Baptist Catechism 50 & 51

Q. 50. Which is the first commandment?

A. The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)

Q. 51. What is required in the first commandment?

A. The first commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify Him accordingly. (Joshua 24:15; 1 Chron. 28:9; Deut. 26:17; Ps. 29:2; Matt. 4:10)

Scripture Reading: Joshua 24.1-15

“Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out. Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time. Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’ Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.’” (Joshua 24:1–15, 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

There is a good reason why the first of the Ten Commandments is stated first! The commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me”, is stated first because it is of supreme importance. 

What good will it do if we succeed at keeping the other nine commandments (somewhat) but fail to keep the first, which, as we will soon learn,  requires us “to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify Him accordingly.” Will it do us any good (ultimately) to not bow to idols, to treat the name of God with respect, and to observe the Sabbath day – will it do us any good to honor father and mother, not murder, not commit adultery, not steal, not bear false witness, and not covet, if we do not first have God as our God and honor him as such? I suppose some may say, well yes, it would be better for someone to obey God’s moral law (somewhat) even if they do not honor God as God. And I suppose there is some truth to that. A moral atheist is certainly better than an immoral one, worldly speaking. But I am asking the question in an ultimate sense. Will it do us any good ultimately, or perhaps we could say, really, truly, and eternally, to keep the other nine commandments if we do not, first and foremost, love God and live for his glory? The answer is, no. 

Do not forget, brothers and sisters, that the sum of the first four of the Ten Commandments, is to love the LORD our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. If we wish to keep these commandments really and truly, we must begin and end with love for God. And this is true, not only of the first four but of the last six as well. All of our efforts to keep God’s law must be motivated by our love for him. As Christ said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ESV). And the aim of our obedience ought to be the glory of God. As Paul said, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV). If our obedience to God’s law is not motivated by our love for him, then our obedience is not from the heart – it is merely superficial. And if our obedience is not aimed at bringing honor to God, then it must be aimed at some other end or purpose, most likely our own honor or praise. These are dead works. This kind of obedience has no value ultimately, for it is not done for the right reason.

And so we must begin here. If we wish to live a life that is right before God, we must start by honoring God as God, and having no other gods before him. You will notice that the first commandment is stated negatively – “you shall not…”, it says. And so it is good for us to ask what it requires, positively. The negative command implies the positive requirement.  What does this commandment require? Our catechism is right to say,  The first commandment requires us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify Him accordingly.

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Catechism Explained

Three requirements are mentioned here. One, the first commandment requires us to know God as the only true God and our God. Two, the first commandment requires us to acknowledge God to be the only true God and our God. Three, the first commandment requires us to worship and glorify God accordingly.

Let us consider each of these requirements one at a time. 

One, the first commandment requires us to know God as the only true God and our God. When the first commandment forbids us (in a negative way) from having any other gods besides the one true God, it does also require us (in a positive way) to have God as our God. And to have God as our God, we must know him. 

What does it mean to know God? Two things: 

First, to know God is to know the truth about him. Do you know about God? Do you know that he exists? Do you know what he is like? Do you know about his nature,  his attributes, and his ways with men? If we are to have God as our God we must know about him. And where must we go to find out the truth about God? Well, we know that he has revealed the truth about himself in two places. He has revealed some things about himself in nature, and he has revealed the truth about himself much more thoroughly and clearly in Scripture. And so we must study these two books – the “book” of nature, and the book of Scripture – if we wish to know the truth about God. These two “books” will always agree, for they are both from God – he reveals himself through both. If they ever seem to contradict, the problem is not with the one book or the other, but with the interpreter. And of these two books, the book of Scripture is supreme, for through the Scriptures God has revealed himself with great clarity. And so I ask you, do you know God? Do you know the truth about him – who he is, what he is like, and how he relates to man? You should! The first of the Ten Commandments requires us to have God as our God. And this means we must know about him. 

Second, to know God is to be in a right relationship with him. All men and women are in a relationship with God. He is their Creator and they are his creatures. This is true even if they deny him. And they are not only related to him as his creatures. They are related to him covenantaly too, for all men and women are born under that broken covenant of works that was made with Adam, and all do also live under the covenant of creation that was made in the days of Noah after the flood. All who live are in a relationship with God. The question is, what kind of relationship is it? Answer: not a good one. By nature and because of sin, we are called children of wrath. By nature – that is to say, by virtue of our natural birth – we are enemies of God because of our sin, and we are under his condemnation. So then, all people do know God and are in a relationship with him in this sense – God is their creator, and they are his creatures. And given the fact of sin, God is the judge and they stand before him guilty and condemned (see John 3:16-18). To know God in the way that the first commandment requires is to be in a right relationship with him. The first commandment requires that we know God to be the only true God and to have him as our God. 

Already, you can see that a Savior is needed. If rebel sinners are to know God as their God – if they are to be in a right relationship with him – they need someone to deal with the problem of sin. Jesus Christ is that Savior. He lived, died, and rose again to redeem us from bondage to sin and to reconcile us to God the Father. The redemption and reconciliation that Isarel experienced in the days of Moses was an earthly picture (foreshadowing) of the greater act of redemption and reconciliation that Jesus Christ, the Promised One, would accomplish. Through faith in Jesus the Messiah, we are really and truly reconciled to God so that we might know him, that is to say, be in a right relationship with him. Those who have faith in Christ do not know God as Judge, but as Father.     

So then, the first commandment requires us to know God. Two, the first commandment also requires us to acknowledge God to be the only true God. What is the difference between knowing God and acknowledging him? Well, I suppose it would be possible to know God privately in the mind and heart, but not publicly. But this is not the way we are to walk before our God. If God is truly our God, we will openly acknowledge him as such.  We will honor him as God by acknowledging him in all our ways (Proverbs 3:6). We will honor him by fearing him in our walk (Genesis 42:18). We will honor him by trusting in him (Psalm 25:2). We will honor him by submitting to him (James 4:7). 

Those who have the LORD as their God will not be private it about. Instead, they will acknowledge the LORD as God in their thoughts, words, and deeds. With their whole life, they will say, “I am the LORD’s” (Isaiah 44:5). They will declare, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). Those who truly have the LORD as their God will “made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12). They will confess with the mouth “Jesus is Lord” while believing in the heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9). And do not forget the warning of Jesus: “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32–33).

The commandment, you shall have no other gods before me, is negative. It forbids us from having any other god besides the one true God. But considered positively (and considered in the light of what the rest of the Scriptures say about this subject)  it requires us to have God as our God.  And to have God as our God, we must know him and acknowledge him to be our LORD and God. 

Thirdly, and lastly, the first commandment requires us to worship and glorify God accordingly. Those who know God and acknowledge him to be their God will worship him and live for his glory. 

