The Second Helvetic Confession
CHAPTER XII
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.
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