Christ’s Prophetic Office
Q. How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?

A. Christ executes the office of a prophet,
in revealing to us,
by his word and Spirit,
the will of God for our salvation
(John 1:18; 15:15; 20:31; 1 Peter 1:10-12).

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
Horatius Bonar, 1846
#304, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down
your head upon by breast.”

I came to Jesus as I was,
weary and worn and sad;
I found in him a resting place,
and he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
the living water; thirsty one,
stoop down and drink, and live.”

I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s Light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise,
and all your day be bright.”

I looked to Jesus and I found
in him my Star, my Sun;
and in that light of life I’ll walk,
till trav’ling days are done.

Offices of the Redeemer

Q. What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?

A. Christ, as our Redeemer,
executes the office of a prophet (Acts 3:22),
of a priest (Hebrews 5:6),
and of a king (Psalm 2:6),
both in his state of humiliation and exaltation.

Blessed Jesus, At Your Word
#303, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Stanzas 1-3, Tobias Clausnitzer, 1663;
Stanza 4, anon., 1707
Stanzas 1-3 translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1858;
Stanza 4 translated by anon.;
altered 1990, mod.

Blessed Jesus, at your word
we are gathered all to hear you;
let our hearts and souls be stirred
now to seek and love and fear you,
by your teachings, sweet and holy,
drawn from earth to love you solely.

All our knowledge, sense and sight
lie in deepest darkness shrouded,
till your Spirit breaks our night
with the beams of truth unclouded.
You alone to God can win us;
you must work all good within us.

Glorious Lord, your self impart,
Light of light, from God proceeding;
open now our ears and heart,
help us by your Spirit’s pleading;
hear the cry your people raises,
hear and bless our prayers and praises.

Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
praise to you and adoration!
Grant that we your Word may trust
and obtain true consolation,
while we here below must wander,
till we sing your praises yonder.

The Redeemer’s Incarnation

Q. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?

A. Christ, the Son of God, became man,
by taking to himself a true body (Hebrews 2:14),
and a reasonable soul (Matthew 26:38),
being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost,
in the womb of the virgin Mary,
and born of her (Luke 1:31, 35),
yet without sin (Hebrews 7:26).

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent
#193, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Liturgy of St. James, 5th Century
Adapted by Gerard Moultrie, 1864

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly-minded,
for with blessing in his hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of mary,
as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
in the body and the blood,
he will give to all the faithful
his own self for heav’nly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the pow’rs of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six-winged seraph;
cherubim, with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry,
“Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Lord Most High!”

The Redeemer’s Identity

Q. Who is the Redeemer of God’s Elect?

A. The Only Redeemer of God’s Elect is the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5), who, being the eternal Son of God, became man (John 1:14), and so was, and continues to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person (Romans 9:5), forever (Hebrews 7:24).

Of the Father’s Love Begotten
#162, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, 348-413
Translated by John Mason Neale, 1854;
Henry W. Baker, 1859

Of the Father’s love begotten
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega,
he the Source, the Ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see,
evermore and evermore!

O that birth forever blessed,
when the Virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bore the Savior of our race;
and the babe, the world’s Redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face,
evermore and evermore!

This is he whom heav’n-taught singers
sang of old with one accord,
whom the Scriptures of the prophets
promised in their faithful word;
now he shines, the long expected;
let creation praise its Lord,
evermore and evermore!

O ye heights of heav’n adore him;
angel hosts, his praises sing;
all dominions, bow before him
and extol our God and King;
let no tongue on earth be silent,
every voice in concert ring,
evermore and evermore!

Christ, to thee, with God the Father,
and, O Holy Ghost, to thee,
hymn, and chant, and high thanksgiving,
and unwearied praises be,
honor, glory, and dominion,
and eternal victory,
evermore and evermore!

Deliverance from the Fall

Q. Did God leave all mankind to perish
in the estate of sin and misery?

A. God, having out of his mere good pleasure,
from all eternity elected some to everlasting life (Ephesians 1:4),
did enter into a covenant of grace,
to deliver them out of the estate of sine and misery,
and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer
(Romans 3:21-22).