To worship is to bow down. One may worship by bowing down physically. Certainly, we must bow down before the Lord in the mind and heart. To worship is to acknowledge that God is worthy of our obedience and praise. To worship is to give oneself up to the will of God, to surrender to him, and to serve him (2 Chronicles 30:8). We worship God individually as we bow before him in private prayer, as we contemplate his Word, and as we surrender our lives to him as his humble servants. We worship in private families as we pray, read Scripture, and sing. And we worship in public as we assemble with God’s people on the Lord’s Day to hear the word of God read and preached, as we pray in Jesus’ name, as we sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and as we break the bread in obedience to Christ’s command. The Old Covenant people of God had ordinances for worship; and the New Covenant people of God have ordinances too. Those who have the one true God as their God, will know him, acknowledge him, and worship him.

To glorify God is to honor and exalt him. We exalt God when we worship him in the way he has prescribed. We exalt God as we obey him. And we exalt him as we trust him, live lives of thankfulness and contentment before him, and as we testify concerning his goodness to us in Christ Jesus. We glorify God as we worship and serve him with all that we are and urge others to do the same (1 Corinthians 6:20).    

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Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, the first of the Ten Commandments does not merely forbid having other gods besides the LORD. No, when all is considered, it requires us “to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify Him accordingly.” 

But let me ask you, have you kept this law perfectly? All must confess, no we have violated this law in thought, word, and deed. All must confess this, except one, Christ Jesus our Lord, who kept God’s law perfectly on our behalf, and died in our place so that we might be reconciled to God, and serve him faithfully all the days of our life. May all who hear this be found trusting in him for the forgiveness of sins and for life everlasting. Amen.  

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 62

“TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO JEDUTHUN. A PSALM OF DAVID. For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.” (Psalm 62, ESV)

New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1–17

“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:1–17, 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

In the introduction to the previous sermon, I made the observation that there are many institutions in the world that call themselves a “church”. There is the Roman Catholic Church, the Mormon Church, the Church of Scientology, etc. And in the introduction to that sermon, I also said, according to the simple (etymological) definition of the word “church”, I suppose they have a right to use the word. The word “church” simply means “assembly” or “congregation”, and all of these institutions I have named do in fact “assemble” or “congregate” regularly for stated purposes. Considered in this way, I suppose it is right to say that they are churches. 

But in the scriptures, the word “church” is not used in this generic way. Yes, Christ is building his church. And yes, his church will assemble or congregate, as the word suggests. But his church is not just any congregation or assembly. No, Christ’s church – the church as it is described in the Bible – is a very specific kind of congregation or assembly. It has certain characteristics, qualities, and features. It is an assembly marked by certain beliefs and practices. 

So then, it should be clear to you that there are true churches and there are false churches in the world. Are they churches? Well, if the only criteria to be met for being a “church” is the etymological or definitional criteria, then I suppose they are. Church means “assembly”, and they do in fact assemble. But the scriptures have more to say about the church. The church – Christ church – is a very particular kind of assembly, congregation, or society. 

If we were to describe the church of Jesus Christ as God’s “temple” (as the scriptures so often do), we must say that the church of Jesus Christ – the true church, as described in the Bible – has a very particular foundation, it is constructed of very particular stones (living stones, made alive by the Spirit of God), it has a very particular purpose (namely, the worship of God as governed by God’s Holy Word). And lastly, this temple is expanding but is expanding only in a particular way and through particular means.

I plan to explore each of these characteristics of the church in this short sermon series. We will be considering Christ’s church – the true church – as God’s temple. Today, we will consider its foundation. Next Sunday, will consider its stones. The Sunday after that we will consider its worship. And finally, we will consider its expansion, Lord willing. 

And yes, all of this is a bit of a follow-up to what was proclaimed in our study through Exodus concerning God’s tabernacle, or temple. In that series, we learned that God’s worldwide and eternal temple was offered to Adam in the covenant that God made with him, but forfeited. It was then promised to Adam (vaguely) in the curse pronounced by God upon the serpent after man’s fall into sin.  This promise was greatly clarified and expanded in the covenant that God made with Abraham. And in the covenant that God made with Isarel in the days of Moses, these promises were taken up, preserve, protected, and even prefigured in many ways. Under the Old Mosaic Covenant, God’s worldwide, eternal temple was prefigured, or pictured, on earth. But when Christ came into the world to accomplish our redemption and to earn the new creation, this temple was brought into being with power. It was inaugurated, we say. It was then that the Spirit of God was poured out, not into a structure of cloth or stone, but on all flesh. It was then that God began to dwell in the midst of his people in a way not known since Eden. This temple, which is inaugurated now, will come to its conclusion, or consummation, in the new heavens and earth – that is to say, in the new creation –  when Christ returns. Here in this short series, we are giving special attention to this era in which we now live. It is the era of the New Covenant. It is the era of the Covenant of Grace. It is the era of God’s Spirit. God’s worldwide and eternal temple is here now with power, and according to the scriptures, you, church, are that temple, for God’s Spirit dwells in you. 

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The Foundation Of God’s Temple-Church Is Christ

Today we will consider the foundation of God’s inaugurated, worldwide, and eternal temple. The foundation of this temple is not made of stone as it was in the days of Solomon. No, the foundation is the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.

That is what Paul says in Ephesians 2:19-22. There he speaks to Gentiles, that is to say, non-Jews, living under the New Covenant. And he says, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19–22, ESV).

Paul says something similar in 1 Corinthians 3:9, which we read earlier. He describes himself (and other ministers of the Word) as workers in God’s temple-building project, saying, “For we are God’s fellow workers. You [church in Corinth] are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:9–11, ESV).

So then, in Ephesians 2:19ff. Paul says the foundation of God’s temple-church is the apostles and prophets with Christ as the cornerstone. And in 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, he simply says that the foundation is Jesus Christ. So which is it? Well, both are true. The short answer is that Jesus Christ is the foundation of God’s temple-church. But it is just as true to say that the foundation is the apostles and prophets with Christ and the cornerstone. 

Who are the apostles? They were eyewitnesses of Christ’s resurrection. And they were those especially sent by Jesus to testify concerning all that he said and did. The New Testament scriptures were written by them or under their supervision. And who are these prophets that Paul speaks of? I think it is right to say that they are the prophets of Old who lived before Christ’s coming who testfied concerning him, and they are the prophets that lived during Jesus life and shortly thereafter. John the Baptist was one of these. He was the last of the prophets of Old and the forerunner of the Christ. And the man named Agabus, who is mentioned in Acts 21:10, is also one of these. In the earliest days of the church – in those days when the New Testament scriptures were still being written – there were apostles (the twelve plus Paul), and there were prophets who spoke and wrote the word of God authoritatively under the inspiration of the Spirit. The New Testament prophets, like the Old Testament prophets before them, spoke God’s word to the people.  

