorly made products, but will help them improve
and protect their property and career.
The Eighth Commandment Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
What does this mean? We must respect and love God, so that we will
not deceive
by lying, betraying, slandering or ruining our neighbors' reputations,
but will defend them, say good things about them, and see the
best side of everything they do.
The Ninth Commandment Thou shalt not
covet thy neighbor's
house.
What does this mean? We must respect and love God, so that we will
not attempt
to trick our neighbors out of their inheritance or house, take
it by pretending to have a right to it, etc., but help them to
keep and improve it.
The Tenth Commandment Thou shalt not
covet thy neighbor's
wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle,
nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
What does this mean? We must respect and love God, so that we will
not release
our neighbors' cattle, take their employees from them or seduce
their spouses, but urge them to stay and do what they ought to
do.
The Conclusion to the Commandments What does God say to us about all these commandments? This is what God says:
"I am the Lord Your God. I am a jealous God. I plague the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who hate me with their ancestor's sin. But I make whole those who love me for a thousand generations.'' What does this mean? God
threatens to punish everyone who breaks these
commandments.
We should be afraid of God's anger because of this and not violate
such commandments. But God promises grace and all good things
to those who keep such commandments. Because of this, we, too,
should love and trust God, and willingly do what God's commandments
require.
------------------------------------------------------------------------Originally translated in 1994 by the Rev. Robert E. Smith; language significantly altered. Public domain. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Apostles' Creed ------------------------------- The First Article: On Creation I
believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth. What does this mean? I
believe that God created me, along with all creatures.
God gave to me: body and soul, eyes, ears and all the other parts
of my body, my mind and all my senses and preserves them as well.
God gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and land,
spouse and children, fields, animals, and all I own. Every day
God abundantly provides everything I need to nourish this body
and life. God protects me against all danger, shields and defends
me from all evil. God does all this because of pure, fatherly,
and divine goodness and mercy, not because I've earned it or deserved
it. For all of this, I must thank, praise, serve,and obey God.
Yes, this is true!
The Second Article: On Redemption I
believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. What does this mean? I
believe that Jesus Christ is truly God, born of the
Father
in eternity and also truly human, born of the Virgin Mary. Christ
is my Lord! Christ redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, bought
and won me from all sins, death, and the authority of the Devil.
It did not cost him gold or silver, but his holy, precious blood,
his innocent body -- his death! Because of this, I am Christ's
very own, will live under Christ in his kingdom and serve Christ
righteously, innocently and blessedly forever, just as Christ
is risen from death, lives and reigns forever. Yes, this is true!
The Third Article: On Becoming Holy (Sanctification) I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. What does this mean? I believe that I cannot come to my Lord Jesus
Christ by
my own intellegence or power. But the Holy Spirit called me by
the Gospel, enlightened me with her gifts, made me holy and kept
me in the true faith, just as she calls, gathers together, enlightens
and makes holy the whole Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus
in the one, true faith. In this Church, she generously forgives
each day every sin committed by me and by every believer. On the
last day, she will raise me and all the dead from the grave. She
will give eternal life to me and to all who believe in Christ.
Yes, this is true!
------------------------------------------------------------------------Originally translated in 1994 by the Rev. Robert E. Smith; language significantly altered. Public domain. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Lord's Prayer --------------------------- Introduction Our
Father, who art in heaven,
What does this mean? In this introduction, God invites us to
believe that God
is our real Father and we are God's real children, so that we
will pray with trust and complete confidence, in the same way
beloved children approach their beloved Father with their requests.
The First Petition hallowed by thy Name, What does this mean? Of course, God's name is holy in and of
itself, but by
this request, we pray that God will make it holy among us, too.
How does this take place? When God's Word is taught clearly and purely,
and when
we live holy lives as God's children based upon it. Help us, Heavenly
Father, to do this! But anyone who teaches and lives by something
other than God's Word defiles God's name among us. Protect us
from this, Heavenly Father!
