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Date:         Thu, 31 Aug 1995 09:11:57 +0200
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel 
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel 
From: Teus Benschop 
Subject:      Catechism, 32
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP 

Q.  After what manner must you examine yourself before you come  to  the
Lord's supper?
A.
1.  I  must examine whether I abhor myself for my sins and humble myself
    before God on account of them.
2.  Whether  I  believe and trust that all my sins are forgiven  me  for
    Christ's sake.
3.  Whether  I also have a sincere resolution hence forward, to walk  in
    all good works.

Nobody  is allowed to go heedlessly to the Lord's supper. That  is  what
Paul  wrote  us. He wrote: Before one eats of the bread and drinks  from
the  cup, let him examine himself. For, is he is unworthy, and  he  eats
and  drinks  of the Lord's supper, then he eats and drinks damnation  to
himself.  To avoid such an aggravation of one's own damnation,  let  him
then examine himself. That is what Paul wrote in the next text: "But let
a  man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of
[that]  cup.  For  he  that eateth and drinketh unworthily,  eateth  and
drinketh  damnation  to himself, not discerning  the  Lord's  body."  (1
Corinthians 11:28,29)
     We  see then that one should examine himself, before going  to  the
Lord's supper. That examining himself means that he investigates whether
he  is  a  believer  or  not. For, there are many who  think  that  they
believe,  but in reality they don't. Let then everybody examine himself,
if  he  is not deceiving himself, pretending to be a believer,  and  not
being  one.  To help us examining ourselves, our answer gives  us  three
guidelines.
1. Examine if you feel your sinful state;
2. Examine if you trust your sins are forgiven;
3. Examine if you wish to walk in good works.
These three guidelines will be enlarged upon.

The  first one is: I must examine whether I abhor myself for my sins and
humble  myself before God on account of them. So, I must examine whether
I  abhor myself. Abhor myself? Why? Because I am such a wretched sinner,
daily  increasing my guilt before God. Abhorring yourself is not  simply
saying, that you are a sinner, but abhorring is much more. It is  having
a  real aversion to yourself. Since I am such a great sinner, and  never
cease  provoking  God to wrath, and always continue in heaping  sins  on
sins; since I am such a wretch, I abhor myself before God, and humble me
for  Him  on account of them. It is not a mere saying: "I am a  sinner",
and  then continuing with the next step. Such a man, who thinks  himself
an  abomination  before God, is much alarmed about  his  state.  Such  a
sinner!  Will  God  forgive such a one? When we see and  feel  our  real
behaviour before God, we rather hide ourselves, away from the  sight  of
God,  then  that we cheerfully say, that we are sinners. Look  to  Adam,
who,  when he had committed the first sin, hid himself in the  trees  of
the  garden, from the presence of the LORD (Gen.3:8). Let then everyone,
who  really abhors himself because of his sins, tremble, expecting God's
coming  judgement.  But  when we stand still here,  there  is  something
wrong.

The  next guideline follows. I must examine whether I believe and  trust
that  all my sins are forgiven me for Christ's sake. When I believe that
my  sins are forgiven me, than also this is not a mere saying. But it is
a conviction, which is given me by God, that my sins are forgiven me for
Christ's  sake.  Many say: "Believe in Jesus and all is well".  This  is
often said very superficially. But the true faith has deep roots. It  is
given  by  God,  after there has been a deep conviction  of  own  sinful
state.  When I believe that my sins are forgiven me, then I  trust,  and
feel  in my heart, that these things are so. Seeing in ourselves nothing
but inability, and all wretchedness, we have put our eyes on God, Who is
merciful  for  Christ's sake. We find nothing in ourselves  to  put  our
trust  in. Therefore, having turned our back on ourselves, we turned  to
God.  We  turned to God, since He drew us to Him. He gave us the  faith,
that,  when  in action, connects us with God through Christ.  We  should
then  examine ourselves, before going to the Lord's supper,  whether  we
possess such a true and saving faith.

The  third  directive  is, that I must examine whether  I  also  have  a
sincere  resolution  hence forward, to walk in all good  works.  Such  a
sincere  resolution,  to walk in all good works,  is  an  expression  of
thankfulness towards God. We wish to please Him, by doing what He  asks.
He  has given us His law, to be our rule, according which we must  live.
When we then wish to live according to that rule, we do so, since it  is
God's  will. Such a sincere resolution flows from the knowledge, that  I
am  saved  through  faith. Knowing that the faith is  such  an  infinite
appreciated good, we wish to thank God by doing His will. Together  with
the  faith,  God also gives us that will. When the faith is strong,  and
actively  working, we feel driven to do good works. So, when we  examine
ourselves, to see if we have such a sincere resolution hence forward, to
walk in all good works, it is, together with the other signs, indicating
that  we  are saved through faith. Not that good works have any meriting
value  in  themselves, but they are a sign of the true  believer.  Doing
good  works,  to earn heaven thereby, is a vain work. Good  works  merit
nothing, but they are a sign of faith.

When  we  have examined ourselves, and found nothing, or not  all  these
things,  we  must keep off from the Lord's supper. Let us then  pray  to
God,  that He will give faith, and its accompanying signs. But  when  we
have examined ourselves, and we have found true faith, we may go to  the
Lord's  supper, to see the signs and seals of Christ crucified,  and  to
receive  them.  By  this,  our faith will be strengthened,  through  the
working of the Holy Ghost.


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Teus Benschop  --  t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
Listowner of chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl
"A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel"
Institute Practical Bible-education
Web:  http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html
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