 And who did these – the prophets of the Old Covenant, the prophets of the New Covenant, and the apostles – speak of? Ultimately, they pointed to Christ. Those who lived before his birth pointed forwrad to his person, work, and reward. John the Baptist had the wonderful privilege of saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. And the prophets who ministered after his resurrection and alongside the apostles spoke authoritatively concerning the Christ crucified, risen, and ascended.     

When Paul speaks of the apostles and prophets as being foundation stones in God’s eternal temple, he does not mean that these men are foundation stones, in and of themselves, but by virtue of the word they delivered. They spoke and wrote God’s word. They testified, ultimately, concerning Christ. And so they are foundation stones, not because of anything in them, by because of their relation to Jesus Christ. They declared God’s word and proclaimed Christ with authority. 

So it is clear, then, that this eternal and worldwide temple that God is building now is not made of stone. It is made of people. This is about God’s presence on earth with his people. And the foundation stones of this temple are the apostles, and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone.  Stated differently, the foundation is Christ, and it is the apostles of Christ and the prophets, of the Old and New Covenants, who have testified concerning him.

So what does it mean for Christ to be the foundation of God’s temple-church? What are the implications? Two words come to mind: dependence and alignment. The true church of God, and all who are truly a part of it, will depend upon Christ. And the true church of God, and all who are truly a part of it, will align with Christ. This talk of Christ being the foundation of God’s temple-church is about dependence (may we faith?) and alignment (may we say obedience?).

I’m sure you know that this is how foundations work. The foundations of buildings are very, very important for two reasons. One, they must be able to bear the whole weight of the building. They must be very strong, therefore. They must be strong enough to support the whole structure that is built on top of it, not only in times of ease, but also in times of difficulty (through storms, floods, earthquakes, and the rest). Buildings depend upon their foundations. Two, the foundation of a building will also establish the shape or parameters of the building. The building that is constructed on top of the foundation will have to align with it. The foundation must be level, square, and true, therefore. And the shape of the foundation will determine the shape of the building. And for this reason, I say this is about dependence and alignment. The true church of God, and all who are truly a part of it, will depend upon Christ and align with him, for he is the foundation of God’s temple.  

Let us now consider these two implications in more detail.  

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The True Church Will Depend Upon Christ

First, the true church will depend upon Christ as its foundation. This is true of individual believers, the church universal, and of every local (visible) church.

Let of consider individual believers for a moment. In the 1 Corinthians 3 and Ephesians 2 passages that have already been read, individual believers – that is to say, all who have faith in Christ – are described as being the stones of God’s temple-church. Christ is the foundation, and the stones that are built up on top of that foundation are those who are united to Christ by faith. In 1 Peter 2:4, it is stated even more directly. Peter writes to those who have faith when he says, “As you come to [Christ], a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4–5, ESV). So then, Christ is the foundation of God’s temple-church, and all who have faith in him are the stones out of which the structure is made. We will consider the stones of God’s temple-church more carefully next Sunday. For now, let us consider their relation to Christ, the foundation. The stones of God’s temple are those who depend on him. They are those who trust in him. They are those who rest on him and have their hope built on him. It is those who trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, for reconciliation with God, and for life everlasting in the new heavens and new earth, who are a part of God’s church. They are stones. Christ is the foundation upon which they rest. 

This temple-church may be considered in a universal sense. In truth, there is only one church. There is only one foundation – the apostles and prophets with Christ as the cornerstone. And it is upon this one foundation that every living stone is placed. Whenever a sinner hears the gospel and is drawn to faith and repentance by the inward working of the Holy Spirit, they are added as a stone in God’s temple-church. They are placed on top of those who have gone before them. And ultimately, they are placed on top of Christ, the foundation. What unites all of these stones? It is their shared faith or dependence upon Christ. The living stones of God’s inaugurated eternal temple are quarried from all over the earth. They are people from every tongue, tribe, and nation. And these stones have been quarried for a very long time. All who have had faith in Christ who have lived before us are stones in this temple too. They worship God in their souls now in heaven as they await the resurrection. This is the universal church. It may also be called the invisible church. It is called the universal church because it is the one true church made up of all who have faith in Christ now and in the past, from every tongue, tribe, and nation. There is a universal church, brothers and sisters, and we should be mindful of it. And it is called the invisible church because we cannot see it now. God sees it. But we cannot see it. One, we cannot see it because we are limited in space. Two, we cannot see it because we are limited in time. And three, we cannot see it because we are limited in our perception of the heart and mind. Only God can now see his universal church which he has built of stones that he has quarried from across time, and from across this planet, to set them down upon the foundation of Christ, in whom they trust.

It is true that God’s temple-church may be considered in a universal sense, and that we should be mindful of it, but you will notice that when Paul and Peter wrote concerning the building up of God’s church, they were not writing to the church universal and invisible, but to churches local and visible. 

It was to the church in Ephesus that Paul wrote, saying, “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22, ESV). It was to the church in Corinth that he said, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16–17, ESV). And Peter wrote to churches in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, when he said, “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4–5, ESV).

Yes, there is a universal church. It is the church that God sees consisting of all of his elect in all times and places who have been brought to repentance and faith in Christ. But I ask you, when will this church – the universal church –  assemble? I suppose we may say that she assembles each Lord’s Day in the hevenly realm as believers from all around the world, along with those in heaven now, come to worship the Father, through the Son, and by the Spirit. But I am asking, when will this universal church assemble bodily? Answer: in the new heavens and earth when all is made new. For now, Christ’s church assembles bodily in local, visible, churches. These churches are called “local’ because they are the assemblies of those who profess faith in Christ in a particular region. And they are called “visible” because we can see them. The churches are made up of people who have made a credible profession of faith in Christ. They are made up of officers and members, men and women, young and old, who have been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These assemble in local, visible churches to hear the Word of God read and preached, to pray and sing, and to partake of the Lord’s Supper. What unites us? Faith in Christ unites us. He is the foundation upon which we all rest. And we together are stones in the eternal temple that God is now building.    

The implications of this basic teaching are rather massive. Who should be received as members of our local churches? Only those who make a credible profession of faith. And what should the church be urging men and women to do? To turn from their sins, to place their faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and be united to Christ as living stones in his eternal temple, of which Christ himself is the foundation.  

A true church of God, and all who are truly a part of it, will depend upon Christ, brothers and sisters. There are many institutions in the world that call themselves a “church”, but many are false. Why?  Because they do not have Jesus Christ alone as their foundation.  As Paul says, in the work of building God’s eternal temple, “no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11, ESV).

