The Larger Catechism. 60. WHAT HUMAN BEINGS OUGHT TO BELIEVE ABOUT GOD. Q. 6. What does the Bible make known about God? A. The Bible makes
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59 The Larger Catechism Q. 1. What is the primary and highest purpose of human beings? A. The primary and highest purpose of human beings is to glorify God 1 and to enjoy him completely forever.2 1. Rom 11.36, 1 Cor 10.31. 2. Ps 73.24-28, Jn 17.21-24. Q. 2. What evidence is there for God? A. Our internal, natural understanding along with the external evidence of God™s works plainly indicates that there is a God.1 However, salvation only comes through God™s revelation of himself in his word and Spirit. 2 1. Rom 1.19-20, Ps 19.1-4, Acts 17.28. 2. 1 Cor 1.21, 2.9-10, 2 Tm 3.15-17, Is 59.21. Q. 3. What is the word of God? A. The holy Bible, made up of the Old and New Testaments, is the word of God. 1 It is the only authority for faith and obedience. 2 1. 2 Tm 3.15-17, 2 Pt 1.19-21. 2. Eph 2.20, Rv 22.18-19, Is 8.20, Lk 16.29,31, Gal 1.8-9, 2 Tm 3.15-16. Q. 4. What evidence is there that the Bible is the word of God? A. The Bible clearly shows that it is the word of God by its majesty 1 and purity, 2 by the agreement of all its parts,3 by its unified aim to give all glory to God, 4 and by its illuminating power to convince and convert sinners and to comf ort and build up believers unto salvation. 5 However, only the Spirit of God, testifying by and with the Bible in our hearts, can completely persuade us that it is truly the word of God. 6 1 Hos 8.12, 1 Cor 2.6-7,13, Ps 119.18,129. 2 Ps 12.6, 119.40. 3. Acts 10.43, 26.22. 4. Rom 3.19,27. 5. See General Note. Acts 18.28, Heb 4.12, Jas 1.18, Ps 19.7-9, Rom 15.4, Acts 20.32. 6. Jn 16.13-14, 1 Cor 2.6-9, 1 Jn 2.20,27, Jn 20.31. Q. 5. What does the Bible primarily teach? A. The Bible primarily teaches what we must be lieve about God and what God requires of us. 1 1. See General Note. 2 Tm 1.13.
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The Larger Catechism 60 WHAT HUMAN BEINGS OUGHT TO BELIEVE ABOUT GOD Q. 6. What does the Bible make known about God? A. The Bible makes known what God is, 1 the persons in the Godhead, 2 his decrees,3 and how his decrees are carried out. 4 1 Jn 4.24, Ex 34.6-7, Heb 11.6. 2 Mt 28.19, 2 Cor 13.14, 1 Jn 5.17. 3 Eph 1.11, Acts 15.14-15,18. 4. Acts 4.27-28, Is 42.9. Q. 7. What is God? A. God is a spirit, 1 who in and of himself is infinite in being, 2 glory, 3 blessedness, 4 and perfection.5 He is all-sufficient, 6 eternal,7 unchangeable,8 beyond our full understanding, 9 present everywhere, 10 almighty, 11 knowing everything, 12 completely wise, 13 completely holy, 14 completely just,15 completely merciful and gracious, patient , and overflowing with goodness and truth.16 1. Jn 4.24. 2. 1 Kgs 8.27, Is 40.20, Ex 3.14, Jb 11.7-9. 3. Acts 7.2. 4. 1 Tm 6.15. 5. See General Note. Mt 5.48. 6. Acts 17.24-25, Gn 17.1. 7. Ps 90.2. 8. Mal 3.6, Jas 1.17. 9. 1 Kgs 8.27, Rom 11.33. 10. Jer 23.24, Ps 139. 11. Rv 4.8. 12. Heb 4.13, Ps 147.5. 13. Rom 16.27. 14. Is 6.3, Rv 15.4. 15. Dt 32.4. 16. Ex 34.6. Q. 8. Is there more than one God? A. There is only one, the living and true God. 1 1. Dt 6.4, 1 Cor 8.4,6, Jer 10.10. Q. 9. How many persons are in the one God? A. Three persons are in the one God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Although they are differentiated by their own indivi dual, personal qualities, these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance and e qual in power and glory. 1 1. 1 Jn 5.7, Mt 3.16-17, 28.19, 2 Cor 13.14, Jn 10.30. Q. 10. What are the individual, personal qualit ies that belong to the three persons of the Godhead? A. From all eternity, the Father begets the Son; 1 the Son is begotten by the Father,2 and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. 3 1. Heb 1.5-6, 8. 2. Jn 1.14,18. 3. Jn 15.26, Gal 4.6.
