Part I - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
I am the Lord your God.
You shall have no other gods before me.
What does this mean for us?
We are to fear, love, and trust God above anything or anyone else.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
What does this mean for us?
We must fear and love God so that we do not use his name in vain, to curse, swear, lie, or deceive, but call on him in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
What does this mean for us?
We are to fear and love God so that we do not neglect his Word and the preaching of it, but regard it as holy, gladly hearing and learning it.
Honour your father and your mother.
What does this mean for us?
We are to fear and love God, so that we do not despise or anger our parents or others in authority, but will respect, obey, love and serve them.
You shall not kill.
What does this mean for us?
What the commandment means to us as Christians is that we are to fear and love God so that we do not nor hurt our neighbour in any way, but help him in all his physical needs.
Editor's note: This commandment is problematic in translation because it is usually mistakenly translated and repeated as "You shall not kill", or some similar form, and therefore stands in stark contrast to many other passages within the Bible. The commandment is correctly translated from the original Hebrew text as "You shall do no murder".
You shall not commit adultery.
What does this mean for us?
We are to fear and love God so that in matters of sex our words and conduct will be pure and honourable, and husband and wife love and respect each other.
You shall not steal.
What does this mean for us?
We are to fear and love God so that we will neither take our neighbours' money or property, nor acquire them in any dishonest way, but will help him to improve and protect his property and means of making a living.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
What does this mean for us?
We are to fear and love God so that we do not betray, slander, or lie about our neighbours, but will defend them, speak well of them, and explain their actions in the kindest way.
You shall not covet your neighbour's house.
What does this mean for us?
We are to fear and love God so that we do not desire to get our neighbours' possessions by scheming, or by pretending to have a right to them, but always help them to keep what is theirs.
You shall not covet your neighbour's wife,
nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle,
nor anything that is your neighbor's.
What does this mean for us?
We are to fear and love God so that we do not tempt or coax away from our neighbours their spouse, or their workers, but encourage them to stay loyal.
What does God say of all these commandments?
God says:
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,
but showing steadfast love to thousands of those
who love me and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:5-6 and Deuteronomy 5:9-10
What does it mean for us?
God warns that He will punish all who break His commandments. Therefore we are to fear God's wrath and not disobey Him. But God promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments. Therefore we are to love and trust God, and willingly do what His commandments require.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
What does this mean?
I believe that God created me and all that exists.
God has given me and still preserves my body and soul with all his power.
God provides me food and clothing, home and family, daily work, and all I need from day to day.
God protects me in time of danger, and guards me from all evil.
All this God does out of fatherly, and divine goodness and mercy, though I do not deserve it.
Therefore I must thank and praise, serve and obey God.
Yes, this is most certainly true.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
What does this mean?
I believe that Jesus Christ — true God, Son of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary — is my Lord.
Christ redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, saved me at great cost from sin, death, and the power of the devil -- not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood, and his innocent suffering and death.
All this Christ has done that I might be his very own, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, just as Christ is risen from the dead, lives and reigns eternally.
Yes, this is most certainly true.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean?
I believe that I cannot by my own understanding or effort believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
In this Christian church, day after day he fully forgives my sins and the sins of every believer.
On the last day he will raise me and all the dead, and will give eternal life to me and to all who believe in Christ.
Yes, this is most certainly true.
The Lord's Prayer, or Our Father, is found at Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4
Our Father, who art in heaven,
What does this mean?
God encourages us to believe that he is truly our Father and we are God's children.
We therefore pray to him with complete confidence, just as children speak to their loving Father.
Hallowed be thy Name,
What does this mean?
God's name certainly is holy in and of itself, but we ask in this prayer that we may keep it holy among us.
When does this happen?
God's name is hallowed whenever his Word is rightly taught, and when we as God's children live our lives in harmony with it.
Help us to do this Heavenly Father!
But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to the Word of God dishonours God's name among us.
Keep us from doing this, heavenly Father!
Thy kingdom come,
What does this mean?
