TOPICS » Catechism

Resources to Help Better Understand the Baptist Catechism

Church, I wanted to share with you three resources that I have found useful in my studying of the Baptist Catechism. While two of the three resources are based on the Westminster Shorter Catechism, you will see that the WSC and Baptist Catechism are very similar. A majority of the differences are in regards to the teaching on Baptism and the numbering of the catechism questions (the sequence of the doctrinal standards are the same). I have provided a link to amazon.com for you to view in more detail. If you would like to review a physical copy of one of these resources please see me as I will have them with me on Sundays.

Training Hearts, Teaching Minds Family Devotions Based on the Shorter Catechism by Starr Meade

This devotional book provides material and scripture passages to read and discuss from Monday through Saturday. It is a quick and easy read with practical insight and application perfect to incorporate into your family worship time.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism: For Study Classes by G. I. Williamson

This resource is a more in depth treatment of the catechism.  On average, four to six pages are dedicated to the explanation of individual or group of doctrinal standards. The author often includes simple illustrations to help articulate the concepts being taught, provides an abundance of scripture references, and discussion questions at the end of each section.

A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism by Benjamin Beddome

Benjamin Beddome, a minister who lived from 1717-1795 wrote, A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism which explains the Baptist Catechism by the way of further asking questions and providing the answers to those questions by directly quoting scripture.

Posted in Books, Catechism, Family, Parenting, Phil Anady, Posted by Phil. Comments Off on Resources to Help Better Understand the Baptist Catechism

Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #52

Doctrinal Standard #52

  • Q. What are the reasons for the second commandment?
  • A. The reasons for the second commandment are that God totally rules over us, that we belong to Him, and that He is eager to be worshipped correctly.

Memory Verses

  • The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. 18 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 115:17–18, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Psalm 115
  • Support Passages: Exodus 20:5, Deuteronomy 4:24, 5:9, 6:14-15, Exodus 34:10-17, James 4:5
  • Bible Story: John 2:13-17

Thoughts

  • “God totally rules over all He has created, which means He totally rules over us. Kings have the right to command their subjects to approach them in the way that they desire. How much more does God, the King of all, have the right to tell His subjects how He wants them to worship! Beyond that, we, who are God’s people through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, have committed ourselves to serving Him forever as our Lord and Master. We are to be eager to serve Him. We should be glad that He has told us how to worship Him so that we can do as He wills.”
  • “Because God made all things, all things belong to Him. That includes us. Because God bought His people for Himself with the blood of His Son, we doubly belong to Him. We belong to Him because He made us and because He bought us for Himself. God has the right to do as He pleases with us, His creatures. When He tells us how to come to Him in worship, we are to obey Him.”
  • “The reasons for the second commandment are that God totally rules over us, that we belong to Him, and the He is eager to be correctly worshipped. God is eager to be worshiped because He is worthy of worship and because the highest good for man is to worship God. God is eager to be worshiped correctly because worship that is other than what He has commanded harms man and insults God. As the Israelites prepared to enter the land God had promised them, God told them that He would make them able to drive out the people who had been living there. This was because those people served other gods. Their worship of idols was extremely offensive to God. He warned the Israelites that, when they entered the Promised Land, they must destroy all the idols and places of worship these people had used. They must not leave anything that might tempt them to worship the true God incorrectly.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • Does God rule over all mankind? Explain.
  • In addition to being created by God, why do Christians belong to God?
  • Why is God eager to be worshiped?
  • Is your heart eager to worship God? Explain.
  • Explain how God desires to be worshiped.


[1] Meade, Starr (200). Training Heart, Teaching Minds. Phillipsburg, New Jersey, USA; P&R Publishing Company.


One Reason we Catechize our Children

“[An]… important fact… well established is, that true religion prevails in any community, in proportion to the degree in which the young are instructed in the facts and indoctrinated in the truths of the Bible… The question does not concern the reason why the religious education of the young is so important; or the way in which that education can most advantageously be secured; but simply the fact that where the young are from the beginning imbued with the knowledge of the Bible, there pure Christianity abides; and where they are allowed to grow up in ignorance of divine truth, there true religion languishes and loses more and more its power. Such is the testimony of experience.

It is, therefore, the united testimony of Scripture and of history that the Bible, the Word of God, is the great means of promoting the sanctification and salvation of men, that is, of securing their temporal and eternal well being. Those consequently who are opposed to religion; who desire the reign of indifferentism, or the return of heathen doctrines and heathen morality, are consistent and wise in their generation, in endeavouring to undermine the authority of the Bible; to discourage its circulation; to discountenance attendance on its preaching; and especially to oppose its being effectually taught to the young. Those on the other hand who believe that without holiness no man can see God, and that without the light of divine truth, holiness is impossible, are bound as pastors, as parents, and as citizens to insist that the Bible shall have free course, and that it shall be faithfully taught to all under their influence or for whose training they are responsible.”

Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology – Volume 3, Page 470

via One Reason we Catechize our Children « On the Road to Emmaus.



"Him we proclaim,
warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone mature in Christ."
(Colossians 1:28, ESV)

© 2011-2022 Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church