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Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #23

Doctrinal Standard #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.

Memory Verses

  • “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,  that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you” (Acts 3:19–20, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Psalm 110
  • Support Passages: Acts 3:11-26 – Christ the Prophet; Hebrews 5:1-10 – Christ the Priest; Isaiah 9:6-7 – Christ the King; Psalm 2, 45:1-9; Luke 4:18-19; Acts 2:29-36
  • Bible Story: Genesis 14

Thoughts

  • “Redemption means deliverance from some evil by payment of a price. It is more than simple deliverance. Thus prisoners of war might be released on payment of a price which was called a ‘ransom’ (Gk. lytron). The word-group based on lytron was formed specifically to convey this idea of release on payment of ransom. In this circle of ideas Christ’s death may be regarded as ‘a ransom for many’ (Mk. 10:45).[1]
  • As both Psalm 110 and Genesis 14 explains redemption requires action from the redeemer. The action that was required of Jesus Christ was to live a perfect life and suffer a painful and shameful death on the cross as a ransom for all those who have and will believe in Him.
  • The love of God is magnified in the fact that Christ is our redeemer. The love of God is shown in that Christ would humble himself by becoming a man and take upon the sin of His followers when He himself had never known sin.

Discussion Questions

  • What does it mean to redeem something?
  • What is required in redeeming something?
  • How has Christ redeemed people from sin?
  • What does this teach us about God?


[1] Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed.) (1003). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

 

 

 


Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #22

Doctrinal Standard #22 (2 of 2 weeks)

  • 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.

Memory Verses

  • “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: 1 Peter 2:11-25
    • Support Passages: Isaiah 53:9-12; Matthew 26:59-68; John 18:33-40; Romans 8:3; II Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 4:4-5; Hebrews 7:26-28; I John 3:5
    • Bible Story: John 5:1-18

Thoughts

  • It is difficult to fathom living a whole life without sin let alone a day, hour, or minute! But our Lord Jesus lived a sinless life and it was for our benefit.
  • Wayne Grudem explains this truth rather well in his chapter on the Atonement. “If Christ had only earned forgiveness of sins for us, then we would not merit heaven. Our guilt would have been removed, but we would simply be in the position of Adam and Eve before they had done anything good or bad and before they had passed a time of probation successfully. To be established in righteousness forever and to have their fellowship with God made sure forever, Adam and Eve had to obey God perfectly over a period of time. Then God would have looked on their faithful obedience with pleasure and delight, and they would have lived with him in fellowship forever.”
  • “For this reason, Christ had to live a life of perfect obedience to God in order to earn righteousness for us. He had to obey the law for his whole life on our behalf so that the positive merits of his perfect obedience would be counted for us.” Martin Luther refers to this as the “Great Exchange.” [1] Christ’s righteousness is placed upon the believer as the believers sins are placed upon Christ on the cross. Praise God for the perfect life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ!

Discussion Questions

  • Did Jesus every sin? Explain the various struggles and temptations He must have faced.
  • What is the significance or importance’s of Jesus living a sinless life?
  • What did Jesus’ sinless life do for those who believe in Him?
  • What did Martin Luther mean when he said Jesus’ life and death is the “Great Exchange?”


[1] Grudem, Wayne (1994). Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; Zondervan Publishing House.


Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standards WSC #22

Doctrinal Standards WSC #22 (1 of 2 weeks)

  • 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.

Memory Verses

  • And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Luke 1:26-38
  • Support Passages: John 1:1-18; Philippians 2:5-11; I Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:15; I John 1:1-4, 4:1-3
  • Bible Story: Luke 2:1-20

Thoughts

  • We can learn much about God’s love, grace and mercy when we understand what it meant for Jesus Christ to come to us in the form of a man. Philippians 2:4–8 provides us with a glimpse into the humility, sacrifice, and love of our God, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
  •  “When the Catechism speaks of a ‘true body,’ it means that Jesus took unto himself the same kind of body that we ourselves possess (expect for sin). This point is stressed because of a heresy known as ‘Docestim.’ In early Christian history there were some who held that Christ only seemed (or appeared) to have a physical body. They said that God could not really have a human body, that He could not really suffer and die.” [1]
  • “When the Catechism says that Jesus had a ‘reasonable soul,’ it means that just as we have a body and a soul, so Christ also had a human soul as well as a human body. In the early history of the Church there were those who admitted that Jesus had a ‘true body,’ but did not admit that He also had a ‘reasonable soul.’ They thought that the divine nature (Christ as God) took the place of a soul within His body. But this too is a denial of that which Scripture clearly teaches, and of that which is necessary to our salvation. Just as the Bible speaks of Christ’s hunger, thirst, pain, etc. (which prove that he had a human body), so it also speaks of his feeling sorrow, and grief, and of his increasing in wisdom etc. (which prove that He also had a reasonable soul). As the Bible says, ‘Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted (Hebrews 2:17–18, ESV).” [2]

Discussion Questions

  • What kind of suffering did Christ subject himself to by becoming a man?
  • What kind of temptations do you think Jesus experienced?
  • What do you think it was like to be a part of Jesus physical family?
  • Can Jesus sympathize or understand the temptations and hard times we face? Explain.
  • How is the love of God revealed by the fact that Jesus the Son of God came to this earth as a man?


