Catechism
Introduction
Put in the form of questions and answers, a Catechism has been found to be a God blessed instrument in teaching the basic truths of the whole counsel of God to all age groups.
This Catechism, based upon a “Catechism for Young Children” used widely in the U.S.A. has been compiled to meet the need of simplifying Biblical truths for young minds.
Its use, with the help of Scripture proofs, can be various, from private instruction, family worship, to Sunday School, Bible Class and young peoples work.
PART 1
God, Creation, the Fall
and the Covenant of Grace
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God made me.
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God made all things.
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For his own glory.
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By loving him and doing what he commands.
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The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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God is a Spirit and has not a body like men.
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God is everywhere.
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No; I cannot see God, but he always sees me.
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Yes; God can do all his holy will.
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In the Bible only.
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Holy men who were taught by the Holy Spirit.
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Adam and Eve.
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God made the body of Adam out of the ground and formed Eve from the body of Adam.
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He gave them souls that could never die.
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Yes; I have a soul that can never die.
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Because the Bible tells me so.
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No; they sinned against God.
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Sin is either neglecting to do what God requires, or doing what God forbids.
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In eating the forbidden fruit, they disobeyed God.
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The devil tempted Eve and she gave the fruit to Adam.
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Instead of being holy and happy, they became sinful and unhappy.
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No; he represented all mankind.
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All mankind are born in a state of sin and unhappiness.
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No; our hearts must be changed before we can be fit for heaven.
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The Holy Spirit alone.
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An agreement between two or more persons.
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With Christ, his eternal Son.
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His elect people.
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To keep the whole law for his people and to suffer the punishment due to their sins.
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Christ, the Son of God became man that he might obey and suffer in our nature.
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Christ’s satisfying devine justice, by his sufferings and death, in the place of sinners.
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To save sinners from the guilt, power and presence of sin.
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By effectually calling him through the gospel.
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It is God taking sinners into his family and treating them as his children.
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It is God making sinners holy in heart and conduct.
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It is God making sinners perfect in body and soul at the resurrection.
PART 2
The Ten Commandments
and the Lord’s Prayer
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Ten commandments.
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Our duty to God.
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Our duty to our fellow men.
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To love God with all my heart and my neighbour as myself.
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All my fellow men are my neighbours.
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Yes; he says “I love them that love me”.
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Yes, “God is angry with the wicked every day”.
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You must not have any other gods before me.
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You must not make for yourself any idol, nor worship nor serve it.
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To worship God in the right way and to avoid idolatry.
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You must not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
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To reverence God’s name, word and works.
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Remember Sunday, to keep it holy.
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In resting from our daily work, worshipping God and in doing good to our fellow men.
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Honour your father and mother.
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You must not murder.
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To avoid hatred and angry passions.
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You must not commit adultery.
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To be pure in thought, word and deed.
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You must not steal.
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You must not bear false witness against anybody.
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To tell the truth and not to lie about others.
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You must not covet.
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They teach us our duty and show us our need of a Saviour.
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Asking God for things according to his will, confession of sins and giving thanks for his goodness.
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Only in the name of Christ.
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The Lord’s Prayer.
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“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it s in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
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That God’s name may be honoured by everyone.
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“Thy kingdom come.”
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That the gospel may be preached in all the world and believed and obeyed by everyone.
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“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
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That men on earth may serve God as the angels do in heaven.
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“Give us this day our daily bread.”
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That God would give us all things needful for our bodies.
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That God will pardon our sins for Christ’s sake and help us to forgive those who have sinned against us.
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“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
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That God would keep us from sin.
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PART 3
Christ, the Church
and the Last Things
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The painful and shameful death of the cross.
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For those whom the Father had given him.
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Only those who repent of sin, believe in Christ and lead holy lives.
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To be sorry for sin and to hate and forsake it because it is displeasing to God.
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To trust in Christ alone for salvation.
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No; I can do nothing good without God’s Holy Spirit.
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God has told us that we must pray to him for the Holy Spirit.
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By believing in the Saviour to come.
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Christ, the Lamb of God, who was to die for sinners.
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He does the work of a prophet, a priest and a king.
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Because he teaches us the will of God.
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Because he rules over us and defends us.
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Because I am ignorant.
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Because I am guilty.
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Because I am weak and helpless.
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“Go into all the world and preach the gospel.”
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To establish Christ’s Church.
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By God adopting them into his family, through repentance and faith.
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Hearing and reading God’s word, prayer and attendance upon the ordinances.
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Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
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The Lord Jesus Christ.
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To show that his disciples belong to him and to remind them of what he has done for them.
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The washing with water.
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That we are cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ.
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In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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Those who repent of their sins and believe in Christ for salvation.
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Yes; for he says, “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God”.
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The eating of bread and drinking of wine in remembrance of the sufferings and death of Christ.
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The body of Christ, broken for our sins.
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The blood of Christ, shed for our salvation.
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Only those who repent of their sins, believe in Christ for salvation and love their fellow men.
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Elders and deacons.
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Caring for the spiritual and material needs of the church.
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No; he rose from the tomb on the third day after his death.
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In heaven, seated at the right hand of God the Father.
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Yes; at the last day he will come to judge the world.
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Yes; there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.
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They shall be cast into hell.
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A place of dreadful and endless punishment.
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They shall live with Christ for ever, in a new heaven and a new earth.
Acknowledgement
This Catechism has been reproduced on this website by kind permission of Hayes Town Chapel. It was first published by them in booklet form in 1970 and is still available from them in hard copy format.