Shorter Catechism (51 - 60)

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Q. 51. What is forbidden in the second commandment?

A. The second commandment forbiddeth the worshiping of God by images,i or any other way not appointed in his Word.k

(i) Deut 4:15-19; Rom 1:22-23
(k) Lev 10:1-2; Jer 19:4-5; Col 2:18-23

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Q. 52. What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?

A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment are, God's sovereignty over us,l his propriety in us,m and the zeal he hath to his own worship.n

(l) Ps 95:2-3,6-7; Ps 96:9-10
(m) Exod 19:5; Ps 45:11; Isa 54:5
(n) Exod 34:14; 1 Cor 10:22

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Q. 53. Which is the third commandment?

A. The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.o

(o) Exod 20:7; Deut 5:11

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Q. 54. What is required in the third commandment?

A. The third commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God's names, titles,p attributes,q ordinances,r Word,s and works.t

(p) Deut 10:20; Ps 29:2; Matt 6:9
(q) 1 Chr 29:10-13; Rev 15:3-4
(r) Acts 2:42; 1 Cor 11:27-28
(s) Ps 138:2; Rev 22:18-19
(t) Ps 107:21-22; Rev 4:11

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Q. 55. What is forbidden in the third commandment?

A. The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of anything whereby God maketh himself known.u

(u) Lev 19:12; Matt 5:33-37; Jas 5:12

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Q. 56. What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?

A. The reason annexed to the third commandment is, that however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment.w

(w) Deut 28:58-59; 1 Sam 3:13; 1 Sam 4:11

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Q. 57. Which is the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.x

(x) Exod 20:8-11; Deut 5:12-15

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Q. 58. What is required in the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his Word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy Sabbath to himself.y

(y) Exod 31:13,16-17

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Q. 59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?

A. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath;z and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath.a

(z) Gen 2:2-3; Exod 20:11
(a) Mark 2:27-28; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2; Rev 1:10

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Q. 60. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?

A. The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days;b and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God's worship,c except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.d

(b) Exod 20:10; Neh 13:15-22; Isa 58:13-14
(c) Exod 20:8; Lev 23:3; Luke 4:16; Acts 20:7
(d) Matt 12:1-13


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