Caleb’s Baptism (Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 2 — Questions 3-5)

Caleb,

Part of the purpose for the Heidelberg Catechism, when it was written, was so that God’s people, in the geographic area where the Reformed faith had been chosen, could not only know their faith but also know their faith vis-a-vis the Lutheranism, Roman Catholicism, and Ana-Baptist strains of Christianity with which the Reformed people would come in contact. In the 16th century, unlike today, it made a significant difference that Reformed people knew what they believed and why they believed it in contradistinction to other less accurate expressions of Christianity. Because this is true there will be points along the way in the Catechism where a certain emphasis is brought out in order to alert people that the Bible teaches X and not Y like Lutherans, or Roman Catholics or Ana-Baptists believe. We will note those times as we move through future discussions.

Today, we turn to the first section of the Catechism proper; “Man’s Misery.” Keep in mind that for the next few entries the subject matter is going to be pretty dark. The intent of this section of the catechism is to close all avenues of answers to our sin problem so that we are forced to look in the only place where we can find the answer. Because that is the intent, the catechism repeatedly rams home the danger in which we find ourselves in this first section. People who are new to Christianity can get pretty depressed (miserable) in the teaching of this section of the catechism. Keep in mind that they are painting a dark picture so that when the light breaks forth that light will look all the more glorious.

It is significant to point out that the truths of the Catechism in their major divisions (in this case Man’s Sin) is accompanied by an emotion (in this case Man’s misery). When we come to know our sin the inevitable result will be a feeling of misery. Just as when we come to know our Deliverance their will be the inevitable result of a feeling of gratitude. Both of the truths and the accompany emotions are to drive behavior. The knowledge of our sin and misery is to drive the behavior of seeking for a Deliverer. The knowledge of being delivered is to drive the behavior of living our gratitude.

The catechism has told us that in order to live and die in God’s comfort we must know our sins and miseries. Now it asks,

Question 3. Whence knowest thou thy misery?

Answer: Out of the law of God.

The law of God has several uses. I’ve heard preachers give as many as six uses of the law but for our brief explanation here we will stick with the standard “three uses of the law.” The first use of the law that Reformed people talk about is what the catechism is speaking of here and through question 11. That first use of the law is referred to as the pedagogical use (And knowing how you love Latin — usus elenchticus sive paedagogicus). In this use of the the law, the law shows people their sin and points them to mercy and grace outside of themselves once they become exhausted with trying to keep the law in their own power. This use of the law has the purpose of exposing and rubbing people’s nose in their sin until they realize that they cannot get their nose out of the stink of their sin without help from a deliverer. I don’t know if your familiar with Pilgrim’s Progress, but in that book the main Character meets the law and cries out for mercy after being beaten about by the law, but the law keeps right on beating “Pilgrim,” because, in its first use, it does not know mercy, though it’s purpose is to point us to the merciful one.

John Calvin put the function of the first use of the law this way,

“(By) exhibiting the righteousness of God, — in other words, the righteousness which alone is acceptable to God, — it admonishes every one of his own unrighteousness, certiorates, convicts, and finally condemns him.”

The second use of the law is commonly referred to as the the civil use (usus politicus sive civilis). That is, the law serves the commonwealth or body politic as a force to restrain sin. You were in Church last week and in the introduction to the Sermon we glanced against that idea a little bit when I spoke of how much of God’s law, because of Alfred the Great’s work had been woven into English Common Law. The fact that we have still have laws that forbid marrying our sisters (as one example) is because the second use of the law is still taken seriously (though admittedly few people would understand or agree with that).

The third use of the law is the normative use (usus didacticus sive normativus). This use of the law is for those who trust in Christ and have been saved through faith apart from works. This use of the law serves as the norm that norms all norms in terms of Christian behavior. It answers the questions, “How shall then we live.” This use of the law is found in the Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Days 32-52.

So, the first use of the law is to show us and convict us of our sin, and that is what the Scriptures teach.

Rom.3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

In question #4 the Catechism then looks for precision.

Question 4. What does the law of God require of us?

