Heidelbergian Children's Catechism (age 8- 10 years)
Lord's Day 23
There was a serious traffic accident.
Two cars collided. Whose fault was that? The police came. They looked at the tire tracks and checked the brakes. They measured the distance from the corner and looked at the damage. And they wrote everything down. But they did not make a decision on whose fault it was. The case has to come before the court. The judge has to find out how the accident happened. Only then it is decided who is guilty. And the other driver is told: you are innocent.
What about you? No, not because you ran into someone on your bike. Think of God in heaven. He is our heavenly judge. Just as with that accident, God as the heavenly judge is going to find out whether you are guilty or not. Will he say that you are not guilty? Think about all the things you did. Have you always done what you should have? And was your heart always full of love for God? You know that’s not
the case.
But before God, the judge in heaven, makes his decision about you, Jesus the Saviour speaks up. And he says something like: Father, first look at me. Yes, your children on earth have done wrong. They are guilty. But I was crucified on the cross. I took their guilt onto the cross. Their sins are paid for.
Then God says something wonderful to you and to all his children: I look at you as if you have never done any sin.Yes, that is for sure, you can believe it. What if you do not believe that? Then others will receive this forgiveness, but you wilI not. Or perhaps you wonder: But how
can I be forgiven? You remember some of the wrong things you did. You know of times you have been in a bad mood, and you have been disobedient. And during prayer you sometimes think about other things. You should be ashamed of that. The Lord wants to see you are really sorry. All the same, He will forgive your sin for the sake of Jesus. Do you receive this forgiveness because you believe? No, you don’t. You receive forgiveness out of grace. Because God is gracious to us. Always remember that.