Q. Who is the first and best of beings?
A. God is the first and best of beings.
(Isaiah 44:6; Ps. 8:1; 97:9)
STRASBURG BAPTIST CHURCH52-Week Catechism
Questions, answers, and Scripture proofs. The cycle repeats after Week 52.
Current anchor: August 9, 2026 · Week 32
Back to current bulletinQ. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
(1 Cor. 10:31; Ps. 73:25-26)Q. How do we know there is a God?
A. The conscience of man, and the works of God, plainly declare that there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only, do effectually reveal Him unto us for our salvation.
(Rom. 1:18-20; Ps. 19:1,2; 2 Tim. 3:15; 1 Cor. 1:21-24; 1 Cor. 2:9,10)Q. What is the Word of God?
A. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, being given by divine inspiration, are the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.
(2 Peter 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:16,17; Isaiah 8:20)Q. How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God?
A. The Bible evidences itself to be God's Word by the heavenliness of its doctrine, the unity of its parts, its power to convert sinners and to edify saints; but the Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God.
(1 Cor. 2:6,7,13; Ps. 119:18, 129; Acts 10:43, 26:22; Acts 18:28; Heb. 4:12; Ps. 19:7-9; Rom. 15:4; John 16:13,14; 1 John 2:20-27; 2 Cor. 3:14-17)Q. May all men make use of the Scriptures?
A. All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Scriptures.
(John 5:39; Luke 16:29; Acts 8:28-30; 17:11)Q. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man.
(2 Tim. 3:16,17; John 20:31; Acts 24:14; 1 Cor. 10:11; Eccles. 12:13)Q. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.
(John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim.1:17)Q. Are there more gods than one?
A. There is but one only, the living and true God.
(Deut. 6:4; Jer. 10:10)Q. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory.
(1 Cor. 8:6; John 10:30; John 14:9; Acts 5:3,4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)Q. What are the decrees of God?
A. The decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby for His own glory, He has fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass.
(Eph. 1:11; Rom. 11:36; Dan. 4:35)Q. How does God execute His decrees?
A. God executes His decrees in the works of creation and providence.
(Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; Matt. 6:26; Acts 14:17)Q. What is the work of creation?
A. The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the Word of His power, in the space of six days, and all very good.
(Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3; Ex. 20:11; Gen. 1:31)Q. How did God create man?
A. God created man male and female, after His own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.
(Gen. 1:27; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24; Gen. 1:28)Q. What are God's works of providence?
A. God's works of providence are His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, and all their actions.
(Neh. 9:6; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3; Ps. 103:19; Matt. 10:29,30)Q. What special act of providence did God exercise towards man, in the estate wherein he was created?
A. When God had created man, He entered into a covenant of works with him, upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death.
(Gen. 2:16,17; Gal. 3:12; Rom. 5:12)Q. Did our first parents continue in the glad obedience for which they were created?
A. No, but desiring to be like God, our first parents forsook the obedience of faith, ate of the forbidden tree, sinned against God, and fell from the innocence in which they were created.
(Gen. 3:6; Eccles. 7:29; Rom. 5:12)Q. What is sin?
A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.
(1 John 3:4; Rom. 5:13)Q. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?
A. All mankind, descending from Adam by ordinary generation, transgressed in him, breaking God’s covenant and falling with him into a state of sin and misery.
( 1 Cor. 15:21,22; Rom. 5:12,18,19; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:18,19; Isaiah 64:6)Q. What is the sinfulness of that condition into which all mankind has fallen?
A. The sinfulness of the condition into which all mankind fell is the guilt of Adam's first sin, the lack of original righteousness, and the corruption of our whole nature, together with all actual transgressions which come from this nature.
(Rom. 5:19; 3:10; Eph. 2:1; Is. 53:6; Ps. 51:5; Matt. 15:19)Q. What is the misery of that estate into which man fell?
A. All mankind, by their fall lost communion with God, are under His wrath and curse, and made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.
(Gen. 3:8,24; Eph. 2:3; Gal. 3:10; Rom. 6:23; Matt. 25:41-46; Ps. 9:17)Q. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
A. God, out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, having chosen a people to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer.
(Eph. 1:3,4; 2 Thess. 2:13; Rom. 5:21; Acts 13:8; Jer. 31:33)Q. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?
A. The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person, forever.
(Gal. 3:13;1 Tim. 2:5; John 1:14; 1Tim. 3:16; Rom. 9:5; Col. 2:9)Q. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
A. Christ, the Son of God became man by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul; being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary and born of her, yet without sin.
(Heb. 2:14; Matt. 26:38; Luke 2:52; John 12:27; Luke 1:31,35; Heb. 4:15; 7:26)Q. What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?
A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executes the offices of a Prophet, of a Priest, and of a King, both in His estate of humiliation and exaltation.
(Acts 3:22; Heb. 5:6; Ps. 2:6)Q. How does Christ execute the office of Prophet, Priest & King?
A. Christ executes the office of a prophet in revealing to us, by this Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation. Christ executes the office of a priest, in His once offering up of Himself, a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us. Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to Himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies.
