Catechism Flashcards
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
What does this mean?
You shall have no other gods.
We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
What does this mean?
You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
We should fear and love God, so that we do not curse, swear, practice witchcraft, lie or deceive by His name, but call upon Him in every trouble, pray, praise and give thanks.
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
What does this mean?
You shall keep the day of rest holy.
We should fear and love God, so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
What does this mean?
Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.
We should fear and love God, so that we do not despise our parents and superiors, nor provoke them to anger, but honor, serve, obey, love and esteem them.
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
What does this mean?
You shall not kill.
We should fear and love God, so that we do no bodily harm to our neighbor, but help and befriend him in every need.
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
What does this mean?
You shall not commit adultery.
We should fear and love God, so that we lead a chaste and decent life in word and deed, and that husband and wife each love and honor the other.
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
What does this mean?
You shall not steal.
We should fear and love God, so that we do not take our neighbor’s money or goods, nor get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his goods and means of making a living.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
What does this mean?
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
We should fear and love God, so that we do not lie about, betray or slander our neighbor, but excuse him, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
What does this mean?
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
We should fear and love God, so that we do not craftily seek to gain our neighbor’s inheritance or home, nor get it by a show of right, but help and serve him in keeping it.
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
What does this mean?
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is his.
We should fear and love God, so that we do not tempt, force or coax away from our neighbor his wife or his workers, but urge them to stay and do their duty.
CONCLUSION to the TEN COMMANDMENTS
What does God say about these commandments?
What does this mean?
I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, and showing mercy to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
God threatens to punish all who transgress these commandments. Therefore we should fear His wrath and do nothing against these commandments. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments. Therefore we should also love and trust in Him and willingly do according to His commandments.
THE FIRST ARTICLE of the Apostle’s Creed
What does this mean?
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them; that He richly and daily provides me with food and clothing, home and family, property and goods, and all that I need to support this body and life; that He protects me from all danger, guards and keeps me from all evil; and all this purely out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I am in duty bound to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.
THE SECOND ARTICLE of the Apostle’s Creed
What does this mean?
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe that Jesus Christ is true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary; and that He is my Lord, Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood, and with His innocent suffering and death; in order that I might be His own, live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness; even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.
THE THIRD ARTICLE of the Apostle’s Creed
What does this mean?
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; just as He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives me and all believers all our sins; and at the last day He will raise up me and all the dead, and will grant me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.
THE INTRODUCTION to the Lord’s Prayer
What does this mean?
Our Father, Who art in heaven.
God would hereby tenderly invite us to believe that He is our true Father, and that we are His true children, so that we may ask Him with all boldness and confidence, as children ask their dear father.