God's Kingdom comes without us praying for it, but we ask in this prayer that it come to us as well.
When does this happen?
God's kingdom comes when the Heavenly Father gives us the Holy Spirit, so that we believe God's holy Word and live godly lives here on earth and in heaven forever.
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
What does this mean?
God's good and gracious will is accomplished without our prayer. But we ask in this prayer that it be done among us as well.
When does this happen?
God's will is done when he hinders and defeats every evil scheme and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful self, which would prevent us from keeping his name holy and would oppose the coming of his kingdom. And his will is done when God strengthens our faith and keeps us firm in his Word as long as we live.
Give us this day our daily bread;
What does this mean?
God gives daily bread, even without our prayer, to all people, though sinful, but we ask in this prayer that God will help us realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanks.
What is meant by "Daily Bread" ?
Daily Bread includes everything needed for this life, such as food and clothing, home and property, work and income, a devoted family, an orderly community, good government, favourable weather, peace and health, a good name, and true friends and neighbours.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
What does this mean?
We ask in this prayer that our Father in Heaven would not hold our sins against us and because of them refuse to hear our prayer.
And we pray that he would give us everything by grace, for we sin every day and deserve nothing but punishment.
So we on our part will heartily forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us.
and lead us not into temptation,
What does this mean?
God tempts no one to sin, but we ask in this prayer that God would watch over us so that the Devil, the world, and our sinful selves may not deceive us and draw us into unbelief, despair and other great and shameful sins.
And we pray that even though we are tempted we may still win the final victory.
but deliver us from evil.
What does this mean?
We ask in this inclusive prayer that our heavenly Father would save us from every evil of body and soul, and at our last hour wouldmercifully take us from the troubles of this world to himself in heaven .
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
forever and ever,
Amen.
What does this mean?
Amen means ,Yes, it shall be so.
We say Amen because we are certain that such petitions are pleasing to our father in heaven.
For he himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us.
What is Baptism?
The sacrament of Baptism is not just water only, but it is water used together with God's Word and by God's command.
Which is this Word?
In Matthew 28:18-20 our Lord Jesus Christ says:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."
What does God give in Baptism?
In Baptism God forgives sin, delivers from death and the devil, and gives everlasting salvation to all who believe what he has promised.
What is God's promise?
In Mark 16:16 our Lord Jesus Christ says:
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned."
How can water do such great things?
It is not water that does these things, but God's Word with the water
and our trust in this Word.
Water by itself is only water, but with this Word it is a lifegiving water which by grace gives the new birth through the Holy Spirit.
St. Paul wrote in Titus 3:4-8:
"... according to his mercy he saved us,
by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
That being justified by his grace,
we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
This is a faithful saying...
What does Baptism mean for daily living?
It means that our sinful self, with all its evil deeds and desires, should be drowned through daily repentance; and that day after day a new self should arise to live with God in righteousness and purity forever.
St. Paul wrote in Romans 6:4:
"Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death,
that, like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life."
I. What is Holy Communion?
It is the sacrament instituted by Christ himself, in which he gives us his body and blood in and with the bread and wine.
What are the Words of Institution?
Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night in which he was betrayed, took bread;
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take, eat, this is my body, which is given for you;
do this in rememberance of me.
After the same manner also took the cup after supper,
and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying:
Drink of it, all of you;
this cup is the New Testament in my blood
which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins;
this do, as often as you drink it, in rememberance of me.
II. What benefits do we receive from this sacrament?
The benefits of this sacrament are pointed out in the words
given and shed for you for the remission of sins.
These words assure us that in the sacrament we receive forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. For where there is forgiveness of sins, , there is also life and salvation.
III. How can eating and drinking do all this?
It is not eating and drinking that does this, but the words
given and shed for you for the remission of sins.
These words, along with the eating and drinking, are the main thing in the sacrament. And whoever believes these words has exactly what they say, forgiveness of sins.
IV. When is a person rightly prepared to receive this sacrament?
Fasting and other outward preparation serve a good purpose. However, that person is well prepared and worthy who believes these words
given and shed for you for the remission of sins.
