Category 3, The Westminster Shorter Catechism

Questions 21 - 38 concerning Christ our Redeemer and the benefits from our redemption.

Q. 21. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ,[55] who, being the eternal Son of God,[56] became man,[57] and so was, and continues to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever.[58]

Q. 22. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?

A. Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to Himself a true body, and a reasonable soul,[59] being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her,[60] yet without sin.[61]

Q. 23. What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?

A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executes the offices of a prophet,[62] of a priest,[63] and of a king,[64] both in His estate of humiliation and exaltation.

Q. 24. How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?

A. Christ executes the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by His Word[65] and Spirit,[66] the will of God for our salvation.[67]

Q. 25. How does Christ execute the office of a priest?

A. Christ executes the office of a priest, in His once offering up of Himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice,[68] and reconcile us to God,[69] and in making continual intercession for us.[70]

Q. 26. How does Christ execute the office of a king?

A. Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to Himself, in ruling and defending us,[71] and in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies.[72]

Q. 27. In what place or respect did Christ’s humiliation consist?

A. Christ’s humiliation consisted in His being born, and that in a low condition,[73] made under the law,[74] undergoing the miseries of this life,[75] the wrath of God,[76] and the cursed death of the cross;[77] in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.[78]

Q. 28. In what place or respect consists Christ’s exaltation?

A. Christ’s exaltation consists in His rising again from the dead on the third day,[79] in ascending up into heaven,[80] in sitting at the right hand[81] of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.[82]

Q. 29. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?

A. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us by His Holy Spirit.[83]

Q. 30. How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

A. The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us,[84] and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.[85]

Q. 31. What is effectual calling?

A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ,[86] and renewing our wills,[87] He does persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ,[88] freely offered to us in the gospel.[89]

Q. 32. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?

A. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.[90]

Q. 33. What is justification?

A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace,[91] wherein He pardons all our sins,[92] and accepts us as righteous in His sight,[93] only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us,[94] and received by faith alone.[95]

Q. 34. What is adoption?

A. Adoption is an act of God’s free grace,a whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges, of the sons of God.[96]

Q. 35. What is sanctification?

A. Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace,[97] whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God,[98] and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.[99]

Q. 36. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?

A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification are, assurance of God’s love,[100] peace of conscience,[101] joy in the Holy Ghost,[102] increase of grace,[103] and perseverance therein to the end.[104]

Q. 37. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?

A. The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness,[105] and do immediately pass into glory;[106] and their bodies, being still united in Christ,[107] do rest in their graves, till the resurrection.[108]

Q. 38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?

A. At the resurrection, believers, being raised up in glory,[109] shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment,[110] and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God[111] to all eternity.[112]

Category 1, questions 1 - 12:
- Questions concerning God as Creator.
Category 2, questions 13 - 20:
- Questions dealing with original sin and the fallen state of man's nature.
Category 3, questions 21 - 38:
- Questions concerning Christ our Redeemer and the benefits from our redemption.
Category 4, questions 39 - 84:
- Questions discussing the Ten Commandments.
Category 5, questions 85 - 97:
- Questions concerning the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.
Category 6, questions 98 - 107
- Questions teaching and explaining the Lord's prayer.

This organization mimics the earlier Heidelberg Catechism of the continental Reformed churches.

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