The Heidelberg Catechism in Questions and Answers (3)

11. Is not God then also merciful?

God is indeed merciful, but also just; therefore His justice requires that sin which is committed against the most high majesty of God be also punished with extreme, that is, with everlasting punishment of body and soul

1. Is God then not merciful? God is indeed merciful, but also just.

2. Cannot God relinquish His justice? No, for by doing so He would deny Himself.

3. What does God's justice require? It requires that sin be punished.

4. Why must sin be punished with extreme punishment? It is because sin is a transgression against the most high majesty of God.

5. What is then the punishment upon sin? The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

6. How many kinds of death are there, and in what does each consist? Death is threefold:
a. corporal death, the separation of soul and body;
b. spiritual death, being separated from God and an impotence against sin;
c. eternal death, the eternal punishment in hell.

7. Why is it said, “everlasting punishment of body and soul”? It is because both body and soul have sinned.

Lord's Day 5

12. Since then, by the righteous judgment of God, we deserve temporal and eternal punishment, is there no way by which we may escape that punishment, and be again received into favor?

God will have His justice satisfied, and therefore we must make this full satisfaction, either by ourselves or by another.

1. What does the Heidelberg Catechism consider? It is the doctrine of deliverance.

2. Which deliverance is this? It is the deliverance of the fallen, elect sinner, for there is for the fallen devils no deliverance possible.

3. What does this question say about the punishment? That we have deserved it by the righteous judgment of God.

4. What else is comprehended in this question? Whether there is any way by which we may escape that deserved punishment and be again received into favor.

5. What does it mean to be again received into favor? It means to again be restored into God's favor and communion.

6. What is the answer upon this question? God will have His justice satisfied.

7. How must this take place? We must fully satisfy God's justice, either by ourselves or by another.

13. Can we ourselves then make satisfaction?

By no means; but on the contrary we daily increase our debt

1. In what does the satisfaction of God's justice consist? a. In enduring the punishment. b. In keeping God's law perfectly.

2. Can we do this ourselves? By no means; but on the contrary we daily increase our debt.

3. Prove this from God's Word. “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20; see also Proverbs 20:9).

14. Can there be found anywhere one, who is a mere creature, able to satisfy for us?

None; for, first, God will not punish any other creature for the sin which man hath committed; and further, no mere creature can sustain the burden of God's eternal wrath against sin, so as to deliver others from it.

1. What is sought for in this question? Whether possibly there is, outside of man, any creature who can satisfy for us.

2. Is this possible? No.

3. Why not? For two reasons: a. The Lord will not punish any other creature for the sin which man has committed, and b. No other creature is able to sustain the burden of God's eternal wrath against sin and deliver others in this way.

4. What is here meant by any other creature? Another kind of creature, thus not of the human race.

5. Why cannot any single creature sustain the burden of God's wrath against sin and deliver others from it? It is because God's wrath is an eternal wrath, which can never be removed by a finite creature.

to be continued

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