Catechism

Theological Foundations

  1. What are the two ways God communicates knowledge of Himself to men?
    1. Natural revelation and special revelation
  2. What is natural revelation?
    1. God's non-redemptive revelation of Himself in creation and providence - Psa 19:1-4; Rom 1:18-21
  3. What is special revelation?
    1. God's redemptive revelation of Himself in the Bible - Psa 19:7-8; John 5:39
  4. What is the Bible?
    1. God's inspired, infallible, inerrant word
  5. How many books are in the Bible?
    1. 66
  6. How many in the OT?
    1. 39
  7. How many in the NT?
    1. 27
  8. Who wrote the Bible?
    1. Men under the direct control of the Holy Spirit - 2 Peter 1:21
  9. What does inspiration mean?
    1. God breathed - 2Tim 3:16
  10. Are there any errors in the Bible?
    1. No, the Holy Spirit directed men to reveal the truth with 100% accuracy
  11. What are the two parts of the Bible?
    1. Law and gospel - Rom 10:5-6; Gal 3:12
  12. What is law?
    1. God's commands - Lev 18:5
  13. Where do we find the law in scripture?
    1. In the Old and New Testaments
  14. What is gospel?
    1. God's promises fulfilled in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ
  15. Where is the gospel found in the Bible?
    1. In type, shadow, and promise in the Old Testament and fulfillment in the person and work of Christ in the New Testament - Gen 3:15; Col 2:16-17; Heb 8:5, 10:1
  16. What are the two major covenants of Scripture?
    1. Covenant of works and covenant of grace
  17. What is a works covenant?
    1. A legal arrangement between God and man, where man earns reward by his complete obedience to God's commands - Exo 24:24-26; Lev 18:5; Deut 27:26
  18. What is a grace covenant?
    1. A legal arrangement between God and his people, where man receives salvation from God, by grace alone and faith alone, through the work of Christ alone - Gen 3:15, 15:1-6, 17:1 ff; Jer 31:1-33; Matthew 26:28; 2 Cor 3:6; Heb 9:15
  19. What kind of covenant did God first make with Adam in the Garden?
    1. A covenant of works - Gen 2:17; Rom 5:12,17-19
  20. What are the 4 ecumenical creeds?
    1. The Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, Chalcedonian Creed, and Athanasian Creed
  21. What are the 3 Reformed confessions?
    1. The Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, and Canons of Dort
  22. Do these creeds and confessions have the same authority as the Bible?
    1. No, but we believe these creeds and confessions do fully agree with the Word of God

    Doctrine of God

  23. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
    1. Three persons - Matthew 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14
  24. Who are they?
    1. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
  25. Is the Father, God? Is the Son, God? Is the Spirit, God?
    1. Yes, these three persons are fully and eternally God
  26. Are there three gods?
    1. No, there is only one God, who has revealed himself in three eternally distinct persons - Deut 6:4; Rom 3:30
  27. Is the Father the Son, the Son the Spirit, or the Spirit the Father?
    1. No, they are three eternally distinct persons who are truly, yet mysteriously, one God - Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 12:35-36
  28. How many natures does Christ have?
    1. Two, a human nature and a divine nature - 1 Tim 2:5, 3:16; Heb 2:14; Isa 7:14; Matthew 1:23; John 8:58-59
  29. Do they ever intermix?
    1. No, they are united in one person, but never intermix - Act 2:30; Rev 1:12-13
  30. Is the human nature wherever the divine nature is?
    1. No, the divine nature is omnipresent, that is everywhere present in its fulness, but the human nature is finite, and located at the right hand of God - Psa 139:7-10; Acts 2:30
  31. How many kingdoms does Christ have?
    1. Two, the kingdom of power and the kingdom of grace
  32. What is the kingdom of power?
    1. The kingdom of power is Christ's rule over creation and providence, which he participates with God in, by virtue of his divinity - Heb 1:3; Acts 17:24-25
  33. What is the kingdom of grace?
    1. The kingdom of grace is Christ's special rule over the church which is his body - John 18:36; Matthew 28:18; Col 1:13; Eph 1:19-21

    Soteriology

  34. What are the five pillars of the Protestant Reformation?
    1. Scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, to God be the glory alone
  35. How important is the word "alone" in the Protestant pillars?
    1. The word "alone" marks the difference between a true and false gospel - Gal 1:8; 1 Tim 1:3
  36. Why do the Protestant pillars begin with "scripture alone"?
    1. Because everything we believe and practice as believers is to be grounded in the word of God - 1 Tim 3:14; 2 Tim 3:16-17
  37. What does it mean to glorify God?
    1. It means to keep God's commandments in the power of the Holy Spirit for God's glory - 1 Cor 10:31
  38. What does the "T" in TULIP mean?
    1. Total depravity, that is, man is completely sinful in every part of his being - Psa 51:5; Rom 3:10-18
  39. What does the "U" in TULIP mean?
    1. Unconditional election, that is, God's sovereign choice of individuals, in eternity past, unto salvation in Jesus Christ - Eph 1:4; Acts 13:48; Rom 9:11,16
  40. What does the "L" in TULIP mean?
    1. Limited atonement, that is, Christ died to save his people from their sins - Matthew 1:21; John 10:11, 10:15, 15:13; Isa 53:6; Matthew 20:28; Gal 3:13
  41. What does the "I" in TULIP mean?
    1. Irresistible grace, that is, God sovereignly applies Christ's redemptive work to fallen sinners whom He has chosen - Act 9:5; 5:39; 1 Cor 10:22; Isa 45:9
  42. What does the "P" in TULIP mean?
    1. Perseverance of the saints, that is, God sovereignly preserves His people in salvation, through the means of grace, in the context of the church, under the rule of the elders - 1 Peter 1:5; Act 2:42; 2 Cor 6:1; 2 Tim 4:2; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Heb 13:17
  43. What does the word "election" mean?
    1. God's sovereign choice of individuals, in eternity past, unto salvation in Christ, apart from considering whether their was anything good in them - Eph 1:4; Rom 8:29-30; 1 Thes 1:3
  44. Does God choose man to salvation because of anything good He sees in man?
    1. No, God chooses sinners unto eternal salvation in Christ, purely out of sovereign love - Eph 1:4-5
  45. What does regeneration mean?
    1. God giving man a new nature to believe the truth and respond to the gospel in faith and obedience - John 3:3-5; Acts 16:14
  46. Which person of the Trinity performs the work of regeneration?
    1. God the Holy Spirit - John 3:8; 1Thes 1:5
  47. What does atonement mean?
    1. Christ offering his body on the cross as a sacrifice for sin, in order to satisfy God's wrath - Rom 3:25; 1 John 2:2; Gal 3:13
  48. Which person of the Trinity performs the atonement?
    1. God the Son - John 3:16; 1 John 4:10
  49. What does justification mean?
    1. God declaring a person righteous with respect to the law - Rom 3:28, 4:3, 4:6
  50. What are the two parts of justification?
    1. Pardon for sin through the shed blood of Christ and the imputation of Christ's righteousness - Rom 3:24-25; Gal 2:16
  51. What is the instrument of justification ?
    1. Faith alone - Gal 2:16; Rom 4:5
  52. Where does faith come from?
    1. The Holy Spirit works faith in the heart through the preaching of the gospel - Rom 10:14; Acts 16:14; 1 Thes 1:5
  53. What does sanctification mean?
    1. God working righteousness in a justified person - Rom 6:13-14; 1 John 3:3
  54. What are the two parts of sanctification?
    1. Putting to death sin, and living in obedience to God's commandments in thought, word, and deed - Rom 6:12; Rom 8:13; Col 3:5; Eph 4:1; Eccl 12:13
  55. Where do we receive grace in order that we may grow in sanctification?
    1. The Holy Spirit works grace in us through the preaching of the word and the sacraments - Rom 10:14-17; John 6:56-58
  56. Why should Christians pray regularly?
    1. Because it is our response of thankfulness to God for our redemption, and because God gives His grace and Holy Spirit only to those who unceasingly ask these things of Him and return thanks unto Him for them - Psa 50:14-15; Luk 11:9-10,13
  57. What are the three uses of the law?
    1. The first use convicts sinners of sin and drives them to the cross of Christ for forgiveness, the second use sets a standard of righteousness for the civil realm, and the third use shows believers how to live for God's glory in all of life - Rom 3:20, 7:7; 1 John 1:9; Rom 7:24-25; Rom 13:3-5; Matthew 5:16; Rom 14:19
  58. How does the first use of the law apply to Christians?
    1. Christians ought daily to learn of their sin and misery from the law, and in turn appeal constantly to the blood, suffering, death, and obedience of Jesus Christ - Rom 7:24-25; 1 John 2:1-2
  59. How does the third use of the law apply to Christians?
    1. Christians ought to daily remind themselves of their duty to obey God in everything as a grateful response for their redemption in Christ - Eph 5:8-11; Col 3:17
  60. Do Christians have to keep the law?
    1. Yes, not to earn God's favor, but in order that they may continually show God their thankfulness for redemption in Christ - Rom 13:8-10; 1 John 2:3-6
  61. What should all Christians do with their faith?
    1. Testify about the grace of Christ to unbelievers - Matthew 28:19; Luk 10:27
  62. What does someone need to know about themselves in order to want Christ and the gospel?
    1. That they are totally depraved and under the wrath and curse of God unless they repent of their sin and turn to Christ for salvation - John 3:6, 3:18; Gal 3:10