(John 1:18; 14:26; 15:15, 1 Peter 2:24; Heb. 9:28; Eph. 5:2; Heb. 2:17; 7:25; Rom. 8:34, Ps. 110:3; Matt. 2:6; 1 Cor. 15:25)Q. What was the humiliation of Christ?
A. Christ's humiliation consisted in His being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross, in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.
(Luke 2:7; Gal. 4:4; Is. 53:3; Luke 22:44; Matt. 27:46; Phil. 2:8; Matt. 12:40; Mark 15:45,46)Q. What was the exaltation or Christ?
A. Christ's exaltation consists in His rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.
(1 Cor. 15:4; Acts 1:11; Mark 16:19; Acts 17:31)Q. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us, by His Holy Spirit.
(John 3:5,6; Titus 3:5,6)Q. How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.
(Eph. 2:8; 3:17)Q. What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, He does persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the Gospel.
(2 Tim. 1:9; John 16:8-11; Acts 2:37; 26:18; Ezekiel 36:26; John 6:44,45; 1 Cor. 12:3)Q. What benefit is there, in this life, for those that are effectually called?
A. They that are effectually called, do in this life partake of justification, adoption, sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.
(Rom. 8:30; Gal. 3:26; 1 Cor. 6:11; Rom. 8:31,32; Eph. 1:5; 1 Cor. 1:30)Q. What is justification?
A. Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein He pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.
(Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:19; Phil. 3:9; Gal. 2:16)Q. What is adoption?
A. Adoption is an act of God's free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.
(1 John 3:1; John 1:12; Rom. 8:16,17)Q. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is a work of God's free grace whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.
(2 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 4:23,24; Rom. 6:11)Q. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?
A. The souls of believers are at death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory, and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.
(Heb. 12:23; Phil. 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:8; Luke 23:43; 1 Thess. 4:14; Is. 57:2; Job 19:26)Q. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection?
A. At the resurrection, believers become raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity.
(Phil. 3:20,21; 1 Cor. 15:42,43; Matt. 10:32; 1 John 3:2; 1 Thess. 4:17)Q. What shall be done to the wicked at death?
A. The souls of the wicked shall at death, be cast into the torments of hell, and their bodies lie in their graves till the resurrection and judgement of the great day.
(Luke 16:22-24; Ps. 49:14)Q. What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgement?
A. At the day of judgement, the bodies of the wicked, being raised out of their graves, shall be sentenced, together with their souls, to unspeakable torments with Satan and his angels forever.
(Dan. 12:2; John 5:28, 29; 2 Thess. 1:9; Matt. 25:41)Q. What does 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 requires of us faith in Jesus Christ and repentance unto life.
(Acts 20:21; Acts 16:30,31; 17:30)Q. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the Gospel.
(Heb. 10:39; John 1:12; Phil. 3-9; Gal. 2:15,16)Q. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, does, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.
(Acts 2:37; Joel 2:13; Jer. 31:18,19:2; Cor. 7:10, 11; Rom. 6:18)Q. How many ordinances did Christ institute for His Church?
A. Christ instituted two ordinances for His Church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
(1 Matt. 28:19, 20; 1 Cor. 11:26)Q. What is Baptism?
A. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ, to be to the person baptized a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death, and burial, and resurrection, of his being ingrafted into him, of remission of sins and of his giving up himself to God through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.
(Gal. 3:27, Mark 1:4; Acts 22:16, Rom. 6:4-5; Rom. 6:3; Col 2:12)Q. To whom is Baptism to be administered?
A. Baptism is to be administered to all those who actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ; and to none other.
(Acts 2:38; Matt. 3:6; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12,36; Acts 10:47,48)Q. How is baptism rightly administered?
A. Baptism is rightly administered by immersion, or dipping the whole body of the person in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, according to Christ’s institution, and the practice of the apostles and not by sprinkling or pouring of water, or dipping some part of the body.
(Matt. 28:19-2; Matt. 3:16; John 3:23; John 4:1-2; Acts 8:38-39)Q. What is the duty of those who are rightly baptized?
A. It is the duty of those who are rightly baptized to join themselves to some visible and orderly church of Jesus Christ, that they may walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
(Acts 2:46,47; Acts 9:26; 1 Peter 2:5; Heb. 10:25; Rom.16:5)Q. What is the visible church?
A. The visible church is the organized society of professing believers wherein the Gospel is truly preached and the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper rightly administered.
(Acts 2:42; 20:7; Acts 7:38; Eph. 4:11, 12)Q. What is the invisible church?
A. The invisible church is the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head.
(Eph. 1:10; 1:22,23; John 10:16; 11:52)Q. What is the Lord’s Supper?
A. The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ; wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to his appointment, his death is shown forth, and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporeal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace.
(1 Cor. 11:23-26; 1 Cor. 10:16)Q. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper?
A. It is required of them that would worthily (that is, suitably) partake of the Lord's Supper, that they examine themselves, of their knowledge to discern the Lord's body; of their faith to feed upon Him; of their repentance, love, and new obedience: lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves.
(1 Cor. 11:27-31; 1 Cor. 5:8; 2 Cor. 13:5)Q. What is meant by the words, “until he come,” which are used by the apostle Paul in reference to the Lord’s Supper?
A. They plainly teach us that our Lord Jesus Christ will come a second time; which is the joy and hope of all believers.
(Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16)