Heidelberg
Question 115

Law shows our need of Christ daily

Part Day 44
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105–117

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105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119
Day 44 • Question 115
115 Why then does God make the ten commandments known to the believers if in this life they cannot obey them perfectly?
First, that throughout our life we may more and more come to know our sinful nature 1 and thus be moved to pray more earnestly for the forgiveness of sins and for righteousness in Christ. 2
Second, that we may ceaselessly strive and beg God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that more and more we are renewed in the image of God, until after this life we reach the goal of perfection. 3

Footnote 1
Psalms 32:5
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Romans 3:19-20
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Romans 7:23-25
but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Footnote 2
Psalms 51:1-2
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
Psalms 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Footnote 3
1 Corinthians 13:9-10
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
1 John 3:1-3
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Question 115
Law shows our need of Christ daily
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