The Second Petition thy
kingdom come,
What does this mean? Truly
God's Kingdom comes by itself, without our prayer.
But we pray in this request that it come to us as well.
How does this happen? When the Heavenly Father gives us the Holy
Spirit, so that
we believe God's holy Word by God's grace and live godly lives
here in this age and there in eternal life.
The Third Petition thy will be done, on earth as it
is in heaven.
What does this mean? Truly, God's good and gracious will is
accomplished
without
our prayer. But we pray in this request that is be accomplished
among us as well.
How does this happen? When God destroys and interferes with every
evil will and
all evil advice, which will not allow God's Kingdom to come, such
as the Devil's will, the world's will and will of our bodily desires.
It also happens when God strengthens us by faith and by the Word
and keeps living by them faithfully until the end of our lives.
This is God's will, good and full of grace.
The Fourth Petition Give
us this day our daily bread.
What does this mean? Truly, God gives daily bread to evil people,
even without
our prayer. But we pray in this request that God will help us
realize this and receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
What does ``Daily Bread'' mean? Everything that nourishes our body and meets
its needs,
such as: Food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, yard, fields, cattle,
money, possessions, a devout spouse, devout children, devout employees,
devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace,
health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and
other things like these.
The Fifth Petition And
forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass
against us.
What does this mean? We pray in this request that our Heavenly
Father will
neither
pay attention to our sins nor refuse requests such as these because
of our sins and because we are neither worthy nor deserve the
things for which we pray. Yet God wants to give them all to us
by God's grace, because many times each day we sin and truly deserve
only punishment. Because God does this, we will, of course, want
to forgive from our hearts and willingly do good to those who
sin against us.
The Sixth Petition And lead us not into temptation,
What does this mean? God
tempts no one, of course, but we pray in this request
that God will protect us and save us, so that the Devil, the world
and our bodily desires will neither deceive us nor seduce us into
heresy, despair or other serious shame or vice, and so that we
will win and be victorious in the end, even if they attack us.
The Seventh Petition but
deliver us from evil.
What does this mean? We pray in this request, as a summary, that
our Father
in Heaven will save us from every kind of evil that threatens
body, soul, property and honor. We pray that when at last our
final hour has come, God will grant us a blessed death, and, in
God's grace, bring us to Godself from this valley of tears.
Amen. Amen.
What does this mean? That I should be certain that such prayers
are acceptable
to the Father in Heaven and will be granted, that God has indeed
commanded us to pray in this way and that God promises to answer
us. Amen. Amen. This means: Yes, yes it will happen this way.
------------------------------------------------------------------------Originally translated in 1994 by the Rev. Robert E. Smith; language significantly altered. Public domain. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Holy Baptism ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 What is Baptism? Baptism
is not just plain water, but it is water contained
within God's command and united with God's Word.
Which Word of God is this? The
one which our Lord Christ spoke in the last chapter
of Matthew:
"Go into all the world, teaching all nations, and baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'' 2 What does Baptism give? What good is it? It gives the forgiveness of sins, redeems
from death and
the Devil, gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, just
as God's words and promises declare.
What are these words and promises of God? Our
Lord Christ spoke one of them in the last chapter of
Mark:
"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be damned.'' 3 How can water do such great things? Water doesn't make these things happen, of
course. It is
God's Word, which is with and in the water. Because, without God's
Word, the water is plain water and not Baptism. But with God's
Word it is a Baptism, a grace-filled water of life, a bath of
new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul said to Titus in the
third chapter:
"Through this bath of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which was poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, that we, justified by the same grace are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying.'' 4 What is the meaning of such a water Baptism? It
means that the old Adam in us should be drowned by
daily
sorrow and repentance, and die with all sins and evil lusts, and,
in turn, a new person daily come forth and rise from death again.
He will live forever before God in righteousness and purity.
Where is this written? St.
Paul says to the Romans in chapter six: "We are
buried with Christ through Baptism into death, so that, in the
same way Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father,
thus also must we walk in a new life.''