Answer: Christ teaches us that briefly, Matt. 22:37-40, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and the great commandment; and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

This requirement of the law is not good news for those outside of Christ, for those outside of Christ hate God and are lovers of self. The whole life of the pagan is to de-god God and en-god themselves. In the en-godding of themselves their only use for their neighbor is to serve them in their god-ness (i.e. — to use them). As those outside of Christ have themselves at the center of all reality, so they are convicted of violating God’s law requiring love to God and neighbor.

However, a word here regarding the Christian who hears these words. Remember, the call is to love God and neighbor perfectly. Who of us, who are in Christ, can ever say we love God and neighbor perfectly? None of us. And so as Christians when we hear this summary of the law we once again are reminded that our hope for meeting God’s law requirement is only met fully and completely in Christ. Yes, those of us in Christ, seek to love God and neighbor perfectly, and though we may make a good beginning in loving God and neighbor, and though we might make advance in loving God and neighbor, we must admit that if it were not for Christ’s love for the Father being put to our account we would not meet God’s just requirement to fulfill God’s law and so would be without hope.

The catechism cites a few other Scriptures that make it clear that man’s first and foremost responsibility is to love God and neighbor.

Deut.6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Lev.19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Luke 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Love to God is the purpose for which man was made. When man refuses to render up love to God and neighbor he may hurt his neighbor but he does not hurt to God. Man reaches out to strike God by his refusal to render up the love that God requires and the result is that he always strikes and injures himself.

When man refuses to love neighbor he creates a culture of conflict of interests instead of the harmony of interests that God created men unto. In the creation God created man to work in harmony with one another but what happens when man turns on God man creates a hell hole culture where everyone is seeking to take advantage of everyone else in order to get ahead. This is what man creates when he refuses to love neighbor.

The catechism ends this Lord’s day by asking,

“Question 5. Canst thou keep all these things perfectly?

Answer: In no wise; (a) for I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbour.(b)

That we can not live up to God’s law perfectly is repeatedly taught in Scripture.

Rom.3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Rom.3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Rom.3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

The catechism reminds us in answer #5

1.) That the requirement is to keep God’s law perfectly. No failings allowed.

2.) That sinful man not only does not love God but is prone by nature to hate God and neighbor.

When it comes to what God requires in terms of obedience is absolute perfection. 99.99% compliance is not acceptable and will result in eternal separation from God’s peace, bliss, and blessing. Remember, God is a perfectly Holy and just beings and were God to allow even small sinners into his presence, apart from Christ’s perfection, His Holiness and Justice would be rightly called into question. God has said, “The soul that sinneth shall surely die,” and that allows for no exceptions or God is a liar, and so not God.

All of this is complicated by the fact that human beings, by nature, are inclined to hate God and neighbor. This is called the doctrine of original sin. Because of man’s union with Adam (more on that later) man is born with a bent towards selfish self love that precludes love to God and neighbor and includes outright hatred of God and neighbor. Not all men express this inborn nature with the same intensity (thank God) but all men are prone, by nature, to hate God and neighbor. Unless God does something men are born to hate God and neighbor and cannot not hate God and neighbor and furthermore love to hate God and neighbor. Such is the ruin of man unto what God requires of him in His just law.

The doctrine of original sin teaches that we are not sinners because we sin but rather we sin because we are sinners. In order that love of God and neighbor might blossom in the breast of fallen man there must be a change (more on that later), but until that change comes, men outside of Christ spend their entire existence plotting and planning on how to express their hatred toward God and neighbor, all the while, insisting to themselves and others that they are the very wellspring of love and affection to “God” and neighbor.

Of course the Scriptures support what the catechism is teaching us here. In the catechism, we are not being given men’s opinions, but Gods truth.

(b) Rom.8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Eph.2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Tit.3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Gen.6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Gen.8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

Jer.17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Rom.7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Caleb’s Baptism (2C)

How many things are necessary for thee to know, that thou, enjoying this comfort, mayest live and die happily?

Answer: Three; (a) the first, how great my sins and miseries are; (b) the second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries; (c) the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such deliverance. (d)

Caleb,

We have made the point that the Catechism teaches us that Christianity is the life of the mind. This is not the same as saying that Christianity is reducible to a series of ratiocination exercises. Christianity believes that knowing the truths about God leads to knowing and loving God. Christianity is never less then knowing God but it is always much more than knowing God. Remember, James teaches that the Demons believe in God but their knowledge of God is hardly salvific.