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The Larger Catechism 61 Q. 11. What is the evidence that the Son and the Holy Spirit are equal with the Father? A. The Bible clearly indicates that the Son and the Holy Spirit are God, equal to the Father, because it assigns to them the same names, 1 attributes,2 works, 3 and worship 4 that properly apply only to God. 1. Jer 23.6, Ps 45.6, Is 6.3,5,8, Jn 12. 41, Acts 28.25, 1 Jn 5.20, Acts 5.3-4. 2. Jn 1.1, Is 9.6, Jn 2.24-25, 1 Cor 2.10-11, Heb 9.14. 3. Col 1.16, Gn 1.2, Ps 104.30, Jn 1.3. 4. Mt 28.19, 2 Cor 13.14. Q. 12. What are the decrees of God? A. God™s decrees are the wise, free, and holy decisions from the purposes of his will. 1 By them, from all eternity and for his own glory, he has uncha ngeably foreordained everything that happens in time,2 and particularly those things that involve angels and human beings. 1. Eph 1.4,11, Rom 11.33, Rom 9.14-15,18. 2. Acts 4.27-28, Rom 9.22-23, Ps 33.11. Q. 13. What in particular has God decreed about angels and human beings? A. By an eternal and unchangeable decree, which originates merely from his love, exists for the praise of his glorious grace, and is to be revealed at the proper time, God has elected some angels for glory 1 and in Christ has chosen some human bei ngs for eternal life, along with the means by which this choice will be accomplished. 2Additionally, in accordance with his sovereign power and the hidden purposes of his own will (by which, as he pleases, he extends or withholds favor), God decided not to include the rest and to foreorda in them to be inflicted with dishonor and anger for their sin, to the praise of the glory of his justice. 3 1. 1 Tm 5.21. 2. Eph 1.4-6, 2 Thes 2.13-14, 1 Pt 1.2. 3. Rom 9.17-18,21-22, Mt 11.25-26, 2 Tm 2.20, Jude 4, 1 Pt 2.8. Q. 14. How does God carry out his decrees? A. God carries out his decrees in creation and pr ovidence, according to his infallible foreknowledge and the free and unchangeable purposes of his own will.1 1. Eph 1.11, 1 Pt 1.1-2. Q. 15. What is creation? A. Creation is this: in the beginning, for himsel f, and out of nothing, God made the world and everything in it in six days by the word of his powerŠand all very good. 1 1. Gn 1, Heb 11.3, Prv 16.4, Rv 4.11.
