Martin Luthers Small Catechism | Page 4

Commandment
You must not desire your neighbor's wife, servant, maid, animals or
anything that belongs to him.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not release his cattle,
take his employees from him or seduce his wife, but urge they to stay
and do what they ought to do.

K. The Conclusion to the Commandments
Q. What does God say to us about all these commandments?
A. This is what He says:
``I am the Lord Your God. I am a jealous God. I plague the
grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who hate me with their
ancestor's sin. But I make whole those who love me for a thousand
generations.''
Q. What does it mean?
A. God threatens to punish everyone who breaks these commandments.
We should be afraid of His anger because of this and not violate such
commandments. But He promises grace and all good things to those
who keep such commandments. Because of this, we, too, should love
Him, trust Him, and willingly do what His commandments require.

Part Two: The Creed
The Creed: The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His
Household
I. The First Article: On Creation
I believe in God the Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth.
Q. What does this mean?
A. I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. He gave to
me: body and soul, eyes, ears and all the other parts of my body, my
mind and all my senses and preserves them as well. He gives me
clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and land, wife and children,
fields, animals and all I own. Every day He abundantly provides
everything I need to nourish this body and life. He protects me against
all danger, shields and defends me from all evil. He does all this
because of His pure, fatherly and divine goodness and His mercy, not
because I've earned it or deserved it. For all of this, I must thank Him,
praise Him, serve Him and obey Him. Yes, this is true!
II. The Second Article: On Redemption
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by
the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried, descended to Hell, on the third day
rose again from the dead, ascended to Heaven and sat down at the right
hand of God the Almighty Father. From there He will come to judge
the living and the dead. Q. What does this mean? A. I believe that Jesus

Christ is truly God, born of the Father in eternity and also truly man,
born of the Virgin Mary. He is my Lord! He redeemed me, a lost and
condemned person, bought and won me from all sins, death and the
authority of the Devil. It did not cost Him gold or silver, but His holy,
precious blood, His innocent body -- His death! Because of this, I am
His very own, will live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him
righteously, innocently and blessedly forever, just as He is risen from
death, lives and reigns forever. Yes, this is true.
III. The Third Article: On Becoming Holy
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the community
of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and
an everlasting life. Amen.
Q. What does this mean? A. I believe that I cannot come to my Lord
Jesus Christ by my own intelligence or power. But the Holy Spirit
called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, made me holy
and kept me in the true faith, just as He calls, gathers together,
enlightens and makes holy the whole Church on earth and keeps it with
Jesus in the one, true faith. In this Church, He generously forgives each
day every sin committed by me and by every believer. On the last day,
He will raise me and all the dead from the grave. He will give eternal
life to me and to all who believe in Christ. Yes, this is true!

Part Three: The Lord's Prayer

The Our Father
The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household
I. Introduction Our Father, Who is in Heaven.
Q. What does this mean?
A. In this introduction, God invites us to believe that He is our real
Father and we are His real children, so that we will pray with trust and
complete confidence, in the same way beloved children approach their
beloved Father with their requests.
II. The First Request May Your name be holy.
Q. What does this mean?
A. Of course, God's name is holy in and of itself, but by this