    Ecclessiology

  63. What is the consistory?
    1. The pastors and elders of a particular congregation who rule the church, preside over the worship, disciple its members in the faith, and exercise spiritual discipline according to the word of God.- Acts 14:23; Tit 1:5; Acts 20:28-31
  64. What is the council?
    1. The pastors, elders, and deacons in a particular congregation who handle the business issues of the church
  65. How many offices are there in the church?
    1. There are three offices, the office of minister of the word and sacraments, the office of elder, and the office of deacon - Eph 4:11; 1 Tim 3:1-15; 1 Tim 5:17
  66. What is the responsibility of the office of minister of the word?
    1. To faithfully preach God's word, administer the sacraments, and assist the elders in ruling and shepherding God's people - 2 Tim 4:2; 1 Cor 10:16
  67. What is the responsibility of the office of elder?
    1. To rule over and diligently watch over and shepherd God's people - 1 Tim 3:1-7, 5:17; Tit 1:5-9; Act 20:28-31
  68. What are the two "keys" of the kingdom?
    1. The two keys of the kingdom are the preaching of the word and exercise of church discipline - Matthew 16:18-19, 18:18; John 20:23; Rev 1:18; Rom 10:13-17; Luk 24:46-47
  69. Who exercises the keys of the kingdom?
    1. Only lawfully ordained ministers may preach the word, and the elders acting together administer church discipline - Heb 13:17; 1 Thes 5:12; Matt 16:18-19
  70. What is the responsibility of the office of deacon?
    1. To minister mercy to the suffering and needy in the name of Christ - Acts 6:1-6; 1 Tim 3:8-13
  71. What is the regulative principle of worship?
    1. We may worship God in now other way than He has commanded in His word - Deut 4:15-19, 12:30-32; Matthew 15:9; Col 2:23
  72. When does God speak to us in worship?
    1. In the call to worship, the greeting, the reading of the law, the absolution, the reading of the word, the preaching of the word, and the benediction
  73. When does the congregation speak to God?
    1. In the singing of Psalms, in corporate confession of sin, and prayer
  74. What are the different ways the Psalms lead us to approach God in worship?
    1. The Psalms teach us to approach God in praise, penitence, lament, and in prayers for help
  75. What are the three marks of the true church?
    1. The faithful preaching of the word of God, the proper administration of the sacraments, and Christian discipline - Gal 1:8; 1 Tim 3:15; Act 19:3-5; 1 Cor 11:20-29
  76. Is a church that does not baptize the children of believers a true church?
    1. No, if a church fails to administer baptism to any portion of God's people, it fails to submit to God, and manifests itself to be a false church - Gen 17:9-12; Exo 4:24-25; Act 2:39; 1 Cor 7:14
  77. What are the means of grace?
    1. The preaching of the word of God and the sacraments - Rom 10:17; Rom 4:11
  78. Where is all grace located?
    1. All grace is located in Christ - 2 Tim 2:1
  79. What means does Christ use to communicate his grace?
    1. Christ has ordained the preaching of the word and the administration of the sacraments as the ordinary way in which He communicates His grace to His people - Rom 10:13-17; Luk 24:46-47; Matthew 28:19-20
  80. How many sacraments are there and what are they?
    1. There are only two sacraments, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion
  81. Why should baptism be administered to children of believers?
    1. Because children of believers are members of the covenant and therefore have a right to this sign and seal of the covenant - Gen 17:9-12; Act 2:39; 1 Cor 7:14
  82. Does the bread become the body of Christ and does the wine become the blood of Christ in the Lord's Supper?
    1. No, the elements remain what they are, bread and wine - Matthew 26:26; 1 Cor 10:16
  83. Do believers actually feed on the body and blood of Christ in the Lord's Supper? How?
    1. Yes, when believers partake of the bread and wine, by faith, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they actually feed on Christ's body and blood - Matthew 26:26; John 6:55-56; Eph 3:16-17; 1 Cor 10:1-4
  84. Who may partake of the Lord's Supper?
    1. Believers who have been received into the visible church through making a credible profession of faith to the elders and are not under Christian discipline - 1 Cor 10:19-22, 11:28-29, 5:7-9
  85. How frequently should the church observe the Lord's Supper?
    1. As often as the church meets for worship on the Lord's Day - Luk 22:19; Acts 2:42, 20:7; 1 Cor 11:20