Westminster Shorter Catechism — Question 2

November 24th, 2025
by Derek Cozine

Westminster Shorter Catechism – Question 2

Q.2: What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him?

A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him.

Introduction: God Has Spoken And That Changes Everything

In the first question of the catechism, we learned the great purpose of every man, woman, and child is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Question 2 immediately follows with a practical concern that every parent will recognize:

“If that’s our purpose, how do we know how to live it out daily?”

This is where God’s kindness shines. He has not left parents guessing. He has not left His children to wander in the dark. He has spoken in clear, sufficient, and in loving ways.

The Scriptures are God’s gracious gift to direct us, shape us, correct us, and guide us toward the very life for which we were created. As parents, our calling is to help our children see the Bible is not merely a religious book, but is the living Word of our living God. It the Word that teaches us how to glorify Him and enjoy Him.

1. The Rule God Has Given: Scripture Alone

The catechism’s answer is simple yet profound:

“The Word of God ... is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him.”

The “rule” is not a ruler for measuring distances but instead a standard for directing life. Scripture alone (sola Scriptura) is our final authority in all matters of faith and obedience. This is a foundational conviction of the Reformed tradition and of the PCA.

This doesn’t mean Scripture tells us everything about math, computers, politics, or mechanics, or even science, but it is the only perfect and infallible authority that teaches us clearly about:

Who God is
Who we are
How we are to live before Him
How we may be saved
How we may walk in a way that glorifies and enjoys Him

Scripture Proofs

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” — 2 Timothy 3:16–17
“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul… the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.” — Psalm 19:7–8
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105

These passages remind us that every page of Scripture has divine purpose. It is God-breathed and life-giving to help us glorify Him and enjoy Him.

2. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments—Nothing More, Nothing Less

The catechism is careful to insist that God’s Word is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. This clarifies two important truths for families:

A. The Bible is complete.

God has given all that we need for faith and life (2 Peter 1:3). There is no new revelation equal to Scripture.

B. Both Testaments are God’s Word.

The Old Testament is not “less Christian.” Christ Himself said it testified about Him (Luke 24:27).

Parents can gently help their children see the unity of God’s story from the Creation, to The Fall, to The Redemption, and ultimately to restoration — pointing them to Jesus from Genesis to Revelation.

3. Why Scripture Alone Directs Us to Glorify and Enjoy God

Because Scripture reveals the character of God.
We cannot glorify a God we do not know. God reveals Himself and his amazing characteristic such as His holiness, justice, mercy, love, and faithfulness—through His Word. Through the Scriptures, children learn what kind of God they are called to enjoy.

Because Scripture reveals the way of salvation.
Scripture directs us to Christ, who is the center and fulfillment of all of God’s promises. No outside authority can reveal the gospel with the clarity and certainty like that of God’s inspired Word.

Because Scripture shapes the whole Christian life.
In Scripture, God teaches:

how to worship
how to pray
how to obey
how to repent
how to grow in wisdom
how to love our neighbor
how to endure suffering

how to hope in His promises

Every command, every promise, every warning, every encouragement serves to direct us toward a life that glorifies and delights in God.

4. Helping Your Children Understand This Truth

Parents often ask, “But how do I explain to a child that Scripture is our rule for life?” Here are parent-friendly approaches:

A. Use simple comparisons.
Explain that just like:

recipes tell us how to bake,
instructions tell us how to build,
maps tell us how to navigate,

God’s Word tells us how to live in a way that pleases Him.

B. Model trust in Scripture.
Children learn what parents love. If your children see you reading your Bible, speaking about it, and using it to guide decisions, they grow up understanding that Scripture is precious.

C. Read Scripture together daily.
This doesn’t need to be long. Even five focused minutes, with a short prayer, shapes a child’s heart deeply over time. Do what you can, when you can, daily. That is what matters.

D. Connect Scripture to daily life.
When disciplining, comforting, or encouraging your children, show how Scripture speaks into it:

“God tells us to speak gently, not angrily.”
“Jesus hears us when we pray.”
“God promises to be with us when we’re afraid.”

E. Encourage questions.
Children naturally wonder why the Bible matters. Let them ask. Show them that Scripture has real answers for real life.

For this question’s family discussion time, come back to this point and spend time encouraging them to ask questions and then give them answers from Scripture.

5. Guarding Against Competing “Rules”

Today, children are surrounded by thousands of voices—social media, entertainment, peer groups, cultural pressures, and all of them are claiming to define truth in their own way. But the catechism teaches parents and children to be anchored:

The Word of God is the only rule.

This doesn’t mean we ignore wisdom from teachers, parents, pastors, or the church. It means every human opinion must be measured against Scripture.

Scripture keeps us steady when culture shifts.

Feelings change.
Trends fade.
Human wisdom contradicts itself.
But God’s Word stands forever (Isaiah 40:8).

This gives children a foundation stronger than the world’s shifting sands.

6. Enjoying God Through His Word

6. Enjoying God Through His Word

The catechism does not separate glorifying God from enjoying Him. Scripture teaches us both:

We glorify Him in obedience.
We enjoy Him in fellowship.

Through Scripture we learn God’s promises, behold His beauty, and rest in the salvation He provides.

Families who build their patterns around Scripture—reading it, discussing it, memorizing it, singing it, living it out will discover that God’s Word is not merely rules but a wellspring of joy.

Conclusion: The Voice That Leads Us Home

Question 2 points us to the gracious reality that God has spoken, and His Word is sufficient. As parents, we want our children to grow up not simply knowing Bible stories but knowing the God who speaks through them. And in knowing Him, they learn how to glorify and enjoy Him both now and forever.

Scripture is our lamp, our wisdom, our comfort, and our guide.
It is the only rule God has given us — and it is more than enough. Wrap back to the “E. encourage questions” for family discussion time.

Posted in Confessions of the Faith - WSC