------------------------------------------------------------------------Originally translated in 1994 by the Rev. Robert E. Smith; language significantly altered. Public domain. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Confession ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 What is confession? Confession
has two parts:
First, a person admits his or her sin Second, a person receives absolution or forgiveness from the confessor, as if from God Godself, without doubting it, but believing firmly that his or her sins are forgiven by God in Heaven through it. 2 Which sins should people confess? When speaking to God, we should plead guilty
to all sins,
even those we don't know about, just as we do in the Lord's
Prayer, but when speaking to the confessor, only the sins
we know about, which we know about and feel in our hearts.
Which are these? Consider here your place in life according to
the Ten
Commandments. Are you a father? A mother? A son? A daughter?
A husband? A wife? A servant? Are you disobedient, unfaithful
or lazy? Have you hurt anyone with your words or actions? Have
you stolen, neglected your duty, let things go or injured someone?
------------------------------------------------------------------------Originally translated in 1994 by the Rev. Robert E. Smith; language significantly altered. Public domain. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Sacrament of the Altar ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 What is the Sacrament of the Altar? It is the true Body and Blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ
under bread and wine for us Christians to eat and to drink, established
by Christ himself.
2 Where is that written? The holy apostles Matthew, Mark, and Luke and
St. Paul
write this:
Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night on which he was betrayed, took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to his disciples and said: ``Take. Eat. This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.'' In the same way he also took the cup after supper, gave thanks, gave it to them, and said: ``Take and drink from it, all of you. This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you to forgive sins. This do, as often as you drink it, to remember me.'' 3 What good does this eating and drinking do? These words tell us: ``Given for you'' and
``Shed for you
to forgive sins.'' Namely, that the forgiveness of sins, life,
and salvation are given to us through these words in the Sacrament.
Because, where sins are forgiven, there is life and salvation
as well.
4 How can physical eating and drinking do such great things? Of course, eating and drinking do not do
these things.
These words, written here, do them: ``given for you'' and ``shed
for you to forgive sins.'' These words, along with physical eating
and drinking are the important part of the sacrament. Anyone who
believes these words has what they say and what they record, namely,
the forgiveness of sins.
5 Who, then, receives such a sacrament in a worthy way? Of course, fasting and other physical
preparations are
excellent disciplines for the body. But anyone who believes these
words, ``Given for you,'' and ``Shed for you to forgive sins,''
is really worthy and well prepared. But whoever doubts or does
not believe these words is not worthy and is unprepared, because
the words, ``for you'' demand a heart that fully believes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------Originally translated in 1994 by the Rev. Robert E. Smith; language significantly altered. Public domain. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Devotions -------------------- Morning Devotions As soon as you get out of bed in
the morning, you should
bless yourself with the sign of the Holy Cross and say:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Then, kneeling or standing, say the Creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. If you wish, then you may pray this little prayer as well: My Heavenly Father, I thank you, through Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, that you kept me safe from all evil and danger last night. Save me, I pray, today as well, from every evil and sin, so that all I do and the way that I live will please you. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let your holy Angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen. After that, with joy go about your work and perhaps sing a song inspired by the Ten Commandments or your own thoughts. When you go to bed in the evening,
you should bless
yourself with the sign of the Holy Cross and say:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Then, kneeling or standing, say the Creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. If you wish, then you may pray this little prayer as well: My Heavenly Father, I thank you, through Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, that you have protected me by your grace. Forgive, I pray, all my sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by your grace, tonight. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let your holy angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen. After this, go to sleep immediately with joy. The
children and servants should come to the table
modestly and with folded hands and say:
All eyes look to you, O Lord, and you give everyone food at the right time. You open your generous hands and satisfy the hunger of all living things with what they desire. Note: "What they desire'' means that all animals get so much to eat, that they are happy and cheerful. Because, worry and greed interferes with such desires. After this, pray the Lord's Prayer and the following prayer: Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless us and these gifts, which we receive from your generous hand, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |