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The Small Catechism - Martin Luther (1529)
1) Section I - the 10 Commandments (I’m not going to list them all here, just the 1st, 2nd, 9th, an 10th).
1st Commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods.”
2nd Commandment: “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain.”
9th Commandment: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.”
10th Commandment: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is his.”
2)Section IV - The Sacrament of Holy Baptism
“It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.”
“It is not the water indeed that does them, but the word of God which is in and with the water, and faith, which trusts such word of God in the water. For without the word of God the water is simple water and no baptism. But with the word of God it is a baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of regeneration in the Holy Ghost, as St. Paul says, Titus, chapter three: By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, that, being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying.”
“It signifies that the old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts, and, again, a new man daily come forth and arise; who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”
3) Section V - Confession
“Confession embraces two parts: the one is, that we confess our sins; the other, that we receive absolution, or forgiveness, from the confessor, as from God Himself, and in no wise doubt, but firmly believe, that our sins are thereby forgiven before God in heaven.”
“You should speak to the confessor thus: Reverend and dear sir, I beseech you to hear my confession, and to pronounce forgiveness to me for God's sake.”
“And by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ I forgive thee thy sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Depart in peace.”
4) Section VI - The Sacrament of the Altar [the Eucharist]
“It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, for us Christians to eat and to drink, instituted by Christ Himself.”
The Augsburg Confession - Lutheran (1530)
Article VIII: What the Church Is
“Both the Sacraments and Word are effectual by reason of the institution and commandment of Christ, notwithstanding they be administered by evil men.”
Article IX: Baptism
“Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God, and that children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God's grace.”
“They condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the baptism of children, and say that children are saved without Baptism.”
Article X: Of the Lord’s Supper
“ Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise.”
Article XI: Confession
“Of Confession they teach that Private Absolution ought to be retained in the churches...”
Article XII: Of Repentance
“Of Repentance they teach that for those who have fallen after Baptism there is remission of sins whenever they are converted and that the Church ought to impart absolution to those thus returning to repentance.”
Article XVII: Of Christ's Return to Judgment
“Also they teach that at the Consummation of the World Christ will appear for judgment, and will raise up all the dead; He will give to the godly and elect eternal life and everlasting joys, but ungodly men and the devils He will condemn to be tormented without end.”
“They condemn also others who are now spreading certain Jewish opinions, that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall take possession of the kingdom of the world, the ungodly being everywhere suppressed.”
The Belgic Confession - Reformed Confession of Faith (1561)
Article 7: The Sufficiency of Scripture
“We believe that this Holy Scripture contains the will of God completely and that everything one must believe to be saved is sufficiently taught in it.”
Article 15: The Doctrine of Original Sin
“ It is a corruption of the whole human nature - an inherited depravity which even infects small infants in their mother’s womb, and the root which produces in humanity every sort of sin. It is therefore so vile and enormous in God’s sight that it is enough to condemn the human race, and it is not abolished or wholly uprooted even by baptism...”
Article 33: The Sacraments
“There are only two: the sacrament of baptism and the Holy Supper of Jesus Christ.”
Article 34: Baptism
“Having abolished circumcision, which was done with blood, Christ established in its place the sacrament of baptism. By it we are received into God’s church...”
“In this way God signifies to us that just as water washes away the dirt of the body when it is poured on us and also is seen on the bodies of those who are baptized when it is sprinkled on them...”
“It [Baptism] washes and cleanses it [the soul] from its sins and transforms us from being the children of wrath into the children of God.”
“For that reason we reject the error of the Anabaptists who are not content with a single baptism
once received and also condemn the baptism of the children of believers. We believe our children ought to be baptized and sealed with the sign of the covenant, as little children were circumcised in Israel on the basis of the same promises made to our children.”
“Furthermore, baptism does for our children what circumcision did for the Jewish people. That is why Paul calls baptism the “circumcision of Christ,” (Col 2:11).”
Article 37: The Last Judgment
“Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before the great judge...They will be summoned there “with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet,” (1 Thess 4:16). For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth,
their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from perishable to imperishable (1 Cor 15:51-53). Then the books (that is, the consciences) will be opened, and the dead will be judged according to the things they did in the world (Rev 20:12), whether good or evil.”
Heidelberg Catechism - Reformed (1563)
Question 71: Where has Christ promised that we are as certainly washed with his blood and Spirit as with the water of baptism?
“In the institution of Baptism, which runs thus: Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matt 28:19). He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned (Mark 16:16).This promise is also repeated, where the Scripture calls Baptism the washing of regeneration (Tit 3:5) and the washing away of sins (Acts 22:16).”
Question 72: Is, then, the outward washing with water itself the washing away of sins?
“No (Matt 3:11; 1 Pet 3:21; Eph 5:26-27); for only the blood of Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7; 1 Cor 6:11).”
Question 74: Are infants also to be baptized?
“Yes; for since they, as well as their parents, belong to the covenant and people of God (Gen 17:7; 1 Cor 7:14†; Joel 2:16†; Matt 19:14), and both redemption from sin and the Holy Ghost, who works faith, are through the blood of Christ promised to them no less than to their parents (Luke 1:14-15; Ps 22:10; Isa 44:1-3; Acts 2:39; 16:31†), they are also by baptism, as a sign of the covenant, to be ingrafted into the Christian Church, and distinguished from the children of unbelievers (Acts 10:47; 1 Cor 12:13†; 2 Cor 6:15), as was done in the Old Testament by Circumcision (Gen 17:12-14), in place of which in the New Testament Baptism is appointed (Col 2:11-13).”
