The other day Carson and I were watching VeggieTales, you know… Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber, and all the other vegetable characters that “teach” lessons from the Bible. As I sat there watching, I began thinking to myself whether or not this animated show was really teaching biblical truths and concepts. Even though the characters were reenacting and explaining Bible stories, my skepticism grew the more I watched and listened. After the show was over, I did a quick Internet search to see what others might have to say about this program. What I found was rather interesting. On September 24th, 2011, WORLDmag.com published an interview with VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer in which he admitted and repented of teaching moralism rather than Christianity in all of the VeggieTales episodes.

“After the bankruptcy I had kind of a forced sabbatical of three or four months of spending time with God and listening to Him. I looked back at the previous 10 years and realized I had spent 10 years trying to convince kids to behave Christianly without actually teaching them Christianity. And that was a pretty serious conviction. You can say, ‘Hey kids, be more forgiving because the Bible says so,’ or ‘Hey kids, be more kind because the Bible says so!’ But that isn’t Christianity, it’s morality.” [1]

What is moralism, and why is not a biblical theology? The distinction between moralism and biblical Christianity is rather simple but can often be overlooked if not careful. At the core, moralism is a “religion” which teaches that man ought to live a life of good moral character by continually doing what is right. While you might be thinking there is nothing wrong with this statement, the serious deficiency of moralism is that it never presents the  gospel message. Moralism preaches that we are to do what is right, but it never addresses the fact that we are unable to do what is right before God.  VeggieTales is just one example of how teaching Bible stories and morality from scripture doesn’t necessarily mean biblical truth is being taught. We can teach our children every moral principal in scripture but if the gospel message is missing, it is nothing more than the self-righteous philosophy found in many of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day.

As I mentioned earlier, the problem with moralism is that it calls people to live a life of morality (based on God’s law) but neglects to teach about man’s inability to do good or to point to the covenant of grace of Jesus Christ. Moralism presents an incomplete story. For a complete understanding of biblical truth, which we need to be teaching our children, we must comprehend the difference between the law and the gospel and how both impact the life of a believer.

The Bible teaches that God requires man to obey his law (morality). The scriptures also teach that all of mankind is unable to keep those very same commands.  Therefore, God intended his law to have a “pedagogical use (usus elenchticus sive paedagogicus); it shows people their sin and points them to mercy and grace outside of themselves” (Lems). While God’s law reveals his will and standards for mankind, it also brings individuals to the realization that they are in need of the gospel; this is what is lacking in moralism. What man is unable to do according to the law, Christ did in our place- by living a perfect life to the law and paying the ransom for our sins by dying on the cross. God’s law and the Gospel of Jesus Christ work together in the life of an individual to bring about a saving faith.

God’s law not only points someone to Christ but it also guides the believer on how he or she shall live. God’s law has a “normative use (usus didacticus sive normativus) which means this use of the law is for those who trust in Christ and have been saved through faith apart from works” (Lems). The law cannot save people because they are unable to keep it. But God’s law does instruct believers on how they are to behave in the family of God. God’s law is what helps guide believers in the process of becoming holy as God is holy. The commands found in scripture play an essential role in the sanctification process of a believer. While we are to keep the commands of God, we must never forget that our ability to do so comes from the work of Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection has set believers free from the bondage of sin and prepared the way for the Holy Spirit to dwell within believers, to guide and direct them into righteousness.

In raising children and living the Christian life, we must guard against becoming moralistic, demanding do’s and don’ts without grace or mercy. We must also be cautious in becoming antinomian, believing that God’s law is of no use to believers since they have faith in Christ. As Christians and as parents, we must use God’s law the way he intended it to be used- to reveal his will to mankind, to point people to Christ for salvation, and to bring about holiness in those who have faith in Jesus Christ.

Tags: Gospel, Law, Moralism, VeggieTales

Posted in Articles Gospel Law Moralism VeggieTales Theology
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Doctrinal Standard #30

• Q. How does the Holy Spirit apply to us the redemption Christ bought?
• A. The Spirit applies to us the redemption Christ bought by producing faith in us and so uniting us to Christ in our effective calling.