We have talked about the necessity of knowing our sin. Sin is any want of conformity to or violation of God’s law. Sin is rebellion against God’s character. Sin is defiance against God’s revealed way. Sin is the attempt to de-god God and en-god ourselves. The catechism insists that in order to have the Christian comfort that we belong to God we must be conversant (familiar) with our sin.

The catechism also insist that in order to enjoy the comfort (strength) that comes from belonging to God we must know how we may be delivered from all our sins and miseries. You see the knowing of our sins and miseries is not an end in and of itself but such a knowing of our sins and miseries is intended to pole-vault you into the more important understanding of how it is that you are delivered from those sins and miseries.

Notice that the catechism does not say, “the second, that I am delivered from my sins and miseries.” No, the catechism insists that in order for you to know Christian comfort you must know how you are delivered from your sins and misery. The catechism cites these passages in order to legitimate the statement that we must come to know how it is we are delivered,

(c) John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Acts 10:43 To him (Jesus) give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

The second part of the catechism will, with precision, explain how it is that we are delivered. In the current contemporary setting in which we find ourselves this is quite important. Increasingly, we have churches that are filled with Christians who are absolutely clueless as to how it is that they are delivered. They will insist that they are delivered. They will praise up and down the name of “Jesus.” They may even make mention of the Cross. But in the end they stare at you with the dumb cow look if you start talking about the mechanics of salvation, or, “how it is we are delivered.” It is akin to a seamstress insisting that she likes dresses but is clueless on how to make a dress. Caleb, all Christians should have some fundamental understanding of “how it is we are delivered,” that goes beyond cant Christian sloganeering and trite magical Christian phrases. The catechism will give you those fundamentals on “how it is we are delivered from all of our sins.”

Quetion #2 ends with the third reality that we must know in order to find comfort in the fact that we are owned by God. The catechism has a expectation that Christians will know, “how they shall express their gratitude to God for such deliverance.” This will form the third division of the catechism.

So as we break down the Heidelberg catechism, it goes like this

I.) Our Sins and Miseries (Questions 3-11)
II.) Man’s Deliverance (Questions 12-85)
III.) Man’s Gratitude (Questions 86-129)

The expectation of the catechism (following Scripture) is that once man knows how it is he is delivered there will be the natural desire to want to display gratitude. The third part of the catechism, following God’s law as a guide to life, answers how it is that we may show gratitude for the great deliverance that we’ve been freely given.

We should note that section #1 and section #2 are entirely God’s work. If we are to know our sins and miseries, and if we are to know how it is we are delivered it is entirely the favor of God that reveals these truths to us. Section #3 however concentrates on our response to God’s graciously giving to us what we do not deserve. Now, it remains true that even our response to God’s grace is all of grace and yet there is a concursive work in sanctification where, after God has worked in us conformity to Christ, we work out our salvation in fear and trembling, part of which is showing gratitude.

Christians have been delivered for the purpose of the glorifying of God that is driven by the motive of gratitude. Gratitude for a completely free deliverance from sin then becomes the foundation for a purpose driven life, the purpose of which is obey God’s law-word and so glorify God. We see thus, that our salvation that we are freely given does not find its end purpose in us. No, the purpose of our deliverance is that we might be a people who are in a mad pursuit to give glory to God through Holy Spirit led obedience to God’s revelation in gratitude for all that God has done for us by sending Jesus Christ to redeem us.

Scripture has the expectation that we will live differently (by a different code) from those not yet delivered,

Eph.5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: Eph.5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph.5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Eph.5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

1 Pet.2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 1 Pet.2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Rom.6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom.6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Rom.6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Rom.6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Christians who do not live in gratitude are testifying that they have not yet either become conversant with their sin, nor familiar with their deliverance. Any man or woman who begins to realize both the sin they have been rescued from and the character of the God who has rescued us will exhaust themselves in being creative in manifesting gratitude for so great a salvation.

