# Westminster Shorter Catechism (modernized)

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**Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?**

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, [1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 11:36] and to enjoy him for ever. [Psalm 73:25–28]

**Q. 2. What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?**

A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, [2 Timothy 3:16; Ephesians 2:20] is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. [1 John 1:3–4]

**Q. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach?**

A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. [2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 3:16]

**Q. 4. What is God?**

A. God is a Spirit [John 4:24] infinite [Job 11:7–9] eternal [Psalm 90:2] and unchangeable [James 1:17] in his being [Exodus 3:14] wisdom [Psalm 147:5] power [Revelation 4:8] holiness [Revelation 15:4] justice, goodness, and truth. [Exodus 34:6–7]

**Q. 5. Are there more Gods than one?**

A. There is but one only, the living and true God. [Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10]

**Q. 6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?**

A. 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. [1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19]

**Q. 7. What are the decrees of God?**

A. 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. [Ephesians 1:4, 11; Romans 9:22–23]

**Q. 8. How does God execute his decrees?**

A. God executes his decrees in the works of creation and providence.

**Q. 9. What is the work of creation?**

A. 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. [Genesis 1; Hebrews 11:3]

**Q. 10. How did God create man?**

A. God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. [Genesis 1:26–28; Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24]

**Q. 11. What are God’s works of providence?**

A. God’s works of providence are, his most holy [Psalm 145:17] wise [Psalm 104:24; Isaiah 28:29] and powerful preserving [Hebrews 1:3] and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. [Psalm 103:19; Matthew 10:29–31]

**Q. 12. What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?**

A. 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 pain of death. [Galatians 3:12; Genesis 2:17]

**Q. 13. Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?**

A. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God. [Genesis 3:6–8; Genesis 3:13; Ecclesiastes 7:29]

**Q. 14. What is sin?**

A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. [1 John 3:4]

**Q. 15. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?**

A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit. [Genesis 3:6; Genesis 3:12]

**Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?**

A. 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. [Genesis 2:16–17; Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21–22]

**Q. 17. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?**

A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. [Romans 5:12]

**Q. 18. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?**

A. 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. [Romans 5:12; Romans 5:19; Romans 5:10–20; Ephesians 2:1–3; James 1:14–15; Matthew 15:19]

**Q. 19. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?**

A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God [Genesis 3:8; Genesis 3:10; Genesis 3:24] are under his wrath and curse [Ephesians 2:2–3; Galatians 3:10] and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. [Lamentations 3:39; Romans 6:23; Matthew 25:41; Matthew 25:46]

**Q. 20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?**

A. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life [Ephesians 1:4] 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. [Romans 3:20–22; Galatians 3:21–22]

**Q. 21. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?**

A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ [1 Timothy 2:5–6] who, being the eternal Son of God, became man [John 1:14; Galatians 4:4] and so was, and continues to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever. [Romans 9:5; Luke 1:35; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 7:24–25]

**Q. 22. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?**

A. Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body [Hebrews 2:14; Hebrews 2:16; Hebrews 10:5] and a reasonable soul [Matthew 26:38] being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her [Luke 1:27; Luke 1:31; Luke 1:35; Luke 1:42; Galatians 4:4] yet without sin. [Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:26]

**Q. 23. What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?**

A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executes the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation. [Acts 3:21–22; Hebrews 12:25; 2 Corinthians 13:3; Hebrews 5:5–7; Hebrews 7:25; Psalm 2:6; Isaiah 9:6–7; Matthew 21:5; Psalm 2:8–11]

**Q. 24. How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?**

A. Christ executes the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his Word and Spirit the will of God for our salvation. [John 1:18; 1 Peter 1:10–12; John 15:15; John 20:31]

**Q. 25. How does Christ execute the office of a priest?**

A. Christ executes the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice [Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 9:28] and reconcile us to God [Hebrews 2:17] and in making continual intercession for us. [Hebrews 7:24–25]

**Q. 26. How does Christ execute the office of a king?**

A. Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to himself [Acts 15:14–16] in ruling [Isaiah 33:22] and defending us [Isaiah 32:1–2] and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. [1 Corinthians 15:25; Psalm 110]

**Q. 27. Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?**

A. Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition [Luke 2:7] made under the law [Galatians 4:4] undergoing the miseries of this life [Hebrews 12:2–3; Isaiah 53:2–3] the wrath of God [Luke 22:44; Matthew 27:46] and the cursed death of the cross [Philippians 2:8] in being buried [1 Corinthians 15:3–4] and continuing under the power of death for a time. [Acts 2:24–27; Acts 2:31]