Memory Verses

• “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, ESV).

Scripture

• Study Passage: John 15:1-11
  • Support Passages: II Timothy 2:11-13, Romans 6:3-11, Galatians 2:20, I Corinthians 6:15-17, Ephesians 1:22-23
• Bible Story: Exodus 28

Thoughts

• In John 15:5 Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” It is only by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ that allows the “vines,” to be connected to the “branch.” Because of Jesus death and resurrection the Holy Spirit is able to dwell within the believer, producing faith and good works that is pleasing to the Father in heaven. Man’s responsibility in this work is to respond and act upon the leading and conviction of the Holy Spirit.
• Exodus 28 might seem a little ambiguous on how the priestly garments apply to this doctrinal standard. When reading Exodus we must remember that it is during the epic of redemptive history referred to as the kingdom prefigured. During this time in history, God is providing an image or picture of something to come. In the Exodus 28 passage Moses gives three commands about the garments that picture or prefigure the work of Jesus Christ.
  • Exodus 28:30 – And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the Lord. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.

• Exodus 28:38 – It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
• Exodus 28:43 – and they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister in the Holy Place, lest they bear guilt and die. This shall be a statute forever for him and for his offspring after him.
• These commands in Exodus were given during the epic of the kingdom being prefigured, therefore, they provide a picture or image of something being fulfilled in the later epics. The first thing we see is that man must be covered when approaching the Almighty Lord. This dates back to after the Fall. After Adam and Eve sinned they were no longer naked but covered when they came before God. Exodus 28 explains how the priests were to be covered when they worshiped before the Lord. The priestly garments prefigured or were pictures of what would eventually be fulfilled by the Messiah. While the garments covered the priest as they came before God, New Covenant believers are covered with the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ uniting and making them acceptable before God.

Discussion Questions

• Does mankind, left to their own will, follow God? Explain.
• Read John 15:1-11. How do we become connected to the branch? (WSC #30)
• If God creates the connection between the branch and vine what part do we play in the process?
• If God is the one who gives salvation and we cannot lose our salvation why does Jesus warn us about not following after Him in John 15:1-11? (Refer to Lesson 29).
• Adam and Eve were covered after they sinned, the priests were dressed properly when they worshiped the Lord, and how are believers properly covered to worship God? Explain.

Tags: Westminster Shorter Catechism

Posted in Devotional Thoughts Westminster Shorter Catechism Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady Exodus 28 John 15
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Doctrinal Standard #29

• Q. How are we made to take part in the redemption Christ bought?
• A. We take part in the redemption Christ bought when the Holy Spirit effectively applies it to us.

Memory Verses

• “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21, ESV).

Scripture

• Study Passage: Hebrews 5:11-6:12
  • Support Passages: Matthew 7:15-23, 13:1-23,; Romans 2:17-3:8, 11:1-10; I Corinthians 2:1-16; II Timothy 2:14-21; Titus 3:4-7
• Bible Story: Acts 5:1-11

