Fifth Sunday

Heidelberg Catechism
Fifth Sunday
Catechismus oder christlicher Vnderricht, wie der in Kirchen vnd Schulen der Churfürstlichen Pfaltz getrieben wirdt
Question 12
Question 12: Since according to God's righteous judgment we deserve temporal and eternal punishment, how can we escape this punishment and be restored to grace?
God requires that His justice be satisfied; therefore, we must make full payment, either by ourselves or through another.
Frage 12: Weil wir denn nach dem gerechten Urteil Gottes zeitliche und ewige Strafe verdient haben, wie möchten wir dieser Strafe entgehen und wiederum zu Gnaden kommen?
Gott will, dass seiner Gerechtigkeit genug geschehe; deswegen müssen wir derselben entweder durch uns selbst oder durch einen anderen vollkommene Bezahlung tun.
Key Explanations
Since according to God's righteous judgment, we deserve temporal and eternal punishment... (Weil wir denn nach dem gerechten Urteil Gottes zeitliche und ewige Strafe verdient haben...): This statement directly follows the conclusion of the Fourth Sunday (Questions 9-11). It reminds readers that according to God's righteous judgment (gerechten Urteil), humans deserve (verdient haben) temporal (zeitliche) and eternal (ewige) punishment for sin (as described in Questions 10 and 11, offending God's supreme majesty). This emphasizes the inevitability and severity of punishment, which is the premise for escaping the predicament.
How can we escape this punishment and regain grace? (...wie möchten wir dieser Strafe entgehen und wiederum zu Gnaden kommen?): This is the core of the question, asking about the way to escape the consequences of sin (punishment) and restore the relationship with God (wieder zu Gnaden kommen - regain grace).
God requires that His justice be satisfied... (Gott will, dass seiner Gerechtigkeit genug geschehe...): The answer first clarifies God's requirement. Since God is just (as stated in Question 11), His just nature demands that sin must be repaid or satisfied (genug geschehe - be satisfied, or can be understood as receiving adequate compensation). This is a condition that any solution must meet.
Therefore, we must either by ourselves, or through another, make complete restitution for this. (...deswegen müssen wir derselben entweder durch uns selbst oder durch einen anderen vollkommene Bezahlung tun.): This sentence presents two possibilities for satisfying God's justice. To escape punishment and receive grace, the debt brought by sin must be repaid (vollkommene Bezahlung tun - make complete payment). This restitution must be complete (vollkommene). There are only two ways to make this payment: either by ourselves (entweder durch uns selbst), or through another person (oder durch einen anderen). This sets the direction for the following questions, exploring whether we can make restitution ourselves and who could be this other person to make restitution.
Question 13
Question 13: But can we make payment by ourselves?
By no means; on the contrary, we daily increase our debt.
Frage 13: Können wir aber durch uns selbst Bezahlung tun?
Mitnichten; sondern wir machen auch die Schuld noch täglich größer.
Key Explanations:
But can we make payment by ourselves? (Können wir aber durch uns selbst Bezahlung tun?): This question follows the first possibility raised in Question 12. Since a "complete payment" is required, do we have the ability to accomplish this ourselves?
By no means... (Mitnichten...): The answer begins with a strong negative, clearly indicating that humans are completely unable to satisfy God's requirements of justice or make payment by themselves. This again confirms the state of "our complete inability to do good" from Question 8.
On the contrary, we daily increase our debt. (...sondern wir machen auch die Schuld noch täglich größer.): This sentence further explains why we cannot make payment ourselves. Not only are we unable to repay the old debt, but humans, due to their sinful nature (Questions 7, 8), continue to sin, causing the "debt" (die Schuld) or "deserved punishment" (as mentioned in Question 12) to "increase daily" (täglich größer). This emphasizes the hopelessness of the human condition, as we not only cannot solve the problem ourselves, but continually make it worse.
Question 14
Question 14: But can any creature pay for us?
No; firstly, God does not want to punish any other creature for what man should bear; secondly, no creature can bear the burden of God's eternal wrath against sin, and save others from it.
Frage 14: Kann aber irgendeine bloße Kreatur für uns bezahlen?
Keine; denn erstlich will Gott an keiner anderen Kreatur strafen, was der Mensch verschuldet hat; zum andern, so kann auch keine bloße Kreatur die Last des ewigen Zornes Gottes wider die Sünde ertragen und andere davon erlösen.
Key Explanations
But can any created being pay for us?(Kann aber irgendeine bloße Kreatur für uns bezahlen?): This question follows up on part of the second possibility raised in Question 12, namely making payment through someone else. Specifically, can this "someone else" be any created being (irgendeine bloße Kreatur)? Here, "bloße" means merely or simply, emphasizing the limited nature of created beings.
No...(Keine...): The answer begins with a clear negation, excluding the possibility of any mere created being.
