Did the Heidelberg

Catechism bring

Unity to the

Church?

Mark 3:25 “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” - New International Version Did the Heidelberg Catechism bring unity to the church? No, it sustained division. The church was divided since even BEFORE the Heidelberg Catechism was written. This was the primary reason The Heidelberg Catechism was intended for… as an attempt to bring unity. Pastor, ‘Christian’, you know of course that the great apostasy came with Constantine the Great… and this apostasy stayed to this day. By having broken away from Catholicism during the reformation period, the Reformed ‘Christian’ Church did not make a single effort to crush the primary lie (amongst others) by which it is still tied to the Roman Catholic Church to this day, dragging it along for nearly 500 years. What lie? You still believe in an everlasting hell of damnation and that only a FEW will be saved and go to heaven, while ALL the rest will go to everlasting torture, right? Why do you believe that? Because you hold the Heidelberg Catechism in HIGHER esteem than the Bible itself! You blindly believe a document written in the 16th century… a document NOT inspired by the Author of the Bible, but inspired by a heart full of hateful revenge. The atrocities of the Roman Catholic Church overshadowed the Sovereignty of God and with the focus been put on man kept the apostasy intact. Please go to Question 20 in the Heidelberg Catechism. As intro, Question 20 is addressed here because of salvation being its theme. Question 20: “Are all people then saved through Christ just as they were lost through Adam?” Answer: “No. Only those are saved who through true faith are grafted into Christ and accept all his benefits.” Please notice the added selfish “and accept all his benefits”. This answer clearly reflects the focus on the self and the beneficial outcome. Was this added as bait to draw people as a unifying measure, primarily the youth in that time? Like answering a question “what’s in it for me?” Greed, instead of gratitude. Notice the following pathetically FEW verses as an attempted ‘back-up’ for this answer above… Matt. 7:14 1 ; John 3:16 2 , John 3:18 3 , John 3:36 4 ; Rom. 11:16 5 , Rom. 11:17 6 , Rom. 11:18 7 , Rom. 11:19 8 , Rom. 11:20 9 , Rom. 11:21 10 So, let us then see what these ten verses say… 1 Matthew 7:14 “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” - New International Version The number of ‘Christians’ believing in this atrocious doctrine of everlasting condemnation adds up to billions upon billions over generations! Does this sound like a few? Does this sound like travellers on a narrow road? Pastor, ‘Christian’, you have LOTS of travelling company and support on your road, don’t you? Those on the narrow road have hardly anybody as company, if at all (saying this out of experience of course). To have ONLY CHRIST [the true Christ of course] as our Companion suffices. 2-3 John 3:16-17-18 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him . 18  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” - New International Version You cannot but notice the left-out- and screaming 17 th verse here, can you? I deliberately put it in here. Why did Zacharias Ursinus leave this crucial verse out? Why was John 3:16-18 not reflected here, but John 3:16 ,  18 instead? Because this 17 th verse is the ‘ sore thumb ’ that would cause too much polemics, threatening the credibility of this document in a community that asks for revenge. This verse is but only one of the many left-out ‘ sore thumb ’ verses. With regard to “ believes in him ” in verses 16 and 18, refer the “ all ” in 1 Corinthians 15:22 ! 4 John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life , for God's wrath remains on them.” - New International Version Who rejects the Son here? YOU reject the Son, who was sent by God to SAVE the world, reflected in the missing verse above? You reject Him, simply because you reject His saving act for all humanity. You rely on fallible man to reveal Scripture to you, instead of the Holy Spirit. You rely on academic scholars to teach you, the very ones Jesus Himself referred to in Matthew 11:25 . You are still keeping the lie alive, fueled by the bias hands of man in 1563! Those hands back then wrote fromout a heart full of revenge. Man has not changed. These revengeful hearts are therefore still on the order of the day after centuries. God avenges ( Romans 12:19 ). Most mistakes are made when emotion-driven. Question 20: “Are all people then saved through Christ just as they were lost through Adam?” Answer: “No. Only those are saved who through true faith are grafted into Christ and accept all his benefits.” 5-10 Romans 11:16-21 “ 16  If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17  If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18  do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19  You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.“ 20  Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21  For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.” - New International Version To exclude a crucial verse for selfish reasons, is downright denying the Word of Christ… and sadly also denying oneself of been grafted into Christ. This is like sticking to ones guns that are pointed at oneself. How on earth can you grant yourself the “benefits” of Christ and at the same time deny His gift that is for the whole world (including yourself of course)? You blindly accept what you read in this bias document and conveniently ignore all the other ‘ sore thumb ’ verses that underscore universal salvation… in the very Bible you read! Luke 2:30-32 “ 30   For my eyes have seen Your salvation , 31   Which You have prepared in the presence of all the peoples : 32 A light for revelation for the Gentiles , And the glory of Your people Israel .”” - New American Standard Bible Simeon was satisfied. He has now seen his Messiah and was ready to die. What a wonderful happening! The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Luke 2:26 “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” - New American Standard Bible The Heidelberg Catechism is written with an exclusivity- driven agenda. Do you read the Bible with the same agenda… the agenda of finding Scripture that would hopefully prove your doctrine of everlasting damnation, making you the sole heirs of everlasting life? Scripture that has been either fiddled with, or just simply misinterpreted to suit this agenda of yours? All the verses (however few) reflected in the Heidelberg Catechism are craftily chosen. Please see how the same