Thoughts

• The London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 provides a thorough and well-balanced explanation between the effectiveness of God’s salvation in the lives of believers and the responsibility to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).
• LBC 18.1 “Although temporary believers, and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions that [in an unspiritual way they take it for granted] they are in the favour of God and in a state of salvation, such a hope on their part will perish [die away]. Yet those who truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love Him in sincerity, and who endeavour to walk in all good conscience before Him, may be certainly assured in this life that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And such a hope shall never make them ashamed. [It will never disappoint them or let them down, for God will bless them, hear their prayers, and finally take them to glory.]”
• LBC 18.2 “This assurance is not merely a conjectural persuasion nor even a probable persuasion [something supposed to be true on slender grounds] based upon a fallible hope. It is an infallible assurance of faith founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel. [It is based on a historical act of the Savior of the world.] It is also founded upon the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit [marks or evidence of grace] in connection with definite promises made in the Scriptures, and also on the testimony [evidence] of the Spirit of adoption who witnesses with our spirits that we are the children of God [a felt, spiritual assurance], and who uses the experience of assurance to keep our hearts both humble and holy.”
• LBC 18.3 “This infallible assurance is not so joined to the essence of faith that it is an automatic and inevitable experience. A true believer may wait long and fight with many difficulties before he becomes a partaker of it. Yet, being enabled by the spirit to know the things which are freely given to him by God, he may, without any extraordinary revelation attain this assurance by using the means of grace in the right way. Therefore it is the duty of every one to give the utmost diligence to make his calling and election sure, so that his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness for carrying out the duties of obedience. These duties are the natural fruits of assurance, for it is far from inclining men to slackness.”
• LBC 18.4 “True believers may have the assurance of their salvation in various ways shaken, diminished, or intermitted [suspended for a time]. This may be because of their negligence in preserving it, or by their falling into some special sin which wounds the conscience and grieves the Spirit, or by some sudden or forceful temptation, or by God’s withdrawing the light of His countenance, and causing even those who fear Him to walk in darkness and to have no light. Yet, [whatever the cause or duration of the impairment of assurance] believers are never left without the seed of God [essential spiritual identity] and life of faith [that hold on eternal values], that love of Christ and the brethren that sincerity of heart and that conscience about their spiritual duty. Out of these things, by the operation of the Spirit, their assurance can in due time be revived, and in the meantime the presence of these graces preserves them from utter despair.” [1]

Discussion Questions

• Who is the author of our salvation?
• How does the Holy Spirit help us with our salvation?
• How can we know if we are saved?
• Philippians 2:12 says, “therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” What does this mean?
• Why should we be both confident yet cautious with our salvation?

Tags: London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689, Westminster Shorter Catechism

Posted in Devotional Thoughts London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689 Westminster Shorter Catechism Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady Acts 5 Hebrews 5
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Doctrinal Standard #28 (3 of 3 weeks)

• Q. How is Christ exalted?
• A. Christ is exalted by His rising from the dead on the third day, His going up into heaven, His sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and His coming to judge the world at the last day.

Memory Verses

• “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV).

Scripture

• Study Passage: John 5:19-29
• Support Passages: Matthew 13:36-43, 25:31-46; Acts 10:34-43, 17:30-31; Romans 2:1-8; II Corinthians 5:10; II Thessalonians 1; Hebrews 9:27-28; II Peter 3; Revelation 20-22
• Bible Story: John 11:17-44

Thoughts

• “The second coming will also issue in the great final judgment. This is for many people one of the most frightening prospects regarding the future, and well it might be for those who are apart from Christ and consequently will be judged to be among the unrighteous. For those who are in Christ, however, it is something to look forward to, for it will vindicate their lives.”
• Jesus pictured himself as sitting on a glorious throne and judging all nations (Matt. 25:31-33). Although God is spoken of as the judge in Hebrews 12:23, it is clear from several other references that he delegates this authority to the Son. Jesus himself said, ‘Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son… And He has given him authority to judge because He is the Son of Man” (John 5:22,27). Peter told the gathering in Cornelius’s house, “[Jesus] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one Paul informed the Athenians that God ‘has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead’ (Acts 17:31). And Paul wrote to the Corinthians, ‘For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad’ (2 Cor. 5:10). Second Timothy 4:1 states that Christ is to judge the living and the dead. [1]
• While true believers will be judges and accepted based on the perfect sacrifice and righteousness of Jesus Christ they will still be judged  for the things they have “done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). It is during this judgment that Christ will “evaluate and bestow various degrees of reward, but the fact that they will face such judgment should never cause believers to fear that they will be eternally condemned. Jesus say, ‘He who hears my words and believes Him who sent me, has eternal life; He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life’” (John 5:24). [2]

Discussion Questions

• Why does Jesus have the authority to judge the world?
• How will believers in Jesus Christ be judged?
• Will Christians be held accountable for their actions? Explain
• How do you feel about the fact that you will be judged by Jesus Christ?
• How should Christians feel about the judgment of Jesus Christ?
• Can we do anything to prepare for the judgment of Jesus Christ?

