Lesson 2: Introducing The Baptist Catechism
Introduction
Hello, and welcome to lesson 2 of An Introduction To The Christian Faith. In the previous lesson, I stated the objective of this course. As the title of the course suggests, my goal is to introduce the Christian faith to you. Stated differently, my goal in this course is to teach you basic Christian doctrine. At the very end of that first introductory lesson, I mentioned that I would use a catechism as a teaching tool. Now, in this second introductory lesson, my objective is to, one, explain what a catechism is and why they are useful, and two, introduce you to the catechism we will use, namely, The Baptist Catechism.
The Holy Scriptures Are Our Final Authority
There is something I should say before we turn our attention to catechisms in general and The Baptist Catechism in particular. This was said in the first introductory lesson, and it will be said again and again throughout our study. Please hear me, the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are our final authority in matters of faith and obedience. Where do we find the content of the faith? What is our final authority in matters of faith and obedience? Answer: The Holy Scriptures. The truth regarding God, creation, man, sin, and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is revealed in the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures are our final authority in matters of faith and obedience. This means that neither the Baptist Catechism, the Second London Confession of Faith, or any other non-inspired human document, is authoritative in a supreme way. If these non-inspired human documents are in any way authoritative to us, it is only in a secondary sense. And they are authoritative in this lower, secondary sense only so far as they faithfully summarize the teaching of Holy Scripture.
Why Use A Catechism?
At this point, some might ask, why use a catechism at all, then? Why not go straight to our primary and supreme authority, the Bible?
The answer is simple. As was communicated in the first introductory lesson, God has called pastors to teach the faith. Pastors must study Scripture, know the teaching of Scripture, and teach the faith to the people of God and to those who do not yet know Christ. Obviously, this requires pastors to do more than merely read the Bible to people. They must also interpret the Bible and deliver the message of the Bible to others in a precise, orderly, and clear way.
One question I have for those who object to the use of catechisms is this: do you also object to preaching? Do you object to the writing of commentaries on Scripture? Do you object to the writing of systematic theologies or other books about the Bible? If you object to the use of catechisms and confessions of faith, then you ought to be consistent and object to these other non-inspired works as well. When pastors preach and when theologians write books about the Bible, they are obviously doing more than simply reading Scripture. They are interpreting Scripture and they are delivering the teaching of the Bible in their own words, hopefully in a precise, orderly, and clear way. What makes a sermon or a book about the Bible good or bad? Many things! But the most important question we must ask ourselves when listening to a sermon or reading a book about the Bible is this: is the teaching I am receiving faithful to the teaching of Holy Scripture? Is the message of the sermon or book the message of Scripture? Friends, the Bible is not written in a systematic way. For the most part, it is not written in a topical way. One of the jobs of a pastor is to take the clear teaching of the Bible and summarize it or systematize it so that the faith can be taught in a way that is accurate and understandable. A good catechism is nothing more than a faithful summary of the teaching of Holy Scripture. Not all catechisms are good. Some should be rejected because they are not true to Scripture. Others might be rejected because they are not so clear or thorough. But a good catechism can be of great use in teaching the faith. The good ones ought to be received and used by the people of God for training and edification.
I will admit that the faith could be introduced to someone by picking up the Bible and beginning to read starting at Genesis 1:1. After all, the Bible alone is our authority for truth! But think of how long this would take. And think of how difficult it would be for a non-believer or a new believer to put all the pieces of the Bible together. It is better for pastors (and parents, ect.) to introduce the faith to those under their care in a systematic way wherein the teachings of the Bible on a given topic are carefully gathered together and summarized so that the content of the faith might be delivered in a clear, orderly, and concise way. Systematic theologies do this. Confessions of faith and creeds do this. And catechisms do this too. These works ask the question, what does the whole Bible teach about this subject or that? And then they attempt to answer the question with precision and care. Non-believers and new believers should be encouraged to read Scripture. But they should also be taught the faith in an orderly, clear, and concise way. That is what I hope to do in this course through the use of a catechism.
We will use the Baptist Catechism because it is a good catechism. I say it is good, first and foremost, because it is true to Scripture. Also, it is good because the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ shines brightly through this document. Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is the central message of Scripture and we will find that it is the central message of this catechism too. Furthermore, I regard The Baptist Catechism to be good because it is orderly, clear, thorough yet concise. Also, it has stood the test of time, and I think that is important.
The Baptist Catechism
Finally, we come to consider The Baptist Catechism itself.
