TOPIC 07 OF 47
God’s Law
God’s good will reveals our sin and guides a life of love.
THE MAIN TRUTH
God’s Law is his loving design and moral will woven into the fabric of creation.
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Infographic
Explore God’s Law in this visual overview. Select the image to open it at full size.
The teaching
From the book · pages 19–21
God’s Law is his loving design and moral will woven into the fabric of creation. God wrote this Law on people’s hearts for their good, and the human conscience bears witness to it. This knowledge of God’s Law, however, has been blurred and distorted in human hearts by sin.
God revealed his Law in the Ten Commandments and other moral commands given to Israel. This Law is fulfilled, clarified, and taught for us by Jesus and his apostles. The essence of God’s Law is love—perfect love for God and perfect love for others. God’s Law demands complete obedience in our thoughts, words, and actions. We are to fear, love, and trust in God above all things. The Law also convicts us when we violate its commands. Therefore, no one can be saved by trying to obey the Law.
God’s Law shows us our sin, warns us of God’s judgment and punishment for sin, and guides us as Christians in living a God-pleasing life. God judges and condemns us as sinners by his Law—his alien work—so that he may show mercy to all people through the Gospel of Jesus, who alone saves us from our sin—his proper work.
Scripture foundations
All Scripture excerpts from this topic are presented below in the book’s order. Ellipses and bracketed explanations follow the manuscript. Select a reference to read the surrounding passage in the EHV.
Reading these passages together
Notice both the goodness of God’s commands and their exposure of our failure. The Law directs love but cannot supply the forgiveness and righteousness that Christ gives through the Gospel.
13 Scripture excerpt groups
SCRIPTURE 02
Proverbs 3:19 ↗
“The Lord founded the earth by wisdom. He established the heavens by understanding.”
Book page 20
SCRIPTURE 03
Romans 7:12 ↗
“So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.”
Book page 20
SCRIPTURE 04
Romans 2:14-15 ↗
“In fact, whenever Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires—even though they do not have the law—they are a law for themselves. They demonstrate the work of the law that is written in their hearts, since their conscience also bears witness as their thoughts go back and forth, at times accusing or at times even defending them.”
Book page 20
SCRIPTURE 05
Deuteronomy 4:13 ↗
“He declared to you his covenant that he commanded you to carry out, namely, the Ten Commandments. Then he wrote them on two tablets of stone.”
Book page 20
SCRIPTURE 06
John 1:17; Romans 13:10 ↗
“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” “. . . love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Book page 20
SCRIPTURE 07
Matthew 5:17,21-22; 7:29 ↗
“‘Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets… but to fulfill them…You have heard that it was said…But I tell you…’ …[Jesus] taught them as one who had authority.”
Book page 20
SCRIPTURE 08
Matthew 22:37-40 ↗
“Jesus said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Book page 21
SCRIPTURE 10
Romans 7:7 ↗
“What will we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I would not have recognized sin except through the law. For example, I would not have known about coveting if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’”
Book page 21
SCRIPTURE 11
Romans 3:19-20 ↗
“Now we know that whatever the law says is addressed to those who are under the law, so that every mouth will be silenced and the whole world will be subject to God’s judgment. For this reason, no one will be declared righteous in his sight by works of the law, for through the law we become aware of sin.”
Book page 21
SCRIPTURE 12
Romans 1:18; 3:22-23 ↗
“Indeed, God’s wrath is being revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of people . . .” “In fact, there is no difference, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. . .”
Book page 21
SCRIPTURE 13
Romans 11:32 ↗
“For God imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may show mercy to all.”
Book page 21
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture passages are from the Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV), copyright 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission, as noted in the manuscript.
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY
45-Minute Study Guide: God’s Law
A printable study that weaves the doctrinal statement together with all of its supporting Scripture passages, plus opening discussion, application questions, and prayers.
Download the Complete Bible Study (PDF)PERSONAL REFLECTION OR GROUP DISCUSSION
Reflect and pray
How do God’s commands protect the good of our neighbors?
Why can obedience to the Law never become the basis of our salvation?
What command exposes a need for repentance and guides a concrete act of love today?
A prayer
Lord, teach us your good will and expose our sin. Forgive us through Christ and lead us by your Spirit to love you and our neighbors. Amen.