To Be a Christian: The Anglican Catechism in a Year

Today is day 69 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the ninth line: “On the third day He rose again” and studying question 69. 69. What does the Creed mean when it affirms that Jesus rose again from the dead? It means that Jesus was not simply resuscitated; God restored him physically from death to life in his resur...

Today is day 68 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the eighth line: “was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead” and studying question 68. 68. What does the Creed mean by saying that Jesus descended to the dead? That Jesus descended to the dead means that he truly died and entered the place of th...

Today is day 67 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the eighth line: “was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead” and studying question 67. 67. Why does the Creed emphasize Jesus’ death in this way? The Creed emphasizes Jesus’ death to counter suspicions that Jesus did not truly die on the Cross,...

Today is day 66 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the eighth line: “was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead” and studying question 66. 66. Why does the Creed make a point of saying that Jesus died? The Creed makes the point to emphasize that Jesus died a real, bodily death such as all people...

Today is day 65 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the eighth line: “was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead” and studying question 65. 65. What does Jesus’ death mean for you? Jesus bore my sins and died the death that I deserve, so that I could be saved from sin and eternal condemnation and...

Today is day 64 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the eighth line: “was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead” and studying question 64. 64. What did Jesus accomplish on the Cross? Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures by dying on the Cross as a sacrifice for sin in obedience to his Father. He thereby...

Today is day 63 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the eighth line: “was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead” and studying question 63. 63. What happened at Jesus’ crucifixion? Jesus was executed as a common criminal. He was scourged, mocked, and nailed to a Cross outside the walls of Jerusale...

Today is day 62 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the seventh line: “He suffered under Pontius Pilate” and studying question 62. 62. Why does the Creed say that Jesus suffered under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate? The Creed thus makes clear that Jesus’ life and death were real events that occurred at a particul...

Today is day 61 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the seventh line: “He suffered under Pontius Pilate” and studying question 61. 61. How do Jesus’ sufferings help you? Jesus has experienced our sufferings, understands our sorrows, and is able to sympathize with our weakness. Therefore, I should bear my sufferings...

Today is day 60 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the seventh line: “He suffered under Pontius Pilate” and studying question 60. 60. In what ways did Jesus suffer? On earth, the incarnate Son shared physically, emotionally, and spiritually in the temptations and sufferings common to all people, yet without sin. In...

Today is day 59 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the seventh line: “He suffered under Pontius Pilate” and studying question 59. 59. Why did Jesus suffer? Jesus suffered as a sacrifice for our sins so that we could have peace with God, as prophesied in the Old Testament: “But he was pierced for our transgressions;...

Today is day 58 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the sixth line: “He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of The Virgin Mary” and studying question 58. 58. What does the union of Jesus’ two natures teach you about his ministry? All Jesus does as a human being he also does as God. His human words and deeds ar...

Today is day 57 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the sixth line: “He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of The Virgin Mary” and studying question 57. 57. What is the relationship between Jesus’ divine and human natures? At the moment of Jesus’ conception, the divine nature of the one eternal Person of the...

Today is day 56 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the sixth line: “He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of The Virgin Mary” and studying question 56. 56. Was Mary the only biological parent of Jesus? Yes. While still a virgin, Mary submitted to the will of God and bore the Son of God. Therefore, she is hel...

Today is day 55 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the sixth line: “He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of The Virgin Mary” and studying question 55. 55. Why is it important to say that Jesus was born? It is important to affirm that he is one of us: truly human, born to a human mother, and raised in a huma...

Today is day 54 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the sixth line: “He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of The Virgin Mary” and studying question 54. 54. What happened at Jesus’ conception in Mary’s womb? The eternal Son, whom God named Jesus, assumed a fully human nature from his mother, the Virgin Mary,...

Today is day 53 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the sixth line: “He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of The Virgin Mary” and studying question 53. 53. What does it mean that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit? Jesus was conceived not through a human father but by the Holy Spirit coming upon the Virg...

Today is day 52 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the fifth line: “His only Son, our Lord” and studying question 52. 52. What do you mean when you call Jesus Christ “Lord”? I acknowledge Jesus’ divine authority over the Church and all creation, over all societies and their leaders, and over every aspect of my life...

Today is day 51 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the fifth line: “His only Son, our Lord” and studying question 51. 51. Why is Jesus called the Father’s “only Son”? Jesus alone is God the Son, coequal and coeternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He alone is the image of the invisible Father, the one...

Today is day 50 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the fourth line: “I believe in Jesus Christ” and studying question 50. 50. What does “Christ” mean? Christos is the Greek term for the Hebrew title Messiah, meaning “Anointed One.” Old Testament kings, priests, and prophets were anointed with oil. Jesus the Christ...

Today is day 49 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the fourth line: “I believe in Jesus Christ” and studying question 49. 49. What does “Jesus” mean? “Jesus” means “God saves” and is taken from the Hebrew name Yeshua or Joshua. In Jesus, God has come to save us from the power of sin and death. ( Joshua 1:1–9; Psalm...

Today is day 48 and we are beginning the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the fourth line: “I believe in Jesus Christ” and studying question 48. 48. Who is Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ is the eternal Word and Son of God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. He took on human nature to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world, the on...

Today is day 47 and we are on the section on the First Article of the Apostles' Creed on God the Father Almighty. Today we are on the third line: “Creator of Heaven and Earth” and studying question 47. 47. What are the consequences of sin? Because of sin, those apart from Christ are spiritually dead, separated from God, under his righteous condemnation, and without hope. (Genesis 3:16–19; Psalm 90...

Today is day 46 and we are on the section on the First Article of the Apostles' Creed on God the Father Almighty. Today we are on the third line: “Creator of Heaven and Earth” and studying question 46. 46. If God created the world good, why do we sin? Adam and Eve rebelled against God, thus bringing upon all humanity pain, toil, alienation from God and each other, and death. I have inherited this...

Today is day 45 and we are on the section on the First Article of the Apostles' Creed on God the Father Almighty. Today we are on the third line: “Creator of Heaven and Earth” and studying question 45. 45. Was the world that God created good? Yes. God created all things and called them “very good” (Genesis 1:31). However, through sin, evil and death have come into the world and corrupted it. (Gene...