The Larger Catechism – Questions 81-90
Q.
81. Are all true believers at all times assured of their present being in the
estate of grace, and that they shall be saved?
A.
Assurance of grace and salvation not being of the essence of faitha,
true believers may wait long before they obtain itb; and, after the
enjoyment thereof, may have it weakened and intermitted, through manifold
distempers, sins, temptations, and desertionsc; yet are they never
left without such a presence and support of the Spirit of God as keeps them
from sinking into utter despaird.
a
Eph.1:13 b Isa.50:10; Ps.88 c Ps.77:1-12; Cant.5:2,3,6;
Ps.51:8,12; Ps.31:22; Ps.22:1 d 1 John 3:9; Job 13:15; Ps.73:15,23;
Isa.54:7-10
Q.
82. What is the communion in glory which the members of the invisible church
have with Christ?
A. The communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with
Christ, is in this lifea, immediately after deathb, and
at last perfected at the resurrection and day of judgmentc.
a
2 Cor.3:18 b Luke 23:43 c 1 Thess.4:17
Q.
83. What is the communion in glory with Christ which the members of the
invisible church enjoy in this life ?
A.
The members of the invisible church have communicated to them in this life the
first-fruits of glory with Christ, as they are members of him their head, and
so in him are interested in that glory which he is fully possessed ofa;
and, as an earnest thereof, enjoy the sense of God's loveb, peace
of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, and hope of gloryc; as, on
the contrary, sense of God's revenging wrath, horror of conscience, and a
fearful expectation of judgment, are to the wicked the beginning of their
torments which they shall endure after deathd.
a
Eph.2:5,6 b Rom.5:5; 2 Cor.1:22 c Rom.5:1,2; Rom.14:17 d
Gen.4:13; Matt.27:4; Heb.10:27; Rom.2:9; Mark 9:44
Q.
84. Shall all men die?
A.
Death being threatened as the wages of sina, it is appointed unto
all men once to dieb; for that all have sinnedc.
a
Rom.6:23 b Heb.9:27 c Rom.5:12
Q.
85. Death, being the wages of sin, why are not the righteous delivered from
death, seeing all their sins are forgiven in Christ?
A.
The righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even
in death are delivered from the sting and curse of ita, so that,
although they die, yet it is out of God's loveb, to free them
perfectly from sin and miseryc, and to make them capable of further
communion with Christ in glory, which they then enter upond.
a
1 Cor.15:26,55-57; Heb.2:15 b Isa.57:1,2; 2 Kings 22:20 c
Rev.14:13; Eph.5:27 d Luke 23:43; Phil.1:23
Q.
86. What is the communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the
invisible church enjoy immediately after death?
A.
The communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the invisible church
enjoy immediately after death, is, in that their souls are then made perfect
in holinessa, and received into the highest heavensb,
where they behold the face of God in light and gloryc, waiting for
the full redemption of their bodiesd, which even in death continue
united to Christe, and rest in their graves as in their bedsf,
till at the last day they be again united to their soulsg. Whereas
the souls of the wicked are at their death cast into hell, where they remain
in torments and utter darkness, and their bodies kept in their graves, as in
their prisons, till the resurrection and judgment of the great dayh.
a
Heb.12:23 b 2 Cor.5:1,6,8; Phil.1:23 compared with Acts 3:21 and with
Eph.4:10 c 1 John 3:2; 1 Cor.13:12 d Rom.8:23; Ps.16:9 e
1 Thess.4:14 f Isa.57:2 g Job 19:26,27 h Luke 16:23,24;
Acts 1:25; Jude 6,7
Q.
87. What are we to believe concerning the resurrection?
A.
We are to believe, that at the last day there shall be a general resurrection
of the dead, both of the just and unjusta: when they that are then
found alive shall in a moment be changed; and the self-same bodies of the dead
which were laid in the grave, being then again united to their souls for ever,
shall be raised up by the power of Christb. The bodies of the just,
by the Spirit of Christ, and by virtue of his resurrection as their head,
shall be raised in power, spiritual, incorruptible, and made like to his
glorious bodyc; and the bodies of the wicked shall be raised up in
dishonour by him, as an offended judged.
a
Acts 24:15 b 1 Cor.15:51-53; 1 Thess.4:15-17; John 5:28,29 c 1
Cor.15:21-23,42-44; Phil.3:21 d John 5:27-29; Matt.25:33
Q.
88. What shall immediately follow after the resurrection?
A.
Immediately after the resurrection shall follow the general and final judgment
of angels and mena; the day and hour whereof no man knoweth, that
all may watch and pray, and be ever ready for the coming of the Lordb.
a
2 Pet.2:4; Jude 6,7,14,15; Matt.25:46 b Matt.24:36,42,44; Luke 21:35,36
Q.
89. What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment?
A.
At the day of judgment, the wicked shall be set on Christ's left handa,
and, upon clear evidence, and full conviction of their own consciencesb,
shall have the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against
themc; and thereupon shall be cast out from the favourable presence
of God, and the glorious fellowship with Christ, his saints, and all his holy
angels, into hell, to be punished with unspeakable torments, both of body and
soul, with the devil and his angels for everd.
a
Matt.25:33 b Rom.2:15,16 c Matt.25:41-43 d Luke 16:26; 2
Thess.1:8,9
Q.
90. What shall be done to the righteous at the day of judgment?
A.
At the day of judgment, the righteous, being caught up to Christ in the cloudsa,
shall be set on his right hand, and there openly acknowledged and acquittedb,
shall join with him in the judging of reprobate angels and menc,
and shall be received into heavend, where they shall be fully and
for ever freed from all sin and miserye; filled with inconceivable
joysf, made perfectly holy and happy both in body and soul, in the
company of innumerable saints and holy angelsg, but especially in
the immediate vision and fruition of God the Father, of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and of the Holy Spirit, to all eternityh. And this is the perfect
and full communion, which the members of the invisible church shall enjoy with
Christ in glory, at the resurrection and day of judgment.
a
1 Thess.4:17 b Matt.25:33; Matt.10:32 c 1 Cor.6:2,3 d
Matt.25:34,46 e Eph.5:27; Rev.14:13 f Ps.16:11 g
Heb.12:22,23 h 1 John 3:2; 1 Cor.13:12; 1 Thess.4:17,18
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