Q: Who is the first and chiefest being?

A: God is the first and chiefest being.

The first question of a catechism is meant to set the tone for the entire series of questions and

answers. The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with “What is the chief end of man?” The

Heidelberg Catechism begins with “What is your only comfort in life and in death?” Those who

framed these catechisms had differing intentions and emphases. The Baptist Catechism seeks

to set forth a high view of God as the foundation for the following questions. This is the starting

point apart from which all other questions cannot stand.

Scriptural Basis:

Isaiah 44:6 (ESV) Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.”

In this passage from Isaiah, God declares that He is the first and the last. The implication of

this statement is that besides Him “there is no god”. God is first in that He not only existed

before all things, but He also never came into existence. He has always existed. God is the last

in that He will never cease to exist. God is eternal. As the only being in this category, He can

say “besides me there is no god”. This eternal nature is hard for us to comprehend because we

exist in time. Everything we experience has a particular beginning and ending; therefore,

attempting to contemplate God’s eternal nature may leave us perplexed. Whenever we struggle

with this, we should consider the first chapter of Genesis. The Bible itself assumes that nothing

can be explained apart from “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Psalm 97:9 (ESV) For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

This verse proclaims the place of God over His creation. God is transcendent. He is distinct

from His creation and LORD over that creation. This is not to deny God’s active involvement in

creation, but to show that He is not a part of creation. As the most high over all the earth, God

has the right to do anything that He pleases. The entire creation belongs to Him because He is

the Creator. This is what the catechism means by chiefest.

Worldview Challenge:

This first question strikes at the core of a prideful sinner’s heart. The unbelieving heart must

answer this question with “I am the first and chiefest being”. Even believers will find themselves

answering that question in the same way whenever they consider their own lives. Our selfish

and prideful decisions scream that we believe we are the first and chiefest being. Whenever we

make catechisms a normal part of our discipleship, we challenge our sinful worldview by

affirming that God is the first and chiefest being. This should lead us to repentance and renewed

humility.

Remember: Catechisms should be used as a helpful tool alongside a healthy intake of Holy

Scripture. They should never replace God’s Word, because their usefulness depends upon their

accurate representation of God’s Word. When using these tools, always ground the answers in

the scripture references provided.