What is a catechism? It is a document that teaches the core doctrines of the faith by asking important questions and providing carefully crafted short answers. The one we subscribe to is called the Baptist Catechism. This document was compiled between 1693 and 1695. I say that it was written in between these dates because an association of Baptist churches in and around London requested in the year 1693 that a catechism be written for use within their churches. The oldest copy of the catechism that we have was printed in the year 1695, but by then it was in its fifth printing. This tells us two things. One, this catechism was really popular amongst the Baptists. It must have been to have gone through five printings in such a short time! Two, this document must have been printed for the first time before the year 1695. It was likely first printed in 1693.
Who wrote The Baptist Catechism? A Pastor named William Collins edited this catechism. I say that he edited this document because he did not write it from scratch. Instead, he took another catechism – one that was well known and much loved at that time – and altered it slightly so that it would agree with the beliefs and Confession of Faith of the Particular (we say, Reformed) Baptists. The catechism he altered is called the Westminster Shorter Catechism (WSC). That catechism continues to be loved and used by many today. So, The Baptist Catechism is an alteration of the WSC.
You should know that of the 114 questions and answers found in The Baptist Catechism, only 18 differ from the WSC. That tells us two things. One, the Baptists largely agree with the WSC. Only 18 questions and answers differ, and some of the differences are very minor. Two, the Baptists obviously disagreed with the WSC on some important points, otherwise there would not have been a need for a catechism of their own! Most of the disagreements between the two documents center on the question, who should be baptized and how? The WSC teaches that believers and the infant children of believers are to be baptized. The Baptist Catechism teaches that only those who make a credible profession of faith in Jesus (something infants and small children cannot do) are to be baptized. The WSC teaches that baptism can be administered by the sprinkling or pouring (effusion) of water. The Baptist Catechism teaches that immersion, that is to say, the dipping of the whole person in water, is the proper mode of baptism. The differences between these documents are important to note, but so too are the similarities. Yes, the Baptists wanted to have a catechism that taught their distinctive beliefs. Before this, many of them were using the WSC in their homes. But they also wished to highlight their substantial agreement with the WSC and with their brethren who subscribed to it. This is why Pastor William Collins, acting in the service of his association of churches, took the approach of editing the WSC instead of starting from scratch.
Earlier in this lesson I made a passing reference to another document called the Second London Confession of Faith. Please allow me to say just a little bit about that document and its relationship to our catechism. Confessions of faith and catechisms share this in common – they both symbolize or summarize the faith. But they differ in a couple of ways. Confessions tend to be longer. They are more detailed. They state the faith more thoroughly and precisely than catechisms typically do. They are not so easy to memorize. Neither are they very useful for teaching the basics of the faith. You should know that the WSC was written to summarize and teach the doctrines expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith. The Baptist Catechism (written around 1693) was written to summarize the doctrines expressed in our confession of faith – the Second London Confession. Our confession was written in 1677 and formally adopted by the Baptist churches in 1689. You might enjoy reading the Second London Confession of Faith as we progress through our study of the Baptist Catechism. You’ll find that the two documents agree. You’ll also find that the confession is a much more detailed and thorough statement of faith when compared to the catechism. It was the catechism that was designed to be used as a teaching tool, and so we will use it in this course to teach basic Christian doctrine.
An Outline Of The Baptist Catechism
At this time I would like to present you with a simple outline of the Baptist Catechism. You might be tempted to tune out here. I would encourage you to resist that temptation. I think you will find it very helpful to know something about the structure of the catechism as we progress through this study. To be clear, the Baptist Catechism wasn’t written in outline form. The 114 questions and answers are simply listed, one after the other. But as one carefully considers this document, an outline does emerge. And as I have said, the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed in this document, not once, but twice and in two different ways. That’s really what I want to show you in this outline. I want to show you the good news of Jesus Christ. Now, it’s possible that others would outline the catechism in a slightly different way than I have. And I’ll admit that there might be a better way to slice this cake – this is my best attempt.
Our catechism is clearly divided into three sections. I don’t think anyone will argue with that.
Questions 1-6: First Principles Of True Religion
Questions 1-6 make up the first section of our catechism. It is here that the first principles of true religion are taught. First principles are those truths that must be known before other truths can be considered and comprehended. If someone wants to learn how to read, they first must learn their A-B-C’s. If someone wants to do algebra, they must first learn to count and then to add. Questions 1-6 of our catechism function like that. They lay a foundation of the most basic religious truths so that we can build upon them as we move forward.
I won’t be reading all of the 114 questions and answers of the Baptist Catechism with you in this lesson, but I would like to read these first six. Listen carefully to Baptist Catechism questions 1-6.
