Brief Catechism (Page 4 of 22)

THE SECOND ARTICLE

Q. 40. How does the second article read?

A. And in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, Consubstantial with the Father, by Whom all things were made.

Q. 41. Of whom is it spoken in the second article of the Creed?

A. In the second article of the Creed it is spoken of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity — of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Q. 42. In what sense is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity called ‘Lord?’

A. The Second Person of the Most Holy TRINITY is called “Lord” that He is as true God as God the Father.

Q. 43. What does the name “Jesus” mean?

A. The name “JESUS” means Savior.

Q. 44. What does the word `Christ’ mean?

A. The word “Christ” means Anointed.

Q. 45. Why is our Lord Jesus Christ called the Son of God, the Only-begotten?

A. Our Lord Jesus Christ is called the Son of God, the Only-begotten because He is the only Son begotten of the substance of God the Father.

Q. 46. When was the Son of God begotten of God the Father?

A. The Son of God was begotten of God the Father before all ages.

Q. 47. What does this mean?

A. That the Son of God was begotten of God the Father before all ages means that there was no time, when He was not; the Son of God is as eternal as God, the Father.

Q. 48. What do the words: “Light of Light” signify?

A. The words: “Light of Light” signify that when the sun rises, light appears simultaneously, together with it: so God the Father and God the Son are of ONE indivisible Divine substance.

Q. 44. What do the words: “Very God of Very God” mean?

A. The words: “Very God of Very God” mean that just as the Father is true God, so is the Son also true God.

Q. 50. For what purpose is it said: “begotten, not made?”

A. “Begotten not made” is said to contradict the false doctrine of Arius who impiously taught that the Son of God was made.

Q. 51. What does: “consubstantial with the Father” mean?

A. “Consubstantial with the Father” means that Jesus Christ is of one and the same substance with God, the Father, and has the same Divine nature with Him.

Q. 52. What do the words mean: “by Whom all things were made?”

A. The words “by whom all things were made” mean that God the Father created all things by His Son.

Q. 53. What does the second article of the Creed teach?

A. The second article of the Creed teaches:

1. that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Only begotten Son of God and is the true God;
2. that He was begotten of God the Father before all ages;
3. that by Him the world was created.