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The Larger Catechism 62 Q. 16. How did God create angels? A. God created all the angels 1 as immortal 2 spirits,3 holy, 4 with superior knowledge 5 and mighty power,6 to carry out his commands and praise his name; 7 but they could also change. 8 1. Col 1.16. 2. Mt 22.30, Lk 20.36. 3. Ps 104.4, Col 1.16. 4. Gn 1.31, Mt 25.31. 5. 2 Sm 14.17, Mt 24.36. 6. 2 Thes 1.7. 7. Ps 103.20-21. 8. 2 Pt 2.4. Q. 17. How did God create human beings? A. After he had made all the other creatur es, God created humans, male and female. 1 He formed the body of man from the dust of the ground 2 and the woman from the rib of the man. 3 He endowed them with living, reasoning, and immortal souls, 4 made in his own image 5 with knowledge,6 righteousness, and holiness.7 God wrote his law on their hearts 8 and gave them the ability to obey it.9 Along with dominion over the other creatures, 10 they also had the potential to fall. 11 1. Gn 1.27. 2. Gn 2.7. 3. Gn 2.22. 4. Gn 2.7, Jb 35.11, Mt 10.28, and Lk 23.43. 5. Gn 1.27. 6. Col 3.10, Gn 2.19-20. 7. Eph 4.24. 8. Rom 2.14-15. 9. Eccl 7.29. 10. Gn 1.28. 11. Gn 2.16-17, 3.6, Eccl 7.29. Q. 18. What is God™s providence? A. God™s providence is his completely holy, 1 wise,2 and powerful preserving 3 and governing 4 every creature and every action, 5 ordering them all to his own glory. 6 1. Ps 145.17. 2. Ps 104.24, Is 28.29. 3. Heb 1.3. 4. Ps 103.19, Jb 38-41. 5. Mt 10.29-31, Gn 45.7, Ps 135.6. 6. Rom 11.36, Is 63.14. Q. 19. What is God™s providence relating to angels? A. God providentially allowed some of the angels to fall into sin and damnation by their own choice and without any possibility of recovering their original position; 1 he limited and ordered their fall and all their specific sins for his own glory. 2 God established the rest of the angels in holiness and happiness,3 using them, 4 according to his pleasure, as administrative agents of his power, mercy, and justice.5 1. Jude 6, 2 Pt 2.4, Heb 2.16, Jn 8.44. 2. Jb 1.12, Mt 8.31, Lk 10.17. 3. 1 Tm 5.21, Mk 8.38, Heb 12.22. 4. Ps 104.4. 5. 2 Kgs 19.35, Heb 1.14.
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The Larger Catechism 64 3. Jas 1.14-15, Mt 15.19. Q. 26. How is original sin passed from Adam and Eve to their descendants? A. Original sin passes from Adam and Eve to their descendants by natural procreation, so that all subsequent human offspring are conceived and born in sin. 1 1. Ps 51.5, Jb 14.4, 15.14, Jn 3.6. Q. 27. What misery did the fall bring on the human race? A. The fall brought on the human race the loss of fellowship with God 1 along with his displeasure and curse. Consequently, we are children of wrath, 2 bondslaves of Satan, 3 and justly subject to every punishment in this world and the next. 4 1. Gn 3.8,10,24. 2. Eph 2.2-3. 3. 2 Tm 2.26, Lk 11.21-22, Heb 2.14. 4. Gn 2.17, Lam 3.39, Rom 5.14, 6.23, Mt 25.41,46, Jude 7. Q. 28. What are the punishments for sin in this world? A. The punishments for sin in this world are either internal or external. Internal punishments include mental blindness,1 a sense of being condemned, 2 powerful delusions, 3 a stubborn heart, 4 a terrified conscience,5 and shameful desires. 6 External punishments include God™s curse on the whole creation because of us 7 and all the other evils that happen to our bodies, our reputations, circumstances, relationships, and work, 8 including death itself.9 1. Eph 4.18. 2. Rom 1.28. 3. 2 Thes 2.11. 4. Rom 2.5. 5. Is 33.14, Gn 4.13, Mt 27.4, Heb 10.27. 6. Rom 1.26. 7. Gn 3.17. 8. Dt 28.15-68. 9. Rom 6.21,23. Q. 29. What are the punishments for sin in the next world? A. The punishments for sin in the next world in clude everlasting separation from the comforting presence of God and the horrible torment of soul and body in hell-fire without interruption forever.1 1. 2 Thes 1.9, Mk 9.43-44,46, 48, Lk 16.24,26, Mt 25.41,46, Rv 14.11, Jn 3.36. Q. 30. Does God leave the whole human race to die in sin and misery? A. God does not leave the whole human race to die in the sin and misery 1 that resulted from breaking the first covenant, ordinarily called the covenant of works. 2 Merely from his love and mercy, God delivers his elect from sin and misery and brings them into salvation by means of the second covenant, ordinarily called the covenant of grace. 3 1. 1 Thes 5.9. 2. Gal 3.10,12. 3. Ti 3.4-7, 1.2, Gal 3.21, Rom 3.20-22.