Q. 1. Who is the first and chiefest being?
A. God is the first and chiefest being. (Isaiah 44:6; Psalm 8:1; 97:9)
Q. 2. Ought everyone to believe there is a God?
A. Everyone ought to believe there is a God; and it is their great sin and folly who do not. (Hebrews 11:6, Psalm 14:1)
Q. 3. How may we know there is a God?
A. The light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare that there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only do it fully and effectually for the salvation of sinners. (Rom. 1:18-20; Psalm 19:1,2; 2 Tim. 3:15; 1 Cor. 1:21-24; 1 Cor. 2:9,10)
Q. 4. What is the Word of God?
A. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience. (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; Isaiah 8:20)
Q. 5. May all men make use of the Holy Scriptures?
A. All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Holy Scriptures. (John 5:39; Luke 16:29; Acts 8:28-30; 17:11)
Q. 6. What things are chiefly contained in the Holy Scriptures?
A. The Holy Scriptures chiefly contain what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man. (2 Tim. 3:16,17; John 20:31; Acts 24:14; 1 Cor. 10:11; Eccles. 12:13)
I’ll comment on these questions and answers in future lessons. I think you can see, even upon a first reading, that these are first principles. These questions and answers establish the most fundamental of religious truths: God exists. He is the first and highest being. The beginning of wisdom is to believe in his existence. To deny his existence, or to live as if he does not exist, is a great sin and the beginning of a life of folly. These questions and answers also tell us how God can be known. He reveals himself generally in the world he has made, but he reveals himself much more clearly through the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures are then identified as the books of the Old and New Testaments. And finally, in question 6 we are told what the Scriptures are mainly about.
Question and answer 6 is very important for two reasons. One, it is important because it is true! The Scriptures do tell us what we should believe concerning God and what God requires of us – that is a very nice summary of Holy Scripture. And two, it is important because it provides an outline for the rest of the catechism. Listen to question and answer 6 again: “What things are chiefly [mainly; supremely] contained in the Holy Scriptures?” Answer: “The Holy Scriptures chiefly contain what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man.”
It would be good for you to know that the rest of the catechism answers these two questions. Questions 7-43 of our catechism will teach us what man ought to believe concerning God, and questions 44-114 will answer the question, what is the duty that God requires of man?
This structure is rather obvious. Listen to question 7, which is the first question of the second major section of our catechism. Question 7 asks, “What is God?” So, question 6 says the Scriptures teach us what we are to believe concerning God, and question 7 asks and answers, “What is God?” Questions 7-43 we will teach us what we are to believe about God. Also, we will learn about man, sin, and salvation in Jesus Christ. But it should be noted that these other subjects are all considered from the vantage point of their relation to God. Man is considered as God’s creature. The first sin was a breaking of God’s covenant. And our salvation is the work of the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, although many subjects are addressed in questions 7-43 of our catechism, ultimately they are all about God and his works.
Now listen to question 44. It asks, “What is the duty which God requireth of man?” Again, this should remind us of question and answer 6. Question 44 marks the beginning of the third major section of our catechism which is all about the duty that God requires of us.
I hope you can see that our catechism aims to be faithful to the teaching of Holy Scripture not only in what it says but also in its structure. Our catechism aims to be mainly about what the Scriptures are mainly about.
An Overview Of Questions 7-43: What Man Ought To Believe Concerning God
Now, please allow me to present you with a very quick and high-level overview of what is taught in the second major section of our catechism, questions 7-43. And before I do, may I encourage you to not tune out? This is important. Again, the main question being addressed here in this section is, what should man believe concerning God?
In questions 7-15 we learn about God: his nature, his decrees, his work of creation, his work of providence, and the covenant of works (or life) that he made with man in the beginning, in the garden, before sin entered the world. That is a very important section.
In questions 16-22, we learn about man’s alienation (or separation) from God by Adam’s fall into sin. You might be thinking, but I thought we were going to learn about God in the section, but now we are talking about man! Remember what I said earlier? In this section, we will learn about God and all things in relation to him. Again, in questions 16-22, we learn about man’s alienation from God by his fall into sin. Man is considered, but it is from the vantage point of man’s covenantal relationship to God.
In questions 23-31, we learn about the redemption (or salvation) that God has accomplished for fallen sinners through Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God incarnate. This is a beautiful section. Questions 16-22 deliver a lot of bad news. Questions 23-31 bring us good news.
In questions 32-43, we learn about how the redemption that Christ has accomplished is applied to God’s elect in time through the preached word and by the working of God the Holy Spirit. Christ earned our salvation on the cross, but how do we come to be saved? And what are the benefits that come to those who are saved through faith in Jesus? These are the questions that this section addresses.
