---
title: "Question 20: Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? | Westminster Shorter Catechism"
description: "Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 20: Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of "
canonical: "https://ctkrp.org/shorter-catechism/question-20-did-god-leave-all-mankind-to-perish-in-the/"
source: "https://ctkrp.org/assets/rpcna-constitution-2026.pdf#page=161"
---

# Question 20: Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? | Westminster Shorter Catechism

God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.

Scripture proofs: Eph. 1:4; Rom. 3:20-22; Gal. 3:21-22.

Original source: [2026 RPCNA Constitution](https://ctkrp.org/assets/rpcna-constitution-2026.pdf#page=161)

## Related reading

- [Understanding covenant theology](https://ctkrp.org/learn/topics/covenant-theology/)
- [Westminster Confession of Faith · Chapter 7: Of God’s Covenant with Man](https://ctkrp.org/confession/chapter-7-gods-covenant-with-man/)
- [Westminster Shorter Catechism · Question 12: What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?](https://ctkrp.org/shorter-catechism/question-12-what-special-act-of-providence-did-god-exercise-toward/)
- [Westminster Larger Catechism · Question 20: What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created?](https://ctkrp.org/larger-catechism/question-20-what-was-the-providence-of-god-toward-man-in/)
- [Question 19](https://ctkrp.org/shorter-catechism/question-19-what-is-the-misery-of-that-estate-whereinto-man/)
- [Question 21](https://ctkrp.org/shorter-catechism/question-21-who-is-the-redeemer-of-gods-elect/)

Canonical page: https://ctkrp.org/shorter-catechism/question-20-did-god-leave-all-mankind-to-perish-in-the/