Berean BlueApp preview

Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 60

Question 60

Can they who have never heard the gospel, and so know not Jesus Christ, nor believe in him, be saved by their living according to the light of nature?

They who, having never heard the gospel, know not Jesus Christ, and believe not in him, cannot be saved, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, or the laws of that religion which they profess; neither is there salvation in any other, but in Christ alone, who is the Savior only of his body the church.

Scripture references for paragraph 1

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Romans 10:14

14How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

8in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

9They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,

Ephesians 2:12

12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

John 1:10-12

10He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.

11He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

12But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—

John 8:24

24That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Mark 16:16

16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

1 Corinthians 1:20-24

20Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

22Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,

23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

John 4:22

22You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.

Romans 9:31-32

31but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

32Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Philippians 3:4-9

4though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:

5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;

6as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.

7But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.

8More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.

Acts 4:12

12Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Ephesians 5:23

23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.

Source and edition

Westminster Larger Catechism. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription

Unlicense. Source transcription.

Berean Blue opens December 1, 2026 for Bible reading, study, and research. View this work in the app preview.