When a Presbyterian minister uses the Westminster catechisms to train a covenant child or adult, what are the assumptions of that action?  How does one regard the student in teaching him in this way.  The content of the Westminster catechisms provide the rationale:

Q101: What is the preface to the Ten Commandments?
The preface to the Ten Commandments is contained in these words, “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Wherein God manifesteth his sovereignty, as being JEHOVAH, the eternal, immutable, and almighty God; having his being in and of himself, and giving being to all his words and works: and that he is a God in covenant, as with Israel of old, so with all his people; who, as he brought them out of their bondage in Egypt, so he delivers us from our spiritual thralldom; and that therefore we are bound to take him for our God alone, and to keep all his commandments (emphasis added).

As a baptized member of the Church, the student is trained to regard himself as a member of God’s covenant family, because that is what he is.

The Shorter Catechism is, of course, shorter, but even more provocative in context. Compare question and answer #44 with #20 and #21:

What doth the preface to the Ten Commandments teach us?
The preface to the Ten Commandments teacheth us, That because God is The Lord, and our God, and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all His commandments.

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 grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.

Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?
The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever (emphasis added).

Of course, it is a tragic fact that some do not show forth true faith (by persevering in their profession).  But the point here is that we can’t teach people on the unstable basis of perpetual doubt.  Having been chosen to be part of God’s covenant family (The Church, the body of Christ), the only option for training these children is to regard them and teach them to regard themselves as chosen for everlasting life.  Jesus is their redeemer.  If they reject this message, then they will be condemned for unbelief.  But it is not the calling of a pastor to encourage such unbelief.  Rather he should foster faith.

I guess I haven’t really explained why I put “perspectivalism” in the title of this post.  Some other time.