To Be a Christian: The Anglican Catechism in a Year

Today is day 264 and we are studying The Ten Commandments. 264. How should you understand the Ten Commandments? I should understand them as God’s righteous rules for life in his kingdom: basic standards for loving God and my neighbor. In upholding them, I bear witness with the Church to God’s righteousness and his will for a just society. (Deuteronomy 4:1–8; Psalm 119:137–44, 160; Matthew 5:17–48;...

Today is day 263 and we are studying The Ten Commandments. 263. Why are you not able to do this perfectly? Sin has corrupted human nature, inclining me to resist God, to ignore his will, and to care more for myself than for my neighbors. However, God has begun and will continue his transforming work in me, and will fully conform me to Christ at the end of the age. (Psalm 14; Jeremiah 17:1–13; Roma...

Today is day 262 and we are studying The Ten Commandments. 262. How can you obey God’s Law? As I trust in Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law for me and live in the power of the Holy Spirit, God grants me grace to love and obey his Law. (2 Kings 18:1–8; Proverbs 3:1–12; John 15:3–11; Romans 6:15–23; 1 John 5:2–5) We will conclude today by praying the Collect for Peace found on page 49 of the Book of Com...

Today is day 261 and we are studying The Ten Commandments. 261. How did Jesus fulfill God’s Law? For our sake, Jesus fulfilled God’s Law by teaching it perfectly, submitting to it wholly, and dying as an atoning sacrifice for our disobedience. (Psalm 119:49–72; Isaiah 53:4–12; Matthew 5:17–20; Romans 8:1–4; Hebrews 10:1–18) We will conclude today by praying the Collect for the Circumcision and Hol...

Today is day 260 and we are studying The Ten Commandments. 260. How did Jesus summarize God’s Law? Jesus summarized God’s Law by saying: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the P...

Today is day 259 and we are studying The Ten Commandments. 259. When did God give his Law? After delivering his people Israel from slavery in Egypt, God established a covenant with them by giving them his Law through Moses. (Exodus 19:1–6; Deuteronomy 5:1–5; Nehemiah 9:13–14; Acts 7:35–38) We will conclude today by praying the Beth Stanza of Psalm 119 found on page 428 of the Book of Common Prayer...

Today is day 258 and we are studying The Ten Commandments. 258. What is God’s Law? God’s Law (Hebrew, torah: “instruction”)is God’s direct pronouncement of his will, both for our good and for his glory. (Deuteronomy 30; Psalms 19:7–11; 119:89–104; Galatians 3:15–24) We will conclude today by praying the Collect for the Renewal of Life found on page 22 of the Book of Common Prayer (2019). If you wo...

Today is day 257 and we are studying The Ten Commandments. 257. What are the Ten Commandments? The Ten Commandments are a summary and outline of God’s Law. (Exodus 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 5:28–33; Psalm 78:5–8) We will conclude today by praying the Aleph Stanza of Psalm 119 found on page 427 of the Book of Common Prayer (2019). If you would like to buy or download To Be a Christian, head to anglican...

Today is day 256 and we are studying The Ten Commandments. 256. Recite the Ten Commandments. 1. I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods but me. 2. You shall not make for yourself any idol. 3. You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain. 4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. 5. Honor your father and your mother. 6. You shall not murder. 7. You shall not commit adul...

In this special bonus podcast, we are reading Part 4: Becoming Like Christ found on page 89 of To Be a Christian.

Today is day 255 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Toward a Rule of Life 255.Why is prayer an essential part of a rule of life? Through prayer, I rely upon God for strength, wisdom, and humility to sustain and guide me in my rule of life. Without the love of God and the power of his Spirit, I will not attain to the fullness of Christ. (Job 28:12–28; Psalm 143; Romans 8:26–30) We will conclude...

Today is day 254 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Toward a Rule of Life 254.What is included in a rule of life? In addition to Scripture, prayer, and worship, a rule of life includes witness, service, self-denial, and faithful stewardship of my time, money, and possessions. (Deuteronomy 5:28–33; Psalm 141; Matthew 5:13–16; 6:19–24; Mark 8:27–38; 1 Peter 4:10–11) We will conclude today with A...

Today is day 253 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Toward a Rule of Life 253.Why do you need a rule of life? I need a rule of life because my fallen nature is disordered, distracted, and self-centered. A rule of life helps me to resist sin and establish godly habits, through which the Holy Spirit will increasingly conform me to the image of Christ. (Psalms 73; 86:11–13; Proverbs 3; 1 Corinthia...