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The True Church Will Align With Christ

True churches and true Christians will depend upon Christ alone for life eternal. Secondly, the true church will align with Christ. And this is also true for individual believers, the church universal, and local, visible, churches.

When I speak of alignment I have conformity and obedience in mind. As I have said, the foundations of buildings must be very strong because the whole structure depends on them. Foundations must also be true because the whole building will have to align or conform with them. The shape of the foundation will determine the shape of the building. If the foundation is level, square, and true, the building will be true. And Christ, the foundation of God’s eternal temple is true. We must align ourselves to him in thought, word, and deed.  

This may be applied to the individual believer. To have Christ as Savior, one must trust in him or depend upon him. Faith involves trust. That has already been said. But did you know that saving faith does not only involve trust, it also involves right belief? Friends, you cannot be saved from your sins without right belief, and this should be obvious to all. To trust in Christ – to depend upon him as your Savior – you must know about him. Who is he and what has he done to make him worthy of your trust? That simple question alone should make it clear that faith – true faith – involves right belief. And where is this information about Christ found? It is found in the word of God, the Holy Scriptures. There we find God’s word to us concerning himself, our relation to him, and the way that he has made for us to be right with him, now that humanity is fallen into sin. These truths about God, man, and Christ must be known before a person can possibly trust in Christ for salvation. 

Now, I am not claiming that a person must be a master theologian, or a skilled interpreter of Holy Scripture, before he or she can be saved. But clearly, basic truths about God, man, and Christ must be known. And what are these basic truths? They are the scriptural truths summarized for us in the great creeds, confessions, and catechisms of the church. These documents are not authoritative for us in the way that scripture is authoritative. But they become useful and even authoritative (in a secondary way) as churches adopt them as summaries of the clear and basic teachings of Holy Scripture. Creeds, confessions, and catechisms must align with scripture. Or to state it according to the theme of the sermon today, they must align with Christ the Word, our foundation. If they do not align with God’s Word to us, they must be regected. But if they do align, and if they are useful summaries of the faith and presentations of the gospel of Jesus Christ that must be believed for salvation to be received, then it would be wise to use them in evangelism and in discipleship. Our confession is the Second London Confession (1677/89). Our catechism is the  Baptist Catechism (1693). We consider them to be wonder symbols or summaries of the Christian faith, and so we use them as tools to proclaim Christ and to teach those who believe to observe all that he has commanded.            

I mention creeds, confessions, and catechisms because the church has used them throughout history to urge men and women to depend upon Christ and also to align with him, for he is our foundation. Again, the Scriptures alone are authoritative in a primary and foundational way for right belief, but these summaries of the faith may be considered authoritative in a secondary way so long as they are faithful to Scripture as summaries. I also mention creeds, confessions, and catechisms because modern Christianity has grown more and more doctrine-less, and this is a major problem. Men and women, boys and girls, are often urged to trust in Christ (and even are baptized in his name) before understanding who he is, what he has done, and what he requires of them. Stated according to the theme of this sermon, in our day and age many are urged to depend upon Christ, but not to align with him. But if Christ is going to be our foundation, and if we are going to be living stones in his eternal temple, we must align with him. In fact, he cannot support us as our foundation if we do not align with him. What an absurd thought! A foundation cannot support that which is not aligned with it! And yet so many think that they have Christ as some kind of savior while holding to erroneous beliefs concerning his person and work. And no, I am not talking about minor errors (the kind of which we all entertain), but major errors which do in fact destroy the very foundation of the faith. 

If you doubt that true and saving faith required right belief, listen to Paul’s words in Romans 10:9. There he famously says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9, ESV). This verse is clearly about salvation. If you will do these things, “you will be saved”, Paul says. And what does Paul tell us to do? Well, throughout his writings, and even elsewhere in Romans, he urges us to have faith in Christ. For example, in Romans 5:1 he says, ​​“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1, ESV). We are justified, or saved, by faith. But here in Romans 10:9, he describes what true faith involves, saying, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. Let me ask you this, how can someone confess Jesus to be Lord if they do not know who Jesus is, or what it means for him to be Lord, or why it is that he is worthy of that glorious title? And notice further that the “belief” that is to reside within the heart is not merely trust or dependence but  belief in a fact.  To be saved we must “believe in [the] heart that God raised him from the dead….” That fact about Jesus must be believed, and I think it is also clear that the reasons for, and implications of, that fact must be known and believed. Jesus was raised from the dead. Do you believe that is true? Do you know why he was raised? Do you know what that fact means for those who are united to him by faith? Do you trust him personally? If the answer is truly yes, then this is saving faith. But trust without true knowledge is no faith at all. It is simply wishful and superstitious thinking. 

So then, to have Jesus as your foundation and to be a part of God’s eternal temple does not only involve trust or dependence. It also involved alignment. Or to put it another way, to truly depend upon Jesus – to trust in him unto salvation – you must also align with him. You must believe God’s word concerning his person and work. You must confess with your mouth that he is your Lord, which will involves submitting to his will in thought, word and deed. 

Please allow me to say just a word or two about the universal church and alignment. To be a part of the universal church, one must confess the faith. Notice, I did not say, one must have faith – that is also true! Here I am saying that one must confess the faith – “the faith” being, essential Christian doctrines.  

The Scriptures often use the word “faith” in a subjective way referring to personal trust. But sometimes the Scriptures use the word “faith” in an objective way referring to the collection of Christian doctrine. When used in this objective way, the word “faith” is typically preceded by a definite article. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” That would be a wonderful life verse, wouldn’t it!? “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” When Paul mentions “the faith” he does not merely mean, personal trust, but sound doctrine. In Colossians 2:6-7 Paul says, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Again, “the faith” refers, not merely to personal trust, but sound doctrine too. 

My point is this: there are damnable heresies, brothers and sisters, which, if believed, will set a person outside of Christ’s temple-church. You cannot have Christ as your foundation if you do not trust in him, and neither can you have him as your foundation if you do not align with him doctrinally, and we know that right doctrine will also produce to right practice. 

As was said earlier, we all harbor wrong beliefs concerning God, man, Christ, and our salvation in him. I’m sure of that. If we knew what they were, we would confess them and correct them, by God’s grace. Not every error is a damnable heresy though, for most of them do not disturb the foundation, which is salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. But some errors do. Some errors do not only cause us to be slightly misaligned with Christ and his Word, but set us off the foundation entirely. 

