The Ten Commandments
As taught in the Reformed / Presbyterian tradition
The perpetual obligation of the moral law as the rule of life for the believer.
Within the Reformed tradition, the study of the Ten Commandments (the Decalogue) is not merely an exercise in ancient Near Eastern legal history or a cursory review of "basic" morality. Rather, it is an exploration of the very character of God as it is reflected in His moral law, providing the definitive answer to the question: "How shall the redeemed of the Lord live in response to His grace?" For the Reformed believer, the Ten Commandments represent the perfect rule of righteousness, a transcript of God’s holiness, and the perpetual standard for Christian ethics. Unlike traditions that might view the Decalogue as a ladder to be climbed for salvation or, conversely, as an obsolete relic of a "dispensation of law," Reformed theology views the Decalogue through the lens of the Covenant of Grace.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the "Threefold Use of the Law" and explain why the "Third Use" is considered the primary use for the believer in the Reformed tradition.
- **Distinguish** between the Moral Law (the Decalogue), the Ceremonial Law, and the Judicial Law, articulating which remains binding on the Christian conscience.
- **Explain** the significance of the Preface to the Ten Commandments ("I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt...") as the gospel foundation for legal obedience.
- **Articulate** the principle of "Synecdoche" in interpreting the commandments—the idea that each negative prohibition implies a positive duty, and each specific sin mentioned represents a whole category of related sins.
- **Trace** the continuity of the Decalogue from the Old Testament to the teachings of Christ and the Apostles, specifically addressing the Reformed view of the law’s perpetuity.
- **Defend** the Reformed reading of the Sabbath (the Fourth Commandment) as a moral, perpetual creation ordinance rather than a temporary ceremonial shadow.
- **Apply** the Decalogue to contemporary ethical dilemmas, demonstrating how the "general equity" of the law informs modern Christian conduct.
- **Compare** and contrast the Reformed "Third Use" of the law with the Lutheran emphasis on the law as primarily a means of convicting sin.
Scripture
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