Westminster Shorter Catechism

With the absence of Pastor John Canales, Scott Peterson (Elder) takes the next two weeks looking at the history that brought about the Westminster Confession and also draws out some of the highlights of this resource.

Pastor Canales takes another week to look at Q20, specifically on the election portion of the question.

Pastor Canales continues to unfold question 20 of the Westminster Shorter Confession. Q. 20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? A. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life [a,] 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 [b]. [a]. Acts 13:48; Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Thess. 2:13-14 [b]. Gen. 3:15; 17:7; Ex. 19:5-6; Jer. 31:31-34; Matt. 20:28; 1 Cor. 11:25; Heb. 9:15

Ruling Elder Scott Peterson pinch hits for Pastor Canales and looks at question 20: Q. 20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? A. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life [a,] 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 [b]. [a]. Acts 13:48; Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Thess. 2:13-14 [b]. Gen. 3:15; 17:7; Ex. 19:5-6; Jer. 31:31-34; Matt. 20:28; 1 Cor. 11:25; Heb. 9:15

Pastor John Canales continues his exposition on the Westminster Confession. Q. 20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? A. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life [a,] 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 [b]. [a]. Acts 13:48; Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Thess. 2:13-14 [b]. Gen. 3:15; 17:7; Ex. 19:5-6; Jer. 31:31-34; Matt. 20:28; 1 Cor. 11:25; Heb. 9:15

Pastor Canales continues his exposition on the Westminster Shorter Confession. Q. 18. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell? A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin [a], the want of original righteousness [b], and the corruption of his whole nature [c], which is commonly called original sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it [d]. [a]. Rom. 5:12, 19 [b]. Rom. 3:10; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24 [c]. Ps. 51:5; John 3:6; Rom. 3:18; 8:7-8; Eph. 2:3 [d]. Gen. 6:5; Ps. 53:1-3; Matt. 15:19; Rom. 3:10-18, 23; Gal. 5:19-21; Jas. 1:14-15

Pastor Canales continues to unfold the Westminster Confession of Faith. Quest. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression? Ans. 16. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.(1) (1) Gen. 2:16-17; Rom. 5:12; I Cor. 15:21-22. Quest. 17. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind? Ans. 17. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.(1) (1) Rom. 5:12.

Pastor Canales continues his exposition on the Westminster Shorter Confession of Faith Quest. 13. Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created? Ans. 13. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God.(1) (1) Gen. 3:6-8, 13; Eccles. 7:29. Quest. 14. What is sin? Ans. 14. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.(1) (1) I John 3:4. Quest. 15. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created? Ans. 15. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.(1) (1) Gen. 3:6, 12.

Today, Pastor John looks at question 12 of the Westminster Shorter Confession. Q. 12. What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created? A. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life 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. [a] [a]. Gen. 2:16-17; Jas. 2:10

Pastor Canales continues looking at the Westminster Shorter Confession. Q. 11. What are God's works of providence? A. God's works of providence are, his most holy [a], wise [b], and powerful [c] preserving [d] and governing [e] all his creatures, and all their actions [f]. [a]. Ps. 145:17 [b]. Ps. 104:24 [c]. Heb. 1:3 [d]. Neh. 9:6 [e]. Eph. 1:19-22 [f]. Ps. 36:6; Prov. 16:33; Matt. 10:30