content/01/05.md
---
pagetitle: What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
date: February 19, 2020
prev_url: /westminster-daily/01/04/
prev_date: Jan 4
this_url: /westminster-daily/01/05/
short_date: "0105"
this_date: Jan 5
next_url: /westminster-daily/01/06/
next_date: Jan 6
---
#### Shorter Catechism
<span class="q">Q 2.</span> What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
<span class="q">A.</span> The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments,[^fnref:wsc1] is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.[^fnref:wsc2]
[^fnref:wsc1]: <div class="esv"><h5>Matthew 19:4-5</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p40019004.01-1">He answered, <span class="woc">“Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female,</span> <span class="woc">and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?</span></p> </div><h5>Genesis 2:24</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p class="same-paragraph" id="p01002024.01-2">Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.</p> </div><h5>Luke 24:27</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p42024027.01-3">And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.</p> </div><h5>Luke 24:44</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p42024044.01-4">Then he said to them, <span class="woc">“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”</span></p> </div><h5>1 Corinthians 2:13</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p46002013.01-5">And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.</p> </div><h5>1 Corinthians 14:37</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p46014037.01-6">If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.</p> </div><h5>2 Peter 1:20-21</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p61001020.01-7">knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.</p> </div><h5>2 Peter 3:2</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p61003002.01-8">that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,</p> </div><h5>2 Peter 3:15-16</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p61003015.01-9">And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wsc2]: <div class="esv"><h5>Deuteronomy 4:2</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p05004002.01-1">You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> your God that I command you.</p> </div><h5>Psalm 19:7-11</h5> <div class="esv-text"><div class="block-indent"> <p class="line-group" id="p19019007.01-2">The law of the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> is perfect,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>reviving the soul;<br /> the testimony of the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> is sure,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>making wise the simple;<br /> the precepts of the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> are right,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>rejoicing the heart;<br /> the commandment of the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> is pure,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>enlightening the eyes;<br /> the fear of the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> is clean,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>enduring forever;<br /> the rules of the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> are true,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>and righteous altogether.<br /> More to be desired are they than gold,<br /> <span class="indent"></span>even much fine gold;<br /> sweeter also than honey<br /> <span class="indent"></span>and drippings of the honeycomb.<br /> Moreover, by them is your servant warned;<br /> <span class="indent"></span>in keeping them there is great reward.</p> </div> </div><h5>Isaiah 8:20</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p23008020.01-3">To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.</p> </div><h5>John 15:11</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p43015011.01-4"><span class="woc">These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.</span></p> </div><h5>John 20:30-31</h5> <div class="esv-text"> <p id="p43020030.06-5">Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.</p> </div><h5>Acts 17:11</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p44017011.01-6">Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.</p> </div><h5>2 Timothy 3:15-17</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p55003015.01-7">and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.</p> </div><h5>1 John 1:4</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p62001004.01-8">And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
#### Larger Catechism
<span class="q">Q 3.</span> What is the Word of God?
<span class="q">A.</span> The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God,[^fnref:wlc1] the only rule of faith and obedience.[^fnref:wlc2]
[^fnref:wlc1]: <div class="esv"><h5>2 Timothy 3:16</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p55003016.01-1">All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,</p> </div><h5>2 Peter 1:19-21</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p61001019.01-2">And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.</p> </div><h5>2 Peter 3:2</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p61003002.01-3">that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,</p> </div><h5>2 Peter 3:15-16</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p61003015.01-4">And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.</p> </div><h5>Matthew 19:4-5</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p40019004.01-5">He answered, <span class="woc">“Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female,</span> <span class="woc">and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?</span></p> </div><h5>Genesis 2:24</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p class="same-paragraph" id="p01002024.01-6">Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>
[^fnref:wlc2]: <div class="esv"><h5>Deuteronomy 4:2</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p05004002.01-1">You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> your God that I command you.</p> </div><h5>Ephesians 2:20</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p49002020.01-2">built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,</p> </div><h5>Revelation 22:18-19</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p66022018.01-3">I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.</p> </div><h5>Isaiah 8:20</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p23008020.01-4">To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.</p> </div><h5>Luke 16:29</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p42016029.01-5"><span class="woc">But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’</span></p> </div><h5>Luke 16:31</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p42016031.01-6"><span class="woc">He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”</span></p> </div><h5>Galatians 1:8-9</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p48001008.01-7">But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.</p> </div><h5>2 Timothy 3:15-16</h5> <div class="esv-text"><p id="p55003015.01-8">and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (<a href="http://www.esv.org" class="copyright">ESV</a>)</p> </div> </div>