THE LITTLE CHRISTIAN HANDBOOK

By
Martin Luther


 The three parts of this handbook were first published in 1529 as three inexpensive wall charts.  Wall charts which even the poorest peasant could afford and use as a guide in teaching his children the basic truths of the Christian faith. (See Deuteronomy 6:7-9)
 

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

As The Head Of The Family Should Teach Them In A Simple Way   To His Household
 

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.
 

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD, thy God, in vain.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We should fear and love God that we may not curse, swear, use witchcraft, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.
 

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
(Thou shalt sanctify the holy day.)

What does this mean?
Answer:    We should fear and love God that we may not despise the preaching of His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.
 

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We should fear and love God that we may not despise our parents and masters nor provoke them to anger, but give them honor, serve and obey them, and hold them in love and esteem.
 

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt not kill.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We should fear and love God that we may not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and befriend him in every bodily need.
 

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We should fear and love God that we may lead a chaste and decent life in word and deed and each love and honor his spouse.
 

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt not steal.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We should fear and love God that we may not take our neighbor's money or goods, nor get them by false ware or dealing, but help him to improve and protect his property and business.

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, nor defame our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him , and put the best construction on everything.
 

THE NINTH COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We should fear and love God that we may not craftily seek to get our neighbor's inheritance or house, nor obtain it by show of right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it.
 

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We should fear and love God that we may not estrange, force, or entice away from our neighbor his wife, servants, or cattle, but urge them to stay and do their duty.

What does God say of all of these commandments?
Answer:    He says thus: I, the Lord, thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep My Commandments.

What does this mean?
Answer:  God threatens to punish all that transgress these Commandments.  Therefore we should fear His wrath and not act contrary to them. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who take these commandments seriously, and look to Christ for mercy and forgiveness.
 


THE CREED

As The Head Of The Family Should Teach It In A Simple Way To    His Household
 

THE FIRST ARTICLE

CREATION
I believe in God the father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

What does this mean?
Answer:    I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them; also clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and home, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods; that He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life; that He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil; and all this purely out of fatherly divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him.  This is most certainly true.
 

THE SECOND ARTICLE

REDEMPTION
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

What does this mean?
Answer:    I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lose and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity.  This is most certainly true.
 

THE THIRD ARTICLE

SANCTIFICATION
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  Amen.

What does this mean?
Answer:    I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith; even as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all sins to me and all believers, and will at the Last Day raise up me and all the dead, and give unto me and all believers in Christ eternal life.  This is most certainly true.


THE LORD'S PRAYER

As The Head Of The Family Should Teach It In A Simple Way To His Household
 

THE INTRODUCTION

Our Father who art in heaven.

What does this mean?
Answer:    God would by these words tenderly invite us to believe that He is our true Father, and that we are His true children, so that we may with all boldness and confidence ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.
 

THE FIRST PETITION

Hallowed be Thy name.

What does this mean?
Answer:    God's name is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this petition that it may be holy among us also.

How is this done?
Answer:    When the Word of God is taught in it's truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead a holy life according to it. This grant us, dear Father in heaven. But he that teaches and lives otherwise than God's Word teaches, profanes the name of God among us.  From this preserve us heavenly father.
 

THE SECOND PETITION

Thy kingdom come.

What does this mean?
Answer:    The kingdom of God comes indeed without our prayer, of itself; but we pray in this petition that it may come unto us also.

How is this done?
Answer:    When our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead a godly life, here in time and hereafter in eternity.
 

THE THIRD PETITION

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What does this mean?
Answer:    The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.

How is this done?
Answer:    When God breaks and hinders every evil council and will which would not let us hallow God's name nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil the world and our flesh; but strengthens and preserves us steadfast in His Word and faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.
 

THE FOURTH PETITION

Give us this day our daily bread.

What does this mean?
Answer:    God gives daily bread indeed without our prayer, also to all the wicked, but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to know it and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

What is meant by daily bread?
Answer:    Everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.
 

THE FIFTH PETITION

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor on their account deny our prayer; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much and indeed deserve nothing but punishment.  So will we also heartily forgive, and readily do good to, those who sin against us.
 

THE SIXTH PETITION

And lead us not into temptation.

What does this mean?
Answer:    God indeed tempts no one; but we pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us nor seduce us into misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice; and though we be assailed by them, that still we may finally overcome and obtain victory.
 
 

THE SEVENTH PETITION

But deliver us from evil.

What does this mean?
Answer:    We pray in this petition, as the sum of all, that our Father in heaven would deliver us from every evil of body and soul, property and honor, and finally, when our last hour has come, grant us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale of tears to Himself in heaven.
 

THE CONCLUSION

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

What is meant by the word "Amen"?
Answer:    That I should be certain that these petitions are acceptable to our Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us so to pray, and has promised to hear us.  Amen, Amen, that is , Yea, yea, it shall be so.