Westminster Daily

Larger Catechism Q 158. By whom is the Word of God to be preached? A. The Word of God is to be preached only by such as are sufficiently gifted, 1 and also duly approved and called to that office. 2 1 Timothy 3:2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 1 Timothy 3:6 He must not be a recent convert...

Shorter Catechism Q 90. How is the word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation? A. That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer; 1 receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives. 2 Larger Catechism Q 157. How is the Word of God to be read? A. The Holy Scriptures are...

Larger Catechism Q 156. Is the Word of God to be read by all? A. Although all are not to be permitted to read the Word publicly to the congregation, 1 yet all sorts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves, 2 and with their families: 3 to which end, the Holy Scriptures are to be translated out of the original into vulgar languages. 4 Deuteronomy 31:9 Then Moses wrote this law and gave it...

Shorter Catechism Q 89. How is the word made effectual to salvation? A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching, of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation. 1 Larger Catechism Q 155. How is the Word made effectual to salvation? A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading...

Shorter Catechism Q 88. What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption? A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption are, his ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation. 1 Larger Catechism Q 154. What are the outward means w...

Shorter Catechism Q 85. What doth God require of us that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin? A. To escape the wrath and curse of God, due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, 1 with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption. 2 Larger Catechism Q 153. What doth God require of us...

Shorter Catechism Q 38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection? A. At the resurrection, believers, being raised up in glory, 1 shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, 2 and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God 3 to all eternity. 4 Larger Catechism Q 90. What shall be done to the righteous at the day of judgment? A. At the day of...

Shorter Catechism Q 37. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death? A. The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, 1 and do immediately pass into glory; 2 and their bodies, being still united to Christ, 3 do rest in their graves, till the resurrection. 4 Larger Catechism Q 86. What is the communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the invisible church...

Shorter Catechism 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, 1 peace of conscience, 2 joy in the Holy Ghost, 3 increase of grace, 4 and perseverance therein to the end. 5 Larger Catechism Q...

Larger Catechism Q 82. What is the communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with Christ? A. The communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with Christ, is in this life, 1 immediately after death, 2 and at last perfected at the resurrection and day of judgment. 3 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are b...

Larger Catechism Q 69. What is the communion in grace which the members of the invisible church have with Christ? A. The communion in grace which the members of the invisible church have with Christ, is their partaking of the virtue of his mediation, in their justification, 1 adoption, 2 sanctification, and whatever else, in this life, manifests their union with him. 3 Romans 8:30 And those whom h...

Confession of Faith Chapter 26: Of the Communion of Saints 3. This communion which the saints have with Christ, doth not make them in any wise partakers of the substance of his Godhead; or to be equal with Christ in any respect: either of which to affirm is impious and blasphemous. 1 Nor doth their communion one with another, as saints, take away, or infringe the title or propriety which each man...

Confession of Faith Chapter 26: Of the Communion of Saints 2. Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification; 1 as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities. Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, i...

Confession of Faith Chapter 26: Of the Communion of Saints 1. All saints, that are united to Jesus Christ their Head, by his Spirit, and by faith, have fellowship with him in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory: 4 and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other's gifts and graces, 5 and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private...

Confession of Faith Chapter 25: Of the Church 6. There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Nor can the pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof. 2 Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Ephesians 1:22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head...

Confession of Faith Chapter 25: Of the Church 5. The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; 2 and some have so degenerated, as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. 3 Nevertheless, there shall be always a church on earth, to worship God according to his will. 4 Larger Catechism Q 61. Are all they saved who hear the gospel, and live in the church? A....

Confession of Faith Chapter 25: Of the Church 4. This catholic church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible. 1 And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them. 2 Romans 11:3-5 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, t...

Confession of Faith Chapter 25: Of the Church 3. Unto this catholic visible church Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world: and doth, by his own presence and Spirit, according to his promise, make them effectual thereunto. 6 Larger Catechism Q 63. What are the special privileges of the vis...

Confession of Faith Chapter 25: Of the Church 2. The visible church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; 3 and of their children: 4 and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, 5 the house and family of God, 6 out of which there is no ordinary possibili...

Larger Catechism Q 65. What special benefits do the members of the invisible church enjoy by Christ? A. The members of the invisible church by Christ enjoy union and communion with him in grace and glory. 1 John 17:21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. Ephesians 2:5-6 even when we...

Confession of Faith Chapter 25: Of the Church 1. The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. 2 Larger Catechism Q 64. What is the invisible church? A. The invisible church is the whole numbe...

Confession of Faith Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce 6. Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage: yet, nothing but adultery, or such willful desertion as can no way be remedied by the church, or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage: 1 wherein, a public and orderly...

Confession of Faith Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce 5. Adultery or fornication committed after a contract, being detected before marriage, giveth just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract. 1 In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce: 2 and, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending party were dead. 3 Matt...

Confession of Faith Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce 4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden by the Word. 1 Nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife. 2 Leviticus 18:6-17 “None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nak...

Confession of Faith Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce 3. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent. 1 Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord. 2 And therefore such as profess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marryi...