REVIEW:

INTRODUCTION TO
CATECHISMS
WHAT IS A CATECHISM?
In the church I would rather speak five words
with my mind, in order to instruct others, than
ten thousand words in a tongue.
(1 Corinthians 14:19)
Let him who is taught the word share all good
things with him who teaches.
(Galatians 6:6)
In each of these verses the Greek word for
“instruct” or “teach” is katecheo. From this
word we get our English word “catechize.” It
simply means to teach biblical truth in an
orderly way. Generally this is done with
questions and answers accompanied by
biblical support and explanation.
 WHY IS THIS
IMPORTANT?
 BECAUSE WE ARE BEING
CATECHIZED BY THE WORLD
24/7
THE AUTHORITIES OR POWERS
OF THIS WORLD ARE
EXCELLENT TEACHERS
(CATECHIZERS)
BUT THEY ARE ALSO
EXCELLENT LIARS
...Let God be true though every one
were a liar.... (Romans 3:4)
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE
OF CATECHISMS?
1.to to explain the gospel— especially to lay
out the building blocks on which the gospel
is based, such as the biblical doctrines of
God, of human nature, of sin, and so forth.
2. counteract and address heresies, errors,
and false beliefs of our time and culture
3. to form a distinct people, a
counterculture that reflected the likeness of
Christ not only in individual character but also
in the church’s communal life. (pastoral
purpose)
The catechetical discipline of memorization
drives concepts deeper into the heart and
naturally holds students more accountable
to master the material than do typical
discipleship courses.
THE CHILDREN’S
CATECHISM
Question 1. Who made you?
Answer. God

Question 2. What else did God make?

Answer. God made all things.

Question 3. Why did God make you and all things?

Answer. For his own glory.
Question 1. Who made you?
Answer.

Question 2. What else did God make?

Answer.

Question 3. Why did God make you and all things?

Answer.
Question 1. Who made you?
Answer. God

Scripture: (Gen. 1:27, Ps. 139:13-16)

So God created man in his own image, in the

image of God he created him; male and
female he created them. (Gen. 1:27)
Question 2. What else did God make?
Answer. God made all things.

Scripture: (Gen. 1:1, Rev. 4:11)

In the beginning, God created the heavens

and the earth. (Gen. 1:1)
Question 3. Why did God make you and all
things?
Answer: For His own glory.

Scripture: (1 Cor. 10:31, Ps. 86:8-10)

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you

do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor. 10:31)
WHAT IS GOD’S
GLORY?
WHAT IS GOD?
Question 8. What is God?
Answer: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and
unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness,
justice, goodness, and truth.

Scripture: John 4:24; Psalm 89:14; 90:2; 147:5; James

1:17; Revelation 4:8; Exodus 34:6, 7; 1 Timothy 1:17;
Numbers 23:19.

(THE BAPTIST CATECHISM)

PRINCIPAL PERFECTIONS
(DIVINE QUALITIES) OF
GOD’S CHARACTER
THE ATTRIBUTES
OF GOD
COMMUNICABLE AND
INCOMMUNICABLE
ATTRIBUTES
INCOMMUNICABLE ATTRIBUTES

-those attributes which belong uniquely to God

-in these attributes, we are reminded of His deity

(Godness) and that He is totally different to man

-He does not share these attributes to His creatures

COMMUNICABLE ATTRIBUTES
-those attributes which God, in His grace, he also
communicates (transmits) to man in redemption

-in these attributes, we are reminded that God created

man in His image and therefore we bear resemblance
to our creator

-attributes that He does share with human beings to

at least some degree
INCOMMUNICABLE ATTRIBUTES

• SPIRIT • OMNIPOTENT
• INFINITE • OMNISCIENT
• PERFECT • SOVEREIGN
• OMNIPRESENT
• TRANSCENDENT
• ETERNAL GLORIOUS
• UNCHANGING
COMMUNICABLE ATTRIBUTES

• HOLY
• RIGHTEOUS
• LOVE
• MERCIFUL
• GRACIOUS
• PATIENT
 WHY IS THIS
IMPORTANT?
 LEADS TO
THEOLOGY DOXOLOGY
STUDY OF GOD EXPRESSION OF
WHICH LEADS TO PRAISE TO GOD
AN ACCURATE
UNDERSTANDING
OF GOD

WITHOUT WITHOUT
DOXOLOGY THEOLOGY

DEAD IDOLATRY
ORTHODOXY
ORTHODOXY (RIGHT TEACHING)

ALWAYS LEADS TO

ORTHOPRAXY (RIGHT LIVING)

Question 1. Who made you?
Answer.

Question 2. What else did God make?

Answer.

Question 3. Why did God make you and all things?

Answer.
 REFERENCES


Piper, John. A Baptist Catechism. Minneapolis.

(2017). The New City Catechism Devotional. Crossway:
Illinois.

Weil, Roger. (2017). Foundations of the Christian Faith. Grace
Publications Trust: London, England.

Sproul, R.C. (2014). God’s communicable attributes.
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/gods-communicable-
attributes