Today is day 252 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Toward a Rule of Life 252.What is a rule of life? A rule of life is a discipline by which I order my worship, work, and leisure as a pleasing sacrifice to God. (Deuteronomy 6:1–9; Psalm 103; John 15:1–15; Romans 12:1–2; Colossians 3:12–17) We will conclude today with A Collect for Renewal of Life in Morning Prayer found on page 23 of the Book...

Today is day 251 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Corporate Worship. 251. Why do we pray the Daily Office? We pray the Daily Office because, by it, we learn the Scriptures, join with the Church in prayer, mark our days with praise to God, and sanctify our time. (Joshua 1:6–9; Psalms 92; 119:97; Acts 10:1–8; 1 Timothy 2:1–7) We will conclude today with The Officiant's Address to the People in...

Today is day 250 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Corporate Worship. 250. How is the Daily Office observed? The Daily Office is primarily designed for corporate prayer. It may also be used by individuals or families, in public or in private, in whole or in part. (Psalm 22:22–27; Acts 10:9–16; Hebrews 10:24–25; Revelation 7:9–12) We will conclude today with A Prayer of St. John Chrysostom foun...

Today is day 249 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Corporate Worship. 249. What is the Daily Office? The Daily Office includes the services of Morning and Evening Prayer. In them we confess our sins and receive absolution, hear God’s Word and praise him with psalms, and offer the Church’s thanksgivings and prayers. (Psalms 5; 63; Daniel 6:10; Mark 1:35) We will conclude today with Proper 15 fo...

Today is day 248 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Corporate Worship. 248. How does the Book of Common Prayer organize corporate worship? The Prayer Book orders our daily, weekly, and seasonal prayer and worship. It also provides liturgies for significant events of life. (Leviticus 23:1–24:9; Psalm 90; John 2:1–12; 1 Corinthians 15:1–11) We will conclude today with Proper 13 found on page 618...

Today is day 247 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Corporate Worship. 247. What is the role of Scripture in the Prayer Book? The Book of Common Prayer is saturated with the Scriptures, organizing and orchestrating them for worship. It helps us to pray together in words God himself has given us, with order, beauty, joy, deep devotion, and great dignity. (Exodus 34:5–8; 1 Chronicles 29:10–13; Ps...

Today is day 246 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Corporate Worship. 246. Does structured liturgy inhibit sincere and vibrant worship? No. A structured liturgy provides sincere worshipers biblical language and forms that train our hearts for worship. Liturgy enables us to worship God joyfully and with one voice. (2 Samuel 6:1–4; 2 Chronicles 29; Psalm 68:24–33; 1 Corinthians 14:26–33, 39–40;...

Today is day 245 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Corporate Worship. 245. Why do Anglicans worship with a structured liturgy? Anglicans worship with a structured liturgy because it embodies biblical patterns of worship, fosters reverence and love for God, deepens faith in Jesus Christ, and is in continuity with the practices of Israel and the Early Church. (Numbers 6:22–27; Deuteronomy 12:8–1...

Today is day 244 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Corporate Worship. 244. What is liturgy? Liturgy is an established pattern or form for the worship of God by God’s people. The liturgy leads us in the remembrance of God’s mighty acts and unites us in grateful response. (Exodus 15:1–21; Psalm 118; Luke 22:14–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26) We will conclude today with Proper 13 found on page 618 of...

Today is day 243 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Prayer. 243. How should you pray in times of suffering? I should pray trusting in the sufficiency of God’s grace and in joyful assurance that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame.” (Romans 5:3–5; see also Job 23; Psalm 22; John 12:23–26; 2 Corinthians 1:...

Today is day 242 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Prayer. 242. What should you remember when prayers seem to go unanswered? I should be certain that God always hears my prayers and answers them by his wisdom, in his own time and manner, for my good, and for his glory. (Psalm 37:3–9; Isaiah 55; Habakkuk 3:17–19; Luke 18:1–8; James 4:2–3; 1 John 5:14–15) We will conclude today with Prayer 100....

Today is day 241 and we are studying A Rule of Prayer: Prayer. 241. What prayers should you learn as a part of your rule of prayer? After learning the Lord’s Prayer, I should next aim to learn certain psalms (such as Psalms 23, 51, 95, 100, 150)and prayers from the Daily Office. These prayers will ground me in the Christian tradition of prayer and teach me how to pray in my own words. We will conc...