Building faith in Jesus one answer at a time.

CAT Clubs are one of SPC’s discipleship ministries for children. They meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 and serve children from four years-old through fifth grade. CAT Clubs have three big goals: Helping kids develop Christian friendships at church, laying a strong foundation for their formation of Christian world-view, and, most importantly, helping them learn to live in the light of reasoned faith in Jesus’ gospel of grace. CAT Club lessons are based on the SPC CAT Club Catechism. Parents are encouraged to help their children memorize, understand, and live by these truths.

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SPC CAT CLUB CATECHISM

God & Creation

1. Who made you?

• God made me.

2. What else did God make?

• God made all things.

3. Why did God make you and all things?

• God made me and all things for His own glory.

4. Who made God?

• Nobody made God.

5. Has God ever had a beginning?

• No, God has always been.

6. Will God ever die?

• No, God lives forever.

7. How can you glorify God?

• I can glorify God by trusting Him and doing what He commands.

8. Why are you to glorify God?

• I am to glorify God because He made me and takes care of me.

9. Is there more than one true God?

• No, there is only one true God.

10. In how many persons does this one God exist?

• God exists in three persons.

11. Who are the three persons of God?

• The three persons of God are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

12. What is God like?

• God is a spirit and does not have a body like man.

13. Where is God?

• God is everywhere (omnipresent).

14. Can you see God?

• No, I cannot see God, but He always sees me.

15. Does God know all things?

• Yes, nothing can be hidden from God (omniscient).

16. Can God do all things?

• Yes, God can do all His holy will (omnipotent).

17. Does God ever change?

• No, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

18. Is God trustworthy?

• Yes, God is always faithful and true.

The Bible

19. Where do you learn how to trust and obey God?

• I learn how to trust and obey God in the Bible alone.

20. Who wrote the Bible?

• Men who were chosen and guided by the Holy Spirit wrote the Bible.

21. Why did they write the Bible?

• They wrote the Bible to reveal to us who God is and how to trust in Him.

Mankind

22. Who were the first people God created?

• Adam and Eve were the first people God created.

23. How did God make Adam’s body?

• God made Adam’s body out of the dust of the ground.

24. How did God make Eve’s body?

• God made Eve’s body out of a rib from Adam.

25. In addition to their bodies, what did God give Adam and Eve?

• God gave them souls that could never die.

26. Do you have a soul as well as a body?

• Yes, all people have souls that can never die.

27. When God first made Adam and Eve, what were they like?

• They were holy and happy with God.

The Covenant of Works

28. What covenant, or serious agreement, did God make with Adam?

• He made the covenant of works.

29. What did Adam have to do in the covenant of works?

• He had to obey God perfectly.

30. What did God warn in the covenant of works?

• If Adam disobeyed, he would surely die.

31. Did Adam keep the covenant of works?

• No, Adam sinned against God.

Sin (The Fall)

32. What is sin?

• Sin is failing to do what God commands and doing what God forbids. (Sins of omission and sins of commission)

33. How did Adam and Eve sin?

• They did what God had forbidden by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

34. Who tempted Adam and Eve to sin?

• Satan, God’s enemy, tempted Eve first, and then he used her to tempt Adam.

35. How did Adam and Eve change when they sinned?

• Instead of being holy and happy, they became sinful and miserable.

36. How did Adam and Eve respond to their own sin?

• They were ashamed and hid themselves from God.

37. What effect did their sin have on their relationship with God?

• They became separated from God.

38. Did Adam act for himself alone in the covenant of works?

• No, Adam represented all mankind.

39. How did Adam’s sin affect you and all mankind?

• Because of Adam’s sin, we are all born guilty and sinful.

40. What does every sin deserve?

• Every sin deserves God’s anger and punishment.

41. How does God punish sinners?

• He casts sinners into hell.

42. What is hell?

• Hell is a place of darkness and suffering, far away from the presence of God.

Rescue (Redemption)

43. Are all sinners cast into hell?

• No, some sinners are rescued.

44. Who rescues sinners from being cast into hell?

• From the beginning, God has had a plan to rescue sinners.

45. What is God’s plan for rescue or salvation?

• John 3:16 tells us:  “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

46. Who is God’s one and only Son?

• God’s one and only Son is Jesus Christ.

The Covenant of Grace

47. What covenant, or serious agreement, did God the Father make with Jesus Christ?

• In His mercy, God the Father made the covenant of grace.

48. What is mercy?

• Mercy is withheld punishment – God not giving us what we deserve.

49. What is grace?

• Grace is unearned blessing – God giving us what we don’t deserve.

The Person of Jesus Christ

50. What did Jesus Christ have to do in the covenant of grace?

• Jesus Christ had to become a man, live a sinless life, and suffer for sinners.

