The Larger Catechism – Questions 61-70
Q.
61. Are all they saved who hear the gospel, and live in the church?
A.
All that hear the gospel, and live in the visible church, are not saved; but
they only who are true members of the church invisiblea.
a
John 12:38-40; Rom.9:6; Matt.22:14; Matt.7:21; Rom.11:7
Q.
62. What is the visible church?
A.
The visible church is a society made up of all such as in all ages and places
of the world do profess the true religiona, and of their childrenb.
a
1 Cor.1:2; 1 Cor.12:13; Rom.15:9-12; Rev.7:9; Ps.2:8; Ps.22:27-31; Ps.45:17;
Matt.28:19,20; Isa.59:21b 1 Cor.7:14; Acts 2:39; Rom.11:16; Gen.17:7
Q.
63. What are the special privileges of the visible church?
A.
The visible church hath the privilege of being under God's special care and
governmenta; of being protected and preserved in all ages,
notwithstanding the opposition of all enemiesb; and of enjoying the
communion of saints, the ordinary means of salvationc, and offers
of grace by Christ to all the members of it in the ministry of the gospel,
testifying, that whosoever believes in him shall be savedd, and
excluding none that will come unto hime.
a
Isa.4:5,6; 1 Tim.4:10 b Ps.115; Isa.31:4,5; Zech.12:2-4,8,9 c
Acts 2:39,42 d Ps.147:19,20; Rom.9:4; Eph.4:11,12; Mark
16:15
,16 e John
6:37
Q.
64. What is the invisible church?
A.
The invisible church is the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or
shall be gathered into one under Christ the heada.
a
Eph.1:10,22,23; John 10:16; John 11:52
Q.
65. What special benefits do the members of the invisible church enjoy by
Christ?
A.
The members of the invisible church by Christ enjoy union and communion with
him in grace and glorya.
a
John 17:21; Eph.2:5,6; John 17:24
Q.
66. What is that union which the elect have with Christ?
A.
The union which the elect have with Christ is the work of God's gracea,
whereby they are spiritually and mystically, yet really and inseparably,
joined to Christ as their head and husbandb; which is done in their
effectual callingc.
a
Eph.1:22; Eph.2:6-8 b 1 Cor.6:17; John 10:28; Eph.5:23,30 c 1
Pet.5:10; 1 Cor.1:9
Q.
67. What is effectual calling?
A.
Effectual calling is the work of God's almighty power and gracea,
whereby (out of his free and special love to his elect, and from nothing in
them moving him thereuntob he doth, in his accepted time, invite
and draw them to Jesus Christ, by his word and Spiritc, savingly
enlightening their mindsd, renewing and powerfully determining
their willse, so as they (although in themselves dead in sin) are
hereby made willing and able freely to answer his call, and to accept and
embrace the grace offered and conveyed thereinf.
a
John 5:25; Eph.1:18-20; 2 Tim.1:8,9 b Tit.3:4,5; Eph.2:4,5,7-9;
Rom.9:11 c 2 Cor.5:20 compared with 2 Cor.6:1,2; Joh 6:44; 2
Thess.2:13,14 d Acts 26:18; 1 Cor.2:10,12 e Ezek.11:19;
Ezek.36:26,27; John 6:45 f Eph.2:5; Phil.2:13; Deut.30:6
Q.
68. Are the elect only effectually called?
A.
All the elect, and they only, are effectually calleda; although
others may be, and often are, outwardly called by the ministry of the wordb,
and have some common operations of the Spiritc; who, for their
wilful neglect and contempt of the grace offered to them, being justly left in
their unbelief, do never truly come to Jesus Christd.
a
Acts
13:48
b Matt.22:14 c Matt.7:22; Matt.13:20,21; Heb.6:4-6 d
John 12:38-40; Acts 28:25-27; John 6:64,65; Ps.81:11,12
Q.
69. What is the communion in grace which the members of the invisible church
have with Christ?
A. The communion in grace which the members of the invisible church have with
Christ, is their partaking of the virtue of his mediation, in their
justificationa, adoptionb, sanctification, and whatever
else, in this life, manifests their union with himc.
a
Rom.8:30 b Eph.1:5 c 1 Cor.1:30
Q.
70. What is justification?
A.
Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinnersa, in which
he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous
in his sightb; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by themc,
but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God
imputed to themd, and received by faith alonee.
a
Rom.3:22,24,25; Rom.4:5 b 2 Cor.5:19,21; Rom.3:22,24,25,27,28 c
Tit.3:5,7; Eph.1:7 d Rom.5:17-19; Rom.4:6-8 e Acts 10:43;
Gal.2:16; Phil.3:9
Next
Section
Larger
Catechism (index)
