I John 1:8-9. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Jas. 2:10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. John 14:6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Acts 4:12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. READING.--The Fall into Sin and its Punishment, Gen. 3. ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Punishment_: Adam and Eve; Cain, Gen. 4:9-15; The Deluge, Gen. 6-8; Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen. 19; The Ten Plagues, Exod. 7-12; Korah, Numb. 16; Saul, I Sam. 15; The Assyrian and Babylonian Captivities, II Kings 17, II Kings 25. _Blessing_: Abraham, Gen. 12:2; Joseph, Gen. 45:4-8; David, II Sam. 7:16; Cornelius, Acts 4:10. PART II. THE CREED. CHAPTER XV. CREEDS OR CONFESSIONS. THE CREED, from the Latin _Credo, I believe_, means that which we as Christians believe. The Creed given in our Catechism is the Apostles' Creed. It is so called, not because it was written by the apostles, but because it contains, in a brief summary, the doctrines which the apostles taught. It grew out of the words of the baptismal formula: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." [Matt 28:19] It has come down to us from the early centuries of the Church's history, and is _her confession of faith_. It should be our confession also; we should say from the heart, "I believe in God, etc." There are Two KINDS OF CREEDS or Confessions of Faith:-- I. _Oecumenical_ or Universal Creeds, which are accepted by the whole Christian Church throughout the world. They are 1. The Apostles' Creed. 2. The Nicene Creed. 3. The Athanasian Creed. II. _Particular_ Creeds or Confessions, which are accepted by the various Churches and Denominations as their distinctive confessions. Our Lutheran Confessions are:-- 1. The Augsburg Confession. 2. The Apology (Defense) of the Augsburg Confession. 3. The Schmalcald Articles. 4. The Small Catechism. 5. The Large Catechism. 6. The Formula of Concord. These nine confessions together form the Book of Concord. THE APOSTLES' CREED CONTAINS, in Three Articles, a statement of what the Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, has done and still does for us. Article I. treats of God the Father and His work of _Creation_. Article II. treats of God the Son and His work of _Redemption_. Article III. treats of God the Holy Ghost and His work of _Sanctification_.