51. Did Jesus Christ become a man?

• Yes, Jesus Christ “became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14a ESV)

52. Did Jesus Christ ever sin?

• No, though He was tempted, Jesus Christ never sinned.

53. How did Jesus Christ suffer physically for sinners?

• Jesus Christ was humiliated, beaten, and nailed to a cross to die.

54. How did Jesus Christ suffer spiritually for sinners?

• Jesus Christ bore our sins on the cross, which caused Him to be separated from God the Father.

55. Why did Jesus Christ have to suffer and die for sinners?

• Jesus Christ was punished in our place, to make atonement for our sins.

56. What is meant by atonement?

• Through atonement, we are made at one with God the Father.

57. Did Jesus Christ act for Himself alone in the covenant of grace?

• No, Jesus Christ represented His people – the Church.

The Promises of God

58. What did God the Father promise to do in the covenant of grace?

• God the Father promised to justify, sanctify, and glorify those who trust and follow Jesus Christ.

59. What is justification?

• Justification is the act of God, as Holy Judge, pardoning sinners and declaring us righteous.

60. What is sanctification?

• Sanctification is the process by which God makes us holy in heart and behavior.

61. What is glorification?

• Glorification is the completion of God’s work of salvation, when He makes us perfect and holy in body and soul, so that we may enter heaven.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

62. What must you do to be saved?

• Romans 10:9 tells us:  “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is LORD,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

63. Can you confess “Jesus is LORD” by your own power?

• No, I must have the help of the Holy Spirit, who changes my heart.

64. How does the Holy Spirit change your heart?

• The Holy Spirit leads me to repent, to put my faith in Jesus Christ, and to live a holy life.

65. What does it mean to repent?

• To repent is to feel so sorry for my sin that I turn away from it.

66. What does it mean to put your faith in Jesus Christ?

• To put my faith in Jesus Christ means to believe God’s Word and trust in Jesus alone for my salvation.

67. What does it mean to live a holy life?

• According to Micah 6:8, the LORD requires us “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your LORD.”

Salvation Before Jesus’ Death & Resurrection

68. How long ago did Jesus Christ die?

• Jesus Christ died about 2,000 years ago.

69. How were sinners saved before Jesus Christ came?

• Before Jesus Christ came, sinners were saved by trusting God’s promise to send a Savior.

70. How did those people show their faith before Jesus Christ came?

• They showed their faith by obeying God’s commands and offering animal sacrifices for their sins.

71. What did these sacrifices represent?

• These sacrifices represented Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who would shed His blood to take away the sins of the world.

72. After Jesus Christ died and rose again, did God require animal sacrifices?

• No, Jesus Christ was the perfect and final sacrifice, satisfying God’s justice once for all.

The Offices of Jesus Christ

73. How many offices does Jesus Christ have?

• Jesus Christ has three offices.

74. What are the three offices of Jesus Christ?

• The three offices of Jesus Christ are prophet, priest, and king.

75. How is Jesus Christ our prophet?

• Jesus Christ is our prophet because He teaches us the will of God.

76. How is Jesus Christ our priest?

• Jesus Christ is our priest because He offered Himself as the sacrifice for our sins, and He continues to pray for us.

77. How is Jesus Christ our king?

• Jesus Christ is our king because He rules over us, providing for our good and protecting us from evil.

The Ten Commandments

78. How many commandments did God give on Mount Sinai?

• God gave ten commandments.

79. What do the first four commandments teach us?

• The first four commandments teach us how to love God.

80. What do the last six commandments teach us?

• The last six commandments teach us how to love people.

81. What is the first commandment?

• The first commandment is: “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

82. What does the first commandment teach us?

• The first commandment teaches us to worship God alone.

83. What is the second commandment?

• The second commandment is: “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them…”

84. What does the second commandment teach us?

• The second commandment teaches us to worship God only as He commands, without making and worshiping idols.

85. What is the third commandment?

• The third commandment is:  “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God…”

86. What does the third commandment teach us?

• The third commandment teaches us to honor God’s name, His Word, and His works.

87. What is the fourth commandment?

• The fourth commandment is:  “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”

88. What does the fourth commandment teach us?

• The fourth commandment teaches us to set aside one day in seven for rest and worship.

89. What is the fifth commandment?

• The fifth commandment is:  “Honor your father and your mother…”

90. What does the fifth commandment teach us?

• The fifth commandment teaches us to love, obey, and respect our parents.

91. What is the sixth commandment?

• The sixth commandment is:  “You shall not murder.”

92. What does the sixth commandment teach us?

• The sixth commandment teaches us to value human life and to live at peace with everyone.

93. What is the seventh commandment?

• The seventh commandment is:  “You shall not commit adultery.”

