Issue link: https://discover.cph.org/i/991805
28 26 Why Luther Wrote the Catechism After years of searching and agonizing over his sinfulness, Martin Luther finally found the an- swer in Scripture to His question, "How can I please God?" The answer was the opposite of what the world (and the church at that time) was telling him. He discovered that God's Word says there is nothing we can do to be justified before God. Jesus has done it all for us through His sacrifice for us on the cross. Read Romans 1:16–17 together: Through this Word of God, Luther said that he "began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith" (LW 34:337). As Luther visited churches in Germany in 1528, he was troubled to find that the people and even many pastors didn't know or under- stand the basic teachings of the Bible. And so Luther wrote the Small and Large Catechisms in 1529 to instruct the people and the pastors in God's timeless truths as found in His Word. The word catechism means "teaching" or "instruction." The Small Catechism is a collection of the central teachings of Christian doctrine. All Lutheran teachings—Lutheran doctrine—are taken from God's Word. Doctrine is what the church believes, teaches, and confesses. It is what you will confess to believe when you are confirmed! The Reason I Believe Read 1 Peter 3:15. Then, in your group, choose one of the statements in the word balloon below and discuss, using the following questions to guide you: • Do you think it's important to know what you believe and why you believe it? • Should you share what you believe? Why or why not? Digging Deeper For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." It doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe it with all your heart. I don't know what I believe. I'm uncomfortable talking about what I believe. Page from an early edition of the Small Catechism. Read Romans 1:16–17 to- gether as a class. Look up 1 Peter 3:15 and read it to the class, or ask a student to read it. Then have students pair up or get into small groups to discuss one of the three statements in the speech bubbles. Ask the whole group the questions written on the student page. Walk around the groups, listening to their conversations and adding to them. Share with them the importance of knowing what we believe according to God's Word, and sharing our faith with others.