First, because God does not wish to punish any other created being for what humans should bear...(...denn erstlich will Gott an keiner anderen Kreatur strafen, was der Mensch verschuldet hat...): This provides the first reason. God's justice requires that the punishment for sin should fall on the nature or person who committed the sin. Since it was humanity (mensch - man/mankind) who sinned, God's judgment (strafe - punishment) will not be arbitrarily transferred to any other created being (keiner anderen Kreatur).
Second, no created being can bear the weight of God's eternal wrath against sin, and deliver others from it.(...zum andern, so kann auch keine bloße Kreatur die Last des ewigen Zornes Gottes wider die Sünde ertragen und andere davon erlösen.): This is the second and deeper reason. Sin offends God's supreme majesty (Question 11), therefore its deserved punishment is eternal (ewigen Strafe). No finite mere created being (keine bloße Kreatur) can bear (kann nicht ertragen) the weight of God's eternal wrath against sin (die Last des ewigen Zornes Gottes wider die Sünde). Since they cannot even bear the weight of their own sin, they are even less able to deliver others from it (andere davon erlösen). This highlights the infinite severity of sin, which only an infinite being can pay for.
Question 15
Question 15: What kind of mediator and redeemer must we seek?
One who is a true and righteous man, yet more powerful than all creatures, that is, one who is at the same time true God.
Frage 15: Was müssen wir denn für einen Mittler und Erlöser suchen?
Einen solchen, der ein wahrer und gerechter Mensch und doch stärker denn alle Kreaturen, das ist, zugleich wahrer Gott sei.
Key Explanation:
What kind of mediator and redeemer must we seek? (Was müssen wir denn für einen Mittler und Erlöser suchen?): This question follows the elimination of humans themselves and any "mere" creatures as possible redeemers. Since complete payment must be made "through another" (Q&A 12), and this "other" cannot be any creature (Q&A 14), what qualities must this necessary "mediator" (Mittler) and "redeemer" (Erlöser) possess?
One who is a true and righteous human... (Einen solchen, der ein wahrer und gerechter Mensch...): The answer first points out that this mediator must be a "true human" (wahrer Mensch). This echoes the first reason in Q&A 14, that God wishes to punish the sin that humans should bear, so the redeemer must possess human nature. At the same time, he must also be "righteous" (gerechter). This addresses the reason that Q&A 16 will explain in detail: a sinner cannot make payment for others.
...yet more powerful than all creatures, that is, one who is also true God. (...und doch stärker denn alle Kreaturen, das ist, zugleich wahrer Gott sei.): The second part of the answer points to another necessary quality of this mediator. He must not only be human, but also "more powerful than all creatures" (stärker denn alle Kreaturen). The source of this power is explained as his need to "simultaneously be true God" (zugleich wahrer Gott sei). This responds to the second reason in Q&A 14, that only God can bear the burden of God's eternal wrath and redeem others. Therefore, this mediator must possess both complete humanity (in order to represent humans and bear punishment) and complete divinity (so that his payment has infinite value, can bear God's infinite wrath, and conquer sin, death, and the devil). Q&A 16-18 will further explain in detail why he must be both true human and true God.
These four Q&As (12-15) clearly articulate the necessity of redemption: humans deserve eternal punishment because of sin, cannot themselves pay for sin, and no creature can bear this burden. Therefore, the only one who can satisfy God's justice and accomplish redemption must be a mediator and redeemer who simultaneously possesses complete human nature and complete divine nature. This paves the way for the upcoming teaching on the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Life Application
1
Completely Rely on Jesus Christ as the Only Redeemer
We cannot repay our sin debt by ourselves or through any created being. We need a redeemer who is both a "true and righteous man" and "true God stronger than all creatures." We must completely trust in Jesus Christ, who is the only Savior who can deliver us from sin. Salvation "can only be found in Jesus," and seeking it elsewhere is "denying Jesus as the only Savior." Our "only comfort" lies in Christ and His redemption.
2
Receive Christ's Redemption Through True Faith
Only those who "are united with Christ through true faith" can be saved. True faith is "trust produced by the Holy Spirit in our hearts through the gospel," assuring us that God forgives our sins because of Christ's merit. Our faith should not remain merely intellectual but seek the work of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to truly believe and receive Christ's redemption.
3
Justified by Faith and Bearing Good Works of Gratitude
We are declared righteous before God not because of works, but "solely through true faith in Jesus Christ," being counted as having Christ's righteousness. "Those connected to Christ through true faith will inevitably bear fruits of gratitude." We do good works because we are "freely saved by grace through Christ." These good works are expressions of our gratitude for God's grace and evidence of our faith, glorifying God and confirming our faith.
4
Finding Comfort in Christ's Work and the Sacraments
Our "only comfort" is in belonging to Christ. His suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension bring us "benefits": His sinlessness covers our sins, His resurrection is the "guarantee" of our resurrection, He "intercedes" for us in heaven and "protects" us. The sacraments, as "visible signs and seals," help us "better understand" the promises of the gospel, pointing to Christ's "only sacrifice" and "guaranteeing" our purification through Christ. In times of weakness, we find comfort in Christ's work and the sacraments.