Tags: Millard Erickson, Wayne Grudem, Westminster Shorter Catechism

Posted in Devotional Thoughts Millard Erickson Wayne Grudem Westminster Shorter Catechism Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady 2 Corinthians 5 John 11 John 5
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Doctrinal Standard #28 (2 of 3 weeks)

• Q. How is Christ exalted?
• A. Christ is exalted by His rising from the dead on the third day, His going up into heaven, His sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and His coming to judge the world at the last day.

Memory Verses

• ^“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1, ESV).

Scripture

• Study Passage: Revelation 1
  • Support Passages: Psalm 110:1 (quoted in Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42; Matthew 26:64) Mark 14:62, 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 2:33-34, 5:30-32; Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 10:12-14; I Peter 3:22
  • Bible Story: Acts 7:54-60

Thoughts

• Last week we examined the same doctrinal standard but focused on Christ being exalted through His resurrection and ascension. This week we will focus on Christ’s being exalted sitting at the right hand of God. Millard J. Erickson in his book Christian Theology provides a great explanation on the significance of Christ seated at the right hand of God.
• “Jesus’ ascension means that he is now seated at the right hand of the Father. Jesus himself predicted this in His statement before the high priest (Matt. 26:64). Peter referred to the session at the Father’s right hand in his Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:33-36) and before the council (Acts 5:31). It is also mentioned in the Ephesians 1:20-22; Hebrews 10:12; 1 Peter 3:22; and Revelation 3:21; 22:1. The significance of all this is that the right hand is the place of distinction and power. Recall how James and John desired to sit at Christ’s right hand, and at his left as well (Mark 10:37-40). Jesus’ sitting at the right hand of God should not be interpreted as a matter of rest or inactivity. It is a symbol of authority and active rule. The right hand is also the place where Jesus is ever making intercession with the Father on our behalf. (Heb. 7:25).” [1]
  (See WSC #25 and lesson 32-34 for more information on Christ’s intercession)

Discussion Questions

• Where is Christ currently at?
• What is the significance of Christ sitting at the right hand of God?
• What benefit do we as believers receive from Christ being seated at the right hand of God? (Refer to WSC # 25 and lessons #32-34).
• What power and authority does Christ hold as he sits at the right hand of God?
• How does it make you feel that Christ is alive and sitting at the right hand of God?

Tags: Christian Theology, Millard Erickson, Westminster Shorter Catechism

Posted in Devotional Thoughts Christian Theology Millard Erickson Westminster Shorter Catechism Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady Acts 7 Colossians 3 Revelation 1
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Doctrinal Standard #28 (1 of 3 weeks)

• Q. How is Christ exalted?
• A. Christ is exalted by His rising from the dead on the third day, His going up into heaven, His sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and His coming to judge the world at the last day.

Memory Verses

• “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8, ESV).

Scripture

• Study Passage: Acts 1:1-11
• Support Passages: Matthew 27:62-28:20; Mark 15:42-16:20; Luke 23:50-24:53; John 19:38-21:25; I Corinthians 15:1-11; I Timothy 3:16
• Bible Story: The resurrection of Christ from the gospels  Matthew 27:62-28:20; Mark 15:42-16:20; Luke 23:50-24:53; John 19:38-21:25