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The Larger Catechism 65 Q. 31. With whom was the covenant of grace made? A. The covenant of grace was made with Christ as the second Adam and through him with all the elect as his seed. 1 1. 1 Cor 15.22,45, Eph 1.4, 2 Tm 1.9, Heb 2.10-11 ,14, Gal 3.16, Rom 5.15 to the end, Is 53.10-11. Q. 32. How is God™s grace revealed in the second covenant? A. His grace is revealed in the second covenant by God freely providing and making available to sinners a mediator 1 and through him life and salvation. 2 God uses faith as the only way for sinners to become united to him; 3 he promises and gives his Holy Spirit 4 to all his elect in order to bring about this faith in them 5 along with all the other saving graces6 and in order to make it possible for them to be holy and obedient, 7 as proof of the truth of their faith 8 and thankfulness to God9 and as the way he has established for them to be saved. 10 1. 1 Tm 2.5, Gn 3.15, Is 42.6, Jn 6.27. 2. 1 Jn 5.11-12. 3. Jn 3.16,36, 1.12. 4. Prv 1.23. 5. 2 Cor 4.13. 6. Jn 1.12-13, 3.5-6,8, Gal 5.22-23. 7. Ez 36.27. 8. Jas 2.18,22. 9. 2 Cor 5.14-15. 10. Eph 2.10, Ti 2.14, 3.8. Q. 33. Was the covenant of grace always administered in one and the same way? A. The covenant of grace was not always administ ered in the same way. It was administered differently under the Old Testament and the New Testament. 1 1. 2 Cor 3.6-7,21-22, Heb 1.1-2, 8.7-8 and ff. Q. 34. How was the covenant of grace administered under the Old Testament? A. The covenant of grace was administered under the Old Testament by promises, 1 prophecies,2 sacrifices, 3 circumcision, 4 the passover,5 and other types and ordinances. All of these foreshadowed the coming of Christ and were suffici ent for that time to build up the faith of the elect in the promised Messiah, 6 by whom they had full remission of their sins and eternal salvation.7 1. Rom 15.8, Acts 3.20. 2. Acts 3.20,24. 3. Heb 10.1. 4. Rom 4.11. 5.1 Cor 5.7, Ex 12.14,17,24. 6. Heb 8-10, 11.13. 7. Gal 3.7-9,14, Heb 11. Q. 35. How is the covenant of grace administered under the New Testament? A. Under the New Testament, Christ is revealed as the substance of the same covenant of grace, which was and still is to be administered in the preaching of the word 1 and in the sacraments of baptism2 and the Lord™s supper. 3 In these the spiritual power of grace and salvation is more fully and clearly developed for all nations. 4 1. Mt 28.19-20, Mk 16.15. 2 Mt 28.19-20.
