I, says the Apostle, through the law, am dead to the law, that I may live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. ii. 19, 20.
Know ye not, that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Rom. vi. 3.
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. 1 Cor. xi. 26.
They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Gal. v. 24.
211. How can we crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts?
By bridling the affections and lusts, and by doing what is contrary to them. For instance, when anger prompts us to revile an enemy and to do him harm, but we resist the wish, and, remembering how Jesus Christ on the cross prayed for his enemies, pray likewise for ours; we thus crucify the affection of anger.
On the Fifth Article.
212. What is the first proof and earnest given by Jesus Christ that his sufferings and death have wrought salvation for us men?
This: that he rose again, and so laid the foundation for our like blessed resurrection.
Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. 1 Cor. xv. 20.
213. What should we think of the state in which Jesus Christ was after his death, and before his resurrection?
This is described in the following hymn of the Church: In the grave as to the flesh, in hades with thy soul, as God, in paradise with the thief, and on the throne wert thou, O Christ, together with the Father and the Spirit, filling all things, thyself uncircumscribed.
214. What is hades or hell?
Hades is a Greek word, and means a place void of light. In divinity, by this name is understood a spiritual prison, that is, the state of those spirits which are separated by sin from the sight of God's countenance, and from the light and blessedness which it confers. Jude i. 6; Octoich. tom. v.; sticher. ii. 4.
215. Wherefore did Jesus Christ descend into hell?
To the end that he might there also preach his victory over death, and deliver the souls which with faith awaited his coming.
216. Does holy Scripture speak of this?
It is referred to in the following passage: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he may bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the Spirit; in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison. 1 Pet. iii. 18, 19.
217. What is there for us to remark on the next words of the Creed: and rose again the third day, according to the Scripture?
These words were put into the Creed from the following passage in the Epistle to the Corinthians: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scripture; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the Scripture. 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4.
218. What force is there in these words: according to the Scripture?
By this is shown that Jesus Christ died and rose again, precisely as had been written of him prophetically in the books of the Old Testament.
219. Where, for instance, is there any thing written of this?
In the fifty-third chapter of the book of the Prophet Isaiah, for instance, the suffering and death of Jesus Christ is imaged forth with many particular traits: as, He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah liii. 5.
Of the resurrection of Christ the Apostle Peter quotes the words of the sixteenth Psalm: For why? thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Acts ii. 27.
220. Is this also in the Scripture of the Old Testament, that Jesus Christ should rise again precisely on the third day?
A prophetic type of this was set forth in the Prophet Jonah: And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah i. 17.
221. How was it known that Jesus Christ had risen?
The soldiers who watched his sepulchre knew this with terror, because an angel of the Lord rolled away the stone which closed his sepulchre, and at the same time there was a great earthquake. Angels likewise announced the resurrection of Christ to Mary Magdalene and some others. Jesus Christ himself on the very day of his resurrection appeared to many: as to the women bringing spices, to Peter, to the two disciples going to Emmaus, and, lastly, to all the Apostles in the house, the doors being shut. Afterwards he oftentimes showed himself to them during the space of forty days; and one day he was seen of more than five hundred believers at once. 1 Cor. xv. 6.
222. Why did Jesus Christ after his resurrection show himself to the Apostles during the space of forty days?
During this time he continued to teach them the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Acts i. 3.
On the Sixth Article.
223. Is the statement of our Lord's ascension in the sixth article of the Creed taken from holy Scripture?
It is taken from the following passages of holy Scripture: He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. Eph. iv. 10. We have such a High-Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens. Heb. viii. 1.
224. Was it in his Godhead or his manhood that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven?
In his manhood. In his Godhead he ever was and is in heaven.
225. How does Jesus Christ sit at the right hand of God the Father, seeing that God is every where?
This must be understood spiritually; that is, Jesus Christ has one and the same majesty and glory with God the Father.
On the Seventh Article.
226. How does holy Scripture speak of Christ's coming again?
This Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts i. 11. This was said to the Apostles by angels at the very time of our Lord's ascension.
227. How does it speak of his future judgment?
The hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John v. 28, 29. These are the words of Christ himself.
228. How does it speak of his kingdom which is to have no end?
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Luke i. 32, 33. These are the words of the angel to the Mother of God
229. Will the second coming of Christ be like his first?
No; very different. He came to suffer for us in great humility, but he shall come to judge us in his glory, and all the holy angels with him. Matt. xxv. 31.
230. Will he judge all men?
Yes. All, without exception.
231. How will he judge them?
The conscience of every man shall be laid open before all, and not only all deeds which he has ever done in his whole life upon earth be revealed, but also all the words he has spoken, and all his secret wishes and thoughts. The Lord shall come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart: and then shall every man have praise of God. 1 Cor. iv. 5.
232. Will he then condemn us even for evil words or thoughts?
Without doubt he will, unless we efface them by repentance, faith, and amendment of life. I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Matt. xii. 36.
233. Will Jesus Christ soon come to judgment?
We know not. Therefore we should live so as to be always ready. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. 2 Pet. iii. 9, 10. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Matt. xxv. 13.
234. Are there not, however, revealed to us some signs of the nearer approach of Christ's coming?
In the Word of God certain signs are revealed, as the decrease of faith and love among men, the abounding of iniquity and calamities, the preaching of the Gospel to all nations, and the coming of Antichrist. Matt. xxiv.
235. What is Antichrist?
An adversary of Christ, who will strive to overthrow Christianity, but instead of doing so shall himself come to a fearful end. 2 Thess. ii. 8.
236. What is Christ's kingdom?
Christ's kingdom is, first, the whole world; secondly, all believers upon earth; thirdly, all the blessed in heaven.
The first is called the kingdom of nature; the second, the kingdom of grace; the third, the kingdom of glory.
237. Which of these is meant when it is said in the Creed that of Christ's kingdom there shall be no end?
The kingdom of glory.
On the Eighth Article.
238. In what sense is the Holy Ghost called the Lord?
In the same sense as the Son of God, that is, as very God.
239. Is this witnessed by holy Scripture?
It is plain from the words spoken by the Apostle Peter to rebuke Ananias: Why hath Satan fitted thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? and further on, Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. Acts v. 3, 4.
240. What are we to understand by this, that the Holy Ghost is called the Giver of life?
That he, together with God the Father and the Son, giveth life to all creatures, especially spiritual life to men.
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God. John iii. 5.
241. Whence know we that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father?
This we know from the following words of Jesus Christ himself: But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. John xv. 26.
242. Does the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father admit of any change or supplement?
No. First, because the Orthodox Church, in this doctrine, repeats the very words of Jesus Christ; and his words, without doubt, are an exact and perfect expression of the truth. Secondly, because the second oecumenical Council, whose chief object was to establish the true doctrine respecting the Holy Ghost, has without doubt sufficiently set forth the same in the Creed; and the Catholic Church has acknowledged this so decidedly, that the third oecumenical Council in its seventh canon forbade the composition of any new Creed.