Westminster Shorter Catechism2

Q. 87 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, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavour after, new obedience. The essential action of repentance is turning from sin to God. It is turning to Him as our God, as our Lord and Master whom we obey and serve.

Q. 86 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. Understand that you must have faith in Jesus Christ if you would be saved from God's wrath and curse. Faith is indispensable to salvation.

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, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption. The Jews are here brought face to face with the fact that they crucified their own Messiah. They cry out (v. 37), What must we do? (like question 85) and Peter tells them. I will follow the outline of the Catechism—faith, repentance, means of grace—and show you how each of these is found in Acts 2:36-47.

Q. 84 What doth every sin deserve? A. Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come. In this passage, Paul shows the Galatians that they were foolish to act like they could be accepted by God on the basis of their law-keeping. Jesus had been crucified for a reason! We need Him to save us. Didn't they realise that anyone who relies on the law is under a curse?

Q. 82 Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God? A. No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed. Today, our focus is on Q. 82—whether any of us can perfectly obey God in this life.

Q. 79 Which is the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. Q. 80 What is required in the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour, and all that is his. Q. 81 What is forbidden in the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his. Today, we are going to look at the problem of discontentment and how we ought rather to be rejoicing and giving thanks instead of complaining and disputing with God.

Q. 79 Which is the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. Q. 80 What is required in the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour, and all that is his. Q. 81 What is forbidden in the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour, and all inordinate motions and affections to any thing that is his. In the introductory message, I showed you that covetousness is a sin of the heart. It stands as a reminder that God not only weighs our actions, but also our hearts. But covetousness rarely stays contained in our hearts. Last week, we saw that it often brings us into quarrels with others. This week, we will see how it misdirects our whole lives and produces sinful worry.

This week in our sermon series on the Westminster Shorter Catechism we come to the tenth commandment. All the commandments should be understood as addressing our hearts, but this is the commandment that explicitly does so. We need to recognise that God's authority reaches even to the very desires of our hearts.

Q. 76 Which is the ninth commandment? A. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Q. 77 What is required in the ninth commandment? A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name, especially in witness bearing. Q. 78 What is forbidden in the ninth commandment? A. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour's good name. In verse 21, notice how it speaks about hearing Christ—being taught by Him—as the truth is in Him. When we hear Him, we believe the truth and we become a people who are of the truth. As such, there is no place among us for lies… Therefore, we are instructed to put away lying.

Q. 76 Which is the ninth commandment? A. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Q. 77 What is required in the ninth commandment? A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name, especially in witness-bearing. Q. 78 What is forbidden in the ninth commandment? A. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour's good name. Today, as we look in more detail at this commandment, I want to focus on badmouthing and its close relative, boasting. You see how the Holy Spirit tells us through James what a problem our tongues are! There is not a person alive that does not sin with their tongue. Much harm is done by these sins. Our tongue is a major outlet from our wicked hearts.