Shekinah Church – Our 54th Year

We are a community of Christian believers, who are in association with John Knox Presbyterian Church. We are committed to:

  • The Bible as our only rule of faith and practice. It is inerrant, infallible, inspired by God in its original autographs, and preserved by Him for His people throughout the ages.
  • The Westminster Standards, which include the doctrines of grace, which are known by the acronym T.U.L.I.P
  • The preaching of The Word, the exercise of Church discipline, and the right celebration of the sacraments.

 

WESTMINSTER LARGER CATECHISM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, with the assistance of commissioners  from the Church of Scotland, as a part of the covenanted uniformity in religion between the Churches of Christ in the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland and approved Anno 1648, by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, to be a directory for catechising such as have made some proficiency in the knowledge of the grounds of religion, with The Proofs from the Scripture.  Assembly at Edinburgh, July 2, 1648. Sess. 10. Act approving the Larger Catechism.

Q. 15. What is the work of creation?
A. The work of creation is that wherein God did in the beginning, by the word of his power, make of nothing the world, and all things therein, for himself, within the space of six days, and all very good.

Gen. 1Heb. 11:3Prov. 16:4.

Q. 16. How did God create angels?
A. God created all the angels spirits, immortal, holy, excelling in knowledge, mighty in power, to execute his commandments, and to praise his name, yet subject to change.

Col. 1:16Ps. 104:4Matt. 22:30Matt. 25:312 Sam. 14:17Matt. 24:362 Thess. 1:7Ps. 103:20-212 Pet. 2:4.

Q. 17. How did God create man?
A. After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female; formed the body of the man of the dust of the ground, and the woman of the rib of the man; endued them with living, reasonable, and immortal souls; made them after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, having the law of God written in their hearts and power to fulfill it, with dominion over the creatures; yet subject to fall.

Gen. 1:27Gen. 2:7Gen. 2:22Gen. 2:7Job 35:11Ecc. 12:7Matt. 10:28Luke 23:43Gen. 1:27Col. 3:10Eph. 4:24Rom. 2:14-15Ecc. 7:29Gen. 1:28Gen. 3:6Ecc. 7:29.

Q. 18. What are God’s works of providence?
A. God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving, and governing all his creatures; ordering them, and all their actions, to his own glory.

Ps. 145:17Ps. 104:24Isa. 28:29Heb. 1:3Ps. 103:19Matt. 10:29-31Gen. 45:7Rom. 11:36Isa. 63:14.

Q. 19. What is God’s providence toward the angels?
A. God by his providence permitted some of the angels, willfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation, limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory; and established the rest in holiness and happiness; employing them all, at his pleasure, in the administrations of his power, mercy, and justice.

Jude 1:62 Pet. 2:4Heb. 2:16John 8:44Job 1:12Matt. 8:311 Tim. 5:21Mark 8:38Heb. 12:22Ps. 104:42 Kings 19:35Heb. 1:14.

Q. 20. What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created?
A. The providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created, was the placing him in paradise, appointing him to dress it, giving him liberty to eat of the fruit of the earth; putting the creatures under his dominion, and ordaining marriage for his help; affording him communion with Himself; instituting the Sabbath; entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, of which the tree of life was a pledge; and forbidding to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.

Gen. 2:815-16Gen. 1:28Gen. 2:18Gen. 1:26-29Gen. 3:8Gen. 2:3Gal. 3:12Rom. 10:5Gen. 2:917.

The Apostles’ Creed

The basic creed of Reformed churches, as most familiarly known, is called the Apostles’ Creed. It has received this title because of its great antiquity; it dates from very early times in the Church, a half century or so from the last writings of the New Testament

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;

He descended into hell. [See Calvin]

The third day He arose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.

Amen.