Weekly Emmaus City Culture Q&As | Part 1, Q&As 13 – 14

EMMAUS CITY CULTURE Q&AS | PART 1: GOD, CREATION AND FALL, LAW CONTINUED

Each week, we are adapting Redeemer's New City Catechism with modern language, including the questions and answers, along with the commentary and prayer. Our goal is to make these easily accessible for all ages, as well as those with various levels of education in Worcester. 

Since we don't want this to be just information transfer, but life transformation by God's Word and Spirit, we purposely changed the word catechism to culture as we pray for God to help us creatively display and declare the good news of Jesus in our communities. 

Here are the previous weeks' Q&As:

• Q&A 1: What is our only hope in life and in death?
• Q&A 2: Who is God?
• Q&A 3: How many persons are there in God?
• Q&A 4: How and why did God create us?
• Q&A 5: What else did God create?
• Q&A 6: How can we glorify God?
• Q&A 7: What does the law of God require?

• Q&A 8: What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments?
• Q&A 9: What does God require in the first, second, and third commandments?
• Q&A 10: What does God require in the fourth and fifth commandments? 
• Q&A 11: What does God require in the sixth, seventh, and eighth commandments?
• Q&A 12: What does God require in the ninth and tenth commandments?

Cheers to 2014 and many becoming more like Jesus together. For other updates, like and follow Emmaus City on Facebook.

Emmaus City Culture | Part 1, Q&As 13 – 14

Question 13

Can anyone keep the law of God perfectly?

Answer 13

Since the fall, no human has been able to keep the law of God perfectly.

Romans 3:10–12

There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Commentary

As a traveler, in meeting with a violent storm of thunder and rain, immediately turns out of her way to some house or tree for her shelter; but this causes her to not give up the journey; so soon as the storm is over she returns to her way and begins again. So it is with men in bondage to sin: the law meets with them in a storm of thunder and lightning from heaven, terrifies and hinders them in their way; this turns them for a season to another way; they will run to prayer or change of life, for some shelter from the storm of punishment they fear in their hearts. But is their course stopped? Are their hearts changed? Not at all; as soon as the storm is over they return to the same road in the service of sin again. Never let us consider or believe that our work against sin, in crucifying or killing it, is at an end. The place where it lives is unsearchable; and when we think that we have won, there is still some reserve remaining that we did not see or know of. Many conquerors have been ruined by their pride after a victory; and many have been wounded after great successes against this enemy. 

Adapted from “The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers” in The Works of John Owen, edited by Thomas Russell, Volume XIII (London: Richard Baynes, 1826), 200–201, 26. John Owen (1616–1683). An English Puritan theologian, Owen went to Oxford University at 12 years of age, gained his MA at 19, and became a pastor at 21. Years later he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University. He preached to parliament the day after the execution of King Charles I, fulfilling the task without directly mentioning that event. He wrote numerous and voluminous works including historical treatises on religion and several studies on the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Your name is Emmanuel, God with us: to You belong mercy and forgiveness even when we rebel against You. We ask You to do away with our sins. We ask that You might move us away from them, but too often we don’t even ask for the glory of Your name. Our wisdom is gone, our power is gone, and we have only our own sin, shame, and confusion. Take pity upon us, Lord.

Adapted from John Bunyan from The Westminster Collection of Christian Prayers, by Dorothy M. Stewart (Louisville: John Knox, 2002), 49.


Question 14
Did God create us unable to keep His law?

Answer 14
No, but because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, we are all born in sin and guilt, unable to keep God’s law.

Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.

Commentary
I believe, that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and everything that lives in these places. Last of all, and unique among all the other amazingly diverse creations of His power and skill … He created man, and made him ruler of this world. Male and female He created in His own image: innocent, and holy; capable of serving and glorifying their Creator … (But) the man and woman did not continue in this holy and happy place; left to the freedom of their own will, they disobeyed their Maker; in consequence they fell into guilt and ruin. And as Adam was the representative of all humanity, all his offspring sinned in him and fell with him, the guilt of his first sin and corrupt nature given to all who follow after him. All men are by nature children deserving of God’s punishment and prone to evil; dead in sin, under the curse of God’s commands from which there is no deliverance but by Jesus Christ, the second Adam.

Adapted from “Confession of Faith” in Works of Abraham Booth: Late Pastor of the Baptist Church, Volume 1 (London: Button, 1813), xxxi–xxxii. Abraham Booth (1734–1806). An English Baptist minister, Booth served as pastor of Prescot Street Church in Whitechapel, London for 35 years as well as founding what is now Regents Park College for ministerial training in Oxford. He is most known for his work The Reign of Grace.

Prayer
Father, when we read Your description of human nature we are sure it is true, for You have seen man since his fall, and You are hurt by him. It is amazing that You look at us at all; we are awful, we killed Your Son, and we continue to rebel against Your commands full of justice and holiness. And yet there is no sight that gives You more pleasure than a man or woman, for Jesus was a man; and the brightness of His glory covers all our shame; and the pureness of His obedience shines like the sun in the midst of darkness. For His sake You are well pleased, and You do dwell with us and for us. And now in the few days we have, let it be in us to cry, "Behold the Lamb!" Teach our hearts to be always be thinking about Your love and our mouths, as best they can with Your, tell the matchless story of the Cross. Lord, forgive us our sins; Lord, make us holy; Lord, guide us in difficulty; Lord, supply our needs. Teach us; perfect us; comfort us; make us ready for the appearing of Jesus from heaven!

Adapted from “Prayer VII: Let All the People Praise Thee" in Prayers from Metropolitan Pulpit: C. H. Spurgeon's Prayers (New York, Revell, 1906), 43–47.

Coming next week: Q&A 15: Since no one can keep the law, what is its purpose?

– Sully

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