Lords Day 24
Lords Day 24 of the Heidelberg Catechism, in this poetic version by David Croft, asks why the good we do cannot make us right with God. If we teach that salvation is free, and not related to any works we do, does that not make us indifferent in our attitude toward God?
Lords Day 24
What Hindereth Our Best
What hindereth our noble best
Fair works of humble charity
That spring from every Christian breast
In cyclic regularity
From purchasing our peace with God
'Who love the Savior from the heart'
His smile and not His smarting rod,
If not the whole, at least in part?
The only righteous one who stands
Complete before Jehovah's face
Is pure of heart and clean of hands
Unblemished by a sinning trace
But at their finest, even saints,
'Although their life doth here begin'
Imbrued with its unholy taints
Abide imperfect, stained with sin
If all the good we say and do
Toward earning wages, God rejects,
Why doth He promise, 'Who is true'
Reward in this life and the next?
Let he who wanteth wisdom learn
The myst'ry of this knotty place
He gives what we could never earn
From bowels of mercy, love, and grace
If all the sons of God are taught
This doctrine of free grace alone
Then won't their lives, as like as not,
In apathy and evil groan?
The child of Christ through living faith
Engrafted to the Holy Root
Shall spend his days as Jesus saith
Adoring God with loving fruit
October 9, 1996
Lords Day 24 Heidelberg Catechism Questions & Answers 62-64
© Copyright 1996 David L. Croft
In this lovely poetic rendition of the 24th Lords Day of the Heidelberg Catechism by David Croft, we wrestle with the question of our own works. How can they not help us in some way earn or merit some good from God? If we truly believe that our works do not help, then does that not make us quit trying, resulting in apathy toward God and others?
Look at how David shows that our salvation is entirely a free gift of God, not related to anything we have done:
He gives what we could never earn
From bowels of mercy, love, and grace
The final four lines of this poem beautifully answer the last question:
The child of Christ through living faith
Engrafted to the Holy Root
Shall spend his days as Jesus saith
Adoring God with loving fruit
Let us, then spend our days "adoring God with loving fruit" when we think upon this salvation so wondrous and free!
Lords Day 24
Lords Day 23
Heidelberg Catechism Poetry
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