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第1章

  Luther'sLittleInstructionBook(TheSmallCatechismofMartinLuther)
  TranslationbyRobertE。Smith
  I。
  TheTenCommandments:TheSimpleWayaFatherShouldPresentThemtoHisHouseholdA。TheFirstCommandmentYoumustnothaveothergods。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。Wemustfear,love,andtrustGodmorethananythingelse。
  B。TheSecondCommandmentYoumustnotmisuseyourGod'sname。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。WemustfearandloveGod,sothatwewillnotuseHisnametocurse,swear,castaspell,lieordeceive,butwilluseittocalluponHim,praytoHim,praiseHimandthankHiminalltimesoftrouble。
  C。TheThirdCommandmentYoumustkeeptheSabbathholy。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。WemustfearandloveGod,sothatwewillnotlookdownonpreachingorGod'sWord,butconsideritholy,listentoitwillingly,andlearnit。
  D。TheFourthCommandmentYoumusthonoryourfatherandmother。[Sothatthingswillgowellforyouandyouwilllivelongonearth]。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。WemustfearandloveGod,sothatwewillneitherlookdownonourparentsorsuperiorsnorirritatethem,butwillhonorthem,servethem,obeythem,lovethemandvaluethem。
  E。TheFifthCommandmentYoumustnotkill。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。WemustfearandloveGod,sothatwewillneitherharmnorhurtourneighbor'sbody,buthelphimandcareforhimwhenheisill。
  F。TheSixthCommandmentYoumustnotcommitadultery。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。WemustfearandloveGod,sothatourwordsandactionswillbecleananddecentandsothateveryonewillloveandhonortheirspouses。
  G。TheSeventhCommandmentYoumustnotsteal。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。WemustfearandloveGod,sothatwewillneithertakeourneighbor'smoneyorproperty,noracquireitbyfraudorbysellinghimpoorlymadeproducts,butwillhelphimimproveandprotecthispropertyandcareer。
  H。TheEighthCommandmentYoumustnottellliesaboutyourneighbor。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。WemustfearandloveGod,sothatwewillnotdeceivebylying,betraying,slanderingorruiningourneighbor'sreputation,butwilldefendhim,saygoodthingsabouthim,andseethebestsideofeverythinghedoes。
  I。TheNinthCommandmentYoumustnotdesireyourneighbor'shouse。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。WemustfearandloveGod,sothatwewillnotattempttotrickourneighboroutofhisinheritanceorhouse,takeitbypretendingtohavearighttoit,etc。buthelphimtokeep&
  improveit。
  J。TheTenthCommandmentYoumustnotdesireyourneighbor'swife,servant,maid,animalsoranythingthatbelongstohim。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。WemustfearandloveGod,sothatwewillnotreleasehiscattle,takehisemployeesfromhimorseducehiswife,buturgetheytostayanddowhattheyoughttodo。
  K。TheConclusiontotheCommandmentsQ。WhatdoesGodsaytousaboutallthesecommandments?
  A。ThisiswhatHesays:
  ``IamtheLordYourGod。IamajealousGod。Iplaguethegrandchildrenandgreat-grandchildrenofthosewhohatemewiththeirancestor'ssin。ButImakewholethosewholovemeforathousandgenerations。''
  Q。Whatdoesitmean?
  A。Godthreatenstopunisheveryonewhobreaksthesecommandments。
  WeshouldbeafraidofHisangerbecauseofthisandnotviolatesuchcommandments。ButHepromisesgraceandallgoodthingstothosewhokeepsuchcommandments。Becauseofthis,we,too,shouldloveHim,trustHim,andwillinglydowhatHiscommandmentsrequire。
  PartTwo:TheCreedTheCreed:TheSimpleWayaFatherShouldPresentittoHisHouseholdI。TheFirstArticle:OnCreationIbelieveinGodtheAlmightyFather,CreatorofHeavenandEarth。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。IbelievethatGodcreatedme,alongwithallcreatures。Hegavetome:bodyandsoul,eyes,earsandalltheotherpartsofmybody,mymindandallmysensesandpreservesthemaswell。Hegivesmeclothingandshoes,foodanddrink,houseandland,wifeandchildren,fields,animalsandallIown。EverydayHeabundantlyprovideseverythingIneedtonourishthisbodyandlife。Heprotectsmeagainstalldanger,shieldsanddefendsmefromallevil。HedoesallthisbecauseofHispure,fatherlyanddivinegoodnessandHismercy,notbecauseI'veearneditordeservedit。
  Forallofthis,ImustthankHim,praiseHim,serveHimandobeyHim。Yes,thisistrue!
