Question 20. Are all men then, as they perished in Adam, saved by Christ?
Answer. No; only [a] those who are ingrafted into him, [b] and receive all his benefits, by a true faith.
Question 21. What is true faith?
Answer. True faith is not only a certain knowledge, [c] whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in his word, but also an assured [d] confidence, which the Holy [e] Ghost works by the gospel, [f] in my heart; that not only the others, but to me also, [g] remission of sin, everlasting righteousness [h] and salvation, are freely given by God, [i] merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits.
Question 22. What is then necessary for a christian to believe?
Answer. All things [j] promised us in the gospel, which the articles of our catholic undoubted christian faith briefly teach us.
Question 23. What are these articles?
Answer.
I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell:
The third day he rose again from the dead:
He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
I believe in the Holy Ghost:
I believe an holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
The forgiveness of sins:
The resurrection of the body:
And the life everlasting. AMEN.
[a]: Mat. 1:21; Isa. 53:11
[b]: John 1:12,13; Rom. 11:20; Heb. 10:39
[c]: John 6:69; John 17:3; Heb. 11:3,6
[d]: Eph. 3:12
[e]: Rom. 4:16,20,21; Heb. 11:1; Eph. 3:12; Rom. 1:16; 1Cor 1:21; Acts 16:14; Mat. 16:17; John 3:5
[f]: Rom. 10:14,17; Mat. 9:2
[g]: Rom. 5:1
[h]: Gal. 2:20
[i]: Rom. 3:24,25,26
[j]: John 20:31; Mat. 28:19,20
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