94. What does the seventh commandment teach us?

• The seventh commandment teaches us to be faithful in marriage and to keep our hearts pure.

95. What is the eighth commandment?

• The eighth commandment is:  “You shall not steal.”

96. What does the eighth commandment teach us?

• The eighth commandment teaches us to respect the property of others and to work for what we have.

97. What is the ninth commandment?

• The ninth commandment is:  “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

98. What does the ninth commandment teach us?

• The ninth commandment teaches us to tell the truth and to protect the reputations of others.

99. What is the tenth commandment?

• The tenth commandment is:  “You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

100. What does the tenth commandment teach us?

• The tenth commandment teaches us to be content with who we are and what we have.

101. According to Jesus, what is the sum of the Ten Commandments?

• “‘Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

102. Of what use are the Ten Commandments to us?

• The commandments reveal God’s holiness, our sinfulness, and our need for a Savior.

The Sacraments

103. What is a sacrament?

• A sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace.

104. How many sacraments are there in the New Testament?

• There are two sacraments in the New Testament.

105. What are the two sacraments?

• The two sacraments are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

106. Who established these sacraments?

• The Lord Jesus Christ established these sacraments.

Baptism

107. What sign is used in baptism?

• The sign used in baptism is washing with water.

108. What does this washing with water represent?

• The washing with water represents our cleansing from sin by the blood of Jesus Christ.

109. In whose name are we baptized?

• We are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

110. What does baptism call us to be?

• Baptism calls us to be true followers of Jesus Christ.

The Lord’s Supper

111. What is the Lord’s Supper?

• The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross and a looking forward to His return.

112. What are the elements used in the Lord’s Supper?

• The elements used in the Lord’s Supper are bread and wine.

113. What does the bread represent?

• The bread represents the body of Christ, given for us.

114. What does the wine represent?

• The wine represents the blood of Christ, poured out for the forgiveness of sins.

115. Who is worthy to receive the Lord’s Supper?

• Those who examine their hearts and find an attitude of repentance, faith, and obedience to Jesus Christ are worthy to receive the Lord’s Supper.

The Lord’s Prayer

116. What is prayer?

• Prayer is asking God for His blessings of help, comfort, and forgiveness of sins for ourselves and others.

117. In whose name do we pray?

• We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the only mediator between God and men.

118. What guide has Jesus Christ given us to teach us how to pray?

• Jesus Christ has given us the Lord’s Prayer.

119. Recite the Lord’s Prayer.

• “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. “

120. What does the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?

• The beginning of the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father which art in heaven) teaches us to draw near to God with reverence and confidence, praying with and for others.

121. How many petitions are there in the Lord’s Prayer?

• There are six petitions in the Lord’s Prayer.

122. What is the first petition?

• The first petition is “Hallowed be thy name.”

123. What do we pray for in the first petition?

• We pray that God will help us and others to honor His holy name.

124. What is the second petition?

• The second petition is “Thy kingdom come.”

125. What do we pray for in the second petition?

• We pray that God would rule in our lives and bring others to believe and obey His Word.

126. What is the third petition?

• The third petition is “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

127. What do we pray for in the third petition?

• We pray that God would help us to do His holy will and accept His perfect will in all things.

128. What is the fourth petition?

• The fourth petition is “Give us this day our daily bread.”

129. What do we pray for in the fourth petition?

• We pray that God would supply our daily needs.

130. What is the fifth petition?

• The fifth petition is “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

131. What do we pray for in the fifth petition?

• We pray that God would pardon our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ and make us willing to forgive others.

132. What is the sixth petition?

• The sixth petition is “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

133. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?

• We pray that God would keep us from being tempted to sin, or provide an escape when we are tempted.

134. What does the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?

• The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer (For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever) teaches us that God is sovereign over all things, and we can approach His throne with confidence that He will hear and answer us.

The Gospel and Final Judgment

135. What is the gospel of Jesus Christ, by which we are saved?

• The gospel, or good news, is this:  “. . . that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. . . .” (I Corinthians 15:3b-4)

136. Where is Christ now?

• Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us.

137. Will Christ come again?

• Yes, Christ will come in glory to judge the living and the dead.

138. What happens to man when he dies?

• The body returns to dust, and the soul goes either to the presence of the LORD or to a place of torment.

139. Will the bodies of the dead be raised to life again?

• Yes, when Christ returns, the bodies of the dead will be raised to face judgment.

140. What will happen at the final judgment?

• Christ will judge every man according to his deeds and separate the righteous from the unrighteous.

141. What will become of the unrighteous?

• The unrighteous will be condemned to everlasting punishment and cast into the lake of fire.

142. What will become of the righteous?

• The righteous will be rewarded for their good deeds and spend eternity with Jesus Christ.