Question 76: What is it to eat the crucified body and drink the shed blood of Christ?
“It is not only to embrace with a believing heart all the sufferings and death of Christ, and thereby to obtain the forgiveness of sins and life eternal (1 Cor 10:16†; John 6:35, 40, 48, 50-51, 53-54), but moreover, also, to be so united more and more to his sacred body by the Holy Ghost, who dwells both in Christ and in us (John 6:55-56; 1 Cor 12:13†), that although he is in heaven (Acts 3:21; 1:9-11; 1 Cor 11:26; Col 3:1†), and we on earth, we are nevertheless flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones (Eph 3:16-17; 5:30; 1 Cor 6:15-19; 1 John 3:24; 4:13), and live and are governed forever by one Spirit, as members of the same body are by one soul (John 14:23; 6:47, 57-58; 15:1-6; Eph 4:15-16).”
Question 78: Do, then, the bread and wine become the real body and blood of Christ?
“No; but as the water in Baptism is not changed into the blood of Christ, nor becomes the washing away of sins itself, being only the divine token and assurance thereof (Matt 26:29; Mark 14:24; John 6:35-63†; Eph 5:26†; Acts 22:16†), so also in the Lord’s Supper the sacred bread does not become the body of Christ itself (1 Cor 10:16-17; 11:26-28), though agreeably to the nature and usage of sacraments (Gen 17:10-11; Exod 12:26-27, 43, 48; 13:9; Acts 7:8; Exod 24:8; Lev 16:10; 17:11; Isa 6:6-7; Tit 3:5; Acts 22:16; 1 Pet 3:21; 1 Cor 10:1-4) it is called the body of Christ.”
Question 85: How is the kingdom of heaven shut and opened by Church discipline?
“In this way: that, according to the command of Christ, if any under the Christian name show themselves unsound either in doctrine or life, and after repeated brotherly admonition refuse to turn from their errors or evil ways, they are complained of to the Church or to its proper officers (Rom 12:7-9; 1 Cor 12:28†; 1 Tim 5:17), and, if they neglect to hear them also, are by them excluded from the holy Sacraments and the Christian communion, and by God himself from the kingdom of Christ (Matt 18:15-18; 1 Cor 5:3-5; 2 Thess 3:14-15; 2 John 10-11); and if they promise and show real amendment, they are again received as members of Christ and his Church (Luke 15:20-24†; 2 Cor 2:5-8, 10).”
Question 92: What is the law of God?
“God spake all these words, saying (Exod 20:1-17; Deut 5:5-21):
Second Commandment: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments (Exod 20:4-6; Deut 5:8-10).”
Canons of Dort - Reformed (1619)
Article 12: The Assurance of Election
“Assurance of their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation is given to the chosen in due time, though by various stages and in differing measure. Such assurance comes not by inquisitive searching into the hidden and deep things of God, but by noticing within themselves, with spiritual joy and holy delight, the unmistakable fruits of election pointed out in God’s Word—such as a true faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly sorrow for their sins, a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on.”
Article 13: The Fruit of This Assurance
“In their awareness and assurance of this election, God’s children daily find greater cause to humble themselves before God, to adore the fathomless depth of God’s mercies, to cleanse themselves, and to give fervent love in return to the One who first so greatly loved them. This is far from saying that this teaching concerning election, and reflection upon it, make God’s children lax in observing his commandments or carnally self-assured. By God’s just judgment this does usually happen to those who casually take for granted the grace of election or engage in idle and brazen talk about it but are unwilling to walk in the ways of the chosen.”
Article 17: The Salvation of the Infants of Believers
“Since we must make judgments about God’s will from his Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature but by virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom God calls out of this life in infancy.”
Westminster Shorter Catechism - Reformed (1648)
Question 25: How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
“Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God; and in making continual intercession for us.”
Question 37: What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?
“The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.”
Question 49: Which is the second commandment?
“The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image...”
Question 94: What is baptism?
“Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's.”
Question 95: To whom is baptism to be administered?
“Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized.”
Baptist Catechism (1689)
Question 4: What is the word of God?
“The holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience (2 Tim. 3:16; Eph. 2:20).“
Question 40: What benefits do believers receive from Christ at their death?
“The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness (Heb. 12:23), and do immediately pass into glory (2 Cor. 5:1, 6, 8; Phil. 1:23; Luke 23:43); and their bodies being still united to Christ (1 Thess. 4:14), do rest in their graves (Is. 57:2) till the resurrection (Job 19:26, 27).”
Question 54: Which is the second commandment?
“The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image...”
Question 97: What is baptism?
“Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament instituted by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death, burial, and resurrection; of his being ingrafted into him (Rom. 6:3, 4, 5; Col. 2:12; Gal. 3:27); of remission of sins (Mk. 1:4; Acts 2:38, and 22:16); and of his giving up himself unto God through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3, 4).”
Question 99: Are the infants of such as are professing believers to be baptized?
“The infants of such as are professing believers are not to be baptized, because there is neither command or example in the holy scriptures, or certain consequence from them to baptize such (Ex. 23:13; Pr. 30:6; Lk. 3:7, 8).”
Question 102: What is the Lord’s supper?
“The Lord’s supper is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ; wherein by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to his appointment, his death is shown forth, and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace (Mt. 26:26, 27, 28; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; 10:16).”