SHORTER CATECHISM

Question 1

Who is the only redeemer of God’s elect?

Answer 1

The only redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever.

Question 2

How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?

Answer 2

Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.

Question 3

What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?

Answer 3

Christ, as our redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.

Question 4

How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?

Answer 4

Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.

Question 5

How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?

Answer 5

Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God; and in making continual intercession for us.

Question 6

How doth Christ execute the office of a king?

Answer 6

Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.

Question 7

Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Answer 7

Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.

Question 8

Wherein consisteth Christ’s exaltation?

Answer 8

Christ’s exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.

Question 9

How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?

Answer 9

We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit.

Question 10

How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

Answer 10

The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.

Question 11

Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

Answer 11

No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word and deed.

Question 12

Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

Answer 12

Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.

Question 13

What doth every sin deserve?

Answer 13

Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.

Question 14

What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?

Answer 14

To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.

Question 15

What is the chief end of man?

Answer 15

Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Question 16

What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

Answer 16

The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

Question 17

What do the Scriptures principally teach?

Answer 17

The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

Question 18

What is God?

Answer 18

God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

Question 19

Are there more Gods than one?

Answer 19

There is but one only, the living and true God.

Question 20

How many persons are there in the godhead?

Answer 20

There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

Question 21

What are the decrees of God?

Answer 21

The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass

Question 22

How doth God execute his decrees?

Answer 22

God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.

Question 23

What is the work of creation?

Answer 23

The work of creation is God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.

Question 24

How did God create man?

Answer 24

God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.

Question 25

What are God’s works of providence?

Answer 25

God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

Question 26

What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?

Answer 26

When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.

Question 27

Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?

Answer 27

Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God.

Question 28

What is sin?

Answer 28

Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.

Question 29

What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?

Answer 29

The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created was their eating the forbidden fruit.

Question 30

Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?

Answer 30

The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.

Question 31

Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

Answer 31

The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.

Question 32

Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?

Answer 32

The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.

Question 33

What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?

Answer 33

All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.

Question 34

Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?

Answer 34

God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a redeemer.

Question 35

What is effectual calling?

Answer 35

Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.

Question 36

What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?

Answer 36

They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.

Question 37

What is justification?

Answer 37

Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.

Question 38

What is adoption?

Answer 38

Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of, the sons of God.

Question 39

What is sanctification?

Answer 39

Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

Question 40

What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification?

Answer 40

The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification, are, assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.

Question 41

What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?

Answer 41

The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.

Question 42

What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?

Answer 42

At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.

Question 43

What is the duty which God requireth of man?

Answer 43

The duty which God requireth of man is obedience to his revealed will.

Question 44

What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?

Answer 44

The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience was the moral law.