In God’s universal temple-church, every stone is, if considered in a human way, misaligned from Christ the cornerstone, slightly. Christ, the master builder sets us straight over time, and where misalignments remain, he covers those defects by his shed blood and by imputing his perfections to us. But there are some errors that destroy the foundation, and if believed, set a person off of the foundation of Christ entirely.  Listen to Paul in 1 Timothy 4:1: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared…” In 6:10 he says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” And in 6:11 he says, “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11–12, ESV)

What are the implications, then, for the local church? Not only must ministers and members urge one another to trust in Christ, we also must be concerned to align with him in thought, word, and deed. There can be no dependence upon Christ as our foundation without substantial alignment with him. And so Christ must be proclaimed, and the Scriptures must be taught. 

Pastors must teach, brothers and sisters. This is what Paul told Pastor Titus: “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine… “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned…” (Titus 2:1, 7, ESV). And it will do no good for a Pastor to teach in Christ’s church if the members are not hungry to learn. 

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Conclussion

Perhaps we should close with a verse that has become a kind purpose statement for Emmaus. It is Colossians 1:28: “[Christ]  we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28, ESV).

Baptist Catechism 48 & 49

Q. 48. What is the preface to the Ten Commandments?

A. The preface to the Ten Commandments is 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.” (Exodus 20:2)

Q. 49. What doth the preface to the Ten Commandments teach us?

A. 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. (Deut 11:1)

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 10:12–11:1

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good? Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen. Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven. You shall therefore love the LORD your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.” (Deuteronomy 10:12–11:1, 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

In the weeks and months to come we will be learning all about the Ten Commandments. We learn what they are, what they require, and what they forbid. As you know, the Ten Commandments contain a summary of God’s moral law. God’s moral law is for all men living in all times and places. All men have this law written on their hearts. All men are bound to keep it. And all men will be judged by this law on the last day, if not in Christ. More was said about this in previous sermons. But I hope you would also agree with me that God’s people – those who have been redeemed by God, and who bear his name – have a special kind of obligation to obey their God. 

Really, this is what the preface, or the introduction, to the Ten Commandments teaches. All people have an obligation to obey God’s revealed will, that is to say, his moral law. Why? Because God is our Creator, and we are his creatures – we were made in his image, to know, worship, and serve him. But if we are in Christ – if we have been rescued by him and washed clean by his blood – then we have a special kind of obligation to keep God’s law, for God is not only our Creator, but is also our Redeemer. This is true for all who have faith in Christ, and this was pictured in an earthy way amongst the Hebrews in the days of Moses when they were redeemed from Egyptian bondage.  

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The Catechism Explained

Question 48 of our catechism asks, “What is the preface to the Ten Commandments?” A preface is an introduction that sets the tone for what will follow. And the answer to question 48 is simply a quotation of Exodus 20:2: “The preface to the Ten Commandments is 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” (Exodus 20:2). That is how the Ten Commandments are introduced in Exodus 20:2. 

By the way, you have probably noticed that the English found in our catechism is Old English. That is because this document was written a long time ago, originally in the 17th century. Parents, you are free to modernize the language for your children if you’d like. As a church, we have decided to retain the original because altering documents foundational to an institution such as catechisms and confessions can be tricky business. If you wish to memorize the preface to the Ten Commandments, or the Ten Commandments themselves using the language of the ESV or some other modern Bible translation, that would be fine. The point is that we learn what these questions and answers mean, for the Christian faith is summarized here – the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed in this document. Hopefully, we can also put these questions and answers to memory, for that will help us in our learning.  

But let us think about Exodus 20:2 for a moment and the preface to the Ten Commandments that is found there. What was the setting? Who was speaking? And to whom? These are important questions.  

Well, if you know the story of the Exodus you know that it was God who was speaking. Moses had gone up on Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments from God. The scriptures tell us that these words were written on tablets of stone by God. And Moses brought these tablets down to the people of Israel who, not long before this, were rescued from Egypt. If you wish to know more about that story, you should read the second book of the Bible, called Exodus. 

So these words that we are considering are God’s words. And they were delivered in this form to Israel. These were the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The small clan of Jacob had grown to a very large multitude over the span of hundreds of years as they lived, and eventually, suffered, in Egypt. When the time was right, God rescued them. He brought them out from Egyptian bondage through Moses his servant. He brought them out by sending ten plagues. He led them into the wilderness. And when they were trapped with the Red Sea on one side, and the army of Egypt on the other side, God led them through the Sea by parting the waters. The Hebrews walked on dry land through waters of judgment. As the Egyptians pursued them, the waters of judgment fell upon them and consumed them. Finally, God lead them through the wilderness and brought them to Mount Sinai where he entered into a special, national, covenant with them and give them his law. First, he gave them a summary of his moral law in the Ten Commandments. And afterward, he gave them civil and ceremonial laws which, though they were based on the moral law, were additions to it, and were unique to Old Covenant Israel as a nation.    

So this is the setting. In brief, this law – the summary of God’s moral law – was given by God to Israel, after he rescued them from Egypt to be his special people on earth. The first words spoken were,  “I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage” (Exodus 20:2). 

The words, “I am the LORD thy God” were meant to remind Isarel that God is their Creator. In other words, this phrase would have reminded them of the story of creation that is told in Genesis 1 and 2 where God is first revealed by the names God (ʾelohiym) and LORD (YHWH). And the words, “which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage” would have reminded them of the marvelous work of redemption that the LORD had just accomplished to free them from Egyptian bondage. 

So then, the preface to the Ten Commandments effectively communicates the relationship that exists between God and Isarel: God said, Israel, I am the LORD your God. I am your Creator and your Redeemer. Obey me, therefore. Here is my law. 

Question 49 of our catechism communicates this by asking, “What doth the preface to the Ten Commandments teach us?” Answer: “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.”

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Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, young and old, if I were to ask you the question, why should we obey God’s law? What would you say? 

If your response is this: we ought to obey God’s law to earn God’s love, to earn his favor, or to earn eternal life from him, then you have not understood the message of the Bible, nor the gospel of Jesus Christ contained within. We cannot earn anything from God by obeying his law. Why? Because Adam broke God’s law and the covenant of works that God made with him, and we are born in Adam, and in Adam’s guilt. Also, we ourselves have violated God’s law in thought, word, and deed,  all stand guilty before him, therefore. 

This is what Paul means when he says, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in [God’s] sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20, ESV). And a little later in that same passage, he says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, ESV). And in another place, he says, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23, ESV). Ever since the fall it is impossible for men and women to earn God’s love, to earn his favor, or to earn eternal life through obedience to the law for the simple reason that we are all born in sin and do ourselves sin. The law condemns us as lawbreakers, therefore. 

As we study the Ten Commandments in the months to come I will remind you of this truth often.  Is the law good? Yes, it is! Should we strive to keep God’s law? Yes, indeed. But not to earn God’s love nor our salvation. That is impossible. And one way that I will remind you of this limitation of the law is by taking you to the catechism questions that immediately follow the section on the Ten Commandments.