[1] Williams, G.I (2003). The Westminster Shorter Catechism (2nd ed.). Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing Company



Catechism Insight – Review Doctrinal Standards #11-21

Review Doctrinal Standards #11-21

WSC #11

Q. What is God’s providence?
A. God’s providence is His completely holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing every creature and every action.

WSC #12

Q. What did God’s providence specifically do for man whom He created?
A. After the creation God made a covenant with man to give him life, if he perfectly obeyed; God told him not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil or he would die.

WSC #13

Q. Did our first parents remain as they were created?
A. Left to the freedom of their own wills, our first parents sinned against God and fell from their original condition.

WSC #14

Q. What is sin?
A. Sin is disobeying or not conforming to God’s law in any way.

WSC #15

Q. By what sin did our first parents fall from their original condition?
A. Our first parents’ sin was eating the forbidden fruit.

WSC #16

Q. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first disobedience?
A. Since the covenant was made not only for Adam but also for his natural descendants, all mankind sinned in him and fell with him in his first disobedience.

WSC #17

Q. What happened to man in the fall?
A. Man fell into a condition of sin and misery.

WSC #18

Q. What is sinful about man’s fallen condition?
A. The sinfulness of that fallen condition is twofold. First, in what is commonly called original sin, there is the guilt of Adam’s first sin with its lack of original righteousness and the corruption of his whole nature. Second are all the specific acts of disobedience that come from original sin.

WSC #19

Q. What is the misery of man’s fallen condition?
A. By their fall all mankind lost fellowship with God and brought His anger and curse on themselves. They are therefore subject to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.

WSC #20

Q. Did God leave all mankind to die in sin and misery?
A. From all eternity and merely because it pleased Him God chose some to have everlasting life. These He freed from sin and misery by a covenant of grace and brought them to salvation by a redeemer.

WSC #21

Q. Who is the redeemer of God’s chosen ones?
A. The only redeemer of God’s chosen is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who became man. He was and continues to be God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever.

Memory Verses

“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men” (Romans 5:18, ESV).

Study Passage: Romans 5:12-21

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 11 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 discussing how they are connected.

A common theme in the catechism questions (#11-21) is the doctrine of sin and the doctrine of salvation. Questions 12-19 explain original sin and the devastating affects sin had on Adam and Eve and has had on every individual since the Fall. Questions 20 and 21 explain how salvation which God provides through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is a display of God’s many attributes. Through our salvation God’s glory is shown and is given all the praise.

Discussion Questions

  • Explain how sin first entered the world?
  • Who is affected by the sin of Adam and Eve?
  • What affects (spiritually and physically) does sin have on a person?
  • Does man have the ability to follow Jesus on their own? Explain
  • Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Explain
  • Scripture says salvation is only by God’s grace, it’s a gift from God, and we receive it through faith. What is grace and faith?
  • Jesus is referred to as a redeemer, ransom, and mediator. What do these words tell us about Jesus and what He did on the cross?

Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standards WSC #21 (2 of 2 weeks)

 

Doctrinal Standard WSC #21

• Q. Who is the redeemer of God’s chosen ones?
• A. The only redeemer of God’s chosen is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who became man. He was and continues to be God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever.

 

Memory Verses

• “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (Colossians 1:21–22, ESV).

Study Passage: Colossians 1:9-23

Support Passages: Luke 1:26-35, Colossians 2:8-12, Hebrews 2, Hebrews 7:23-28

Bible Story: John 9

 

Thoughts

• Jesus did not give up His human nature after His death and resurrection, for He appeared to His disciples as a man after the resurrection, even with the scars of the nail prints in His hands. He had ‘flesh and bones’ (Luke 24:39) and ate food (Luke 24:41-42). Later, when He was talking with His disciples, He was taken up into heaven, still in His resurrected human body, and two angels promised that He would return in the same way.” Scripture indicates that “Jesus did not temporarily become man, but that His divine nature was permanently united to His human nature, and He lives forever not just as the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, but also as Jesus, the man who was born of Mary, and as Christ, the Messiah and Savior of His people. Jesus will remain fully God and fully man, yet one person, forever (Pg. 542-543).
• Colossians provides interesting insight into some of the roles of Jesus Christ as the second person of the Trinity. He had an active part in creation. He is actively holding all of creation together. He is the head of the church. He is the first one to have a resurrected body. He is the one who has reconciled man with God.
• Jesus Christ through His death and resurrection has made it possible to be reconciled or reunited with God the Father. As a result of Christ’s death and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit man is able to reunite with God in a relationship that once was lost because of sin. Because of the imputed righteousness and the perfect mediation of Jesus Christ we have access to our God the Father.