verses were applied as ‘back-ups’ in multiple answers in that document… considering all the 31 , 102 verses in the Bible. Following are more ‘sore thumb’ verses that underscore universal salvation, NOT reflected as ‘back-ups’ for answers to Question 20… Luke 4:18 ““The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed,” - Berean Study Bible 1 John 4:14 “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” - New International Version 1 Timothy 2:6 “who gave himself as a ransom for all people . This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.” - New International Version 1 Timothy 4:10 “That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people , and especially of those who believe.” - New International Version 1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as indeed in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” - Berean Literal Bible 2 Corinthians 5:15 “And he died for all , that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” - New International Version 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord does not delay the promise, as some esteem slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but all to come to repentance .” - Berean Literal Bible 2 Peter 3:15 “Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation , just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.” - New International Version John12:32 “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.“” - New International Version John 12:47 “"If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world .” - New International Version John 4:42 “They said to the woman, “We now believe not only because of your words; we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man truly is the Savior of the world .”” - Berean Study Bible John 6:44 “No one is able to come to Me unless the Father, the one having sent Me, draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day .” - Berean Literal Bible Luke 2:10 “But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people .” - New International Version Romans 14:11 “It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”” - Berean Study Bible John 10:16 “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd .” - New International Version John 11:51-52 “ 51  He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52  and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one .” - New International Version Acts 2:46-47 “ 46  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47  praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved .” - New International Version Acts 10:28 “He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.” - Berean Study Bible Acts 10:36 “He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ , who is Lord of all .” - Berean Study Bible Galatians 3:8 “And the Scripture, having foreseen that God justifies the Gentiles by faith, foretold the gospel to Abraham: " All the nations will be blessed in you .“” - Berean Literal Bible Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith , who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - NASB 1995 Ephesians 4:13 “ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.” - Berean Study Bible 1 Timothy 2:4 “who doth will all men to be saved, and to come to the full knowledge of the truth;” - Young’s Literal Translation 1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: C hrist Jesus came into the world to save sinners --of whom I am the worst.” - New International Version Colossians 1:15-16 “ 15  The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him .” - New International Version Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone.” - Berean Study Bible Hebrews 2:9 “But we see that he is Yeshua, who became a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of his death, and glory and honor are placed upon his head, for God himself, by his grace, tasted death in the place of every person .” - Aramaic Bible in Plain English Hebrews 8:11 “No longer will each one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me , from the least of them to the greatest.” - Berean Study Bible Hebrews 9:12 “He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.” - Berean Study Bible 1 John 2:2 “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world .” - New International Version Revelation 5:13 “and every creature that is in the heaven, and in the earth, and under the earth, and the things that are upon the sea, and the all things in them, heard I saying, 'To Him who is sitting upon the throne, and to the Lamb, is the blessing, and the honour, and the glory, and the might -- to the ages of the ages!'” - Young’s Literal Bible Revelation 21:4 “And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more nor mourning nor crying nor pain; they will be no more, because the former things have passed away.“” - Berean Literal Bible Revelation 22:21 ““Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ μετὰ πάντων.” “The grace of the Lord Jesus with all” - Nestle Greek New Testament 1904 HALLELUJAH ! Now please go to Question 60 in the Heidelberg Catechism. Question 60 is about Righteousness. Question 60: How are you righteous before God? Answer: 5  God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, 6 , as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, and as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me ” The ONLY place in this document where reference is made of Romans 4:5 is linked here to answer 6 . But first notice here the “me’s” and “I’s”. Romans 4:5 “However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.” - New International Version The UNGODLY IS JUSTIFIED by God The FAITH of the one believing 1 is RIGHTEOUS! The FAITH of the one NOT believing 1 is NOT RIGHTEOUS!! The one NOT believing 1 is therefore NOT a Christian!! This changes EVERYTHING in the church, doesn’t it? 2.3 Billion (as we speak) have been taken for a ride, let alone all the gazillions since the time of Constantine I and the Synod of Nicene for 1,700 years! If you resort under # 4 then you are one of them, an UNBELIEVER! Everlasting damnation for ANYONE is a lie with an extreme implication… the Lake of Fire, being God Himself! But see, “everlasting damnation” is part and parcel of God’s Divine Plan of global deception before His universal GRACE, reflected in the last verse of the Bible. Hallelujah! The “me’s” and “I’s” mean absolutely nothing if not inclusively coupled with the “they’s” and “their’s”. ALL people were made righteous!! There can never be UNITY amongst unbelievers. The proof is reality. May God open your eyes!

Did the Heidelberg Catechism bring Unity to the Church?