Westminster Shorter Catechism

Question 1

WSC 1 - What is the chief end of man?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

WSC 2 - What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

WSC 3 - What do the Scriptures principally teach?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

WSC 4 - What is God?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

WSC 5 - Are there more Gods than one?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

WSC 6 - How many persons are there in the Godhead?

Answer 6

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 7

WSC 7 - What are the decrees of God.

Answer 7

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

Question 8

WSC 8 - How does God execute his decrees?

Answer 8

He executes his decrees in the works of creation and providence.

Question 9

WSC 9 - What is the work of creation?

Answer 9

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 10

WSC 10 - How did God create man?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

WSC 11 - What are God’s works of providence?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

WSC 12 - What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?

Answer 12

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 13

WSC 13 - Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?

Answer 13

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 14

WSC 14 - What is sin?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

WSC 15 - What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?

Answer 15

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

Question 16

WSC 16 - Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?

Answer 16

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 17

WSC 17 - Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

WSC 18 - Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?

Answer 18

The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell consists of 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 that proceed from it.

Question 19

WSC 19 - What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

WSC 20 - Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?

Answer 20

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 21

WSC 21 - Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

Answer 21

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 continues to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person forever.

Question 22

WSC 22 - How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?

Answer 22

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 23

WSC 23 - What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?

Answer 23

Christ, as our Redeemer, executes the office of a prophet, of priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.

Question 24

WSC 24 - How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

WSC 25 - How does Christ execute the office of a priest?

Answer 25

Christ executes 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 26

WSC 26 - How does Christ execute the office of a king?

Answer 26

Christ executes 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 27

WSC 27 - Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

Answer 27

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, the cursed death of the cross, in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.

Question 28

WSC 28 - Wherein consists Christ’s exaltation?

Answer 28

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

Question 29

WSC 29 - How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?

Answer 29

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

Question 30

WSC 30 - How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

Answer 30

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

Question 31

WSC 31 - What is effectual calling?

Answer 31

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 does persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.

Question 32

WSC 32 - What benefits do they that are effectually called partake in this life?

Answer 32

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 33

WSC 33 - What is justification?

Answer 33

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

Question 34

WSC 34 - What is adoption?

Answer 34

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 35

WSC 35 - What is sanctification?

Answer 35

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 36

WSC 36 - What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification?

Answer 36

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 37

WSC 37 - What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?

Answer 37

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

Question 38

WSC 38 - What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?

Answer 38

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 39

WSC 39 - What is the duty which God requires of man?

Answer 39

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

Question 40

WSC 40 - What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?

Answer 40

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

Question 41

WSC 82 - Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

Answer 41

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

Question 42

WSC 83 - Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

Answer 42

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

Question 43

WSC 84 - What does every sin deserve?

Answer 43

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

Question 44

WSC 85 - What does God require of us that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin?

Answer 44

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

Question 45

WSC 86 - What is faith in Jesus Christ?

Answer 45

Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.

Question 46

WSC 87 - What is repentance unto life?

Answer 46

Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, does, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.

Question 47

WSC 88 - What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption?

Answer 47

The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption are his ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments and prayer, all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.

Question 48

WSC 89 - How is the Word made effectual to salvation?

Answer 48

The Spirit of God makes the reading, especially the preaching of the Word an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation.

Question 49

WSC 90 - How is the Word to be read and heard that it may become effectual to salvation?

Answer 49

That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer; receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.