Discussion Questions

• Explains the various roles are activities Jesus has or is actively participating in?
• Explain the two distinct natures of Jesus.
• What does reconciled mean?
• What are some examples of reconciliation?
• How has Jesus reconciled man with God?
• What part does man have in the reconciliation process?

Grudem, Wayne (1994). Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; Zondervan Publishing House.


Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standards WSC #21 (1 of 2 weeks)

Doctrinal Standard WSC #21 (1 of 2 weeks)

  • Q. Who is the redeemer of God’s chosen ones?
  • A. The only redeemer of God’s chosen is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who became man. He was and continues to be God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever.

Scripture Memory Verses

  • “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV).

Study Passage: I Timothy 2:1-7

Support Passages: Matthew 7:13-14; John 1:9, 6:35-40, 10:9, 14:6, 17:1-3; Acts 4:12, 2:23; Hebrews 9:11-15; I John 5:12, II John 9

Bible Story: II Kings 5:1-15

Insight and Application

  • We often think of Jesus as a physical being who was born in Bethlehem. It is important that we remember that Jesus has always existed as God. There is no beginning and no end to Jesus Christ. He is the second person of the Trinity.
  • “Because we are alienated from God by sin, we needed someone to come between God and ourselves and bring us back to him. We needed a mediator who could represent us to God and who could represent God to us. There is only one person who has ever fulfilled that requirement: ‘There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus’ (1 Tim 2:5). In order to fulfill this role of mediator, Jesus had to be fully man as well as fully God” (Pg. 541)[1] 
  • In order for Jesus to be an effective mediator He first had to be our ransom and redeemer. 1 Timothy 2:6 says, “that Jesus gave himself ransom for all.” The term ransom means that there is a payment for liberation. Jesus’ death is a ransom or liberation from sin. Scripture explains that sin does two things; it enslaves and it kills. As a result of Christ death the Spirit of God is able to free an individual from the bondage of sin and give life to a dead soul.
  • Jesus Christ is also referred to as a redeemer.  “Jesus had taught them that ‘everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin’ (Jn. 8:34). In line with this, Paul can think of himself as ‘carnal, sold under sin’ (Rom. 7:14), sold as under a cruel slave-master. He reminds the Romans that in earlier days they had been ‘slaves of sin’ (Rom. 6:17). From another point of view men were under the sentence of death on account of their sin. ‘For the wages of sin is death’ (Rom. 6:23). Sinners are slaves. Sinners are doomed to death. Either way the ancient world would have regarded the situation as being in need of redemption. Failing redemption, the slavery would continue, the sentence of death would be carried out. The cross of Christ is seen against this background. It is the price paid to release the slaves, to let the condemned go free.[2] 
  • 1 Timothy 2:2-7 is the study passage for this week because it address the important doctrine that Jesus Christ is our mediator and the only way to God. With that being said 1 Timothy 2:3–4 could potentially bring up questions in light of the previous catechism question regarding election.  1 Timothy 2:3–4 says, “this is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  The area of focus is with the words “desires all.” In the preceding two verses Paul tells Timothy that, first of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way (1 Timothy 2:1–2). Then in verse three and four he explains that God desires all to be saved. It appears to me that when Paul tells Timothy that prayer should be made for all people he is referring to all types of people. This would include rulers and people in authority as Paul mentioned, it would also include both the poor and the rich, and every ethnicity. Therefore when Paul says that God desires all people to be saved, He is means all types of people. The Jew and all the Gentiles, people of every economic  status, and people in every level of authority. It is God’s desire that the Gospel go forth throughout the nations and people repent and turn to Him. This is God’s desire and it is something that will and is being accomplished.

Discussion Questions

  • Who is Jesus?
  • What does mediate mean?
  • What are some every day examples?
  • Who does Jesus mediate for and does He do it?
  • How is Jesus our redeemer and ransom?
  • Why is Jesus the only way to have fellowship with God the Father and get to Heaven?

 


[1] Grudem, Wayne (1994). Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; Zondervan Publishing House.

[2] Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed.) (1003). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.


Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standards WSC #20 (4 of 4 weeks)

Doctrinal Standard WSC #20 (4 of 4 weeks)

  • Q. Did God leave all mankind to die in sin and misery?
  • A. From all eternity and merely because it pleased Him God chose some to have everlasting life. These He freed from sin and misery by a covenant of grace and brought them to salvation by a redeemer.