Thoughts

• Wayne Grudem in his systematic theology book explains the significance of the resurrection within the lives of believers.
• “Christ’s resurrection insures our regeneration: Peter says that ‘we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’ (1 Peter 1:3). Here he explicitly connects Jesus’ resurrection with our regeneration or new birth. When Jesus rose from the head He had a new quality of life, a ‘resurrection life’ in a human body and human spirit that were perfectly suited for fellowship and obedience to God forever. In His resurrection, Jesus earned for us a new life just like his. We do not receive all of that new ‘resurrection life’ when we become Christians, for our bodies remain as they were, still subject to weakness, aging, and death. But in our spirits we are made alive with new resurrection power.  Thus it is through his resurrection that Christ earned for us the new kind of life we receive when we are ‘born again.’”
• “Christ’ resurrection insures our justification: In only one passage does Paul explicitly connect Christ’s resurrection with our justification (or our receiving a declaration that we are not guilty but righteous before God). Paul says that Jesus ‘was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification’ (Rom. 4:25). When Christ was raised from the dead, it was God’s declaration of approval of Christ’s work of redemption. Because Christ ‘humbled himself and became him…’ (Phil 2:9). By raising Christ from the dead, God the Father was in effect saying that he approved of Christ’s work of suffering and dying for our sins, that His work was completed, and that Christ no longer had any need to remain dead. There was no penalty left to pay for sin, no more wrath of God to bear, no more guilt or liability to punishment.”
• “Christ’s resurrection insures that we will receive perfect resurrection bodies as well: The New Testament several times connects Jesus’ resurrection with our final bodily resurrection. ‘And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power (1 Cor. 6:14). Similarly, ‘He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence’ (2 Cor. 4:14). But the most extensive discussion of the connection between Christ’s resurrection and our own is found in 1 Corinthians 15:12-58. There Paul says that Christ the ‘first fruits of those who have fallen asleep’ (1 Cor. 15:20)… Just as the ‘first fruits’ or the first taste of the ripening crop show what the rest of the harvest will be like for that crop, so Christ as the ‘first fruits’ shows what our resurrection bodies will be like when, in God’s final ‘harvest,’ he raises us from the dead and brings us into his presence.”  [1]
• The memory verse speaks of the power that believers will have when the Holy Spirit comes and dwells within them. According to scripture the indwelling of the Holy Spirit took place after the resurrection and accession of Jesus Christ. “The sending of the Holy Spirit was important, for whereas Jesus could work with the disciples only through the external teaching and example, the Holy Spirit could work within them (John 14:17). Having more intimate access to the centers of their lives, He would be able to do the works that Jesus did, and even greater ones (John 14:12). And through the Holy Spirit’s ministry, the Triune God would be present with them; thus Jesus could say that He would be with them forever (Matt. 28:20).” [2]

Discussion Questions

• Quickly review how Jesus Christ was humiliated and contrast that with how he was exalted.
• Explain how Christ’s resurrection is much more than a historical event? (Refer to the “thoughts” section above).
• What is the benefit of Christ’s resurrection and ascension in the lives of believers? (Refer to the “thoughts” section above).
• How do the benefits or significance Christ’ resurrection make you feel?
• In your own words explain the importance of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.

Tags: Millard Erickson, Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem, Westminster Shorter Catechism

Posted in Devotional Thoughts Millard Erickson Systematic Theology Wayne Grudem Westminster Shorter Catechism Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady Acts 1 Matthew 27
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Doctrinal Standard #27 (2 of 2 weeks)

• Q. How was Christ humiliated?
• A. Christ was humiliated: by being born as a man and born into a poor family; by being made subject to the law and suffering the miseries of this life, the anger of God, and the curse of death on the cross; and by being buried and remaining under the power of death for a time.

Memory Verses         

• ^“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, ESV).

Scripture

• Study Passage: Matthew 26:1-27:56; Mark 14:1-15:41; Luke 22:39-23:49; John 18:1-19:37
• Support Passages: Psalm 16:10, 68:18; Acts 2:22-28, 4:23-28, 13:32-37; Ephesians 4:9; I Peter 3:18-19
• Bible Story: Same as the study passages

