Thirty Questions
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Seedbed
Sowing for a Great Awakening
A SHORT CATECHISM ON THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
Copyright 2012 by Timothy C. Tennent
All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.
Printed in the United States of America
17 16 15 14 13 1 2 3 4 5
Library of Congress Control Number: 2012955517
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-62824-006-1
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-62824-007-8
Amazon ISBN: 978-1-62824-008-5
ePub ISBN: 978-1-62824-009-2
UPDF ISBN: 978-1-62824-010-8
Cover and page design by Haley Hill
Cover photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the Holy Bible: English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, Wheaton: Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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Dedicated to the memory of Susanna Wesley (1669–1742), who was the twenty-fifth child in her family, and became the mother of nineteen children. Few could match her deep commitment to catechesis. It is from her that her sons John and Charles first learned the faith. Her own catechesis which she wrote on the Apostles’ Creed, Lord’s Prayer, and Ten Commandments was lost in the famous fire when the rectory burned down but her fifteenth child, John Wesley, was miraculously rescued and became her “brand plucked from the burning.” It is fitting that today she bears the title “Mother of Methodism.”
Introduction
1. Who is God?
2. How do we know what God is like?
3. What is the Trinity?
4. Did God create the world and the human race?
5. What does it mean that we are created “in the image of God”?
6. What is the purpose and meaning of life?
7. What is sin and how did it enter into the human race?
8. Why did God call Abraham and enter into a covenant with Isarael?
9. What was the purpose of the Law?
10. What was the purpose of the priesthood and the sacrificial system?
11. What was the purpose of the temple?
12. Why did God become a man in Jesus Christ?
13. What was the purpose of Jesus’ life and ministry?
14. Why did Jesus Christ suffer and die upon the cross?
15. Why did Jesus Christ rise from the dead and ascend into heaven?
16. Who is the Holy Spirit and why was he sent?
17. What is prevenient (preceding) grace?
18. What is justification?
19. What is sanctification?
20. What is glorification?
21. What is the church?
22. What is the Bible and why was it given to the church?
23. What is a sacrament and how many are there?
24. What are the “means of grace”?
25. What is the role of prayer in the life of the Christian?
26. What is the gospel?
27. Why are we commanded to make disciples of all nations?
28. What is the bodily resurrection of the dead?
29. Why is Jesus returning to judge the world?
30. What is the ultimate goal and purpose of the people of God?
Hymn: “A Call to Learn”
Appendix A: Apostles’ Creed
Appendix B: Ten Commandments
Appendix C: The Lord’s Prayer
About the Author
Christians in the Western world have enjoyed a long sojourn at the center of cultural life. For hundreds of years we could expect that, broadly speaking, Judeo-Christian values were held up as worthy of emulation. People may not have followed the Ten Commandments, but they believed that they were true and that they reflected how people should live. Christianity was widely regarded as setting forth the proper moral standard for society. Christian values were generally defended in the church, in the home, and in society.
Today, Christianity in the Western world is in the diminishing sunset of that kind of relationship with the surrounding culture. Christian values are no longer defended in society, are not taught in most homes and, surprisingly, are even being questioned in some churches that have lost the courage to teach the Christian faith with reasonable clarity. Our society increasingly doubts that truth is even knowable or that ultimate truth exists. The Bible is viewed as an antiquated and contradictory book with a questionable moral framework.
There is a growing distrust in institutions and authority, whether the government or the church. Religion in general, and Christianity in particular, is often viewed as a shrill, disruptive voice in society, associated more with bigotry and anger than sound values, godly character, and wise counsel for life, not to mention a message of forgiveness and eternal life. A recent national campaign by atheists produced billboards across the nation with a picture of Jesus and the words: “Sadistic God, useless Savior, 30,000+ versions of ‘truth’, promotes hate, calls it love.” We also live in a period of skepticism about the reliability of historical narratives, whether the iconic account of George Washington crossing the Delaware or Luke writing his gospel. As Christians, we must recognize that the Western world is entering a post-Christian phase which requires a far more deliberate effort to pass down the faith in an intentional way to our children and, indeed, for all of us to understand the basic framework of Christian thought better. In short, we need a rebirth of catechesis.
