Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 19
IV. To them also, as a body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the State of that people; not obliging under any now, further than the general equity thereof may require [g].
[g] (Exodus. 21. Exodus 22 1 to the 29th verse. See both in the Bible. [See reference below to "Book of the Covenant"])
Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
With 1 Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Ver.14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Ver.38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: Ver.39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
1 Corinthians 9:8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? Ver.9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Ver.10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
V. The moral law does forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof [h]; and that, not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it [i]. Neither does Christ, in the Gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation [k].
[h] Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Ver.9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Ephesians 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. Ver.4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Ver.7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Ver.8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
[i] James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Ver.11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
[k] Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Ver.18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Ver.19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Feel free to quit here for today. The next section is lengthy, and the audio runs about 10 minutes more. We'll pick up here on Day 63, summarizing section VI and beginning with section VII. Please leave your comments below. Do you agree with the Westminster Confession that believers are obligated to obey the Ten Commandments?
VI. Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned [l]; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly [m]; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives [n]; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin [o], together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of His obedience [p]. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin [q]: and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve; and what afflictions, in this life, they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law [r]. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God’s approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof [s]: although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works [t]. So as, a man’s doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law: and not under grace [u].
[l] Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.
Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, Ver.5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Acts 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
[m] Romans 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Ver.22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. Ver.25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Psalm 119:4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. Ver.5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Ver.6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Ver.16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulful the lust of the flesh. Ver.18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Ver.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Ver.20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Ver.21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Ver.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Ver.23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
[n] Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
[o] James 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: Ver.24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. Ver.25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Romans 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. Ver.14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. Ver.24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
[p] Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Ver.25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Romans 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
[q] James 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Psalm 119:101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. Ver.104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Ver.128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
[r] Ezra 9:13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; Ver.14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?
Psalm 89:30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; Ver.31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Ver.32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Ver.33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. Ver.34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
[s] (Leviticus 26)
With 2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Ephesians 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) Ver.3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Psalm 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Psalm 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
[t] Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Luke 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
[u] Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Ver.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Ver.9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. Ver.10 For he that ill love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Ver.11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. Ver.12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
With Psalm 34:12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Ver.13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Ver.15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. Ver.16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Ver.29 For our God is a consuming fire.
VII. Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it [x]; the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requires to be done [y].
[x] Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
[y] Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.
With Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
End of Lesson, Day 62
For Further Study:
CHAPTER XIX. - Of the Law of God - Commentary by Gordon H. Clark
Chapter XIX. Of the Law of God - Exposition by Robert Shaw
Chapter 19: Of the Law of God - Commentary by A.A. Hodge
For Whom Was God's Law Intended?
The Law AND The Saint, by Arthur W. Pink
• INTRODUCTION
• THE NEGATIVE SIDE
• THE POSITIVE SIDE
John Cotton was invited to attend the Westminster Assembly. He wrote An Abstract of the Laws of New England. The "Body of Liberties" shows which Old Testament texts were followed as the basis of Massachusetts law (see especially §94).
James B. Jordan, Law of the Covenant - pdf
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