**Q. 28. Wherein consists Christ’s exaltation?**

A. Christ’s exaltation consists in his rising again from the dead on the third day [1 Corinthians 15:4] in ascending up into heaven [Mark 16:19] in sitting at the right hand of God the Father [Ephesians 1:20] and in coming to judge the world at the last day. [Acts 1:11; Acts 17:31]

**Q. 29. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?**

A. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us [John 1:11–12] by his Holy Spirit. [Titus 3:5–6]

**Q. 30. How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?**

A. The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us [Ephesians 1:13–14; John 6:37; John 6:39; Ephesians 2:8] and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. [Ephesians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 1:9]

**Q. 31. What is effectual calling?**

A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit [2 Timothy 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14] whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery [Acts 2:37] enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ [Acts 26:18] and renewing our wills [Ezekiel 36:26–27] he does persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel. [John 6:44–45; Philippians 2:13]

**Q. 32. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?**

A. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification [Romans 8:30] adoption [Ephesians 1:5] and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them. [1 Corinthians 1:26; 1 Corinthians 1:30]

**Q. 33. What is justification?**

A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardons all our sins [Romans 3:24–25; Romans 4:6–8] and accepts us as righteous in his sight [2 Corinthians 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21] only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us [Romans 5:17–19] and received by faith alone. [Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9]

**Q. 34. What is adoption?**

A. Adoption is an act of God’s free grace [1 John 3:1] whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges, of the sons of God. [John 1:12; Romans 8:17]

**Q. 35. What is sanctification?**

A. Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace [2 Thessalonians 2:13] whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God [Ephesians 4:23–24] and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness. [Romans 6:4; Romans 6:6]

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

A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience [Romans 5:1–2; Romans 5:5] joy in the Holy Ghost [Romans 14:17] increase of grace [Proverbs 4:18] and perseverance therein to the end. [1 John 5:13; 1 Peter 1:5]

**Q. 37. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?**

A. The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness [Hebrews 12:23] and do immediately pass into glory [2 Corinthians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:6; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; Luke 23:43] and their bodies, being still united to Christ [1 Thessalonians 4:14] do rest in their graves [Isaiah 57:2] till the resurrection. [Job 19:26–27]

**Q. 38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?**

A. At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory [1 Corinthians 15:43] shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment [Matthew 25:23; Matthew 10:32] and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God [1 John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 13:12] to all eternity. [1 Thessalonians 4:17–18]

**Q. 39. What is the duty which God requires of man?**

A. The duty which God requires of man, is obedience to his revealed will. [Micah 6:8; 1 Samuel 15:22]

**Q. 40. What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?**

A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the moral law. [Romans 2:14–15; Romans 10:5]

**Q. 41. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?**

A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments. [Deuteronomy 10:4]

**Q. 42. What is the sum of the ten commandments?**

A. The sum of the ten commandments is, To love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves. [Matthew 22:37–40]

**Q. 43. What is the preface to the ten commandments?**

A. The preface to the ten commandments is in these words, I am the Lord your God, which have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [Exodus 20:2]

**Q. 44. What does the preface to the ten commandments teach us?**

A. The preface to the ten commandments teaches us, That because God is the Lord, and our God, and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments. [Luke 1:74–75; 1 Peter 1:15–19]

**Q. 45. Which is the first commandment?**

A. The first commandment is, You shall have no other gods before me. [Exodus 20:3]

**Q. 46. What is required in the first commandment?**

A. The first commandment requires us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; [1 Chronicles 28:9; Deuteronomy 26:17] and to worship and glorify him accordingly. [Matthew 4:10; Psalm 29:2]

**Q. 47. What is forbidden in the first commandment?**

A. The first commandment forbids the denying, [Psalm 14:1] or not worshipping and glorifying the true God as God, [Romans 1:21] and our God; [Psalm 81:10–11] and the giving of that worship and glory to any other, which is due to him alone. [Romans 1:25–26]

**Q. 48. What are we specially taught by these words, ‘before me’, in the first commandment?**

A. These words, before me, in the first commandment teach us, that God, who sees all things, takes notice of, and is much displeased with, the sin of having any other God. [Ezekiel 8:5–18]

