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Q5 Q7

Q6. What do the scriptures make known of God?

A. The scriptures make known what God is, the persons in the Godhead, his decrees, and the execution of his decrees.

See also in WCF: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 See also in WSC: Q4, Q5, Q6 Compare: God and the Holy Trinity
Heb. 11:6
[6] And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
1 John 5:7
[7] For there are three that testify:
Acts 15:14-15,18
[14] Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. [15] And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, [18] known from of old.’
Acts 4:27-28
[27] for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, [28] to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

Quest. VI.

QUEST. VI. What do the scriptures make known of God?

ANSW. The scriptures make known what God is, the persons in the Godhead, the decrees, and the execution of his decrees.

It is an amazing instance of condescension, and an inexpressible favour which God bestows on man, that he should manifest himself to him, and that not only in such a way as he does to all mankind, by the light of nature, which discovers that he is; but that he should, in so glorious a way, declare what he is, as he does in his word: this is a distinguishing privilege, as the Psalmist observes, when speaking of God’s shewing his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel, Psal. cxlvii. he mentions it, as an instance of discriminating grace, in that he has not dealt so with any other nation. This raised the admiration of one of Christ’s disciples, when he said, Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not unto the world! John xiv. 22. And it is still more wonderful, that he should discover to man what he does, or rather what he has decreed or purposed to do, and so should impart his secrets to him; how familiarly does God herein deal with man! Thus he says concerning the holy patriarch of old, Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do? Gen. xvi. 17. However, it is one thing to know the secret purposes of God, and another thing to know the various properties thereof; the former of these, however known of old, by extraordinary intimation, are now known to us only by the execution of them; the latter is what we may attain to the knowledge of, by studying the scriptures.

Now as the scriptures make known, First, What God is; Secondly, The persons in the Godhead; Thirdly, His decrees; And Fourthly, The execution thereof; so we are directed hereby in the method to be observed in treating of the great doctrines of our religion; and accordingly the first part of this Catechism,[47] which treats of doctrinal subjects, contains an enlargement on these four general heads; the first whereof we proceed to consider.

Footnote 47:

That is unto the 91st Quest.

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Q5: What do the scriptures principally teach? Q7: What is God?

The Nature of God

The being, attributes, and persons of the Godhead

Q6. What do the scriptures make known of God?

A. The scriptures make known what God is, the persons in the Godhead, his decrees, and the execution of his decrees.

Q7. What is God?

A. God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

Q8. Are there more Gods than one?

A. There is but one only, the living and true God.

Q9. How many persons are there in the Godhead?

A. There be three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties.

Q10. What are the personal properties of the three persons in the Godhead?

A. It is proper to the Father to beget the Son, and to the Son to be begotten of the Father, and to the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son from all eternity.

Q11. How doth it appear that the Son and the Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father?

A. The scriptures manifest that the Son and the Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father, ascribing unto them such names, attributes, works, and worship, as are proper to God only.