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God’s Law

Introduction

Laws are established so that people may know what is right and wrong, and what they may do and not do. The Bible speaks about three kinds of law:

  • the civil law,
  • the ceremonial law and
  • the moral law.
The civil and ceremonial laws governed the civic and religious conduct of the Jews under the Old Testament and pointed to Christ (Galatians 3:24). The moral law, however, is for all people and remains in effect for all time.

  1. What is the moral law?
    The moral law expresses our duty toward God and our neighbor.
  2. Why has God given us His moral law?
    God has given us His moral law because He as our Creator, wants us to know and do His will. (See Questions 106, 107, 113 and 130).
  3. Why is the moral law still binding while the civil and ceremonial laws are not?
    The moral law is still binding because God's will for our moral conduct remains the same forever.
    (See Question 40.)
  4. How has God given us His moral law?
    When God created man, He wrote His moral law into the hearts of all people (conscience). Later He gave this law in writing on Mt. Sinai.
  5. What is the summary of the moral law?
    The summary of the moral law (the Ten Commandments) is love – love to God and to our neighbor.
  6. How much does God demand of us in His moral law?
    In His moral law God demands that we be perfect in all our thoughts, words and actions.
  7. Who has kept the moral law as God requires?
    Only Jesus Christ has kept the law as God requires.

Conclusion

God expects everyone to keep the moral law as written in man's conscience and especially in the Ten Commandments. When He says "You shall…" or "You shall not…", He means that we and all other people are to do what He commands and not to do what He forbids. The violation of God's Law, either by failing to do what is right (sins of omission) or by doing what is wrong (sins of commission), places us under His anger. But God has been merciful to us sinners; He has counted Christ's active obedience as our righteousness and therefore regards us in Christ as though we had kept the law perfectly.

Hymn

The Law of God is good and wise
And sets His will before our eyes,
Shows us the way of righteousness
And dooms to death when we transgress.

To those who help in Christ have found
And would in works of love abound
It shows what deeds are His delight
And should be done as good and right. (ELH 492: 1, 3)

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