Chapter 12 - Of the Law of God
THE WILL OF GOD IS EXPLAINED FOR US IN THE LAW OF GOD. We teach that the will of
God is explained for us in the law of God, what he wills or does not will us to
do, what is good and just, or what is evil and unjust. Therefore, we confess
that the law is good and holy.
THE LAW OF NATURE. And this law was at one time written in the hearts of men by
the finger of God (Rom. 2:15), and is called the law of nature (the law of Moses
is in two Tables), and at another it was inscribed by his finger on the two
Tables of Moses, and eloquently expounded in the books of Moses (Ex. 20:1 ff.;
Deut. 5:6 ff.). For the sake of clarity we distinguish the moral law which is
contained in the Decalogue or two Tables and expounded in the books of Moses,
the ceremonial law which determines the ceremonies and worship of God, and the
judicial law which is concerned with political and domestic matters.
THE LAW IS COMPLETE AND PERFECT. We believe that the whole will of God and all
necessary precepts for every sphere of life are taught in this law. For
otherwise the Lord would not have forbidden us to add or to take away anything
from this law; neither would he have commanded us to walk in a straight path
before this law, and not to turn aside from it by turning to the right or to the
left (Deut. 4:2; 12:32).
WHY THE LAW WAS GIVEN. We teach that this law was not given to men that they
might be justified by keeping it, but that rather from what it teaches we may
know (our) weakness, sin and condemnation, and, despairing of our strength,
might be converted to Christ in faith. For the apostle openly declares: "The law
brings wrath," and, "Through the law comes knowledge of sin" (Rom. 4:15; 3:20),
and, "If a law had been given which could justify or make alive, then
righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture (that is, the law)
has concluded all under sin, that the promise which was of the faith of Jesus
might be given to those who believe....Therefore, the law was our schoolmaster
unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Gal.3:21 ff.).
THE FLESH DOES NOT FULFIL THE LAW. For no flesh could or can satisfy the law of
God and fulfil it, because of the weakness in our flesh which adheres and
remains in us until our last breath. For the apostle says again: "God has done
what the law, weakened bythe flesh, could not do: sending his own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh and for sin" (Rom. 8:3). Therefore, Christ is the
perfecting of the law and our fulfilment of it (Rom. 10:4), who, in order to
take away the curse of the law, was make a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). Thus he
imparts to us through faith his fulfilment of the law, and his righteousness and
obedience are imputed to us.
HOW FAR THE LAW IS ABROGATED. The law of God is therefore abrogated to the
extent that it no longer condemns us, nor works wrath in us. For we are under
grace and not under the law. Moreover, Christ has fulfilled all the figures of
the law. Hence, with the coming of the body, the shadows ceased, so that in
Christ we now have the truth and all fulness. But yet we do not on that account
contemptuously reject the law. For we remember the words of the Lord when he
said: "I have not come to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfil them"
(Matt. 5:17). We know that in the law is delivered to us the patterns of virtues
and vices. We know that the written law when explained by the Gospel is useful
to the Church, and that therefore its reading is not to be banished from the
Church. For although Moses' face was covered with a veil, yet the apostle says
that the veil has been taken away and abolished by Christ.
THE SECTS. We condemn everything that heretics old and new have taught against
the law.
HOME 
TOP