The Shorter Catechism Explained

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An explanation of The Shorter Catechism

Following is Mr. Benschop's commentary, as released to the former CHR-EXP subscriber list.

 

Part 1

Ql: What is the chief end of man?

Q2: What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

Q3: What do the Scriptures principally teach?

Part 2

Q4: What is God?

Q5: Are there more Gods than one?

Q6: How many persons are there in the Godhead?

Part 3

Q7: What are the decrees of God?

Q8: How doth God execute his decrees?

Q9: What is the work of creation?

Q10: How did God create man?

Part 4

Q11: What are God's works of providence?

Q12: What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?

Q13: Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?

Q14: What is sin?

Part 5

Q15: What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?

Q16: Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?

Q17: Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

Part 6

Q18: Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?

Q19: What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?

Part 7

Q20: Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?

Q21: Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?

Q22: How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?

Part 8

Q23: What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?

Q24: How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?

Q25: How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?

Q26: How doth Christ execute the office of a king?

Part 9

Q27: Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist?

Part 10

Q28: Wherein consisteth Christ's exaltation?

Q29: How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?

Q30: How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

Q31: What is effectual calling?

Part 11

Q32: What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?

Q33: What is justification?

Part 12

Q34: What is adoption?

Q35: What is sanctification?

Q36: What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?

Q37: What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?

Q38: What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?

Part 13

Q39: What is the duty which God requireth of man?

Q40: What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?

Q41: Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?

Q42: What is the sum of the ten commandments?

Part 14

Q43: What is the preface to the ten commandments?

Q44: What doth the preface to the ten commandments teach us?

Part 15

Q45: Which is the first commandment?

Q46: What is required in the first commandment?

Q47: What is forbidden in the first commandment?

Q48: What are we specially taught by these words "before me" in the first commandment?

Part 16

Q49: Which is the second commandment?

Q50: What is required in the second commandment?

Q51: What is forbidden in the second commandment?

Q52: What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?

Part 17

Q53: Which is the third commandment?

Q54: What is required in the third commandment?

Q55: What is forbidden in the third commandment?

Q56: What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?

Part 18

Q57: Which is the fourth commandment?

Q58: What is required in the fourth commandment?

Q59: Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?

Q60: How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?

Q61: What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?

Q62: What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?

Part 19

Q63: Which is the fifth commandment?

Q64: What is required in the fifth commandment?

Q65: What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?

Q66: What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?

Part 20

Q67: Which is the sixth commandment?

Q68: What is required in the sixth commandment?

Q69: What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?

Part 21

Q70: Which is the seventh commandment?

Q71: What is required in the seventh commandment?

Q72: What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?

Part 22

Q73: Which is the eighth commandment?

Q74: What is required in the eighth commandment?

Q75: What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?

Part 23

Q76: Which is the ninth commandment?

Q77: What is required in the ninth commandment?

Q78: What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?

Part 24

Q79: Which is the tenth commandment?

Q80: What is required in the tenth commandment?

Q81: What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?

Part 25

Q82: Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

Q83: Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

Q84: What doth every sin deserve?

Part 26

Q85: What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin?

Q86: What is faith in Jesus Christ?

Q87: What is repentance unto life?

Part 27

Q88: What are the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?

Q89: How is the Word made effectual to salvation?

Q90: How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?

Part 28

Q91: How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?

Q92: What is a sacrament?

Q93: Which are the sacraments of the New Testament?

Q94: What is baptism?

Q95: To whom is baptism to be administered?

Q96: What is the Lord's supper?

Q97: What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's supper?

Part 29

Q98: What is prayer?

Q99: What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?

Q100: What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach us?

Part 30

 Q101: What do we pray for in the first petition?

Q102: What do we pray for in the second petition?

Q103: What do we pray for in the third petition?

Q104: What do we pray for in the fourth petition?

Q105: What do we pray for in the fifth petition?

Q106: What do we pray for in the sixth petition?

Q107: What doth the conclusion of the Lord's prayer teach us?

 

 

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