The word “catechesis” means “to sound down.” It refers to a teaching exchange between a seasoned, secure Christian and a new believer. The church has invested enormous time and energy into catechesis all through history. Small manuals were produced which were used to teach the basics of Christian faith. They were often in question-and-answer format and generally covered the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles’ Creed, the nature of the church, and the sacraments. There were longer manuals which were used by the church in confirmation classes and shorter manuals which were used by parents at home. All of the Protestant churches which emerged in the sixteenth century produced catechesis manuals. John Wesley’s first encounter with the Christian faith would have been through an Anglican catechism which he learned from his mother, Susanna, who became widely known for her deep commitment to the catechesis of children—not only her own children, but many others as well.
Today, the pace of contemporary life, the exponential rise of time spent in entertainment, and the “light-weight” relational-oriented format of many Sunday school programs, youth groups, and worship services has left us with a whole generation of Christians who have only the vaguest idea as to what Christians actually believe. When pressed by an increasingly skeptical, even hostile generation, Christians are often unable to articulate their faith. Furthermore, because the church itself has not been immersed in a Christian worldview, the moral and ethical life of the church is slowly beginning to conform to the surrounding culture.
The purpose of this meditation is to provide a thirty-day short course in the Christian faith. Like traditional catechesis manuals, it is organized in a question-and-answer format. The questions can be used as a morning or evening devotional during any month of the year. Alternatively, a church or small Bible study group can use the manual over an eight-week period as follows: Week 1, questions 1–3; Week 2, questions 4–6; Week 3, questions 7–11; Week 4, questions 12–15; Week 5, question 16; Week 6, questions 17–20; Week 7, questions 21–25; and Week 8, questions 26–30.
Traditional catechesis manuals pose a question and then provide a short, pithy one-sentence reply. In this catechesis a more lengthy explanation is given which invites discussion, reflection, and interaction. The Apostles’ Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer are included in this manual’s appendices. These three selections should be memorized by the individual or the group during the month meditation or during the eight-week study. It is recommended that each day or session begin with a reading of the Apostles’ Creed and the Ten Commandments and close with the Lord’s Prayer. Throughout the meditation there are passages of Scripture which support the answer. These texts can be read to supplement the meditation and aid discussion as an integral part of the study.
The church has been sustained for nearly two thousand years through a careful commitment to catechesis. By engaging in this study, you are joining with millions of Christians over the ages who not only believed the faith, but learned it, remembering the final command of Jesus to “teach them everything I have commanded you” (see Matt. 28:20), as well as the words of Peter who said, “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15).
Thirty Questions
God is a personal being, infinite in love, knowledge, and power. He is perfect in wisdom, goodness, righteousness, justice, holiness, and truth. God is both the creator and sustainer of the universe. He is the final goal and judge of the universe, infinite and perfect in all his attributes.
The Jewish/Christian understanding of God is unique among all the religions of the world. Hinduism remains uncertain whether we can know that God is personal, or infinite in his perfections. Islam affirms that God is infinite in his perfections, but is uncertain if God can be personally knowable. Buddhism is officially nontheistic, denying all first causes, including God. In contrast, Christians affirm that God is personal and knowable.
To say that he is perfect in all his attributes is to declare that every attribute of God is enjoyed by him in its perfect state. He is infinitely pure, infinitely holy, infinitely righteous, infinitely loving, and so forth. Because we only know these attributes in fragmentary and distorted ways, we cannot fully comprehend how all these attributes are held perfectly and infinitely by God. Sometimes we may look at circumstances and not be able to discern how the justice or the love of God is manifest in certain situations. We do find comfort, however, in knowing that in the end, we shall see him as he truly is, and that he will make all things right. In the meantime, we can put our full trust and confidence in God’s nature and character.
If you ever go to London you will probably visit Trafalgar Square. It is in the heart of the city and is a well-known tourist attraction. The most prominent feature in the square is Nelson’s Column. It is a tribute to Lord Nelson’s sea victory over the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navy in 1805. Although Nelson died in the conflict, the British fleet prevailed and this victory confirmed the superiority of the British navy. The problem is that the statue of Nelson is so high above the square (170 feet) that no one can see what he looked like. He is high and exalted above the square, but he is also removed from the people.