After a prolonged study of the Ten Commandments, Q. 87 will ask, Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God? A. No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but daily break them in thought, word, or deed. Q. 89 asks, What doth every sin deserve? A. Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come. Q. 90 asks, What doth God require of us, that we may escape His wrath and curse, due to us for sin? A. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption. And finally, Q. 91 asks, What is faith in Jesus Christ? A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the Gospel. 

Why should we keep God’s law? Not to be saved! Now that we are fallen, salvation can only be received as free gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ the Savior. Notice, the duty which God requires of man “to escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin” is not obedience to the moral law, but “faith in Jesus Christ” and “repentance unto life”. 

Back to the question. Why should we keep God’s law, then? Answer: because God is our Creator and our Redeemer. It is only right for creatures to obey the law of their Creator – it is their natural duty. And it is only right that the redeemed obey the law of their Redeemer out of gratitude for all that has graciously been done for them. 

Brothers and sisters, young and old, if it was right for Old Covenant Israel to obey their LORD and God who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage (Exodus 20:2), how much more should we obey the LORD our God, now that we have been redeemed, not through Moses, but by Christ; not from Egypt, but from the power of sin, the fear of death, and from the kingdom of Satan itself; and not unto the land of Canaan, but unto the new heavens and earth in which righteousness dwells. Indeed, our motivation to keep God’s revealed will should be greater, because our redemption is greater. And more than this, the summary of the moral law which was written on stone in the days of Moses, is written on the heart of all who have faith in Christ by the working of the Spirit. So then, our motivation is greater because our gratitude is greater, and so is our ability, for in Christ we have been renewed in the mind and heart and set free as it pertains to our will. 

 Q. 48. What is the preface to the Ten Commandments?

A. The preface to the Ten Commandments is 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.” (Exodus 20:2)

Q. 49. What doth the preface to the Ten Commandments teach us?

A. 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. (Deut 11:1)

Baptist Catechism 44-47

Q. 44. What is the duty which God requireth of man?

A. The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to His revealed will. (Micah 6:8; Eccles. 12:13; Ps. 119:4; Luke 10:26-28)

Q. 45. 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. (Rom. 2:14,15; 5:13,14)

Q. 46. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?

A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. (Deut. 10:4; Matt. 19:17)

Q. 47. What is the sum of the Ten Commandments?

A. The sum of the Ten Commandments is, to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves. (Matt. 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-33)

Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:34–40

“But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” (Matthew 22:34–40, 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.

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Baptist Catechism 44

Last week we entered into the third and final large section of the catechism when we considered question 44, which asks, “What is the duty which God requireth of man?” Answer: “The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to His revealed will.” “Duty” means responsibility or obligation. So the question is this, what does God expect man to do? What is man’s obligation before God? What is his responsibility or duty?

In that sermon, I pointed out that this is a very important question, and it is also very timely. And by timely I mean, it is the right question to ask at this point in our catechism given all that we have learned. And what have we learned? Well, in brief, we have learned about God! We have learned that God – the Triune God (BC 8, 9), who is “infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth” (BC 7) – is our Creator. He is the creator of all things seen and unseen. He has given us life, and he sustains us continuously. More than this, we have also learned that, though we have sinned against God, he has redeemed us. God the Father has accomplished our redemption through Son and he effectively applies it benefits to his elect by the working of the Holy Spirit. So then, in questions 7 through 43 we have learned all about God our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. 

If you have been paying attention to this teaching; if you have believed it in the mind and received it in the heart; if you have grasped, at least to some degree, the glory of God and his goodness to us in Christ Jesus, then you will agree that this is the right question to ask: “What is the duty which God requireth of man?” In other words, how should I respond to this Holy and Awesome God and to the marvelous grace that he has shown to me in redeeming me from bondage to sin? This is the question that a creature should ask his Creator. And I suppose it could be said that this is, even more so, the question that one who has been redeemed should ask his Redeemer. We ought to respond to God, our Creator, and Redeemer, saying, I’m grateful. I owe you everything.  What do you, O God, require of me?

The question is fitting. It is timely. Again the answer: “The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to His revealed will.” 

So then, what do we owe to our Creator and Redeemer? Out of reverence for him and gratitude for all he has done for us through Christ to redeem us, we owe him “obedience”. Obedience to what? Our catechism is right to say, obedience to his revealed will.

When we speak of God’s will, we are speaking of his command or decree. And his will may be considered in two ways. 

First, we may speak of God’s hidden or secret will. This is God’s will or decree concerning all that will come to pass in history. Why is it called “secret” or “hidden”? Because God has not revealed it to us! What will happen tomorrow? We don’t know! The future is a mystery to us. But does God know what will happen tomorrow? Yes! And he knows not only because he can see the future, but because he has decreed what will happen in the future. We call this decree his “hidden will”. The biblical teaching concerning God’s decree was summarized for us way back in Baptist Catechism 10: “What are the decrees of God?” A: “The decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby for His own glory, He has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.”

Notice, we are not called to obey God’s hidden will. How could we? For it has not been revealed or told to us! But we are called to obey God’s revealed will, that is to say, his laws or commandments which he has given to us. And that is the second way we speak of God’s will. His revealed will is his law. 

You know, one thing I have noticed over the years is that people sometimes get this backward. The obsess over knowing God’s hidden will while ignoring God’s revealed will. Even Christians can fall into the trap of obsessing over questions like this: “what is God’s plan for my life”, or “what does the future hold for me”, while failing to do that which God has clearly commanded.  Jesus had something to say about that in Matthew 6:25: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on… do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:25–33, ESV). That’s really marvelous, isn’t it? Jesus is saying, don’t obsess over the future. Don’t be anxious about things outside of your control. Instead, trust God as it pertains to these things, and focus instead on living in obedience to God while seeking to further his Kingdom.  

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Baptist Catechism 45-47

Questions 45 through 47 of our catechism clarify which law we are obligated to obey and where it is found. 

First, in question 45 we are rightly taught that God revealed his will, or law, by first writing it on the heart of man at creation. Q 45: “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.” You would do well to notice that Romans 2:14-15 and 5:13-14 are listed as proof texts for this Q&A. Romans 2:14-15 teaches that God wrote his law on man’s heart at creation, and Romans 5:13-14 teaches that the God’s law was in fact in the world prior to the giving of the Ten Commandments at Sinai. The point is this: God’s law was not given for the first time when it was written on those stone tablets and given to Israel through Moses. No, God’s law was first written on the heart of man when God created him. Adam knew right from wrong, and good from evil because God made him in his image. Man has God’s moral law written on his heart. He knows right from wrong. Now, granted, man is now fallen. This law is now badly bent out of shape, marred, distorted, and suppressed so that men by nature love what is evil and flee from what is good. But it is important for us to confess that God made man with this capacity to know right from wrong, and that man was upright in the beginning. 

