CATECHISM · 1647 AD · REFORMED (PRESBYTERIAN)

Westminster Larger Catechism

WRITTEN

1647 AD

TRADITION

Reformed (Presbyterian)

QUESTIONS

196

PROOF-TEXTS

2,636

QUOTED IN THE BEREAN TEXT

21

21 quotations in this document are given in the Berean Standard Bible. 130 more are left in the document's own older wording, each marked where it stands.

CONTENTS

QUESTION 1

What is the chief and highest end of man?

Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.

Romans 11:36

1 Corinthians 10:31

Psalms 73:24–28

QUESTION 2

How doth it appear that there is a God?

The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation.

Romans 1:19–20

Psalms 19:1–3

Acts 17:28

1 Corinthians 2:9–10

2 Timothy 3:15–17

Isaiah 59:21

QUESTION 3

What is the word of God?

The holy scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the word of God, the only rule of faith and obedience.

2 Timothy 3:16

2 Peter 1:19–21

Ephesians 2:20

Revelation 22:18–19

Isaiah 8:20

Luke 16:29

Luke 16:31

Galatians 1:8–9

2 Timothy 3:15–16

QUESTION 4

How doth it appear that the scriptures are the word of God?

The scriptures manifest themselves to be the word of God, by their majesty and purity; by the consent of all the parts, and the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God; by their light and power to convince and convert sinners, to comfort and build up believers unto salvation: but the Spirit of God bearing witness by and with the scriptures in the heart of man, is alone able fully to persuade it that they are the very word of God.

Hosea 8:12

1 Corinthians 2:6–7

1 Corinthians 2:13

Psalms 119:18

Psalms 119:129

Psalms 12:6

Psalms 119:140

Acts 10:43

Acts 26:22

Romans 3:19

Romans 3:27

Acts 23:28

Hebrews 4:12

James 1:18

Psalms 19:7–9

Romans 15:4

Acts 20:32

John 16:13–14

John 20:31

1 John 2:20

1 John 2:27

QUESTION 5

What do the scriptures principally teach?

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

2 Timothy 1:13

QUESTION 6

What do the scriptures make known of God?

The scriptures make known what God is, the persons in the Godhead, his decrees, and the execution of his decrees.

Hebrews 11:6

1 John 5:7

Acts 15:14–15

Acts 15:18

Acts 4:27–28

QUESTION 7

What is God?

God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.

Scripture quoted here is given in the Berean Standard Bible: Exodus 34:6.

John 4:24

Exodus 3:14

Job 11:7–9

Acts 7:2

1 Timothy 6:1

Matthew 5:48

Genesis 17:1

Psalms 90:2

Malachi 3:6

James 1:17

1 Kings 8:27

Psalms 139:1–13

Revelation 4:8

Hebrews 4:13

Psalms 147:5

Romans 16:27

Isaiah 6:3

Revelation 15:4

Deuteronomy 32:4

Exodus 34:6

QUESTION 8

Are there more Gods than one?

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

Deuteronomy 6:4

1 Corinthians 8:4

1 Corinthians 8:6

Jeremiah 10:10

QUESTION 9

How many persons are there in the Godhead?

There be three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties.

1 John 5:7

Matthew 3:16–17

Matthew 28:19

2 Corinthians 13:14

John 10:30

QUESTION 10

What are the personal properties of the three persons in the Godhead?

It is proper to the Father to beget the Son, and to the Son to be begotten of the Father, and to the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son from all eternity.

Hebrews 1:5–6

Hebrews 1:8

John 1:14

John 1:18

John 15:26

Galatians 4:6

QUESTION 11

How doth it appear that the Son and the Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father?

The scriptures manifest that the Son and the Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father, ascribing unto them such names, attributes, works, and worship, as are proper to God only.

Isaiah 6:3

Isaiah 6:5

Isaiah 6:8

John 12:41

Acts 5:3–4

Acts 28:25

1 John 5:20

John 1:1

John 2:24–25

Isaiah 9:6

1 Corinthians 2:10–11

Colossians 1:16

Genesis 1:2

Matthew 28:19

2 Corinthians 13:14

QUESTION 12

What are the decrees of God?

God's decrees are the wise, free, and holy acts of the counsel of His will, whereby, from all eternity, he hath, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained: Whatsoever comes to pass in time, especially concerning angels and men.

Scripture quoted here is given in the Berean Standard Bible: Ephesians 1:11.

Ephesians 1:11

Romans 9:14–15

Romans 9:18

Romans 11:33

Ephesians 1:4

Ephesians 1:11

Romans 9:22–23

Psalms 33:11

QUESTION 13

What hath God especially decreed concerning angels and men?

God, by an eternal and immutable decree, out of his mere love, for the praise of his glorious grace, to be manifested in due time, hath elected some angels to glory; and in Christ hath chosen some men to eternal life, and the means thereof: and also, according to his sovereign power, and the unsearchable counsel of his own will (whereby he extendeth or withholdeth favor as he pleases), hath passed by and foreordained the rest to dishonor and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory of his justice.

1 Timothy 5:21

Ephesians 1:4–6

2 Thessalonians 2:13–14

Romans 9:17–18

Romans 9:21–22

Matthew 11:25–26

2 Timothy 2:20

Jude 1:4

1 Peter 2:8

QUESTION 14

How doth God execute his decrees?

God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will.

Ephesians 1:11

QUESTION 15

What is the work of creation?

The work of creation is that wherein God did in the beginning, by the word of his power, make of nothing the world, and all things therein, for himself, within the space of six days, and all very good.

Genesis 1

Hebrews 11:8

Proverbs 16:4

QUESTION 16

How did God create angels?

God created all the angels spirits, immortal, holy, excelling in knowledge, mighty in power, to execute his commandments, and to praise his name, yet subject to change.

Colossians 1:16

Psalms 104:4

Matthew 22:30

Matthew 25:31

2 Samuel 14:17

Matthew 24:36

2 Thessalonians 1:7

Psalms 103:20–21

2 Peter 2:4

QUESTION 17

How did God create man?

After God had made all other creatures, he created man male and female; formed the body of the man of the dust of the ground, and the woman of the rib of the man, endued them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls; made them after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness,and holiness; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it, and dominion over the creatures; yet subject to fall.

Genesis 1:27

Genesis 2:7

Genesis 2:22

Genesis 2:7

Job 35:11

Ecclesiastes 12:7

Matthew 10:28

Luke 23:43

Genesis 1:27

Colossians 3:10

Ephesians 4:24

Romans 2:14–15

Ecclesiastes 7:29

Genesis 1:28

Genesis 3:6

Ecclesiastes 7:29

QUESTION 18

What are God's works of providence?

God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures; ordering them, and all their actions, to his own glory.

Psalms 145:17

Psalms 104:24

Isaiah 28:29

Hebrews 1:8

Psalms 103:19

Matthew 10:29–31

Genesis 45:7

Romans 11:36

Isaiah 43:14

QUESTION 19

What is God's providence towards the angels?

God by his providence permitted some of the angels, wilfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation, limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory; and established the rest in holiness and happiness; employing them all, at his pleasure, in the administrations of his power, mercy, and justice.

Jude 1:6

2 Peter 2:4

Hebrews 2:16

John 8:44

Job 1:12

Matthew 8:31

1 Timothy 5:21

Mark 8:38

Hebrews 12:22

Psalms 104:4

2 Kings 19:35

Hebrews 1:14

QUESTION 20

What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created?

The providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created, was the placing him in paradise, appointing him to dress it, giving him liberty to eat of the fruit of the earth; putting the creatures under his dominion, and ordaining marriage for his help; affording him communion with himself; instituting the sabbath; entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, of which the tree of life was a pledge; and forbidding to eat you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.

Scripture quoted here is given in the Berean Standard Bible: Genesis 2:17.

Genesis 2:8

Genesis 2:15–16

Genesis 1:28

Genesis 2:18

Genesis 1:26–29

Genesis 3:8

Genesis 2:3

Galatians 3:12

Romans 10:5

Genesis 2:9

Genesis 2:17

QUESTION 21

Did man continue in that estate wherein God at first created him?

Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will, through the temptation of Satan, transgressed the commandment of God in eating the forbidden fruit; and thereby fell from the estate of innocency wherein they were created.

Genesis 3:6–8

Genesis 3:13

Ecclesiastes 7:29

2 Corinthians 11:3

QUESTION 22

Did all mankind fall in that first transgression?

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

Acts 17:26

Genesis 2:16–17

Romans 5:12–20

1 Corinthians 15:21–22

QUESTION 23

Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

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

Romans 3:23

Romans 5:12

QUESTION 24

What is sin?

Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature.

1 John 3:4

Galatians 3:10

Galatians 3:12

QUESTION 25

Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?

The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consisteth in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of that righteousness wherein he was created, and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to all evil, and that continually; which is commonly called Original Sin, and from which do proceed all actual transgressions.

Romans 5:12

Romans 5:19

Romans 3:10–19

Romans 5:6

Romans 8:7–8

Ephesians 2:1–3

Genesis 6:5

James 1:14–15

Matthew 15:19

THIS TEXT AND ITS SOURCES

  • Berean Standard Bible Public domain

The document's own wording is unchanged apart from the quoted verses described above. Its proof-text references were resolved against this site's own copy of the Berean Standard Bible; the 3 references the Berean text does not carry are shown as references with no verse words.

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