Nov 20
29
Baptist Catechism 46
Question 46: Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
Answer: The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. (Deut. 10:4; Matt. 19:17)
Scripture Reading: Matthew 19:16–26
“And behold, a man came up to him, saying, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’ And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.’ He said to him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus said, You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The young man said to him, ‘All these I have kept. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matthew 19:16–26, ESV)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
It was very important for us to learn that God’s moral law was written on Adam’s heart at the time of creation and is available to all human beings given that they too are made in God’s image. Everyone has a conscience. And that conscience is, to one degree or another, aware of God’s moral law. And God’s moral law is also observable in the world that he has made. There are certain principles that govern the world, and these principles may be observed and considered by men and women who are made in God’s image. This doctrine is important for many reasons. One thing that it teaches is that no one is without God’s law. Everyone has access to it to the degree that God will rightly judge all men by this law at the end of time. In other words, no one will be able to say on the day of judgement, I didn’t know that it was wrong for me to lie, or to steal, or to slander my neighbor’s name. Everyone has God’s moral law. And it has been revealed to them so clearly that, if they are not in Christ, God will rightly judge them for their breaking of this law on the last day.
There are so many things that we could say to qualify this doctrine though. Yes, I am aware that men and women do suppress this truth that is in them (see Romans 1). Yes, I am aware that men and women do twist this truth that is within them. And yes, I’m aware that the consciences of men and women can be seared through the repeated and unrepentant violation of God’s moral law. This can be said of individuals, and this can also be said of cultures, so that it is possible for image bears of God who have God’s moral law written on their hearts to grow exceedingly wicked.
When I say that all mankind has God’s moral law in common I am not so naive to think that we will be able to suit down with just anyone and have perfect agreement concerning what is right and what is wrong. Far from it! In fact, some people and cultures have grown so corrupt that it may seem as if God’s moral law has been completely obliterated in their soul and scrubbed from that place. But if we believe the scriptures then we must believe that God’s moral law is there. It may be badly distorted and buried under many layers of grime and filth, but it there, for all who are made in God’s image do have a conscience, seared as it may be. God’s moral law has been revealed clearly enough to function as that standard by which all will be judged.
This evening we turn our attention to another revelation of God’s moral. God’s moral law is written on the heart of every man. All have a conscience by which they may distinguish between good and evil. But God has also revealed his moral law in another place. He has graciously given us his word.
Remember the question that is driving this entire section of our catechism is, “What is the duty which God requireth of man?” And the answer is, “obedience to His revealed will” (BC, 44). And we have learned that one of the places God has revealed his will is in nature. His law is written on the hearts of men and is observable in the created world. But now we learn that God has revealed his will in another place, namely scripture.
Let me very briefly compare and contrast the two sources of revelation, which go by the names general and special revelation.
General revelation is called general because it is available to all.Special revelation is called special because only some have access to it. How many men have God’s law written on their heart? All men do! But how many have heard the word of God? How many have the scriptures? Only some.
General revelation is called general because it reveals general truths. Special revelation is called special because it reveals much more about God and what he requires of us than general revelation does. All men may know that God exists through their observation of the natural world. But not all men know that we must come to God through faith in Jesus the Christ. The stars in heaven reveal the glory of God, but they do not reveal the way of salvation.
And general revelation is called general because what it does reveals, it reveals generally. Special revelation is much more clear. All men may know that it is wrong to murder. But special revelation reveals this truth more clearly. In fact, through special revelation we learn that not only is sin to murder, but to harbor hatred in our hearts towards another.
Brothers and sisters, it is important for you to understand that God’s moral law is written on the heart of all men. But it is also important for you to know that God has spoken even more clearly. He is gracious and kind. Though we have fallen into sin, and though we have suppressed, distorted, and disobeyed his law within our hearts, he graciously revealed his will to us with even greater clarity.
And where is this special revelation found? It is found in the Holy Scriptures. And where is God’s moral summarized so that it may be understood? Our catechism is right to say, “The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.”
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Catechism Explained
The Ten Commandments are found in two places: Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. So where are the Ten Commandments found? Repeat after me: Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.
Exodus 20 tells us about when the Ten Commandments were first given, and Deuteronomy 5 tells us about when Moses reminded Israel of God’s law many years later.
Let me read the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20. I think it is right that I do this for we will consider each of these commandments one at a time for a while. Listen carefully to God law.
“And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:1–17, ESV).
Our catechism is right to call this a summary of God’s moral law. It is a summary because many of these commandments establish principles that may be expanded upon to apply to different situations. For example, when children are commanded to honor their father and mother, this also means that honor is to be shown to all who have authority over us.
And the Ten Commandments are also called a summary (and are not strictly equated with God’s moral law) because there are some things stated in them that were unique to Israel and the Old Covenant. For example, in the preface Moses addresses Israel and reminds them of their deliverance from Egypt. He also mentions “visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation…” This applied to Israel as a nation, and does not apply in the same way to the people of God living under the New Covenant. As Jerimiah says, “In those days they shall no longer say: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge” (Jeremiah 31:29–30, ESV). And also consider that the Sabbath day was to be kept on the seventh day under the Old Covenant, but under the New Covenant the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day, the Christian Sabbath.
The Ten Commandments are a summary of God’s moral law. His moral law — the same law written on the heart of man at the time of creation — may be comprehended there.
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Matthew 19:16–26
That Mathew 19 passage that I read from earlier teaches this.
There is much to learn from that passage. If we were on the topic I would draw your attention to the way that Christ used the law of God to show that rich young man his sin and to convince him of his need for a Savior. That young man thought he could earn his way to heaven through the keeping of the law. He thought he was righteous. After Jesus recited some of the Ten Commandments he said, “All these I have kept.” But then Jesus exposed his covetousness, saying, “‘If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
But the thing we must recognize today is the way in which Jesus answered the question “what good deed must I do to have eternal life.” Or, to use the language of our catechism, Jesus was asked, “What is the duty which God requireth of man?” And how did Jesus respond? How did he answer the question, what is good and right? He pointed immediately to the Ten Commandments. ForJesus, the Ten Commandments were a summary of God’s moral law. They reveal what it is that God requires of man.
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Conclusion
Why do we need to know the Ten Commandments, brothers and sisters?
Let me give you three reasons:
One, so that we might clearly understand what it is that God wants from us. What is good and what is right and what is just? Yes, these things are dimly revealed in nature. Yes, all men do have a conscience and may know something about the answer to that question. But God’s word reveals what is good, right, and just with great clarity. This is why the Psalmist says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105, ESV)
Two, so that we might clearly see that we need a Savior. When you hear the Ten Commandments you should definitely not say what that right young man said to Jesus, “All these I have kept.” No, the proper response is to say, I have violated this law in thought, word, and deed. And then afterwards to run to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins.
Three, we need to know the Ten Commandments so that we might properly use the law of God in evangelism and when seeking the good of the society in which we live. When we preach the gospel we must also use the law. The law and gospel are not contrary to one another. No, the sweaty comply. The law is used by the Spirit to pave the way for the gospel — the good news that Jesus has kept the law and has died in the place of sinners. Cleansing and forgiveness is found through faith in him. And the Ten Commandments are also useful as we seek the good of our city and nation. Societies will flourish when they are good and just. And Christians are called to be salt and light. We have God’s law, brothers and sisters. We ought to share it, along with the gospel.
Question 46: Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
Answer: The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. (Deut. 10:4; Matt. 19:17)
