I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; the Forgiveness of sins; the Resurrection of the Body; and the Life Everlasting. Amen.
What is meant by this article?
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 through the Gospel, enlightened me by His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the true faith; in which Christian Church He daily forgives abundantly all my sins, and the sins of all believers, and will raise up me and all the dead at the last Day, and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly true.
THE THIRD ARTICLE treats of GOD THE HOLY GHOST and His work of SANCTIFICATION. It tells us how we become partakers of the Redemption which is described in the Second Article. Christ has accomplished our redemption, and the Holy Ghost applies that redemption to our souls. The work of the Holy Ghost in us is as necessary for our salvation as the [Cor. 2:14] work of Christ for us. We must believe in Christ, if we would be saved; [Mark 16:16] and it is the Holy Ghost who causes us to believe. [1 Cor. 12:3]
Article. III, and its Explanation may be analyzed as follows:—
I. His Person and Nature: He is True God.
II. His Work: He Calls, Enlightens, Sanctifies, and Preserves me in the true Faith.
III. His Workmanship: The Holy Christian Church.
IV. The Fruits of His Work: 1. The Forgiveness of Sins. 2. The Resurrection of the Body, and the Life Everlasting.
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST. The Holy Ghost is true God. He is not simply a power or energy of God, but a Person. [Acts 5:3-4] "He proceedeth from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified." [John 14:26, John 15:26] The Scriptures ascribe to Him divine names, attributes, power, honor, and works. Christ commanded His disciples to baptize men in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. [Matt. 28:19]
The Holy Spirit instructed the prophets and teachers of Old Testament times, [II Peter 1:21] and was poured out upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost. [Acts 2] He inspired the Holy Scriptures. [II Tim. 3:16] He comes into our hearts through the Word of God and the Sacraments.
The work of the Holy Ghost is Sanctification. This word is used here, at the head of the Third Article, in the wide sense, and includes the Holy Spirit's entire work upon our souls; namely, Calling, Enlightening, Sanctification in the narrower sense, and Preservation in the Faith.
1. ITS NECESSITY. If the Holy Spirit does not work in us, we cannot be saved. Hence, we say in the catechism,
CALLED ME THROUGH THE GOSPEL. [II Tim. 1:9] He has caused His Word to be written [II Thess. 2:14, II Tim. 3:16] and causes it to be continually proclaimed [John 20:31+, II Cor. 5:20, I Cor. 1:21] for the purpose of making God's grace known to me, and inviting me to share in it. He calls all men, and means His call earnestly. He does not merely seem to call some, but actually calls all who hear or read His Word. [I Tim. 2:4+, I Pet. 3:9] And along with the call, He gives us the strength which we need in order to believe. [Eph. 2:4-6] Those who obey the call are the Elect or Chosen [Matt. 20:16] ones, and obtain salvation. Those who refuse to obey the call are lost. [Mark 16:16]
ENLIGHTENED ME BY HIS GIFTS. The Holy Ghost shows me my lost condition and God's saving mercy, and thus leads me to Repentance through the Law, [John 16:8, Rom. 3:20] and to Faith through the Gospel. [John 15:26, John 1:17]
Repentance includes
1. An Acknowledgment and Confession of Sin. [Ps. 51:3, 4]
2. Sincere Sorrow for Sin. [Luke 22:62] It must be sorrow for the sin itself, and not merely for the consequences of sin.
3. The Hating and Forsaking of Sin. [Ps. 51:10]
4. An Earnest Desire for Forgiveness. [Ps. 51:2, 9]
True repentance always leads to faith. [II Cor. 7:10] Sorrow for sin which does not lead to faith, is not repentance but remorse, and often drives men to despair. [Matt. 27:3-5]
Faith includes
1. A Knowledge of the Facts of the Gospel. [Rom. 10:14]
2. A Belief of the Facts. [Rom. 4:20, 21]
3. Trust or Confidence in Christ our Saviour. [II Tim. 1:12+] This trust is the chief part of faith.
True faith is not a mere matter of the head, but of the heart. It is not a mere intellectual belief that God exists or that Christ lived and died; but it is a firm confidence that Christ is actually our Saviour, and that all our sins are washed away by His precious blood. Faith says, "The Son of God loved [I John 1:7] me, and gave Himself for me." [Gal. 2:20]
True faith is always preceded by repentance. The impenitent have no promise of forgiveness, and therefore cannot have faith. They cannot believe a promise which has not been given to them.
Regeneration and Conversion. Those whom the Holy Spirit has brought to repentance and faith are in a state of regeneration and conversion. The change which has taken place in them is called a new birth or regeneration, [John 3:5, 6] because a new life has been planted in them. [II Cor. 5:17+] It is called conversion, [Acts 3:19] because they have been converted or turned from sin to righteousness, from self to God.
It is not necessary that a Christian should be able to point to the exact time of his conversion. The important question is not, "When were we converted?" but, "Are we now in a converted state?" that is, "Are we now penitent and believing?"
Justification. All those who have true faith are justified: [Rom. 5:1+, Rom. 4:5] their sins are forgiven, and the righteousness of Christ is imputed (counted as belonging) to them. [Phil. 3:9] When we believe in Christ, all that He has done and suffered for us is regarded by God as if we had done and suffered it ourselves; [II Cor. 5:21, Rom. 8:1+] for Christ was our substitute. Consequently, those who believe in Christ are justified for His sake; that is, they are pronounced by God to be righteous and fit to enter into heaven.
