Shorter Catechism Qs. 40–42

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.

Q. 41. Wherein is the moral Law summarily comprehended?

A. The moral Law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments.

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.

shorter catechismKen HanFebruary 10, 2016shorter_catechism, law, gratitude, grace, legalism, obedienceComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 39

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

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

shorter catechismKen HanFebruary 9, 2016duty, christian life, obedienceComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 38

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

A. 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.

shorter catechismKen HanFebruary 8, 2016shorter_catechism, resurrection, hope, gloryComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 35

Q. 35. What is sanctification?

A. 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.

shorter catechismKen HanFebruary 7, 2016shorter_catechism, sanctification, justification, faith, graceComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 36

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, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.

shorter catechismKen HanFebruary 6, 2016justification, adoption, sanctification, blessing, graceComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 37

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

A. 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 graces, till the resurrection.

shorter catechismKen HanFebruary 6, 2016shorter_catechism, death, christ, hope, comfortComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 34

Q. 34. What is adoption?

A. 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.

Shorter Catechism Q. 33

Q. 33. What is justification?

A. 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.

shorter catechismKen HanFebruary 2, 2016shorter_catechism, justification, righteousness, imputation, abraham, gospelComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 32

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, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.

shorter catechismKen HanFebruary 1, 2016shorter_catechism, effectual calling, justification, adoption, sanctification, reformed, gospel, jesusComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 31

Q. 31. What is effectual calling?

A. 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.

shorter catechismKen HanJanuary 31, 2016shorter_catechism, holy spirit, effectual calling, salvation, faith, reformed, gospelComment

Shorter Catechism Qs. 29 & 30

Our salvation, then, is in the immovable hands of the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. God is in control. **God** brought us to faith. **God** caused us to believe. **God** holds our eternal life in his hands. Are you stronger than God? Stop dreaming! Instead, start celebrating. We cannot undo what God has done. He has made us his and we will be his. End of story.

shorter catechismKen HanJanuary 29, 2016shorter_catechism, reformed, gospel, grace, holy spirit, redemptionComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 28

Q. 28 Wherein consisteth Christ’s exaltation?

A. 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.

shorter catechismKen HanJanuary 28, 2016shorter_catechism, christ, jesus, exalted, exaltation, glory, unionComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 27

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

A. 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.

shorter catechismKen HanJanuary 27, 2016shorter_catechism, christ, jesus, humanity, humility, humiliation, redeemer, gospel, service, servantComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 26

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

A. 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.

Shorter Catechism Q. 26

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

A. 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.

Shorter Catechism Q. 25

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

A. 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.

shorter catechismKen HanJanuary 25, 2016shorter_catechism, westminster confession of faith, christ, redeemer, priest, sacrificeComment

Shorter Catechism Qs. 23 & 24

Q. 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?

A. 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.

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

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

Shorter Catechism Q. 22

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, 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.

shorter catechismKen HanJanuary 22, 2016christ, christology, virgin birth, redeemer, redemption, miracleComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 21

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

A. 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.

shorter catechismKen HanJanuary 21, 2016shorter_catechism, redeemer, christ, humanity, deity, two natures, christologyComment

Shorter Catechism Q. 20

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, 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.

shorter catechismKen HanJanuary 20, 2016shorter_catechism, covenant of grace, redeemer, jesus, christ, graceComment