An Exposition of the Assembly's
Shorter Catechism

by

John Flavel

Q86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.

Of Saving Faith

Q. 1. What is the root or cause of faith?
A. Not the power of man’s will; Ephesians 2:8. For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; But the Spirit of God. Galatians 5:22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. John 1:12-13. But as man as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Q. 2. How doth the Spirit of God ordinarily produce faith?
A. By the preaching of the word he ordinarily begets it; Romans 10:17. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; though sometimes he doth it immediately.

Q. 3. Who are the proper subjects of faith?
A. Convinced and sensible sinners are the proper subjects of faith; John 16:8-10. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin, because they believe not on me: of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more: of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Q. 4. What is the seat or habitation of faith?
A. Not only the head or understanding, but principally the heart and will; Romans 10:10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, &c. Acts 8:37. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.

Q. 5. But is not the assent of the understanding true faith?
A. The mere assent of the understanding to the truths of scripture, is not such a faith as will save the soul; James 2:19. Thou believest that there is one God; thou dost well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Q. 6. What is the act of faith that justifies a sinner?
A. It is the receiving of Christ, by the full and hearty consent of the heart that justifies us? John 1:12. But as many as received him, to them gave lie power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

Q. 7. What is the object of faith?
A. The primary object of faith is the person of Christ, and the secondary are his benefits; Isaiah 45:22. Look unto me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth, &c. Philippians 3:8-9. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: For whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ; the righteousness which is of God by faith.

Q. 8. May not a man look partly to Christ, and partly to his own works and duties for righteousness?
A. No; he must eye Christ only, and exclude all others, or he cannot be justified; Philippians 3:9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ: The righteousness which is of God by faith, Romans 4:5. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Q. 9. Is it enough to eye the person of Christ only in believing?
A. No; we must eye the person of Christ, as clothed with all his offices; Acts 16:31. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thine house. Our ignorance needs him as a prophet, our guilt as a priest, our sins and enemies as a king.

Q. 10. Is true faith faith exclusive of all fears and doubts?
A. No; it is not, but true believers are troubled with many fears and doubtings; Isaiah 50:10. Who is he among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light, &c. Mark 9:24. And straightway the Father of the child crieth out with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.

Q. 11. Is no man actually justified till he believe?
A. No, he cannot be justified actually till he believe actually; Galatians 3:22. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. John 3:18. He that believeth on him, is not condemned: But he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Q. 12. Is every man that believes justified immediately and fully upon his believing?
A. Yes, he is; Romans 5:1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. John 5:24. He that heareth my words, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Q. 13. What is the true character or description of a believer?
A. He is one that, having been convinced of his sin and misery, and of his own and all other creatures inability to save him, and of the ability and willingness of Christ to save him, lets go all hold and dependence on creatures, and his own righteousness, and casts himself entirely upon Christ for righteousness and life.

Of the Properties, Signs, and Means of Faith

Q. 1. What is the first property of faith?
A. It is a most precious grace; 2 Peter 1:1. To them that have obtained like precious faith with us, &c. And must needs be so, seeing it is the bond of our union with Christ; Ephesians 3:17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love. That by which we are justified; Romans 5:1. Therefore being justified by faith, &c. And that by which our souls do live; Hebrews 2:4. The just shall live by faith.

Q. 2. What is the second property of saving faith?
A The second property of faith is this, that it is the most useful grace in this world to a believer, it being the soul’s eye; Hebrews 11:27. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: For he endured, as seeing him who is invisible, &c. It is hard to apprehend Christ; Philippians 3:12. That I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. It is a cordial in a fainting season; Psalm 27:3. I had fainted unless I had believed, &c.

Q. 3. What are the foundations that support faith?
A. The first foundation or prop of faith, is the power of God; Romans 4:20-21. He staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Hebrews 7:25. He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, &c.

Q. 4. What is the second property of faith?
A. The truth and faithfulness of God in his promises; Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that hath promised. Hebrews 6:18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

Q. 5. What encourages the faith of the saints?
A. The manifold, sweet, and sensible experiences of others; Psalm 74:14. Thou breakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat for the people inhabiting the wilderness. And especially their own experiences; Joshua 23:14. Ye know in all your hearts, and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

Q. 6. What is e first sign of a weak faith?
A Staggerings in our assent to divine truths, argue the weakness of faith Romans 4:10. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, &c.

Q. 7. What is the second sign of a weak faith?
A. Inability to trust God in time of danger, evidenced by sinful haste to avoid it; Isaiah 28:16. He that believeth, shall not make haste.

Q. 8. What is the third sign of a weak faith?
A. When we cannot live purely by faith, except we have some sensible encouragement; John 20:25. Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Q. 9. What is the fourth sign of a weak faith?
A. When a new temptation makes us easily let go our former confidence; Luke 24:21. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: And besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done.

Q. 10. What is the fifth sign of a weak faith?
A. The prevalence of carnal fears, in times of trouble, argues weak faith; Matthew 8:26. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? &c.

Q. 11. What is the sixth sign of a weak faith?
A. Too much carefulness and anxiety about the things of this life; Matthew 6:30. Wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Q. 12. What is the first benefit of a strong faith?
A. A strong faith gives much glory to God; Romans 4:19-20. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.

Q. 13. What is the second benefit of a strong faith?
A. It gives the soul the ravishing foresight and foretastes of heaven upon earth; 1 Peter 1:8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.

Q. 14. What is the last office faith doth for a believer in this world?
A. It supports and encourages him at death by the promises, when all other comforts fail; Hebrews 11:13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.