This Sunday: New City Catechism, Week 7

Q: What does the law of God require?

A: Personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience; that we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; and love our neighbor as
ourselves. What God forbids should never be done and what God commands
should always be done.

Perfect obedience can only be grasped if we have complete understanding of the Gospel message. Our obedience does not buy us salvation. Ephesians 2:8-10 states “ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Our identity in Christ has nothing to do with intelligence, strength,
ability, or effort on our part. God showed us grace by sending Jesus
to take our punishment, and to perfectly obey in our place. Because of this gift we are empowered by
the Holy Spirit to obey God’s commands. Our personal obedience, imperfect but sincere, was made possible because God saved us and because we are made perfect in Jesus. As we rest in God’s justification of us, we can freely obey God’s commands. To truly be able to seek obedience is to truly accept the gospel message.

This is week 7 of 52 catechism readings from New City Catechism. Christ Community is reciting an entry from the catechism each Sunday in 2013.