The Heidelberg Catechism Part II: Deliverance God the Father, Part 1 Lord’s Day 9
Question 26: What do you believe when you say, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth”?
Answer 26: That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and everything in them, [1] who still upholds and rules them by His eternal counsel and providence, [2] is my God and Father because of Christ the Son. [3] I trust God so much that I do not doubt He will provide whatever I need for body and soul, [4] and will turn to my good whatever adversity He sends upon me in this sad world. [5] God is able to do this because He is almighty God [6] and desires to do this because He is a faithful Father. [7]
Supporting Scripture:
[1] Genesis, chapters 1-2
Exodus 20:11 NKJV For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Psalms 33:6 NKJV By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
Isaiah 44:24 NKJV Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;
Acts 4:24 NKJV So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
Acts 14:15 NKJV and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,
[2] Psalms 104:1-35 NKJV Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, (2) Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. (3) He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind, (4) Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire. (5) You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever, (6) You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters stood above the mountains. (7) At Your rebuke they fled; At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away. (8) They went up over the mountains; They went down into the valleys, To the place which You founded for them. (9) You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, That they may not return to cover the earth. (10) He sends the springs into the valleys; They flow among the hills. (11) They give drink to every beast of the field; The wild donkeys quench their thirst. (12) By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches. (13) He waters the hills from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works. (14) He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the service of man, That he may bring forth food from the earth, (15) And wine that makes glad the heart of man, Oil to make his face shine, And bread which strengthens man's heart. (16) The trees of the LORD are full of sap, The cedars of Lebanon which He planted, (17) Where the birds make their nests; The stork has her home in the fir trees. (18) The high hills are for the wild goats; The cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers. (19) He appointed the moon for seasons; The sun knows its going down. (20) You make darkness, and it is night, In which all the beasts of the forest creep about. (21) The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God. (22) When the sun rises, they gather together And lie down in their dens. (23) Man goes out to his work And to his labor until the evening. (24) O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions— (25) This great and wide sea, In which are innumerable teeming things, Living things both small and great. (26) There the ships sail about; There is that Leviathan Which You have made to play there. (27) These all wait for You, That You may give them their food in due season. (28) What You give them they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good. (29) You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. (30) You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth. (31) May the glory of the LORD endure forever; May the LORD rejoice in His works. (32) He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the hills, and they smoke. (33) I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. (34) May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD. (35) May sinners be consumed from the earth, And the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!
Matthew 6:30 NKJV Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Matthew 10:29 NKJV Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.
Ephesians 1:11 NKJV In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
[3] John 1:12-13 NKJV But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (13) who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Romans 8:15-16 NKJV For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." (16) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Galatians 4:4-7 NKJV But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (5) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (6) And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" (7) Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Ephesians 1:5 NKJV having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
[4] Psalms 55:22 NKJV Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
Matthew 6:25-26 NKJV "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? (26) Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Luke 12:22-31 NKJV Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. (23) Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. (24) Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? (25) And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? (26) If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? (27) Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (28) If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? (29) "And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. (30) For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. (31) But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
[5] Romans 8:28 NKJV And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
[6] Genesis 18:14 NKJV Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
Romans 8:31-39 NKJV What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (32) He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (33) Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. (34) Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. (35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written: "For your sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." (37) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (38) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, (39) nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[7] Matthew 7:9-11 NKJV Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? (10) Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? (11) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
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