**Q. 49. Which is the second commandment?**

A. The second commandment is, You shall not make unto you any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord your 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. [Exodus 20:4–6]

**Q. 50. What is required in the second commandment?**

A. The second commandment requires the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God has appointed in his Word. [Deuteronomy 32:46; Matthew 28:20; Acts 2:42]

**Q. 51. What is forbidden in the second commandment?**

A. The second commandment forbids the worshipping of God by images, [Deuteronomy 4:15–19; Exodus 32:5; Exodus 32:8] or any other way not appointed in his Word. [Deuteronomy 12:31–32]

**Q. 52. What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?**

A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment are, God’s sovereignty over us, [Psalm 95:2–3; Psalm 95:6] his propriety in us, [Psalm 45:11] and the zeal he has to his own worship. [Exodus 34:13–14]

**Q. 53. Which is the third commandment?**

A. The third commandment is, You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain. [Exodus 20:7]

**Q. 54. What is required in the third commandment?**

A. The third commandment requires the holy and reverend use of God’s names, [Matthew 6:9; Deuteronomy 28:58] titles, [Psalm 68:4] attributes, [Revelation 15:3–4] ordinances, [Malachi 1:11; Malachi 1:14] Word, [Psalm 138:1–2] and works. [Job 36:24]

**Q. 55. What is forbidden in the third commandment?**

A. The third commandment forbids all profaning or abusing of anything whereby God makes himself known. [Malachi 1:6–7; Malachi 1:12; Malachi 2:2; Malachi 3:14]

**Q. 56. What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?**

A. The reason annexed to the third commandment is, that however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment. [1 Samuel 2:12; 1 Samuel 2:17; 1 Samuel 2:22; 1 Samuel 2:24; 1 Samuel 3:13; Deuteronomy 28:58–59]

**Q. 57. Which is the fourth commandment?**

A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shall you labor, and do all your work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. [Exodus 20:8–11]

**Q. 58. What is required in the fourth commandment?**

A. The fourth commandment requires the keeping holy to God such set times as he has appointed in his Word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy sabbath to himself. [Deuteronomy 5:12–14]

**Q. 59. Which day of the seven has God appointed to be the weekly sabbath?**

A. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly sabbath; and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian sabbath. [Genesis 2:2–3; 1 Corinthians 16:1–2; Acts 20:7]

**Q. 60. How is the sabbath to be sanctified?**

A. The sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, [Exodus 20:8; Exodus 20:10] even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; [Exodus 16:25–28; Nehemiah 13:15–19; Nehemiah 13:21–22] and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God’s worship, [Luke 4:16; Acts 20:7; Psalm 92:title; Isaiah 66:23] except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy. [Matthew 12:1–13]

**Q. 61. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?**

A. The fourth commandment forbids the omission or careless performance of the duties required, [Ezekiel 22:26; Amos 8:5; Malachi 1:13] and the profaning the day by idleness, [Acts 20:7; Acts 20:9] or doing that which is in itself sinful, [Ezekiel 23:38] or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about our worldly employments or recreations. [Jeremiah 17:24–26; Isaiah 58:13]

**Q. 62. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?**

A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God’s allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, [Exodus 20:9] his challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his blessing the sabbath day. [Exodus 20:11]

**Q. 63. Which is the fifth commandment?**

A. The fifth commandment is, Honor your father and your mother; that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God gives you. [Exodus 20:12]

**Q. 64. What is required in the fifth commandment?**

A. The fifth commandment requires the preserving the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, [Ephesians 5:21] inferiors, [1 Peter 2:17] or equals. [Romans 12:10]

**Q. 65. What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?**

A. The fifth commandment forbids the neglecting of, or doing anything against, the honor and duty which belongs to every one in their several places and relations. [Matthew 15:4–6; Ezekiel 34:2–4; Romans 13:8]

**Q. 66. What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?**

A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is, a promise of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall serve for God’s glory and their own good) to all such as keep this commandment. [Deuteronomy 5:16; Ephesians 6:2–3]

**Q. 67. Which is the sixth commandment?**

A. The sixth commandment is, You shall not kill. [Exodus 20:13]

**Q. 68. What is required in the sixth commandment?**

A. The sixth commandment requires all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, [Ephesians 5:28–29] and the life of others. [1 Kings 18:4]

