What the Scriptures Principally Teach

Q. 3. What do the scriptures principally teach?
A. The scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.(1)

(1) II Tim. 1:13; 3:16.

In the Shorter Catechism, we have just been instructed in question two that the only rule we have for glorifying God and enjoying Him is God's written word found in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. The Westminster Divines then move to a key question in the catechism. This question and answer provides the basic outline for the rest of the shorter catechism. Questions 4-38 deal with what man is to believe concerning God, whereas questions 39-107 deal with the duty God requires of man. The latter section is larger because of a pretty detailed exposition of the Ten Commandments. Since the rest of the catechism is structured according to this question, it is imperative to remember this one as you continue through the remaining 104 questions.

The word 'principally' here means chiefly or mainly. Thus as you read God's word to learn how to glorify and enjoy Him, you will be learning from that word all about God as He has revealed Himself. Thus our understanding of God must be grounded upon His revealed word to us. We cannot and must not try to understand God from our own imaginations. Our thoughts and understanding about God must come from God in His written word to us. Another aspect to what we are to believe concerning God is the gracious salvation offered to us in Christ Jesus. The Scriptures are God's revelation to us, but this revelation is redemptive revelation. God's word reveals to us the way of salvation through Christ.

Another thing the Scriptures teach us is that which God requires of us. This is something that seems to be falling on some hard times in the church today and in one sense this is understandable. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, so careless discussion about our duty toward God could lead one to think performance of our duty toward God becomes the basis of our salvation. That's a dangerous way of thinking. Nevertheless, while it is true that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, this truth does not negate our duty toward God. We still owe Him our obedience; He is still God and we are still His creatures, thus we must still seek to know the duty which He requires of us. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

On a personal note, this question helps me as I prepare sermons and preach them from the pulpit. Since my responsibility as a minister of the gospel is to preach the word, i.e., the whole council of God, then I ought to preach what the Scriptures principally teach, namely what to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of us. Ministers and theologians often describe this as preaching the indicative and the imperative. Both ought to be present in every sermon, though clearly some texts will lend themselves to one more than the other. Ministers do the sheep under their care no favors by neglecting the indicative or the imperative. 

For everyone else, as you read through God's word be sure to ask yourself what it is God is trying to teach you about Himself (including His saving work in Christ) and what God is trying to teach you about your duty toward Him. In this way, you will be richly blessed by His word.