Der dritte Teil: Von der Dankbarkeit — 34. Sonntag
The Structure of the Law
The Ten Commandments are organized into two tables focusing on our duty to God and our neighbor.
How are these commandments divided? They are divided into two tables: the first table teaches in four commandments how we should relate to God, and the second in six commandments what we owe to our neighbor.
The First Commandment
The first commandment calls for exclusive trust, love, and devotion to the one true God while rejecting all forms of idolatry.
What does the Lord require in the first commandment? God wants me to avoid and flee from all idolatry, sorcery, divination, and superstition, as well as calling upon saints or other creatures, so that I don't lose the salvation and blessedness of my soul. Instead, I should rightly acknowledge the one true God, trust in Him alone, and expect all good from Him in all humility and patience. I should love, fear, and honor Him alone with all my heart, so that I'd rather give up all creatures than act in the slightest against His will.
Defining Idolatry
Idolatry is defined as placing trust in anything other than the God who has revealed Himself in His Word.
What is idolatry? To invent or have anything else in place of the one true God, who has revealed Himself in His Word, or alongside Him, on which a person places their trust.
Read the original Latin
Wie werden diese Gebote eingeteilt? In zwei Tafeln: Die erste Tafel lehrt in vier Geboten, wie wir uns Gott gegenüber verhalten sollen, die zweite in sechs Geboten, was wir unserm Nächsten schuldig sind.
Was fordert der Herr im ersten Gebot? Gott will, dass ich allen Götzendienst, alle Zauberei und Wahrsagerei, allen Aberglauben, auch das Anrufen der Heiligen oder anderer Geschöpfe meide und fliehe, damit ich meiner Seele Heil und Seligkeit nicht verliere. Stattdessen soll ich den einen wahren Gott recht erkennen, ihm allein vertrauen und in aller Demut und Geduld von ihm allein alles Gute erwarten. Ihn allein soll ich von ganzem Herzen lieben, fürchten und ehren, so dass ich eher alle Geschöpfe preisgebe, als im Geringsten gegen seinen Willen handle.
Was ist Götzendienst? Anstelle des einen wahren Gottes, der sich in seinem Wort offenbart hat, oder neben ihm irgendetwas anderes ersinnen oder haben, worauf der Mensch sein Vertrauen setzt.
Heidelberg Catechism (Heidelbergse Catechismus) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit