1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapter 19
Of the Law of God
God gave to Adam a Law of universal obedience, written in his Heart, and a particular precept of not eating the Fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; by which he bound him, and all his posterity to personal entire exact and perpetual obedience; promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatned death upon the breach of it; and indued him with power and ability to keep it.
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Genesis 1:2727So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Ecclesiastes 7:2929Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
Romans 10:55For concerning the righteousness that is by the law, Moses writes: “The man who does these things will live by them.”
Galatians 3:1010All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
Galatians 3:1212The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”
The same Law that was first written in the heart of man, continued to be a perfect rule of Righteousness after the fall; & was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in Ten Commandments and written in two Tables; the four first containing our duty towards God, and the other six our duty to man.
Scripture references for paragraph 2
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Romans 2:1414Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
Romans 2:1515So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them
Deuteronomy 10:44And the LORD wrote on the tablets what had been written previously, the Ten Commandments that He had spoken to you on the mountain out of the fire on the day of the assembly. The LORD gave them to me,
Besides this Law commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel Ceremonial Laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties, all which Ceremonial Laws being appointed only to the time of reformation, are by Jesus Christ the true Messiah and only Law-giver who was furnished with power from the Father, for that end, abrogated and taken away.
Scripture references for paragraph 3
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Hebrews 10:11For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
Colossians 2:1717These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.
1 Corinthians 5:77Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
Colossians 2:1414having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!
Colossians 2:1616Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath.
Colossians 2:1717These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.
Ephesians 2:1414For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility
Ephesians 2:1616and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He extinguished their hostility.
To them also he gave sundry judicial Laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any now by vertue of that institution; their general equity onely, being of moral use.
Scripture references for paragraph 4
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
1 Corinthians 9:88Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?
1 Corinthians 9:99For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
1 Corinthians 9:1010Isn’t He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest.
The moral Law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof, and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator; who gave it: Neither doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.
Scripture references for paragraph 5
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Romans 13:88Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:99The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:1010Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
James 2:88If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
James 2:1010Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
James 2:1111For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
James 2:1212Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.
James 2:1010Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
James 2:1111For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Matthew 5:1717Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
Matthew 5:1818For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Matthew 5:1919So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Romans 3:3131Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.
Although true Believers be not under the Law, as a Covenant of Works, to be thereby Justified or condemned; yet it is 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; discovering also the sinfull pollutions of their Natures, Hearts and Lives; so as Examining themselves thereby, they may come to further Conviction of, Humiliation for, and Hatred against Sin; together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of his Obedience: It is likewise of use to the Regenerate to restrain their Corruptions, in that it forbids Sin; and the Threatnings of it serve to shew what even their Sins deserve; and what afflictions in this Life they may expect for them, although free'd from the Curse and unallayed Rigor thereof. The Promises of it likewise shew them Gods approbation of Obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof, though not as due to them by the Law as a Covenant of Works; so as mans doing Good and refraining from Evil, because the Law incourageth to the one and deterreth from the other, is no Evidence of his being under the Law and not under Grace.
Scripture references for paragraph 6
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Romans 6:1414For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Galatians 2:1616know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Romans 8:11Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 10:44For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.
Romans 3:2020Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.
Romans 7:77What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”
Romans 6:1212Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.
Romans 6:1313Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.
Romans 6:1414For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
1 Peter 3:8-138Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
10For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
11He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.
12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13Who can harm you if you are zealous for what is good?
Neither are the forementioned uses of the Law contrary to the Grace of the Gospel; but do sweetly comply with it; the Spirit of Christ subduing and inabling the Will of man, to do that freely and chearfully, which the will of God revealed in the Law, requireth to be done.
Scripture references for paragraph 7
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Galatians 3:2121Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.
Ezekiel 36:2727And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.
Source and edition
1689 London Baptist Confession. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription
Unlicense. Source transcription.
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