Day 60: Of the Law of God, part 1

Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 91
Shorter Catechism Q. 39
Confession of Faith, Chapter 19, section 1
Shorter Catechism Q. 40
Larger Catechism Q. 92-93

[If you don't listen to the audio, you may scroll down to Q.91]

We are entering the second great section of the Westminster Standards.

Larger Catechism
Q.5. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
A. The Scriptures principally teach,
• what man is to believe concerning God,
• and what duty God requires of man.

WHAT MAN OUGHT TO BELIEVE CONCERNING GOD.

Yesterday, under "Assurance," we looked at Q.81 of the Larger Catechism:

Q.81. Are all true believers at all times assured of their present being in the estate of grace, and that they shall be saved?

Questions 82-90 deal with death, resurrection, judgment. These are things "man ought to believe concerning God," but they are issues of "eschatology" ("last things") which are better studied at the end of the Confession of Faith:

Q.82. What is the communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with Christ?
Q.83. What is the communion in glory with Christ which the members of the invisible church enjoy in this life?
Q.84. Shall all men die?
Q.85. Death, being the wages of sin, why are not the righteous delivered from death, seeing all their sins are forgiven in Christ?
Q.86. What is the communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after death?
Q.87. What are we to believe concerning the resurrection?
Q.88. What shall immediately follow after the resurrection?
Q.89. What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment?
Q.90. What shall be done to the righteous at the day of judgment?

HAVING SEEN WHAT THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH US TO BELIEVE CONCERNING GOD, IT FOLLOWS TO CONSIDER WHAT THEY REQUIRE AS THE DUTY OF MAN.

Larger Catechism
Q.91. What is the duty which God requireth of man?
A. The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to his revealed will [n].

[n] Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Ver.2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Shorter Catechism
Q.39. What is the duty which God requireth of man?
A. The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to his revealed will [a].

[a] Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter XIX, Of the Law of God
I. God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which He bound him and all his posterity, to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience, promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it [a].

[a] Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Ver.27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
With Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
Romans 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Ver.19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Ver.12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Ecclesiastes 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Shorter Catechism
Q.40. What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?
A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the moral law [b].

[b] Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves Ver.15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.
Romans 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

Larger Catechism
Q.92. What did God at first reveal unto man as the rule of his obedience?
A. The rule of obedience revealed to Adam in the estate of innocence, and to all mankind in him, besides a special command not to eat of the fruit of the tree knowledge of good and evil, was the moral law [o].

[o] Genesis 1:26-27 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Romans 2:14-15 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Ver.15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another;)
Romans 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

LargerCatechism
Q.93. What is the moral law?
A. The moral law is the declaration of the will of God to mankind, directing and binding every one to personal, perfect, and perpetual conformity and obedience thereunto, in the frame and disposition of the whole man, soul and body [p], and in performance of all those duties of holiness and righteousness which he oweth to God and man [q]: promising life upon the fulfilling, and threatening death upon the breach of it [r].

[p] Deuteronomy 5:1-3 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. Ver.2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Ver.3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. Ver.31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it. Ver.33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
Luke 10:26-27 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? Ver.27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[q] Luke 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
Acts 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.

[r] Romans 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Ver.12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

End of Lesson, Day 60

For Further Study:

Shorter Catechism Question 39:
• Francis R. Beattie's The Presbyterian Standards
• The Law of God; Christian Liberty
• James Fisher's Catechism on the Catechism
• John Flavel's Exposition of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism
• Matthew Henry's A Scripture Catechism in the Method of the Assembly's
• Thomas Vincent's The Shorter Catechism Explained from Scripture
• Thomas Watson's Body of Divinity
• John Whitecross' The Shorter Catechism Illustrated