How Vast the Benefits Divine
#470, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Augustus M. Toplady, 1774
Alt. 1961

How vast the benefits divine
which we in Christ possess!
We are redeemed from guilt and shame
and called to holiness.

But not for works which we have done,
or shall hereafter do,
hath God decreed on sinful men
salvation to bestow.

The glory, Lord, from first to last,
is due to thee alone;
aught to ourselves we dare not take,
or rob thee of thy crown.

Our glorious Surety undertook
to satisfy for man,
and grace was given us in him
before the world began.

This is thy will, that in thy love
we ever should abide;
that earth and hell should not prevail
to turn thy word aside.

Not one of all the chosen race
but shall to heav’n attain,
partake on earth the purposed grace
and then with Jesus reign.

Misery of Man’s Estate

Q. What is the misery of that estate
whereinto man fell?

A. All mankind by their fall
lost communion with God (Genesis 3:8),
are under his wrath and curse
(Ephesians 2:3; Galatians 3:10),
and so, made liable to all miseries in this life,
to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever
(Romans 6:23; Matthew 25:41).

O Safe to the Rock That Is Higher Than I
#655, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
William O. Cushing, 1876

O safe to the Rock that is higher than I
my soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;
so sinful, so weary, thine, thine would I be;
thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in thee.

Hiding in thee, hiding in thee–
thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in thee.

In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour,
in times when temptation casts o’er me its pow’r,
in the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,
thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in thee.

Hiding in thee, hiding in thee–
thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in thee.

How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
I have fled to my refuge and breathed out my woe!
How often when trials like sea billows roll,
have I hidden in thee, O thou Rock of my soul!

Hiding in thee, hiding in thee–
thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in thee.

Sinfulness of Man’s Estate

Q. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate
whereinto Man fell?

A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell,
consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin (Romans 5:19),
the want of original righteousness (Romans 3:18),
and the corruption of his whole nature,
which is commonly called original sin.

Amazing Grace!
#460, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Stanzas 1-5, John Newton, 1779
Stanza 6, A Collection of Sacred Ballads, 1790

Amazing grace!
How sweet the sound!
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
his Word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be,
as long as life endures.

And when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil
a life of joy and peace.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
than when we’ve first begun.

Estate of Fallen Man

Q. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery (Romans 5:12).

To God My Earnest Voice I Raise
#608, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Arrangement by Edward Miller, 1790
From Psalm 142

To God my earnest voice I raise,
to God my voice imploring prays;
before his face my grief I show
and tell my trouble and my woe.

When gloom and sorrow compass me,
the path I take is known to thee,
and all the toils that foes do lay
to snare thy servant in his way.

O Lord, my Savior, now to thee,
without a hope besides, I flee,
to thee, my shelter from the strife,
my portion in the land of life.

Be thou my help when troubles throng,
for I am weak and foes are strong;
my captive soul from prison bring,
and thankful praises I will sing.

Extent of the Fall

Q. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?

A. The covenant being made with Adam,
not only for himself,
but for his posterity (Genesis 1:28; 2:16-17);
all mankind,
descending from him by ordinary generation,
sinned in him,
and fell with him,
in his first transgression (Romans 5:18).

Fountain of Never-Ceasing Grace
#519, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Augustus M. Toplady, 1740-1778

Fountain of never-ceasing grace,
your saints’ exhaustless theme,
great object of immortal praise,
essentially supreme,
we bless you for the glorious fruits
your incarnation gives,
the righteousness which grace imputes,
and faith alone receives.

In you we have a righteousness
by God himself approved;
our rock, our sure foundation this,
which never can be moved.
Our ransom by your death was paid,
for all your people giv’n,
the law you perfectly obeyed,
that they might enter heav’n.

As all, when Adam sinned alone,
in his transgression died,
so by the righteousness of One
are sinners justified;
we to your merit, gracious Lord,
with humblest joy submit,
again to paradise restored,
in you alone complete.

Our First Parents’ First Sin

Q. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?

A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created was their eathing the forbidden fruit
(Genesis 3:6-8).

Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray
#567, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Johann Freystein, 1697, cento.
Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1863; alt.
STRAF MICH NICHT 7.6.7.6.3.3.6.6.

Rise, my soul, to watch and pray,
from thy sleep awaken;
be not by the evil day
unawares o’ertaken.
For the foe, well we know,
oft his harvest reapeth
while the Christian sleepeth.Watch against the devil’s snares,
lest asleep he find thee;
for indeed no pains he spares
to deceive and blind thee.
Satan’s prey oft are they
who secure are sleeping
and no watch are keeping.

Watch! Let not the wicked world
with its pow’r defeat thee.
Watch lest with her pomp unfurled
she betray and cheat thee.
Watch and see lest there be
faithless friends to charm thee,
who but seek to harm thee.

Watch against thyself, my soul,
lest with grace thou trifle;
let not self thy thoughts control
nor God’s mercy stifle.
Pride and sin lurk within
all thy hopes to scatter;
heed not when they flatter.

But while watching, also pray
to the Lord unceasing.
He will free thee, be thy stay,
strength and faith increasing.
O Lord, bless in distress
and let nothing swerve me
from the will to serve thee.

Sin Defined

Q. What is sin?

A. Sin is any want of conformity unto,
or transgression of,
the law of God (1 John 3:4).

God, Be Merciful to Me

Music by Richard Redhead, 1853

#486, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)

God, be merciful to me,
on thy grace I rest my plea;
plenteous in compassion thou,
blot out my transgressions now;
wash me, make me pure within,
cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.

My transgressions I confess,
grief and guilt my soul oppress;
I have sinned against thy grace
and provoked thee to thy face;
I confess thy judgment just,
speechless, I thy mercy trust.

I am evil, born in sin;
thou desirest truth within.
Thou alone my Savior art,
teach thy wisdom to my heart;
make me pure, thy grace bestow,
wash me whiter than the snow.

Broken, humbled to the dust
by thy wrath and judgment just,
let my contrite heart rejoice
and in gladness hear thy voice;
from my sins O hide thy face,
blot them out in boundless grace.

Gracious God, my heart renew,
make my spirit right and true;
cast me not away from thee,
let thy Spirit dwell in me;
thy salvation’s joy impart,
steadfast make my willing heart.

Sinners then shall learn from me
and return, O God, to thee;
Savior, all my guilt remove,
and my tongue shall sing thy love;
touch my silent lips, O Lord,
and my mouth shall praise accord.

The Fall

Q. Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?

A. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God (Genesis 3:6-8; Ecclesiastes 7:29).

With Tears of Anguish I Lament
Samuel Stennett (1727-1795)

With tears of anguish I lament
here at thy feet, my God
my passion, pride and discontent
and vile ingratitude

Sure there was ne’er a heart so base
so false as mine has been
so faithless to its promises
so prone to ev’ry sin

My reason tells me thy commands
are holy, just and true
tells me whate’er my God demands
is his most righteous due

Reason I hear, her counsels weigh
and all here words approve
but still I find it hard t’obey
and harder yet to love

How long, dear Savior, shall I feel
these strugglings in my breast?
When wilt thou bow my stubborn will,
and give my conscience rest?

Break, sov’reign grace, O break the charm
and set the captive free
reveal, Almighty god, thine arm
and haste to rescue me.

Providence Toward Man

Q. What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?

A. When God had created man,
he entered into a covenant of life with him,
upon condition of perfect obedience (Galatians 3:12);
forbidding him to eat
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
upon pain of death (Genesis 2:17).

My Dear Redeemer and My Lord
#238, Trinity Hymnal 
Isaac Watts
My dear Redeemer and my Lord,
I read my duty in your Word;
but in your life the law appears
drawn out in living characters.

Such was your truth, and such your zeal,
such def’rence to your Father’s will,
such love, and meekness so divine,
I would transcribe and make them mine.

Cold mountains and the midnight air
witnessed the fervor of your prayer;
the desert your temptations knew,
your conflict and your vict’ry too.

Be now my pattern; make me bear
more of your gracious image here:
then God the Judge shall own my name
amongst the foll’wers of the Lamb.