“yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly;”
I disagree with these statements. Certainly the Ten Commandments do reveal some of the will of God, the justice, holiness and goodness of God. But they provide no means to perform what they demand, and therefore are no rule of life for the believer. The “moral law” (Ten Commandments) is not a rule of life for the believer, as he is delivered from it, he is not under it, his rule of life is the Gospel of Christ. The just shall live by faith. The believer walks in the Spirit, not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh (Rom 8), he walks in faith and love to God and shows forth love to his brethren, not as a result of the legal command, but as a fruit of the Spirit of God (Gal 5) working within him, which results in conduct which fulfils the law’s demands, but isn’t ‘produced’ by its rule.
The “moral law” is not binding upon the believer, because then he would still be in bondage to it, but the scriptures clearly teach us that the believer is delivered from the law (Rom 7:6), he is no longer married to it (Romans 7:4), he is not yoked to it (Gal 5:1), he is dead to it (Rom 7:4), he is not under it (Rom 6:14, Gal 5:18), nor is he in bondage to it (Rom 8:15, Gal 4:9, Gal 4:24). He is married to Christ (Rom 7:4), he is yoked to Christ (Matt 11:30), he is alive to God(Gal 2:19), he is under grace (Rom 6:14), and he walks in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made him free (Gal 5:1).
Quote
“For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.” Galatians 2:19
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30
“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.” 2 Corinthians 3:6-11
If the believer puts himself back under law, then he puts himself back under the dominion of sin, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14. That is no rule of life which produces sin. The Gospel however, grace, ensures that sin no longer has dominion.
In 2 Corinthians 3 the law is referred to as the letter which killeth, as engraven in stones (Ten Commandments), as a ministration of death, as a ministration of condemnation, and as that which is done away. The Gospel is referred to as the spirit which giveth life, as the ministration of the spirit, as the ministration of righteousness, as that which remains and which is more glorious than any glory seen in the law by reason of the glory which excelleth.
The believer’s rule of life is the Gospel, not the law. It is to live by faith, to be led of the Spirit, as new creations in Christ Jesus, in a new and living way. Galatians 6:16.
I have dealt with this briefly here and could say much more. But this should suffice for the moment.
In Grace, Ian
BTW the verses used to defend this clause in the WCF are shown below. I am happy to go through those verses if you like to show their misapplication in supporting the clause, but I believe what I have quoted above shows clearly enough that the “moral law” is not the believer’s rule of life, nor is it binding upon him.
Quote
ROM 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. PSA 119:4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. 5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! 6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. 1CO 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. GAL 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulful the lust of the flesh. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
