The value of learning simple truths about God when a person is young is incalculable. The older we get the harder it is to commit things to memory, yet the things I learned while I was young stick like glue! Spurgeon's Catechism with Proofs is profitable for young and old alike. It not only sets forth clear doctrines, but backs up the doctrines with scripture references (proofs).

1. WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN?

A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, (1) and to enjoy Him forever. (2)

1. I Corinthians 10:31. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

2. Psalm 73:25-26. "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever."

2. WHAT RULE HAS GOD GIVEN TO DIRECT US HOW WE MAY GLORIFY AND ENJOY HIM?

A. The word of God which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and new Testaments (1) is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify God and enjoy Him.(2)

1. Ephesians 2:20. "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." II Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

2. I John 1:3. "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

3. 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. (1)

1. II Timothy 1:13. "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou has heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus"

Ecclesiastes 12:13. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."

4. WHAT IS GOD?

A. God is a spirit (1), infinite (2), eternal (3), and unchangeble (4), in his being (5) wisdom, power (6), holiness (7), justice, goodness, and truth. (8)

1. John 4:24. "God is a Spirit."

2. Job11:7. "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?"

3. Psalms 90:2. "from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."

I Timothy 1:17. "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

4. James 1:17. "The Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

5. Exodus 3:14. "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thous say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."

6. Psalms 147:5, "Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite."

7. Revelation 4:8, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was and is, and is to come."

8. Exodus 34:6-7. "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, fogiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty."

5. Are there more Gods than one?

A. There is but one only (1), the living and true God. (2)

1. Deuteronomy 6:4. "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD.

2. Jeremiah 10:10. "The LORD is the true God, he is the living God."

6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?

A. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory. (1)

1. Matthew 28:19. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, babtizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

II Corinthians 13:14. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen."

7. What are the decrees of God?

A. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His own will, whereby for His own glory He has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. (1)

1. Ephesians 1:11-12. "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will that we should be to the praise of his glory."

8. How does God execute His decrees?

A. God executes His decrees in the works of creation (1) and providence. (2)

1. Revelation 4:11. "Thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

2. Daniel 4:35. "He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth."

9. What is the work of Creation?

A. The work of creation is God's making all things (1) of nothing, by the word of His power, (2) in the space of six days, and all very good. (3)

1. Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

2. Hebrews 11:3. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

3. Exodus 20:11. "In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is."

10. How did God create man?

A. God created man male and female, after His own image, (1) knowledge, righteousness and holiness, (2) with dominion over the creatures. (3)

1. Genesis 1:27. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

2. Colossians 3:10. "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."

Epesians 4:24. "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

3. Genesis 1:28. "God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

11. What are God's works of providence?

A. God's works of providence are His most holy, (1) wise, (2) and powerful preserving (3) and governing all His creatures, and all their actions.(4)

1. Psalms 145:17. "The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works."

2. Isaiah 28:29. "This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working."

3. Hebrews 1:3. "Upholding all things by the word of his power." Nehemiah 9:6, "Thou preservest them all."

4. Psalms 103:19. "his kingdom ruleth over all." Matthew 10:29, "Are not two sparrows sold for a fathing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father."

12. What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the state wherein he was created?

A. When God created man, He entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience;(1) forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death.(2)

1. Galatians 3:12. "The law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them."

2. Genesis 2:17. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

13. Did our first parents continue in the state wherein they were created?

A. Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the state wherein they were created, by sinning against God,(1) by eating the forbidden fruit.(2)

1. Eccesiastes 7:29. "God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

2. Genesis 3:6-8. "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked...and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden."

14. What is sin?

A. Sin is want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. (1)

1. I John 3:4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the trangression of the law.

15. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?

A. 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. I Cor. 15:22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Romans 5:12. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

16. Into what state did the fall bring mankind?

A. The fall brought mankind into a state of sin and misery. (1)

1. Romans 5:18. By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation.

17. Wherin consists the sinfulness of that state whereinto man fell?

A. The sinfulness of that state whereinto man fell, consists in the quilt of Adam's first sin, (1) the want of original righteousness, (2) and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, (3) together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it. (4)

1. Romans 5:19. By one man's disobedience many were made sinners.

2. Romans 3:10. There is none righteous, no, not one.

3. Ephesians 2:1. You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.

Psalm 51:5, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

4. Matthew 15:19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

18. What is the misery of that state whereinto man fell?

A. All mankind, by their fall, lost communion with God, (1) are under His wrath and curse, (2) and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. (3)

1. Genesis 3:8,24. Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden... So he drove out the man.

2. Ephesians 2:3. We...were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Galatians 3:10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

3. Romans 6:23. The wages of sin is death.

Matthew 25:41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

19. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the state of sin and misery?

A. God having, out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, (1) did enter into a covenant of grace to deliver them out of the state of sin and misery, and to bring them into a state of salvation by a Redeemer. (2)

1. II Thessalonians 2:13. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

2. Romans 5:21. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

20. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?

A. The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, (1) who being the eternal Son of God, became man, (2) and so was and continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person for ever. (3)

1. I Timothy 2:5. There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

2. John 1:14. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

3. I Timothy 3:16. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Colossians 2:9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

21. 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, (1) and a reasonable soul, (2) being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her, (3) yet without sin. (4)

1. Hebrews 2:14. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same.

2. Matthew 26:38. Then saith he unto them, My sould is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death.

Hebrews 4:15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet iwthout sin.

3. Luke 1:31,35. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS . . . The Holy Ghost whall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.

4. Hebrews 7:26. Such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.

22. What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?

A. Christ as our Redeemer executes the offices of a prophet, (1) of a priest, (2) and of a king, (3) both in His state of humiliation and exaltation.

1. Acts 3:22. Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

2. Hebrews 5:6. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

3. Psalm 2:6. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

23. How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?

A. Christ executes of office of a prophet, in revealing to us, (1) by His Word (2) and Spirit, (3) the will of God for our salvation.

1. John 1:18. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

2. John 20:31. These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

3. John 14:26. The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things.

24. How does Christ execute the office of a priest?

A. Christ executes of office of priest, in His once offering up Himself a sacrifice to satisfy the justice, (1) and to reconcile us to God, (2) and in making continual intercesion for us. (3)

1. Hebrews 9:28. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.

2. Hebrews 2:17. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

3. Hebrews 7:25. He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

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TO BE CONTINUED