The Heidelberg & God’s Fifth Word

Q. What is God’s will for you
in the fifth commandment?

A. That I honor, love, and be loyal

to my father and mother and all those in authority over me; that I submit myself with proper obedience to all their good teaching and discipline;1 and also that I be patient with their failings—2 for through them God chooses to rule us.3

1 Ex. 21:17; Prov. 1:8; 4:1; Rom. 13:1-2; Eph. 5:21-22; 6:1-9; Col. 3:18-4:1
2 Prov. 20:20; 23:22; 1 Pet. 2:18
3 Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:1-8; Eph. 6:1-9; Col. 3:18-21

In God’s fifth word He has set aside
Honor for our family line
Love for our own is His desire
Fidelity to kin, what He requires
God has ordained that we would find
His eternal order where we first abide

In God’s family structure I should learn
The introduction to a godly order
By my parents I’m taught to obey
And instructed to walk in God’s way
This teaching begins in my family borders
So, as years unfold, from God I will not turn

Parental weakness with love is covered
In Parental shortcomings I understand
That through their faults, God sanctifies
So teaching me, that I must mortify
The sin that requires that they meet my demands
And the selfishness in me yet uncovered

———————————

In His fifth Word God has set aside
Honor for our family line
Love for our own is His desire
Fidelity to kin, what He requires
God has ordained that we would find
His eternal order where we first abide

In God’s family structure I learn
The introduction to a godly order
By my parents I’m taught to obey
And instructed to walk in God’s way
My teaching is within my family border
So that from God I will never turn

Parental weakness with love is covered
In Parental shortcomings I understand
That through their faults, God sanctifies
So teaching me, that I must mortify
Sin that requires they meet my demands
And the selfishness in me yet uncovered

Caleb’s Baptism (2b)

Question 2. How many things are necessary for thee to know, that thou, enjoying this comfort, mayest live and die happily?

Answer: Three; (a) the first, how great my sins and miseries are; (b) the second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries; (c) the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such deliverance. (d)

Caleb,

We now look at the answer to question #2, which as I told you last time, serves as the threefold division of the Catechism.

When it comes to knowing how great our sins and miseries are we must first understand that the ability to know our sins and miseries is premised on understanding the Character of God. God is Holy (set apart). Indeed God is so Holy that we find that attribute (character of God) emphasized repeatedly in Scripture. Here are two examples,

Isaiah 6:3 And one (Heavenly Creature) cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Revelation 4:8 and the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.

The fact that God’s “Holy” character is repeated three times in each of these passages is a Hebraism (Hebrew language technique) in order to emphasize the magnitude of God’s superlative Holiness.

So, when the Catechism teaches that in order to live and die in comfort we must know our sins and miseries we understand that we can not know our sins and miseries apart from knowing something of the Character of God’s Holiness. Another way of saying this is that our sin is seen as especially sinful only in light of seeing God’s Holiness and understanding that in order to have a relationship with God we must be Holy as He is Holy. It is only when we understand how big God is that we begin to have a correct estimate of how small we are.

The whole premise of Scripture is that men must know they are sinners or they will never turn to Christ for deliverance. Why would we petition for deliverance until we first realize that we need to be delivered? Knowing our sins and miseries is unto turning to Christ as the answer for those realities. They do not have the need of a Savior who do not know they need to be saved from their sin.

Matt.11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt.11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matt.11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

This idea of knowing our sins and miseries also serves the purpose of keeping us lost in wonder, awe, and praise that God has so graciously redeemed us by the blood of Christ. Once we get a firm grip (understanding) on our sin we will more inclined to have a firm grip on God’s grace towards us in Christ. The Puritans used to have a maxim that should we desire to be amazed by God’s grace we needed to learn again our sin.

Another positive benefit of knowing our sins and miseries is that such knowledge can go a long away from delivering us from being impressed with ourselves or becoming self-righteous. Too often, when we forget our sins and miseries we begin to become pretty impressed with ourselves. There is nothing more repulsive then a Christian who has forgotten their sins and miseries and has become impressed with himself.

Now, having said all that about the necessity to know our sins and miseries there is a qualifier that must be extended. The purpose of knowing our sins and miseries is not so we might always be miserable about our sin. The purpose of knowing our sins and miseries is so that we can be amazed with God who would, despite our sins and miseries, still enthusiastically claim us for His own. I bring this forth because it does happen from time to time that people can wear it as a badge of honor and become proud in how sinful and miserable they are. Once we become familiar with our sins and miseries it is best to carry that self understanding without getting into contests with others about who is a bigger sinner.