This section about the application of salvation to the elect of God by the Spirit of God can be broken down into three smaller sections. Firstly, in questions 32-34 we learn about effectual calling. God effectively calls his elect to faith in Christ by his word and Spirit. Secondly, in questions 35-41 we learn about the benefits that come to all who place their faith in Christ both in this life and the life to come. Thirdly, in questions 42-43 we learn about what those who have faith in Christ are saved from, namely, God’s judgment.
The Gospel Of Jesus Christ In Questions 7-43
Earlier, I said that the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is presented twice in this catechism and in two different ways. The first presentation of the gospel is found in this section that I have just outlined for you. Here in this section, the gospel is presented in a redemptive-historical way. By this I mean that the gospel of Jesus Christ is presented by telling the story that is found in the Bible regarding God’s creation, man’s fall into sin, the accomplishment of redemption by Jesus nearly 2,000 years ago, and how it is that that salvation is received by people living in time, namely, through faith in Christ. History is the story of humanity. Redemptive-history is history narrowly focused on the events related to the accomplishment of our redemption by Jesus Christ. And I am saying that Baptist Catechism questions 7-43 tell that story.
Please, let me show you what I mean. After our catechism teaches us about God, his creation, the covenant he made with man in the garden, man’s fall into sin by the breaking of that covenant, and the terrible consequences of sin, namely the miseries of this life, death, and eternal judgment, our catechism then asks in question 23, “Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?” The answer is good news. “God having out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some 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.” Question 24 then asks, “Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?” Answer: “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 continueth to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person, forever.” Our catechism then goes on to tell us all about Jesus and what he did to earn our salvation. After that, Baptist Catechism question 32 asks, “How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?” In other words, how does this salvation that Christ has earned so long ago come to be ours today? Answer: “We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us, by His Holy Spirit.” Question 33 then asks, “How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?” Answer: “The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.” So, we are saved from our sin and misery by trusting in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer that God has provided to save us from our sins. It is after this that we are told all about the benefits of salvation that come to the believer through their Spirit-wrought union to Christ.
I hope you can see how the story of God’s creation and covenant and the bad news concerning man’s fall into sin paves the way for the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ. The dark and sad story about sin and its consequences is bad news. But the bad news makes the good news of salvation through faith in Christ understandable. God in his mercy has provided a Redeemer. His name is Jesus. He accomplished redemption for those given to him by the Father by living a sinless life before God, dying in the place of God’s elect on the cross, and rising again on the third day in victory. How does the salvation that Christ earned so long ago come to be ours today? It is received by faith (see Ephesians 2:8-9). To be saved, we must repent and trust in Jesus.
An Overview Of Questions 44-114: The Duty God Requires Of Man
Finally, please allow me to present you with a brief overview of the third major section of our catechism, questions 44-114. Even though this is a large section, the overview won’t take long.
Question 44 asks, “What is the duty which God requireth of man?” This reminds us of Baptist Catechism 6. The answer is, “The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to His revealed will.” Question 45 then asks, “What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?” Answer: “The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the moral law.” Question 46 then asks, “Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?” Answer: “The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.” And it is in questions 47-89 that we find very helpful teaching on the Ten Commandments. Each commandment is stated, and then we learn what each commandment forbids and requires. So, what is the duty that God requires of man? Man is to obey God’s law. All men are to obey God’s moral law, or his natural law, as summarized in the Ten Commandments. This is a good answer to the question, what is the duty which God requireth of man?, don’t you think?
It’s a good answer, but if you have an accurate view of God’s law and of yourself, you will also find it to be a troubling answer. The Baptist Catechism helps us to see the problem in question 87 by asking, “Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?” Answer: “No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but daily break them in thought, word, or deed.” Now, that’s a problem, isn’t it? Question 89 then asks, “What doth every sin deserve?” The answer is truly troubling: “Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come.”
I’ll explain these questions and answers more carefully when we come to them in our study. For now, I want you to see that God’s moral law as summarized in the Ten Commandments is used in two ways by our catechism. Firstly, it is used as a light to guide our steps. What is the duty that God requires of man? In other words, how does God want us to walk in this world? Well, here is the light for your feet. It is God’s moral law as summarized in the Ten Commandments. Keep these laws. Walk in this way. That is a really good way to use God’s, by the way. In fact, the Scriptures use God’s law in this way. What is God’s will for you? You are to keep his commandments. But our catechism – just like the Scriptures – uses God’s moral law in another way, and that is as a rod to discipline us to show us our sin and our need for a Savior (see Galatians 3:19-29). So, the same law has multiple uses. God’s law is a light to our feet, and God’s law is a disciplinarian that shows us our sin and, therefore, our need for a Redeemer.
