Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

• 2 Timothy 1:13

Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
    for this is the duty of all mankind.

• Ecclesiastes 12:13

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

• Micah 6:8

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

• John 20:31

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

• John 3:16

“Q. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
“A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man (2 Tim. 1:13, Eccl. 12:13).”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Catechism

“Q. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
“A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.”

• The Shorter Catechism (Westminster Assembly)

“Q. 5. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
“A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.”

• The Larger Catechism (Westminster Assembly)

Question 3 in all three Catechisms is the same.  The Larger Catechism lists it as question 5.

The Bible References are quite different and they all have merit.  Spurgeon uses the 2 Timothy and Ecclesiastes references, while the Shorter Catechism uses the Micah reference and the two references from John’s Gospel.

But the Larger Catechism uses “General Note.”  As I have mentioned before, when the Larger Catechism states ‘general note’ there are things within the Catechism answer that may not be specified word for word in the stated Scriptures.  In this case, the Larger Catechism does not even state any Scriptures.  When you read the Scripture and then the Q&A, the Larger Catechism may be the most technically accurate of references, in that none are clearly restating the Scriptures.  They all paraphrase the referenced verses.

So, why have the two verses from John’s Gospel?  They are basically stating that regardless of what God requires of man, all we can really do is to believe when it comes to salvation.  Ecclesiastes states that we should keep God’s Commandments and fear God.  We know that keeping God’s Commandments is a great goal, but we cannot perfectly live up to it.  Yet, in coupling that with fearing God, which is often misunderstood, we can come close.  Fearing God being more of being in awe, but I feel the first time that I see God face to face, my knees will betray me.  How else do you think the Bible is meaning it when it says that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess.  There will be tons of fear on that day, but for those who love Jesus, He will lift us up and ask us if we are ready to do some work.

As far as the first half of the answer, we will be unable to fully know Jesus or the Father until we are in their presence, but the Bible gives us all we need to know for now.

When I see the sunrise in the morning
When I feel the wind blow across my face
When I hear the sound of children playing
I know it’s all a part of god’s amazing grace
And I believe there’s a place called heaven
I believe in a place called Calvary
I believe in a man his name is Jesus
And I believe that he gave his life for me
I was there the day my mamma went to heaven
I held her hand as she closed her eyes to sleep
I felt the power of ten thousand angels
Take her soul away to be crowned at Jesus’ feet
And I believe there’s a place called heaven
I believe in a place called Calvary
I believe in a man his name is Jesus
And I believe that he gave his life for me
Oh, I believe that he gave his life for me

• Jimmy Fortune and John Rimel, I Believe

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
Thank You, Lord, for giving us your precious Word, and thank you for the Holy Spirit who guides us as we read it.  Thank you for Your Son, who came to earth to die for our salvation.  Although You require things of us once we are saved, salvation comes by our belief and trust in Your Son, Jesus.  There is nothing we can do to gain that salvation, but You require us to love one another.  But we fall short of that at times.  Give us the strength and the wisdom to love those around us and throughout the world.  Help us to love our enemies.  Help us to love those who have not accepted You as their Savior; for after all, You loved us while we were yet sinners.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.