Secondly, question 46 connects the moral law of God (which was written on man’s heart at the beginning and is universal and unchanging) with the Ten Commandments that were written on stone and given to Israel at Sinai. Q 46: “Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?” A: “The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.” That question and answer are worded very carefully to guard against error. 

One, it is clear that there is a connection between the moral law and the Ten Commandments written on stone. Do you wish to know God’s moral law which is for all people living in all times and places? Then you should go to the Ten Commandments, for there the moral law is comprehended or known. 

Two, it is also important to notice that the moral law and the Ten Commandments are not equated. If they – the moral law and the Ten Commandments –  were the exact same thing the question would have been more direct, perhaps something like this: Where do we find the moral law? And the answer would have simply been, in the Ten Commandments. Instead, the question and answer are more nuanced. “Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?” A: “The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.” 

“Summarily comprehended” means summarized in a way that is clear and knowable. It is important that the question and answer be phrased in this way for two reasons. 

One, there are some things stated in the Ten Commandments that were unique to Old Covenant Israel, and are not, therefore, for all people living in all times and places. In other words, not everything stated in the Ten Commandments is to be regarded as “moral law”. Take for example the preface, which mentions Israel’s redemption from Egypt. Consider also the commandment to observe the Sabbath on the seventh day. Also, remember the blessings attached to the keeping of the fifth commandment, namely, blessings in the land that would be given to Israel. And do not forget the curses attached to the breaking of the second commandment, namely, God’s “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 [his] commandments” (Exodus 20:5–6, ESV). The point is this, the moral law and the Ten Commandments are not to be equated because there are some things stated with them that were unique to Isarel, and are not for all people living in all times and places. Nevertheless, the moral law is comprehended within the Ten Commandments. 

Two, the phrasing of this question and answer is important because the Ten Commandments are to be regarded as a summary of the moral law. In other words, the Ten Commandments do not say all that can possibly be said about living in a way that is right before God but function as a summary. The implications must be fleshed out. This will be demonstrated beautifully in questions 45 through 89 as our catechism will follow this pattern with each one of the Ten Commandments. What is the _____ commandment? What does this commandment require? What does this commandment forbid? You will notice that we are not only going to memorize the Ten Commandments. We will also, with the help of Srcripture, tease out the implications or necessary consequences, of each commandment. For example, the fifth commandment, honor your father and mother, “requireth the preserving the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to everyone in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.” The Scriptures clearly teach that this is the implication of the fifth commandments, which is to be regarded as a summary of God’s moral law. 

Finally, we come to question 47 which asks, “What is the sum of the Ten Commandments?” Or to put it another way, what is the sum of the summary of God’s moral law? Answer: “The sum of the Ten Commandments is, to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves.” 

The proof texts cited here are Mattew 22:36-40 and Mark 12:28-33. These passages record for us Jesus’ answer to the question, “which is the great commandment in the Law?” And said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:36–40, ESV). 

Clearly, Jesus was summarizing the first four of the Ten Commandments when he spoke of the love we are to offer up to God, and the last six of the Ten Commandments when he spoke of the love we are to show to our neighbor. It should be remembered that this idea was not unique to Jesus. No, he was simply quoting the law of Moses, Deuteronomy 6:5, and Leviticus 19:18.

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Conclusion

So then, what duty does God require of man? A: Obedience to His revealed will. This reminds me of what Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ESV).

And what did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience? He gave man his moral law. He wrote it on Adam’s heart at the time of creation. This is a part of what it meant for Adam and Eve to have been made in God’s image. 

And where is this moral law summarized for us so that it might be known? A: “The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.” 

And what is the sum of the Ten Commandments? A: The sum of the Ten Commandments is, to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves.“

May the Lord do two things for us. One, may he show us that we cannot keep this law but daily break it in thought, word, and deed, and therefore, are in need of a Savior, Christ the Lord. Two, may he give us faith in Christ along with a renewed mind, heart, and will so that we might do what God has commanded, out of gratitude for what he has graciously done for us as our Creator and Redeemer.

Baptist Catechism 44

Q. 44. What is the duty which God requireth of man?

A. The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to His revealed will.

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 12:13

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 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.

From time to time I like to take a step back from our catechism to consider where we have been and where we are going. There is a structure to our catechism, and recognizing this structure can be very helpful. Now, it’s not as if the compilers of our catechism placed the 114 questions into these categories for us, but if you pay careful attention to the themes and their development, categories do clearly emerge. I’d like to share my outline of the catechism with you this afternoon. I think this broad overview will help us to better appreciate the individual questions and answers as we come to them.

I will admit that others might outline the catechism a little differently. And it is possible that their outline is better than mine. If I find that to be the case, I’ll alter my view. But as of right now, here is how I see it. 

Our catechism is most obviously divided into three major parts.

Questions 1 through 6 of our catechism make up the first part, and we may give it the heading, “First Things” or “Foundational Truths”.   Here in questions 1 through 6 foundational truths are established. Q. 1. Who is the first and chiefest being? Q. 2. Ought everyone to believe there is a God? Q. 3. How may we know there is a God? Q. 4. What is the Word of God? Q. 5. May all men make use of the Holy Scriptures? Q. 6. What things are chiefly contained in the Holy Scriptures? These questions are addressed first because it would be impossible to say anything meaningful or sure about God, his ways with man, and what he requires of us, without these foundational truths being established. 

Question 6 of our catechism is very important. Not only does it wrap up the “First Principles” section, but it also introduces parts two and three when it asks, “What things are chiefly contained in the Holy Scriptures?”, and then answers: “The Holy Scriptures chiefly contain what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man.” The rest of the catechism teaches us about these two things: “what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man.”

The second major part of the catechism is found in questions 7 through 43. Here we will find a  summary of what the Holy Scriptures teach concerning God, his nature, works, and dealings with man. 

And finally, in questions 44 through 114  we find the third major part, which is a summary of what the Holy Scriptures teach concerning mans duty or responsibility before God. Notice, we are considering question 44 this afternoon. It asks, “What is the duty which God requireth of man?” So then, you can see that we are now entering into the third and final section of the catechism. 

Clearly then, the catechism is divided into three major parts. Questions 1-6 establish “first principles”. Questions 7-43 tell us what man ought to believe concerning God, according to the Scriptures. And questions 44-114 tell us what duty God requires of man, according to the Scriptures. 

I would like to break the catechism down just a little bit more for you before briefly considering question 44. I think this will be helpful. 

