The Heidelberg Catechism (30) (Explained for Children)

In the Roman Catholic church, bread is also eaten and wine is also drunk for the Holy Supper. There it is called the sacrifice of the mass.

Question 80: What difference is there between the Lord’s Supper and the popish mass?

Answer: The Lord’s Supper testifies to us that we have a full pardon of all sin by the only sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which He Himself has once accomplished on the cross; and that we by the Holy Ghost are ingrafted into Christ, who, according to His human nature is now not on earth, but in heaven, at the right hand of God His Father, and will there be worshipped by us—but the mass teaches that the living and dead have not the pardon of sins through the sufferings of Christ, unless Christ is also daily offered for them by the priests; and further, that Christ is bodily under the form of bread and wine, and therefore is to be worshipped in them; so that the mass, at bottom, is nothing else than a denial of the one sacrifice and sufferings of Jesus Christ, and an accursed idolatry.

The question asks what the difference is between the Lord’s Supper and the popish mass. The answer explains that God’s children have the full pardon of all their sins because Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself on the cross. That is the only sacrifice by which God can forgive sins. The Lord’s Supper also says that God’s children are ingrafted into Christ by the Holy Ghost, which means that they are one with Him. Christ is the Head, and they are the body. The Head and body belong together. They cannot be separated from each other.

It is true that Christ, according to His human nature, is no longer on earth but is now sitting as King at the right hand of God in heaven. There He desires to be worshipped by us. Although Christ is in heaven, God’s children are united with Him by the Holy Ghost.

But what does the mass say, and what does the mass teach? The mass does teach that Christ died on the cross, but they say that this was not sufficient for the forgiveness of sins. Christ must again be offered, indeed, offered daily by the priests. How is that possible? Is not the Lord Jesus bodily in heaven and therefore no longer on earth? They say that indeed He is, but something more takes place. When the priest blesses the bread and the wine, the bread and wine change into the body and blood of Christ. Therefore Christ must be worshipped in the pieces of bread and in the cup of wine. This is why the people bow before them, for the piece of bread is truly the body of Christ, and the wine has truly become the blood of Christ. This is what the priests explain to the people.

This, however, is not true. To bow before a piece of bread is idolatry. God forbids this; indeed, God has cursed such a thing. In addition, what is very wrong is that they say the only sacrifice of Christ on the cross was not enough. This is also a falsehood. Jesus offered Himself once, and that was sufficient. By that sacrifice all sins can be forgiven.

Question 81: For whom is the Lord’s Supper instituted?

Answer: For those who are truly sorrowful for their sins, and yet trust that these are forgiven them for the sake of Christ; and that their remaining infirmities are covered by His passion and death; and who also earnestly desire to have their faith more and more strengthened, and their lives more holy; but hypocrites, and such as turn not to God with sincere hearts, eat and drink judgment to themselves.

Who may partake of the Lord’s Supper? The answer is that only God’s children may do so. How can one know whether he is a child of God? Do you remember the second question of Lord’s Day 2? It spoke about three things: misery, deliverance, and gratitude. These are also mentioned in this answer; just read it again.

Those who may partake of the Lord’s Supper are truly sorrowful for their sins, meaning that they feel terrible about the fact that they sin and that their hearts are still so sinful. They loathe their own evil hearts. But yet they have true faith in their hearts, and therefore they place their trust in Christ. They trust that all their sins are forgiven for the sake of Christ, because He has paid for them. There are indeed still many infirmities, by which sins continually seek to have the upper hand, and this often causes them to sin. They know, however, that the Lord Jesus suffered for their sins and also died for them.

They then earnestly desire that their faith be strengthened, so that they increasingly hate sin and strive against it. Indeed, they desire to live more holily, to sin less. Such people may partake of the Lord’s Supper. It is set before them by the Lord, for it is a means to strengthen faith. Do you recall the young and tender tree in Lord’s Day 25, question 65?

People who do not have true faith and who do not turn to God with sincere hearts may not partake of the Lord’s Supper. Outwardly it may appear that a person is a child of God, but not be true. People cannot determine whether it is true, but the Lord can, for He looks at the heart. If such persons do partake, they eat and drink judgment to themselves, which means that God shall punish them for doing so. We must always keep in mind that the Lord sees what is in our hearts. The Lord knows all that we earnestly desire and what our thoughts are.

Question 82: Are they also to be admitted to this supper, who, by confession and life, declare themselves unbelieving and ungodly?

Answer: No; for by this, the covenant of God would be profaned and His wrath kindled against the whole congregation; therefore it is the duty of the Christian church, according to the appointment of Christ and His apostles, to exclude such persons by the keys of the kingdom of heaven till they show amendment of life.

God desires to enter into a covenant with His children. You will remember this from Lord’s Day 27, question 74. We see this also in the Lord’s Supper. What a great wonder it is that the holy God will do so with sinners. Therefore it is also called a Holy Supper. What happens if someone who lives in sin partakes of the Lord’s Supper? Then the holy covenant is profaned. That is terrible. For that reason the Christian church has the duty not to let this happen. If it does happen, the wrath of God comes against the entire congregation. Such persons may not partake of the Lord’s Supper until they show their repentance and no longer live such a sinful life.

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