  II。TheSecondArticle:OnRedemptionAndinJesusChrist,HisonlySon,ourLord,WhowasconceivedbytheHolySpirit,bornoftheVirginMary,sufferedunderPontiusPilate,wascrucified,diedandwasburied,descendedtoHell,onthethirddayroseagainfromthedead,ascendedtoHeavenandsatdownattherighthandofGodtheAlmightyFather。FromthereHewillcometojudgethelivingandthedead。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。IbelievethatJesusChrististrulyGod,bornoftheFatherineternityandalsotrulyman,bornoftheVirginMary。HeismyLord!Heredeemedme,alostandcondemnedperson,boughtandwonmefromallsins,deathandtheauthorityoftheDevil。ItdidnotcostHimgoldorsilver,butHisholy,preciousblood,Hisinnocentbody——Hisdeath!Becauseofthis,IamHisveryown,willliveunderHiminHiskingdomandserveHimrighteously,innocentlyandblessedlyforever,justasHeisrisenfromdeath,livesandreignsforever。Yes,thisistrue。
  III。TheThirdArticle:OnBecomingHolyIbelieveintheHolySpirit,theholyChristianChurch,thecommunityofthesaints,theforgivenessofsins,theresurrectionofthebody,andaneverlastinglife。Amen。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。IbelievethatIcannotcometomyLordJesusChristbymyownintelligenceorpower。ButtheHolySpiritcalledmebytheGospel,enlightenedmewithHisgifts,mademeholyandkeptmeinthetruefaith,justasHecalls,gatherstogether,enlightensandmakesholythewholeChurchonearthandkeepsitwithJesusintheone,truefaith。InthisChurch,Hegenerouslyforgiveseachdayeverysincommittedbymeandbyeverybeliever。Onthelastday,Hewillraisemeandallthedeadfromthegrave。HewillgiveeternallifetomeandtoallwhobelieveinChrist。Yes,thisistrue!
  PartThree:TheLord'sPrayerTheOurFatherTheSimpleWayaFatherShouldPresentittoHisHouseholdI。IntroductionOurFather,WhoisinHeaven。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。Inthisintroduction,GodinvitesustobelievethatHeisourrealFatherandweareHisrealchildren,sothatwewillpraywithtrustandcompleteconfidence,inthesamewaybelovedchildrenapproachtheirbelovedFatherwiththeirrequests。
  II。TheFirstRequestMayYournamebeholy。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。Ofcourse,God'snameisholyinandofitself,butbythisrequest,wepraythatHewillmakeitholyamongus,too。
  Q。Howdoesthistakeplace?
  A。WhenGod'sWordistaughtclearlyandpurely,andwhenweliveholylivesasGod'schildrenbaseduponit。Helpus,HeavenlyFather,todothis!ButanyonewhoteachesandlivesbysomethingotherthanGod'sWorddefilesGod'snameamongus。Protectusfromthis,HeavenlyFather!
  III。TheSecondRequestYourKingdomcome。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。TrulyGod'sKingdomcomesbyitself,withoutourprayer。Butweprayinthisrequestthatitcometousaswell。
  Q。Howdoesthishappen?
  A。WhentheHeavenlyFathergivesusHisHolySpirit,sothatwebelieveHisholyWordbyHisgraceandlivegodlyliveshereinthisageandthereineternallife。
  IV。TheThirdRequestMayYourwillbeaccomplished,asitisHeaven,somayitbeonEarth。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。Truly,God'sgoodandgraciouswillisaccomplishedwithoutourprayer。Butweprayinthisrequestthatisbeaccomplishedamongusaswell。
  Q。Howdoesthishappen?
  A。WhenGoddestroysandinterfereswitheveryevilwillandalleviladvice,whichwillnotallowGod'sKingdomtocome,suchastheDevil'swill,theworld'swillandwillofourbodilydesires。ItalsohappenswhenGodstrengthensusbyfaithandbyHisWordandkeepslivingbythemfaithfullyuntiltheendofourlives。ThisisHiswill,goodandfullofgrace。
  V。TheFourthRequestGiveusourdailybreadtoday。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。Truly,Godgivesdailybreadtoevilpeople,evenwithoutourprayer。ButweprayinthisrequestthatHewillhelpusrealizethisandreceiveourdailybreadwiththanksgiving。
  Q。Whatdoes``DailyBread''mean?
  A。Everythingthatnourishesourbodyandmeetsitsneeds,suchas:
  Food,drink,clothing,shoes,house,yard,fields,cattle,money,possessions,adevoutspouse,devoutchildren,devoutemployees,devoutandfaithfulrulers,goodgovernment,goodweather,peace,health,discipline,honor,goodfriends,faithfulneighborsandotherthingslikethese。
  VI。TheFifthRequestAndforgiveourguilt,asweforgivethoseguiltyofsinningagainstus。
  Q。Whatdoesthismean?
  A。WeprayinthisrequestthatourHeavenlyFatherwillneitherpayattentiontooursinsnorrefuserequestssuchasthesebecauseofoursinsandbecauseweareneitherworthynordeservethethingsforwhichwepray。YetHewantstogivethemalltousbyHisgrace,becausemanytimeseachdaywesinandtrulydeserveonlypunishment。
  BecauseGoddoesthis,wewill,ofcourse,wanttoforgivefromourheartsandwillinglydogoodtothosewhosinagainstus。