I was just reviewing the catechism for our last Lord’s Day

http://www.heidelbergcatechismproject.com/catechism/12/

What amazing blessings first to consider why our Lord is called “Christ” as our Prophet, Priest, and King and the blessing and privilege it means to be called “Christian” by grace through faith!

For the Christian, Christ’s status as Prophet, Priest, and King is not a theological fine point unrelated to daily life. Instead our Lord’s anointing to these divine offices confers upon His people blessings which equip them to live the Christian life each moment as soldier’s free from the condemnation of Satan and empowered to serve now in Christ’s Church Militant and in the Resurrection as members of Christ’s Church Triumphant.

The last part of Q 32 reminded me of the prayer spoken after baptism in the Book of Common Prayer:

http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/baptism/riper.html

“We receive this Child’Person into the congregation of Christ’s flock, *and do sign him with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner, against sin, the world, and the devil; and to continue Christ’s faithful soldier and servant unto his life’s end. Amen.”

As Reformed people we take the sacrament itself as the sign of the Cross, but the point is the same and the prayer embodies the catechism’s faith in recognizing both the calling and blessing involved in being set apart as a “member of Christ” who is set free to joyously serve the Lord.

Áldás és békesség!

Chuck Huckaby

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