**Q. 69. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?**

A. The sixth commandment forbids the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor, unjustly, or whatsoever tends thereunto. [Acts 16:28; Genesis 9:6]

**Q. 70. Which is the seventh commandment?**

A. The seventh commandment is, You shall not commit adultery. [Exodus 20:14]

**Q. 71. What is required in the seventh commandment?**

A. The seventh commandment requires the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior. [1 Corinthians 7:2–3; 1 Corinthians 7:5; 1 Corinthians 7:34; 1 Corinthians 7:36; Colossians 4:6; 1 Peter 3:2]

**Q. 72. What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?**

A. The seventh commandment forbids all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions. [Matthew 15:19; Matthew 5:28; Ephesians 5:3–4]

**Q. 73. Which is the eighth commandment?**

A. The eighth commandment is, You shall not steal. [Exodus 20:15]

**Q. 74. What is required in the eighth commandment?**

A. The eighth commandment requires the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others. [Genesis 30:30; 1 Timothy 5:8; Leviticus 25:35; Deuteronomy 22:1–5; Exodus 23:4–5; Genesis 47:14; Genesis 47:20]

**Q. 75. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?**

A. The eighth commandment forbids whatsoever does, or may, unjustly hinder our own, or our neighbor’s, wealth or outward estate. [Proverbs 21:17; Proverbs 23:20–21; Proverbs 28:19; Ephesians 4:28]

**Q. 76. Which is the ninth commandment?**

A. The ninth commandment is, You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. [Exodus 20:16]

**Q. 77. What is required in the ninth commandment?**

A. The ninth commandment requires the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, [Zechariah 8:16] and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, [3 John 12] especially in witness bearing. [Proverbs 14:5; Proverbs 14:25]

**Q. 78. What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?**

A. The ninth commandment forbids whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own, or our neighbor’s, good name. [1 Samuel 17:28; Leviticus 19:16; Psalm 15:3]

**Q. 79. Which is the tenth commandment?**

A. The tenth commandment is, You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. [Exodus 20:17]

**Q. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment?**

A. The tenth commandment requires full contentment with our own condition, [Hebrews 13:5; 1 Timothy 6:6] with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and all that is his. [Job 31:29; Romans 12:15; 1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Corinthians 13:4–7]

**Q. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?**

A. The tenth commandment forbids all discontentment with our own estate, [1 Kings 21:4; Esther 5:13; 1 Corinthians 10:10] envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, [Galatians 5:26; James 3:14; James 3:16] and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his. [Romans 7:7–8; Romans 13:9; Deuteronomy 5:21]

**Q. 82. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?**

A. No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, [Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8; 1 John 1:10; Galatians 5:17] but does daily break them in thought, word, and deed. [Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:21; Romans 3:9–21; James 3:2–13]

**Q. 83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?**

A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. [Ezekiel 8:6; Ezekiel 8:13; Ezekiel 8:15; 1 John 5:16; Psalm 78:17; Psalm 78:32; Psalm 78:56]

**Q. 84. What does every sin deserve?**

A. Every sin deserves God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come. [Ephesians 5:6; Galatians 3:10; Lamentations 3:39; Matthew 25:41]

**Q. 85. What does God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?**

A. To escape the wrath and curse of God, due to us for sin, God requires of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, [Acts 20:21] with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption. [Proverbs 2:1–6; Proverbs 8:33–36; Isaiah 55:3]

**Q. 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?**

A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, [Hebrews 10:39] whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel. [John 1:12; Isaiah 26:3–4; Philippians 3:9; Galatians 2:16]

**Q. 87. What is repentance unto life?**

A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, [Acts 11:18] whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, [Acts 2:37–38] and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, [Joel 2:12; Jeremiah 3:22] does, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, [Jeremiah 31:18–19; Ezekiel 36:31] with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience. [2 Corinthians 7:11; Isaiah 1:16–17]

**Q. 88. What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption?**

A. 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. [Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 2:42; Acts 2:46–47]

**Q. 89. How is the Word made effectual to salvation?**

A. The Spirit of God makes the reading, but 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. [Nehemiah 8:8; 1 Corinthians 14:24–25; Acts 26:18; Psalm 19:8; Acts 20:32; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; Romans 10:13–17; Romans 1:16]

**Q. 90. How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?**

A. That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, [Proverbs 8:34] preparation, [1 Peter 2:1–2] and prayer; [Psalm 119:18] receive it with faith and love, [Hebrews 4:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:10] lay it up in our hearts, [Psalm 119:11] and practice it in our lives. [Luke 8:15; James 1:25]