Thoughts

• This doctrinal standard does a great job explaining how Christ humiliated himself for the sake of redeeming his people. While there is great truth to this doctrinal standard, we must be careful to understanding that when Christ became man he did not cease being God.  C.I. Williamson in his book, The Westminster Shorter Catechism does a great job explaining the importance of this truth and how there has a lot of false teaching in this area throughout church history. Williamson explains that, “it is necessary to make it quite clear, however, that when Jesus did this (become man), He did not in doing it cease to be God. He did not in His state of humiliation, cease to be ‘the same in substance’ and equal ‘in power and glory’ with respect to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Some have seriously erred in teaching this wrong view. This teaching is called the kenosis doctrine. The Greek word kenosis is found in Philippians 2:7, and is sometimes translated as ‘emptied.’ Those who prefer this translation sometimes say that Jesus emptied Himself of His divine attributes. They say He left his divine nature, as it were, or at least his divine powers, when He became man. We could well say that, according to this false view, Christ’s humiliation meant the subtraction of his deity.”
• Williamson provides a few reasons for why this belief is false. “But the true view is that Christ’s humiliation consisted – not in the fact that His divine nature, or attributes, were subtracted from Him – but in fact that a true human nature was added to Him. There are a number of reasons why this false kenosis doctrine must be rejected. (1) It must be rejected because it would suggest the idea that Christ’s divine nature was changeable. But God is unchangeable. (2) It must be rejected because the scripture clearly teaches that Jesus was God even in his estate of humiliation. ‘That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the son of God.’ Said the angel (Luke 1:35). (3) It must be rejected because it does not solve the ‘mystery’ of the incarnation. We cannot fully understand the astounding fact that the second person of the Godhead, without any diminution of his divine attributes, became a real man. But this subtraction theory does not help explain the mystery. It only makes it more unintelligible.”
• It is important to note that, “while our Lord’s humiliation did not involve any subtraction of deity, it did involve what we may perhaps call a ‘veiling’ of his deity, for a time. It is quite evident, from the Bible, that many people who saw Jesus did not – from that fact alone – realize that he was God. Neither did Jesus manifest His divine power and glory until He entered upon his public and official work as the Messiah.”  [1]

Discussion Questions

• When Jesus became a man were things added or taken away from his nature and attribute? Explain.
• How do you know that nothing in Jesus’ nature or attributes were taken away when he became a man?
• If Jesus is fully God, why didn’t people recognize him as so here on earth?
• In the memorize verse Paul writes, ^“I have been crucified with Christ.” What does this mean?
• How do we partake and benefit of Christ’s humiliation?

Tags: C.I. Williamson, Westminster Shorter Catechism

Posted in Devotional Thoughts C.I. Williamson Westminster Shorter Catechism Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady Galatians 2 Matthew 26
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Doctrinal Standards

WSC #22
Q. How did Christ, the Son of God, become man?
A. Christ, the Son of God, became man by assuming a real body and a reasoning soul. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to Him; yet He was sinless.

WSC #23
Q. How is Christ our redeemer?
A. As our redeemer, Christ is a prophet, priest, and king in both His humiliation and His exaltation.

WSC #24
How is Christ a prophet?
As a prophet, Christ reveals the will of God to us for our salvation by His word and Spirit.

WSC #25
Q. How is Christ a priest?
A. As a priest, Christ offered Himself up once as a sacrifice for us to satisfy divine justice and to reconcile us to God, and He continually intercedes for us.

WSC #26
Q. How is Christ a king?
A. As a king, Christ brings us under His power, rules and defends us, and retrains and conquers all His and all our enemies.

WSC #27
Q. How was Christ humiliated?
A. Christ was humiliated: by being born as a man and born into a poor family; by being made subject to the law and suffering the miseries of this life, the anger of God, and the curse of death on the cross; and by being buried and remaining under the power of death for a time.

Memory Verses

• “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

Scripture

• Study Passage: 1 Peter 3:8-22

Thoughts

• This should be a time of reflection, assessment, and re-teaching.
• There are a couple of different ways to approach this review lesson. First, the review questions and answers could be made into a game that forces the students to remember what they have learned while assessing their understanding. Another idea is to quiz each student on each of the 10 questions making sure to encourage and celebrate their accomplishments. Last, it would be beneficial to review each of the question and answers drawing out their central truths and mentioning how they are connected.

Discussion Questions

• What does doctrinal standard mean?
• Why is important to know facts and these doctrinal standards found in the Bible?
• What errors can take place if we don’t know what scripture teaches?
• According to 1 Peter 3:8-22 (specifically verse 15) why should we know scripture?

Tags: Westminster Shorter Catechism

Posted in Devotional Thoughts Westminster Shorter Catechism Family Devotional Guidelines Phil Anady
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