Theology Thursday
Q. 40. What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?
A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the moral law.
Q. 41. Wherein is the moral law summarily comprehended?
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
Yes! Two questions in one day. They just naturally go together. You may remember the very first question of the Catechism. The chief end of man (purpose) is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But what does that look like?
Well, it looks like obeying Him by following His law. What did glorifying/enjoying look like for Adam & Eve? Follow His command to eat of any tree but the one tree denied to them. What did it look like for Israel? It was the law, summarised in the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments are like the beating heart that pumps blood to the rest of God’s laws. But, it’s worth saying. This is where I differ a little from the Catechism. I don’t think we (New Covenant Christians) follow the Ten Commandments as ‘law’. Rather, we look to them as wisdom. Our law is what Paul calls the ‘law of Christ’.
How do we know what it looks like to glorify God and enjoy Him forever? We look to Jesus. We look to the New Testament teachings about Jesus and how to live as His people. We see the law, not as legally binding law, but as helpful for understanding God’s nature, His character and our need for something greater than the law (which God has provided in Christ).
So how do we flourish in life? We learn and follow Jesus’ commands and the commands of His disciples who wrote about Him.
For Today:
Pray:
Passages: Exodus 20, Matthew 5:1-7:29, Galatians 6:2, Romans 10:4, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the moral law.
Q. 41. Wherein is the moral law summarily comprehended?
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
Yes! Two questions in one day. They just naturally go together. You may remember the very first question of the Catechism. The chief end of man (purpose) is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But what does that look like?
Well, it looks like obeying Him by following His law. What did glorifying/enjoying look like for Adam & Eve? Follow His command to eat of any tree but the one tree denied to them. What did it look like for Israel? It was the law, summarised in the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments are like the beating heart that pumps blood to the rest of God’s laws. But, it’s worth saying. This is where I differ a little from the Catechism. I don’t think we (New Covenant Christians) follow the Ten Commandments as ‘law’. Rather, we look to them as wisdom. Our law is what Paul calls the ‘law of Christ’.
How do we know what it looks like to glorify God and enjoy Him forever? We look to Jesus. We look to the New Testament teachings about Jesus and how to live as His people. We see the law, not as legally binding law, but as helpful for understanding God’s nature, His character and our need for something greater than the law (which God has provided in Christ).
So how do we flourish in life? We learn and follow Jesus’ commands and the commands of His disciples who wrote about Him.
For Today:
- Can you name the 10 Commandments?
- Have a quick refresh of the Ten commandments (Exodus 20).
- Reflect on what one of those commandments means for you today.
Pray:
- Praise the Father that He shows us who He is and the best way for us to live.
- Give thanks for Christ who fulfils the law for us and gives us His teachings to follow.
- Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others follow Christ and enjoy living for Him.
Passages: Exodus 20, Matthew 5:1-7:29, Galatians 6:2, Romans 10:4, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
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