Westminster Shorter Catechism
107 questions and answers, the shorter of the Assembly's two catechisms, intended chiefly for instruction of children and the young in the faith. Its opening question — 'What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.' — is one of the most influential single sentences in English Reformed theology.
Author: The Westminster Assembly · Completed 1647 · Source: Public Domain · facsimile
Questions
Scripture Q. 1– · 3
God & Decree Q. 4– · 8
Covenant Q. 12– · 8
- Q. 12 What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?
- Q. 13 Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?
- Q. 14 What is sin?
- Q. 15 What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?
- Q. 16 Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?
- Q. 17 Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
- Q. 18 Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
- Q. 19 What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
Christology Q. 20– · 9
- Q. 20 Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
- Q. 21 Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?
- Q. 22 How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
- Q. 23 What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?
- Q. 24 How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
- Q. 25 How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
- Q. 26 How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
- Q. 27 Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist?
- Q. 28 Wherein consisteth Christ's exaltation?
Soteriology Q. 29– · 11
- Q. 29 How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
- Q. 30 How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
- Q. 31 What is effectual calling?
- Q. 32 What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?
- Q. 33 What is justification?
- Q. 34 What is adoption?
- Q. 35 What is sanctification?
- Q. 36 What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
- Q. 82 Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
- Q. 83 Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
- Q. 84 What doth every sin deserve?
Civil & Last Things Q. 37– · 2
Law & Sanctification Q. 39– · 43
- Q. 39 What is the duty which God requireth of man?
- Q. 40 What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?
- Q. 41 Wherein is the moral law summarily comprehended?
- Q. 42 What is the sum of the ten commandments?
- Q. 43 What is the preface to the ten commandments?
- Q. 44 What doth the preface to the ten commandments teach us?
- Q. 45 Which is the first commandment?
- Q. 46 What is required in the first commandment?
- Q. 47 What is forbidden in the first commandment?
- Q. 48 What are we specially taught by these words, 'before me', in the first commandment?
- Q. 49 Which is the second commandment?
- Q. 50 What is required in the second commandment?
- Q. 51 What is forbidden in the second commandment?
- Q. 52 What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?
- Q. 53 Which is the third commandment?
- Q. 54 What is required in the third commandment?
- Q. 55 What is forbidden in the third commandment?
- Q. 56 What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?
- Q. 57 Which is the fourth commandment?
- Q. 58 What is required in the fourth commandment?
- Q. 59 Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath?
- Q. 60 How is the sabbath to be sanctified?
- Q. 61 What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?
- Q. 62 What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?
- Q. 63 Which is the fifth commandment?
- Q. 64 What is required in the fifth commandment?
- Q. 65 What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?
- Q. 66 What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?
- Q. 67 Which is the sixth commandment?
- Q. 68 What is required in the sixth commandment?
- Q. 69 What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?
- Q. 70 Which is the seventh commandment?
- Q. 71 What is required in the seventh commandment?
- Q. 72 What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?
- Q. 73 Which is the eighth commandment?
- Q. 74 What is required in the eighth commandment?
- Q. 75 What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?
- Q. 76 Which is the ninth commandment?
- Q. 77 What is required in the ninth commandment?
- Q. 78 What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?
- Q. 79 Which is the tenth commandment?
- Q. 80 What is required in the tenth commandment?
- Q. 81 What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?
Ecclesiology & Worship Q. 85– · 23
- Q. 85 What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?
- Q. 86 What is faith in Jesus Christ?
- Q. 87 What is repentance unto life?
- Q. 88 What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?
- Q. 89 How is the Word made effectual to salvation?
- Q. 90 How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?
- Q. 91 How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?
- Q. 92 What is a sacrament?
- Q. 93 Which are the sacraments of the New Testament?
- Q. 94 What is Baptism?
- Q. 95 To whom is Baptism to be administered?
- Q. 96 What is the Lord's Supper?
- Q. 97 What is required for the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper?
- Q. 98 What is prayer?
- Q. 99 What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
- Q. 100 What doth the preface of the Lord's Prayer teach us?
- Q. 101 What do we pray for in the first petition?
- Q. 102 What do we pray for in the second petition?
- Q. 103 What do we pray for in the third petition?
- Q. 104 What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
- Q. 105 What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
- Q. 106 What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
- Q. 107 What doth the conclusion of the Lord's Prayer teach us?