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_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 66 EXPLANATION OF SMALL CATECHISM B. Some religions claim to worship the God of Abraham and may even regard the Old Testament as sacred writings, but they reject the triune God by rejecting His salvation in Jesus Christ (for example, Islam and Judaism). Read John 5:19–23, 39–47. C. Some religions claim to be Christian and hold the Bible sa- cred, but reject Scripture's witness that Jesus is the true Son of God, one with the Father, and therefore also deny the doctrine of the Trinity (for example, Mormonism and the Jehovah's Wit- nesses). Read John 10:22–30. D. Some religious practices involve seeking help from super- natural forces rather than God the Creator, who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ (for example, Wicca or satanic arts such as sorcery, superstitions, spirits of the dead, good-luck charms, psychics, Ouija boards, astrology). Read 1 Samuel 28 and note how Saul disobeyed God. E. Some "religions" or moral philosophies combine elements of the above, idolize humanity, or simply believe in a generic de- ity (for example, moralistic therapeutic deism, humanism, cer- tain lodges). ey reject God's exclusive revelation of salvation in Jesus Christ alone. Read Psalm 14:1; 53:1. F. e one true God reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. is one true God, in the person of the Son, became flesh in Jesus Christ. ere is no other God. Psalm 1, Hymn (LSB 581, stanzas 1–2) Prayer: Lord God, author and source of all that is good, give us wisdom to fear Your wrath, strength to love You above all things, and faith to trust in Your prom- ises alone, that by Your grace we may serve You all our days and finally come to inherit Your heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

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