THE
UNITED REFORMED CHURCHES IN NORTH AMERICA (URCNA)
is a young federation of churches formed on October 1, 1996, at a
synod meeting held in Lynwood, Illinois. The basis of these churches
is God’s Holy Word as confessed in the Three Forms of Unity (Heidelberg
Catechism, Belgic Confession, and the Canons of Dordt). This was adopted by an organization known as the Fellowship of Uniting Reformed
Churches on November 16,1995.
Additional information about the URCNA
is available at the web site of Bethany
United Reformed Church (Wyoming, MI).
* * *
The Heidelberg Catechism is one of the best known and most widely used of the doctrinal standards written during the Reformation Period. It is divided into 52 sections (corresponding to the 52 weeks of the year) and has long been used by Reformed Christians as a summary of their faith. It is our plan to post each of the 52 Lord's Day sections of the Catechism on this page, this year. Please take note of the fact that every section of the Catechism is referenced to texts in the Holy Scriptures. It is our hope that you will look these up whenever you have any question about the correctness of what the Catechism says. Like a reliable road map, you will find it indeed to be true to the Bible, the only infallible rule of our faith and practice.
LORD’S DAY 31
(From Part II - Explaining the way of Deliverance)
Q. 83 - What are the keys of the kingdom?
A. The preaching of the holy gospel and Christian discipline toward repentance.
Both preaching and discipline open the kingdom of heaven to believers and close it to unbelievers.^1
^1 Matt. 16:19; John 20:22-23
Q. 84 - How does preaching the gospel open and close the kingdom of heaven?
A. According to the command of Christ:
The kingdom of heaven is opened by proclaiming and publicly declaring to all believers, each and every one, that, as often as they accept the gospel promise in true faith, God, because of what Christ has done, truly forgives all their sins.
The kingdom of heaven is closed, however, by proclaiming and publicly declaring to unbelievers and hypocrites that, as long as they do not repent, the anger of God and eternal condemnation rest on them.
God's judgment, both in this life and in the life to come, is based on this gospel testimony.^1
^1 Matt. 16:19; John 3:31-36; 20:21-23
Q. 85 - How is the kingdom of heaven closed and opened by Christian discipline?
A. According to the command of Christ:
Those who, though called Christians, profess unchristian teachings or live unchristian lives, and after repeated and loving counsel refuse to abandon their errors and wickedness, and after being reported to the church, that is, to its officers, fail to respond also to their admonition; such persons the officers exclude from the Christian fellowship by withholding the sacraments from them, and God himself excludes them from the kingdom of Christ.^1
Such persons, when promising and demonstrating genuine reform, are received again as members of Christ and of his church.^2
^1 Matt. 18:15-20; 1 Cor. 5:3-5, 11-13; 2 Thess. 3:14-15
^2 Luke 15:20-24; 2 Cor. 2:6-11