Memory Verses

  • “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith…29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:26,29, ESV).

Study Passage: Hebrews 8

Support Passages: Hebrews 9 – 11

Bible Story: Numbers 21:4-9, John 3:14-16

Thoughts

  • Scripture is very clear and Paul spent most of his missionary journeys reiterating the fact that salvation is attained by nothing but faith alone. One of the main differences between the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant is not the commands of God but rather the type of covenant. The Mosaic Covenant is primarily a covenant of Law. If you keep the commands you will be blessed. If you disobey the commands you will be cursed. While faith was most certainly a part of the Mosaic Covenant the main point of this covenant is to show that the works of man will never be good enough to meet the requirements of God. Whereas the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) is considered a covenant of Grace. According to Jeremiah, in the New Covenant God actively places His word within the elect giving them faith and the ability to believe. This is what Paul is saying in Ephesians 2:8–9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
  • Paul said, since salvation is a gift, a gracious act of God, we have no right to say that we did anything to deserve salvation. We cannot claim that we were more intelligent than others and, therefore, sought after God, that our sinfulness was less than that of others, that we did enough good to earn God acceptance. We can’t boast in the faith that we have. Hebrew says, “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”Therefore, if salvation comes only by faith, and if faith is a gift from God, our boasting should only be in the Lord who is at work in our lives.
  • So what is man’s responsibility in light of God’s work in an individual’s life? The answer is rather simple, we are to respond in faith (trusting) being driven by the desires and convictions God is creating within us. God is the one giving life to our once dead souls, He is the one guiding, and providing the faith to respond to what He has called us to do.
    • John 16:7–8 (ESV) Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
    • Romans 8:14 (ESV) For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
    • Romans 12:3 (ESV)  For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
    • John 6:44 (ESV)  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Discussion Questions

  • Explain what faith is?
  • Ephesians 2:8–9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”If salvation is by faith but yet it’s not our own doing where does faith come from?
  • If God is the “the founder and perfecter of our faith.” What is man’s responsibility in relating to God and in life in general?
  • Even though Christians have a responsibility to live a holy life before God. How does it make you feel that God is the one actively perusing and growing us spiritually?
  •   In light of what we have been studying the last few weeks can someone lose their salvation?

Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standards WSC #20 (3 of 4 weeks)

Doctrinal Standards WSC #20 (3 of 4 weeks)

  • Q. Did God leave all mankind to die in sin and misery?
  • A. From all eternity and merely because it pleased Him God chose some to have everlasting life. These He freed from sin and misery by a covenant of grace and brought them to salvation by a redeemer.

Memory Verses

  • “For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3, ESV).

Study Passage: Romans 4

Support Passages: Genesis 12:1-4; John 3:36, 8:56; Acts 7; Romans 3:21-31; Galatians 3:1-14; Hebrews 11:1-12; James 2:21-24

Bible Story: Genesis 22:1-14

Insight and Application

  • The distinction between the Law and the Gospel is something that is found throughout scripture but is a major reoccurring theme in Paul’s epistles. The term law can mean a couple different things in scripture but most of the time is referring to the Old Testament scriptures. When we refer to the Gospel we mean that Salvation and acceptance before God is based solely on gift and imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.
  • In the book of Romans and many of Paul’s other letters he is trying to communicate with the people that if you try and earn acceptance and salvation from God through keeping the Law (Old Testament commands) your efforts will come up short. The Law or the commands of God were never intended to bring about salvation because no one could ever keep them perfectly.
  • In Romans chapter 4, Paul explains that Abraham who existed before the Law of God was even given was accepted before God because of the faith he had. Paul never once taught that a Jewish Christian should not keep the Law nor did He ever teach that the Law of God was bad. He taught that if you try and earn your way to God by keeping the Law you are destined to be cursed. If you break the smallest part of the Law you have transgressed the Law and are pronounced a sinner resulting in death. Throughout all of Paul’s missionary journeys he continually preached that salvation is received through faith by the grace of God.

Discussion Questions

  • The Bible teaches and the catechism explains that salvation is received through faith. What does this mean?
  • The catechism says that God has freed us from sin through a covenant of grace. What is the meaning of the word grace?
  • How has God shown His grace?
  • The catechism says salvation is provided by a redeemer. What does redeem mean and how does it fit the description of Jesus?
  • If we are saved by grace through faith are we required to follow God’s commands? Why?
  • Is the Law of God bad or faulty? Explain.
  • What could the Law of God not do?


"Him we proclaim,
warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone mature in Christ."
(Colossians 1:28, ESV)

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