But anyone who does not believe these words, or doubts them, is neither prepared nor worthy, for the words for you require simply a believing heart.
What is "The Office of the Keys?
It is that authority which Christ gave to his church to forgive the sins of those who repent and to declare to those who do not repent that their sins are not forgiven.
What are the Words of Christ?
Our Lord Jesus Christ said to his disciples:
Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven;
if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.
John 20:23
Truly, I say unto you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 18:18
I. What is private confession?
Private confession has two parts:
First, we make a personal confession of sins to the pastor,
and then we receive absolution, which means forgiveness as if from God himself.
This absolution we should not doubt, but firmly believe that thereby our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.
II. What sins should we confess?
Before God, we should confess that we are guilty of all sins, even those which are not known to us, as we do in the Lord's Prayer. But in private confession, as before the pastor, we should confess only those sins which trouble us in heart and mind.
What are such sins?
We examine our everyday life according to the Ten Commandments --
for example, how we act toward father or mother, son or daughter, husband or wife, or toward the people with whom we work, and so on.
We may ask ourselves whether we have been disobedient or unfaithful, bad tempered or dishonest, or wheter we have hurt anyone by word or deed.
III. How might we confess our sins privately?
We may say that we wish to confess our sins and receive absolution in God's name. We may begin by saying:
"I, a poor sinner, confess before God that I am guilty of many sins."
Then we should name the sins that trouble us. We may close the confession with the words:,br />
"I repent all of these sins and pray for mercy. I promise to do better with God's help."
IV. What if we are not troubled by any special sins?
We should not torture ourselves with imaginary sins. If we cannot think of any sins to cinfess (which would hardly ever happen) we need not name any in particular, but may receive absolution because we have already made a general confession to God.
V. How may we be assured of forgiveness?
The pastor may pronounce the absolution by saying,
"By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you your sins"
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Those who are heavily burdened in conscience the pastor may comfort and encourage with further assurances from God's Word.
As soon as you get out of bed in the morning, you should bless yourself with the sign of the Holy Cross and say:
"In the Name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Then, kneeling or standing, say the Creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. If you wish, then you may pray this little prayer as well:
"My Heavenly Father, I thank you,
through Jesus Christ, your beloved Son,
that you kept me safe from all evil and danger last night.
Save me, I pray, today as well, from every evil and sin,
so that all I do and the way that I live will please you.
I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have.
Let your holy Angels be with me,
so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me.
Amen."
After that, with joy go about your work and perhaps sing a song inspired by the Ten Commandments or your own thoughts.
When you go to bed in the evening, you should bless yourself with the sign of the Holy Cross and say:
"In the Name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Then, kneeling or standing, say the Creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. If you wish, then you may pray this little prayer as well:
"My Heavenly Father, I thank you,
through Jesus Christ, your beloved Son,
that you have protected me by your grace.
Forgive, I pray, all my sins and the evil I have done.
Protect me, by your grace, tonight.
I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have.
Let your holy angels be with me,
so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me.
Amen."
After this, go to sleep immediately with joy.
The children and servants should come to the table modestly and with folded hands and say:
"All eyes look to you, O Lord,
and you give everyone food at the right time.
You open your generous hands and satisfy the hunger
of all living things with what they desire."
Psalm 145:15-16
Note: "What they desire" means that all animals get so much to eat, that they are happy and cheerful. Because, worry and greed interferes with such desires.
After this, pray the Lord's Prayer and the following prayer:
"Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless us and these gifts,
which we receive from your generous hand,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen."
The text of Luther's Small Catechism is in the Public Domain.
This text was prepared for web publishing by the webmaster
at Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, Saint John, NB, Canada,
on 15 February 2005; last amended 01 May 2006.
This page: http://www.hope.evangelical-lutheran.ca/smallcat.htm/
Any church wishing to do so may link directly to this page.
If any errors or omissions are noted, please inform us by e-mail.
Go in Peace; Serve the Lord
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