**Q. 91. How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?**

A. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that does administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, [1 Peter 3:21; Matthew 3:11; 1 Corinthians 3:6–7] and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them. [1 Corinthians 12:13]

**Q. 92. What is a sacrament?**

A. A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers. [Genesis 17:7; Genesis 17:10; Exodus 12; 1 Corinthians 11:23; 1 Corinthians 11:26]

**Q. 93. Which are the sacraments of the New Testament?**

A. The sacraments of the New Testament are, Baptism, [Matthew 28:19] and the Lord’s Supper. [Matthew 26:26–28]

**Q. 94. What is Baptism?**

A. Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, [Matthew 28:19] does signify and seal our engrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s. [Romans 6:4; Galatians 3:27]

**Q. 95. To whom is Baptism to be administered?**

A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; [Acts 8:36–37; Acts 2:38] but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized. [Acts 2:38–39; Genesis 17:10; Colossians 2:11–12; 1 Corinthians 7:14]

**Q. 96. What is the Lord’s Supper?**

A. The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’s appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace. [1 Corinthians 11:23–26; 1 Corinthians 10:16]

**Q. 97. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper?**

A. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord’s Supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, [1 Corinthians 11:28–29] of their faith to feed upon him, [2 Corinthians 13:5] of their repentance, [1 Corinthians 11:31] love, [1 Corinthians 10:16–17] and new obedience; [1 Corinthians 5:7–8] lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves. [1 Corinthians 11:28–29]

**Q. 98. What is prayer?**

A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, [Psalm 62:8] for things agreeable to his will, [1 John 5:14] in the name of Christ, [John 16:23] with confession of our sins, [Psalm 32:5–6; Daniel 9:4] and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies. [Philippians 4:6]

**Q. 99. What rule has God given for our direction in prayer?**

A. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; [1 John 5:14] but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called The Lord’s Prayer. [Matthew 6:9–13; Luke 11:2–4]

**Q. 100. What does the preface of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?**

A. The preface of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, Our Father which are in heaven, [Matthew 6:9] teaches us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us; [Romans 8:15; Luke 11:13] and that we should pray with and for others. [Acts 12:5; 1 Timothy 2:1–2]

**Q. 101. What do we pray for in the first petition?**

A. In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be your name, [Matthew 6:9] we pray, that God would enable us and others to glorify him in all that whereby he makes himself known; [Psalm 67:2–3] and that he would dispose all things to his own glory. [Psalm 83]

**Q. 102. What do we pray for in the second petition?**

A. In the second petition, which is, Your kingdom come, [Matthew 6:10] we pray, that Satan’s kingdom may be destroyed; [Psalm 68:1; Psalm 68:18] and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, [Revelation 12:10–11] ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; [2 Thessalonians 3:1; Romans 10:1; John 17:9; John 17:20] and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened. [Revelation 22:20]

**Q. 103. What do we pray for in the third petition?**

A. In the third petition, which is, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, [Matthew 6:10] we pray, that God, by his grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things, [Psalm 67; Psalm 119:36; Matthew 26:39; 2 Samuel 15:25; Job 1:21] as the angels do in heaven. [Psalm 103:20–21]

**Q. 104. What do we pray for in the fourth petition?**

A. In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread, [Matthew 6:11] we pray, that of God’s free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them. [Proverbs 30:8–9; Genesis 28:20; 1 Timothy 4:4–5]

**Q. 105. What do we pray for in the fifth petition?**

A. In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, [Matthew 6:12] we pray, that God, for Christ’s sake, would freely pardon all our sins; [Psalm 51:1–2; Psalm 51:7; Psalm 51:9; Daniel 9:17–19] which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others. [Luke 11:4; Matthew 18:35]

**Q. 106. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?**

A. In the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, [Matthew 6:13] we pray, that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, [Matthew 26:41] or support and deliver us when we are tempted. [2 Corinthians 12:7–8]

**Q. 107. What does the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?**

A. The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, For your is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen, [Matthew 6:13] teaches us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, [Daniel 9:4; Daniel 9:7–9; Daniel 9:16–19] and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him; [1 Chronicles 29:10–13] and in testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen. [1 Corinthians 14:16; Revelation 22:20–21]