Do you remember how in questions 7-43 the bad news about man’s fall into sin and all of the terrible consequences of that were delivered first, and after that the good news concerning salvation through faith in Jesus Christ the Redeemer was proclaimed? Well, something similar happens in this third and final section of the catechism. God’s law is used to show us our sin and our need for a Savior. After that, the gospel of salvation through faith in Christ is presented. In questions 7-43 the gospel of Jesus Christ is presented in a redemptive-historical way. In questions 44-114, the gospel is presented in a law/gospel way.
In questions 87-89 the moral law of God is rightly used to convict and condemn us all. Listen now to question 90: “What doth God require of us that we may escape His wrath and curse, due to us for sin?” Answer: “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.” We will consider this question and answer more carefully later in this study. For now, notice two things. One, the word “require” should remind us of Baptist Catechism questions 6 and 44. What is the duty God requires of man? Now we have two answers. Firstly, we are to obey God’s revealed will, his moral law. Secondly, now that we are fallen and in sin, God requires us faith in Jesus Christ to be saved from our sins. The second thing that I want to point out to you is that question 90 is good news. Like question 23 in the previous section, question 90 is like a beam of light that cuts through the thick darkness of this portion of our catechism. It is wonderful to consider.
Moving quickly now through the remainder of the document – faith, and repentance are defined in questions 91 and 92. The outward and ordinary means of grace that were mentioned in question 90 are identified and explained in questions 93 -114. They are the word of God, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. These are the things that God ordinarily uses to bring sinners to faith and repentance and to grow them up in the faith. Christians have a duty (think of question 6 again) to use them, therefore. Christians must devote themselves to hearing God’s word read and preached. They are to be baptized once and partake of the Lord’s Supper faithfully and regularly. Christians are to pray. Our catechism concludes with some wonderful teaching on prayer, using the Lord’s Prayer as a guide.
Conclusion
I commend you for making it all the way through this long lesson. I hope you can see the value of it. We are about to embark on a study through the 114 questions and answers of The Baptist Catechism. It’s important to know where we are going! It’s important to be aware of the overall structure of this document so that we don’t get lost in the details along the way. It is especially important to remember the gospel of Jesus Christ when we are in those “bad news” sections of the catechism. The bad news is very important. Without it, the good news cannot be understood. But as we contemplate the bad news, I want you to remember that good news is coming. Thanks be to God, he has not left us to perish in our sin and misery, but has, by “his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some 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“, Christ the Lord (see Baptist Catechism 22). Thanks be God, he has provided a way for us to escape the wrath and curse due to us for sin. And what is that way? It is through faith in Jesus Christ the Redeemer (see Baptist Catechism 90). I hope and pray that you turn from your sin, trust in him, and honor him as Lord all the days of your life.
Until next time, abide in Christ.
An Outline Of The Baptist Catechism
- First Principles (1-6)
Foundational truths are established here which make the gospel of Jesus Christ intelligible. - What Man Ought To Believe Concerning God (7-43) (7-43)
The gospel is presented in this section in a redemptive-historical way (see especially questions 32-34).- God: His Nature, Decrees, Creation, Providence, And Covenant (7-15)
- Sin: Man’s Alienation From God By His Fall Into Sin (16-22)
- Redemption Accomplished By God Through Christ (23-31)
- Redemption Applied By God Through The Spirit (32-43)
- Effectual Calling Unto Faith In Christ (32-34)
- What Those Effectually Called Are Saved Unto (The Benefits Of Salvation) (35-41)
- What Those Effectually Called Are Saved From (The Miseries Of Damnation) (42-43)
- What Duty God Requires Of Man (44-114)
The gospel is presented in this section in a law/gospel way. First, we learn God’s law (44-86). Second, we learn that no mere man is able to keep God’s law, but sins and deserves God’s judgment (87-89). Third, to escape God’s wrath, we are told that we must turn from our sins and trust in Jesus Christ (see especially questions 90-92). Lastly, the ordinary means of grace are presented to us in questions 93-114. These are the means that God ordinarily uses to call, purify, strengthen, and sustain his people by his grace.- God’s Law (45-89)
- The Gospel (90-114)
- Faith and Repentance (90-92)
- The Outward And Ordinary Means Of Grace (93-114)
- The Word Of God (94-95)
- Baptism (96-101)
- The Lord’s Supper (102-104)
- Prayer (105-114)