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The Larger Catechism 66 3. 1 Cor 11.23-26. 4. 2 Cor 3.6-9, Heb 8.6-7,10-11, Mt 28.19. Q. 36. Who is the mediator of the covenant of grace? A. The only mediator of the covenant of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 who is the eternal Son of God, of one substance and equal with the Father. 2 In the fullness of time he became human, 3 and so he was and continues to be God and man, in tw o complete and distinct natures, but one person, forever.4 1. 1 Tm 2.5. 2. Jn 1.1,14, 10.30, Phil 2.6. 3. Gal 4.4. 4. Lk 1.35, Rom 9.5, Col 2.9, Phil 2.5-11, Heb 7.24-25. Q. 37. How did Christ, the Son of God, become human? A. Christ the Son of God became human by taking a true body and a reasoning soul. 1 He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in th e womb of the Virgin Mary out of her substance and was born of her, 2 but he was sinless. 3 1. Jn 1.14, Mt 26.38. 2. Lk 1.27,31,35,42, Gal 4.4. 3. Heb 4.15, 7.26. Q. 38. Why did the mediator have to be God? A. The mediator had to be God so that he might sustain and keep his human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God and the power of death; 1 that he might make his suffering, obedience, and intercession of real value and effect;2 and that, in order to satisfy God™s justice, 3 he might gain God™s favor, 4 purchase his very own people, 5 give his Spirit to them, 6 conquer all their enemies, 7 and bring them to everlasting salvation. 8 1. See General Note. Acts 2.24- 25, Rom 1.4, 4.25, Heb 9.14. 2. Acts 20.28, Heb 9.14, 7.25-28. 3. Rom 3.24-26. 4. Eph 1.6, Mt 3.17. 5. Ti 2.13-14. 6. Gal 4.6. 7. Lk 1.68-69,71,74. 8. Heb 5.8-9, 9.11-15. Q. 39. Why did the mediator have to be human? A. The mediator had to be human so that he might improve human nature, 1 obey the law, 2 suffer and make intercession for us in our own nature, 3 and know first hand what human infirmities feel like;4 and so that we might be adopted as sons 5 and have comfort and access with boldness to the throne of grace. 6 1. Heb 2.16. 2. Gal 4.4-5, Rom 5.19. 3. Heb 2.14, 7.24-25. 4. Heb 4.15. 5. Gal 4.5. 6. Heb 4.14-16.
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The Larger Catechism 67 Q. 40. Why did the mediator have to be God and human in one person? A. The mediator, who was to reconcile God and humanity, had to be himself both God and human and in one person to make the works appropriate to each nature acceptable to God on our behalf 1 and counted on by us as the works of the whole person. 2 1. See General Note. Mt 1. 21, 23, 3.17, Heb 9.14. 2. 1 Pt 2.6. Q. 41. Why was our mediator called Jesus? A. Our mediator was called Jesus because he saves his people from their sins. 1 1. Mt 1.21. Q. 42. Why was our mediator called Christ? A. Our mediator was called Christ, because he was anointed with the Holy Spirit beyond all measure. 1 Consequently, he was set apart and comple tely equipped with all authority and power 2 to execute the offices of prophet,3 priest,4 and king of his church, 5 in both his humiliation and his exaltation. 1. Jn 3.34, Ps 45.7, Lk 4.18-21. 2. Lk 4.14, Heb 9.14, Jn 6.27, Mt 28.18-20. 3. Acts 3.21-22, Lk 4.18,21. 4. Heb 5.5-7, 4.14-15. 5. Ps 2.6, Mt 21.5, Is 9.6-7, Phil 2.8-11, Rv 19.16. Q. 43. How is Christ a prophet? A. As prophet, Christ reveals the complete will of God 1 to his church 2 about everything for the church™s edification and salvation. 3 He does this throughout the ages in different ways 4 by means of his Spirit and word. 5 1. Jn 1.1,4, 15.15. 2. Jn 1.18, 2 Pt 1.21, 2 Cor 2.9-10. 3. Acts 20.32, Eph 4.11-13, Jn 20.31. 4. Heb 1.1-2. 5. 1 Pt 1.10-12. Q. 44. How is Christ a priest? A. As priest, Christ offered himself once for all as a spotless sacrifice to God 1 to reconcile the sins of his people,2 and he continually intercedes for them. 3 1. Heb 9.14,28. 2. Heb 2.17. 3. Heb 7.25. Q. 45. How is Christ a king? A. As king, Christ calls a people for himself out of the world 1 and gives them officers, 2 laws,3 and the authority to condemn, by which he visibly governs them. 4 He bestows saving grace on his elect,5 rewards their obedience, 6 corrects them for their sins, 7 preserves and supports them in all their temptations and suffering, 8 restrains and overcomes all their enemies, 9 and powerfully orders everything for his own glory 10 and their well-being. 11 As king, Christ also executes just retribution against all others who neither know God nor obey the gospel. 12 1. Jn 10. 16,27, Acts 15.14-16, Is 55.4-5, Gn 49.10, Ps 110.3. 2. Eph 4.11-12, 1 Cor 12.28.
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