By Faith Alone. We are justified and saved by faith alone, without works. [Rom. 3:28+] We shall enter heaven, not because we deserve to enter, [Gal. 2:16+] but only because we believe in Christ. Salvation is a Gift: acquired for us by Christ's holy life and innocent death; bestowed upon us freely by God's grace; and accepted by faith. [Eph. 2:8, 9+] Our faith is not a merit on account of which we are forgiven, but it is the hand with which we reach out and accept the free gift of forgiveness which God offers for Christ's sake.
Our own works have nothing to do with our justification. [Rom. 3:20+] If God took them into consideration at all, they would condemn us; for at best we are imperfect and sinful creatures. [Rom. 7:18-23, Gal. 3:10+] In order to be saved, we need a perfect righteousness, Christ's righteousness alone is perfect. It becomes ours by faith.
AND SANCTIFIED. Those who have true faith are sanctified by the Holy Spirit; that is, they are made holy in heart and life. [Rom. 8:5+, Rom. 6:22] While good works do not save us, they do and must follow faith as its fruit. [Matt. 7:18] Believers do good works out of love to God and gratitude for His mercy. Faith that does not result in a holy life is a dead faith, [Jas. 2:26+] and cannot save. The Christian dare not live in sin. [Rom. 6:2+] He has become a new creature; for he is born again: and consequently he leads a new life. We shall, indeed, never become sinless in this world, but we must honestly and earnestly try to do God's will in all things. [Phil. 3:12-14, Matt. 5:16+] We should grow more and more holy every day. [Eph. 4:22-24, Rom. 12:2, I Thess. 4:1] We cannot do this by our own power, but we can by the help of God. We should, therefore, be diligent and faithful in the use of the Word of God and the Sacraments; for these are the means which the Holy Ghost uses for our sanctification.[4]
[Footnote 4: Faith in Christ does not at once make us perfectly holy and sinless, as some persons maintain; but it takes away the guilt of our sin. We are completely justified and forgiven as soon as we believe; but we are not completely sanctified. Sanctification is a gradual process, which will be completed only when we are transformed and glorified in heaven.]
PRESERVED ME IN THE TRUE FAITH. As it is the Holy Ghost who brings us to faith, so it is He who preserves us in it. [Phil. 1:6+] The world, the flesh, and the devil are enemies who seek to destroy our faith and to rob us of our salvation. We should constantly pray for strength to resist these enemies, [Matt. 26:41+, Rev. 2:10] and should obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We must avoid wilful, intentional sin, [Eph. 4:30+] and live a life of daily repentance. If we sin wilfully, we fall from grace and are lost, unless we come to true and lasting repentance. If we faithfully use the Means of Grace, and earnestly strive to lead a Christian life, the Holy Spirit will preserve us in the faith to the end. [Phil. 2:12, 13+]
QUESTIONS.—1. Of what does the Third Article treat? 2. What is to be said about the importance of the Holy Spirit's work? 3. Analyze the Third Article and its Explanation. 4. What is to be said about the person and nature of the Holy Ghost? 5. How does the Holy Ghost come into our hearts? 6. Describe the Work of the Holy Ghost. 7. Why can we not be saved if the Holy Spirit does not work in us? 8. How has the Holy Spirit called me? 9. How has He enlightened me? 10. How does the Holy Ghost bring me to repentance? 11. What does repentance include? 12. How does the Holy Ghost bring me to faith? 13. What does faith include? 14. What is true faith? 15. What is meant by regeneration? 16. What is meant by conversion? 17. Must a Christian know the exact time of his conversion? 18. What is meant by justification? 19. What is the relation of faith and works in salvation? 20. What is meant by sanctification? 21. What is the relation between faith and good works? 22. How are we preserved in the faith?
SCRIPTURE VERSES.—I Cor. 2:14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
John 20:31. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
I Tim. 2:4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Matt. 20:16. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
II Tim. 1:12. For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
II Cor. 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Rom. 5:1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom. 8:1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
Rom. 3:28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Gal. 2:16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.
Eph. 2:8, 9. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.
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.
Gal. 3:10. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Rom. 8:5. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Jas. 2:26. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Rom. 6:2. God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Matt. 5:16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Phil. 1:6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Matt. 26:41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Eph. 4:30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Phil. 2:12, 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
READING.—The Outpouring of the Holy Ghost, Acts, 2:1-41.
ILLUSTRATIONS.—Calling: The Great Supper, Luke 14:16-24; The Marriage of the King's Son, Matt. 22; Matthew, Matt. 9:9; Peter and Andrew, Matt. 4:19; Nathanael, John 1:45. Repentance: David, Ps. 51; Peter, Luke 22:62; Zaccheus, Luke 19; The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-24; The Publican, Luke 18:13. Impenitence: Cain, Gen. 4:13; Judas, Matt. 27:4, 5; The Pharisee, Luke 18:10-12, Faith: The Centurion, Matt. 8:5-13; The Woman of Cana, Matt. 15:22-28; Peter, John 6:68, 69. Doubt: Thomas, John 20:22-28. Conversion: The Twelve Disciples; The Three Thousand, Acts 2; The Thief on the Cross, Luke 23:39-43; The Philippian Jailor, Acts 16:25-34. Faithfulness: Paul, II Cor. 11:23-33; II Tim. 4:7. Apostasy: Ananias, Acts 4:5; Demas, II Tim. 4:10.
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