Part one need not be broken down any further. It stands as a single unit. But part two can be divided into four sections. Remember, this entire section is telling us what we ought to believe concerning God. First, in questions 7 through 15 we are told about God, his nature, decrees, creation, providence, and covenant. Second, in questions 16-22 we are told about man’s alienation from God by his fall into sin. Now, some may object, saying, I thought this section was about God, but this is a section about man. Well, yes. It is about man. But more specifically, it is about man in relation to God. Third, in questions 23-31 we are told about the redemption accomplished by God through Christ. There in that section, Christ is identified as the redeemer of God’s elect. There, we are told about the incarnation, and the threefold offices of Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King. And there were are told about his humiliation and exaltation. Finally, in questions 32-43 we are told about how the redemption earned by Christ is applied by God to his elect through the Spirit. There we are told about effectual calling, the gift of faith, and the benefits that come to all who believe in Christ in this life, at death, and at the resurrection. At the end of that section, we are told about what Christ has saved us from, namely eternal condemnation. 

Notice two things about this second major section of our catechism running from questions 7 through 43. 

One, it is profoundly Trinitarian. After being taught about God as Trinity in questions 7-9, and after being told about man’s alienation from God in questions 16-22, then we are told about the accomplishment of our redemption by the Son of God incarnate, and the application of it in time to the elect of God by the Spirit.  Section two of our catechism is profoundly Trinitarian. 

Two, in questions 7 through 43 the gospel of Jesus Christ is presented in a redemptive-historical way. There in that section, we are told about God, creation, covenant, man’s fall into sin, the accomplishment of our redemption by Christ in time, and the application of the redemption that Christ has earned to sinners in time. And “how doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?” Answer 33 says, “The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.” Finally, the benefits that come to all who have faith are described – the benefits that come in this life, at death, and the resurrection. This is the good news of salvation through faith in Christ presented in a historical way. 

Question 44 then asks, “What is the duty which God requireth of man?” Answer: “The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to His revealed will.”

Notice three things about Baptist Catechism 44: 

One, this question marks the beginning of the third major section of the catechism. Back in question 6 we were told that the Scriptures mainly teach “what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man.” We have considered the first theme, now we are considering the second. 

Two, this question is the only reasonable question to ask after hearing about God, creation, covenant, man’s fall into sin, and the redemption that God has so graciously accomplished for us by Christ and applied by his Spirit. Having considered all that Christ has done for us, and having considered the wonderful benefits that come to those who have faith in Christ, the reasonable question to ask is, “What is the duty which God requireth of man?”  In other words, how should I respond to this salvation that has been freely given to me? Answer: we ought to obey God’s revealed will, that is to say, his law. 

This reminds me of what Jesus says in John 14:15: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” And listen to Jesus’ words to his disciples in John 15:9-11: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” Those who have been redeemed by Christ and effectually called by his Spirit so that they have faith, have had the love of Christ graciously set upon them. And how are they to respond to this love? With love! And what does it look like to abide in the love of Christ? Those who have been loved by Christ and who love him will strive to keep his commandments. 

So then, I hope you agree that question 44 is most appropriate. After considering the love that has been lavished upon by God through Christ and by the Spirit to redeem us from the curse of sin and to bless us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, our impulse should be to ask, what does God require of us? Having been redeemed by him, justified, and adopted, I want to serve him, for I am grateful. What does he require? Again the answer: “The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to His revealed will.”

The third thing I want you to recognize about question 44 is that it does not only state the appropriate response to the redemption that has been graciously earned and applied to us, but it does also set us up for yet another presentation of the gospel, l but in another way, namely, through a consideration of the law and the gospel. 

 Please allow me to very briefly break down this third major section of the catechism into two parts. Questions 44 through 114 are about the duty that God requires of man. 

First, in questions 45 through 89 we are taught about God’s moral law. Here we learn that God’s moral law was first written on Adam’s heart at creation. And here we also learn that this moral law is summarized for us in the Ten Commandments, the sum of those Ten Commandments being “to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves” (Baptist Catechism 47). Here in this section the meaning of the Ten Commandments is carefully and clearly explained. With each one of them our catechism asks, what is this commandment? And after that it asks, what does this commandment require and what does it forbid? So then, here in questions 45 through 89, we find very helpful teaching on God’s moral law. 

But at the end of this section, a very important question is asked. Question 87: “Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?” The answer is bad news. “No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but daily break them in thought, word, or deed. Question 88 then  asks, “Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?” Answer: “Some sins in themselves and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. Question 89, which is the last question in this section that we are beginning to consider today, then asks. “What doth every sin deserve?” More bad news: “Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come.”

So then, this entire section on God’s law which runs from questions 45-89 does two things. One, it tells us what duty God requires of man. And two, it condemns us. And this is exactly what the Scriptures say about God’s law. One, it does function as a light to our feet. It reveals to us how we ought to live and the way we should go. But the is also like a schoolmaster or a strict disciplinarian. It magnifies our sin and proves that we are guilty and in need of a Savior. 

That brings us to the second part of the third section of our catechism, where the gospel is proclaimed yet again. I think questions 90 through 92 are my favorite. Here is the gospel again: Question 90: “What doth God require of us, that we may escape His wrath and curse, due to us for sin?” Answer: “To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.” Question 91: “What is faith in Jesus Christ?

Answer: “Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the Gospel.” Question 92: “What is repentance unto life?”

Answer: “Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.”

Finally, our catechism concludes with a wonderful presentation of the outward and ordinary means of grace that God uses to give his people the benefits of the redemption that Christ has earned for us. These outward and ordinary means of grace are the Word of God (94-95), baptism (96-101), the Lord’s Supper (102-104), and prayer (105-114).

So, I hope you can see that the gospel of Jesus Christ is presented twice in our catechism. First, in a redemptive-historical way, and then a second time in a law-gospel way. Twice, our catechism presents “faith in Christ” alone as the way to salvation. First in question 33, and then again in question 90. 

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Why have I taken the time to provide you with this sweeping overview of the structure and teaching of our catechism?

I hope that by seeing the structure, and especially by seeing the way in which the gospel of Jesus Christ is presented, not once, but twice, and in two different ways, you will be further motivated to use this great catechism in your own life, with your family, and to appreciate and support the preaching and teaching of these great doctrines within the church year after year and for decades to come.   

As you can see, these are not a random collection of 114 questions and answers intended to merely fill your mind with cold, hard, facts. No, here we have a succinct and beautifully warm presentation of the teaching of Holy Scripture concerning our great God, our miserable condition before him because of sin, and the marvelous grace that he has shown to us in providing a Redeemer, Christ the Lord.  This document urges the very thing that the Scriptures urge, namely, reconciliation with God the Father, through faith in the incarnate Son, by the working of the Holy Spirit. May we be faithful to proclaim the crucified and risen Christ in the years to come. May we be found mature in him when Christ returns or calls us home (Colossians 1:28).