The Westminster Larger Catechism

Questions 153—160: On Benefitting from Christ's

Mediation

Q. 153. What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us by reason of the transgression of the law?

A. That we may escape the wrath and curse of God due to us by reason of the transgression of the law, he requireth of us repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ^a, and the diligent use of the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation^b.

^a Acts 20:21; Matt. 3:7,8; Luke 13:3,5; Acts 16:30,31; John 3:16,18 ^b Prov. 2:1-5; Prov. 8:33-36

Q. 154. What are the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation?

A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to his church the benefits of his mediation, are all his ordinances; especially the word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for their salvation^a.

^a Matt. 28:19,20; Acts 2:42,46,47

Q. 155. How is the word made effectual to salvation?

A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the word, an effectual means of enlightening^a, convincing, and humbling sinners^b; of driving them out of themselves, and drawing them unto Christ^c; of conforming them to his image^d, and subduing them to his will^e; of strengthening them against temptations and corruptions^f; of building them up in grace^g, and establishing their hearts in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation^h.

^a Neh. 8:8; Acts 26:18; Ps. 19:8 ^b 1 Cor. 14:24,25; 2 Chron. 34:18,19,26-28 ^c Acts 2:37,41; Acts 8:27,39 ^d 2 Cor. 3:18 ^e 2 Cor. 10:4-6; Rom. 6:17 ^f Matt. 4:4,7,10; Eph. 6:16,17; Ps. 19:11; 1 Cor. 10:11 ^g Acts 20:32; 2 Tim. 3:15-17 ^h Rom. 16:25; 1 Thess. 3:2,10,11,13; Rom. 15:4; Rom. 10:13-17; Rom. 1:16

Q. 156. Is the word of God to be read by all?

A. Although all are not to be permitted to read the word publickly to the congregation^a, yet all sorts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves^b, and with their families^c: to which end, the holy scriptures are to be translated out of the original into vulgar languages^d.

^a Deut. 31:9,11-13; Neh. 8:2,3; Neh. 9:3-5 ^b Deut. 17:19; Rev. 1:3; John 5:39; Isa. 34:16 ^c Deut. 6:6-9; Gen. 18:17,19; Ps. 78:5-7 ^d 1 Cor. 14:6,9,11,12,15,16,24,27,28

Q. 157. How is the word of God to be read?

A. The holy scriptures are to be read with an high and reverent esteem of them^a; with a firm persuasion that they are the very word of God^b, and that he only can enable us to understand them^c; with desire to know, believe, and obey the will of God revealed in them^d; with diligence^e, and attention to the matter and scope of them^f; with meditation^g, application^h, self-denialⁱ, and prayer^k.

^a Ps. 19:10; Neh. 8:3-10; Exod. 24:7; 2 Chron. 34:27; Isa. 66:2 ^b 2 Pet. 1:19-21 ^c Luke 24:45; 2 Cor. 3:13-16 ^d Deut. 17:10,20 ^e Acts 17:11 ^f Acts 8:30,34; Luke 10:26-28 ^g Ps. 1:2; Ps. 119:97 ^h 2 Chron. 34:21 ⁱ Prov. 3:5; Deut. 33:3 ^k Prov. 2:1-6; Ps. 119:18; Neh. 7:6,8

Q. 158. By whom is the word of God to be preached?

A. The word of God is to be preached only by such as are sufficiently gifted^a, and also duly approved and called to that office^b.

^a 1 Tim. 3:2,6; Eph. 4:8,9-11; Hosea 4:6; Mal. 2:7; 2 Cor. 3:6 ^b Jer. 14:15; Rom. 10:15; Heb. 5:4; 1 Cor. 12:28,29; 1 Tim. 3:10; 1 Tim. 4:14; 1 Tim. 5:22

Q. 159. How is the word of God to be preached by those that are called thereunto?

A. They that are called to labour in the ministry of the word, are to preach sound doctrine^a, diligently^b, in season and out of season^c; plainly^d, not in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power^e; faithfully^f, making known the whole counsel of God^g: wisely^h, applying themselves to the necessities and capacities of the hearersⁱ; zealously^k, with fervent love to God^l and the souls of his people^m; sincerelyⁿ, aiming at his glory^o, and their conversion^p, edification^q, and salvation^r.

^a Tit. 2:1,8 ^b Acts 18:25 ^c 2 Tim. 4:2 ^d 1 Cor. 14:19 ^e 1 Cor. 2:4 ^f Jer. 23:28; 1 Cor. 4:1,2 ^g Acts 20:27 ^h Col. 1:28; 2 Tim. 2:15 ⁱ 1 Cor. 3:2; Heb. 5:12-14; Luke 12:42 ^k Acts18:25 ^l 2 Cor. 5:13,14; Phil. 1:15-17 ^m Col. 4:12; 2 Cor. 12:15 ⁿ 2 Cor. 2:17; 2 Cor. 4:2 ^o 1 Thess. 2:4-6; John 7:18 ^p 1 Cor. 9:19-22 ^q 2 Cor. 12:19; Eph. 4:12 ^r 1 Tim. 4:16; Acts 26:16-18 

Q. 160. What is required of those that hear the word preached?

A. It is required of those that hear the word preached that they attend upon it with diligence^a, preparation^b, and prayer^c; examine what they hear by the scriptures^d; receive the truth with faith^e, love^f, meekness^g, and readiness of mind^h, as the word of Godⁱ; meditate^k, and confer of it^l; hide it in their hearts^m, and bring forth the fruit of it in their livesⁿ.

^a Prov. 8:34 ^b 1 Pet. 2:1,2; Luke 8:18 ^c Ps. 110:18; Eph. 6:18,19 ^d Acts 17:11 ^e Heb. 4:2 ^f 2 Thess. 2:10 ^g James 1:21 ^h Acts 17:11 ⁱ 1 Thess. 2:13 ^k Luke 9:44; Heb. 2:1 ^l Luke 24:14; Deut. 6:6,7 ^m Prov. 2:1; Ps. 119:11 ⁿ Luke 8:15; James 1:25