We will always remain but sinners saved by grace. St. Paul reminds those to whom he writes from time to time of that very truth,

Cor.6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Tit.3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. Tit.3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Tit.3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Tit.3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; Tit.3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

However, that truth is not intended to make us beat ourselves as if the reminding of the fact of it was intended to make us always grovel. No, the truth of being conversant with our sins and miseries is intended to make us always thankful that God would send Christ to rescue and mold into a great people a sinful lot as ourselves. We are a great people because we have a great deliverer.

With the next installation we will look at how it is that we are delivered from all our sins and miseries.

Caleb’s Baptist — Question 2a

Caleb,

The Second question and answer of the first Lord’s day gives us the structural outline of the Catechism. The Catechism is divided according to the three part answer of question #2. Part #1 of the Catechism deals with how great our sins and miseries are. Part #2 of the Catechism (the longest part) deals with how we are delivered from all our sins and miseries. Part #3 of the Catechism deals with our response of gratitude to God for our deliverance. The Catechism is then sub-divided into 52 Lord’s Days. One unit for each week of the year. This structuring was often used in order to teach a congregation one Lord’s Day unit per week thus covering the Catechism in one year.

There is a certain logic to be found in this subdivision. A man will not see the need for salvation until he first sees his sin. Once man sees his sin, salvation is what he will pine for and once he begins to comprehend how great a salvation he has been freely given the natural response is to show gratitude to the one who has done all the saving.

Keep in mind that the Catechism was intended to be a kind of basic Christianity. It was hoped that all God’s people would be familiar with the basic truths brought out in the Catechism. Many people want to jump to graduate school Christianity without getting the basics down that are found in the Catechism. This is a dangerous road to take, if only because the basics are instrumental when seeking to understand matters loftier. If we don’t have the basics under our belt loftier matters might possibly throw us for a loop.

The second question asks,

How many things are necessary for thee to know, that thou, enjoying this comfort, mayest live and die happily?

First note how practical the Catechism is. It desires for people to live happily. It believes it is giving a way for people to die happily. The truths in the catechism are expected to have an impact in the way that we think, the way that we live, and the way that we die.

Second, not the premise of the second question. The premise is that Christianity is primarily the life of the mind. Question #2 asks, how many things are necessary for thee to know. With this question the Catechism tells us that unless we rationally understand certain truths we will not be able to enjoy the comfort that Christianity affords. Christianity is a life long pursuit of thinking God’s thoughts after Him. This is not a insignificant point as many versions of Christianity today denigrate the life of the mind in favor of emotion, or encounter or experience. Now, it may be the case that Christianity should well include emotion, encounter, and experience but these are the consequence of knowing God, not the basis of knowing God. I harp on this because much if not most of Christianity is based on the search for a meaningful experience with God, or a encounter with God, or some emotional high from God. The Catechism is not primarily concerned with these matters. The Catechism, following Scripture is concerned with you knowing God, and your undoubted Catholic Christian faith.

Jeremiah 9:23 Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

John 17:3 (Jesus speaking) This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

The shift from the insistence on “Knowing God,” to a insistence on “Experiencing God” can be seen in the Christian publishing world. In 1973 a book was published entitled “Knowing God.” It was considered a instant classic. Another book title from that era that was also was quite good was “Knowledge of the Holy.” However another publishing wave hit in 1990 and a book entitled, “Experiencing God,” became all the rage. The two titles of those two books tell a loud story about how the Church and Christians think about God. You should also know that theology of encounter with God is also a big emphasis in certain quarters. I tell you these things so that you might understand different flavors of Christianity as you come across them. Biblical Christianity wants you to know God. Now certainly proper emotions will follow (the emotion of misery when sin is known, the emotion of relief upon knowing that we’ve bee rescued, the emotion of gratitude as a knowing response to our rescue, the emotion of joy knowing that we are safe in Christ, the emotion of love in knowing that God loves us, etc.) but emotions, experience, or encounter are only the residue of knowing God and your undoubted Catholic Christian faith.

Tomorrow we will look at the answer to question #2.