I. The Lord’s righteousness is an integrating perspective on Reformed theology
In my Foundations book, I utilized a Westminster integrative method to link the doctrine of God’s glory revealed in both blessed and cursed faces, to, on, in and by his elect (WCF 2:2) with eight omni-attributes that have derivative expressions in Christ’s humanity and his elect.
In this book I will build on those same patterns to integrate Reformed theology using one omni-attribute, omni-holiness, or omni-righteousness. The model shifts to emphasize righteousness as the new integrating perspective. The omni-righteousness of the Lord is revealed to us, on us, in us and by us. I will add the three integrating patterns of Westminster Standards’ moral law (I will call it lex Christi), specifically, a pattern of the interdependence of each commandment on the others, a pattern of supra-morality that encompasses all requirements of his righteous image in man, and a replicating pattern of lex Christi within the redemptive-historical meta-narrative and related topics of systematic and practical theology.
From this shift in perspective, the model helps explain other facets of the Westminster Standards and parallels the theological framework of the book of Romans. When Lord-King’s blessed face shines on his elect, by the Spirit and the Word working saving faith uniting them to Christ, he reveals his kingdom dominion of omni-righteousness to them in the face of the perfect, derivative, lex Christi righteousness of Christ and his perfect propitiating sacrifice on the cross to satisfy the just death penalty due to their unrighteousness, on them, declaring their sins against lex Christi forgiven and his lex Christi righteousness credited to them, in them, writing the lex Christi so they love righteousness and hate all unrighteousness, and by them, as prophets proclaiming, priests reconciling and kings ruling by the lex Christi in their realms (heavenly & earthly) and places (assembly//creation//diaspora) through their various roles (disciple, student, parent, spouse, church member, deacon, elder, neighbor, employee, employer, citizen). The ten mandates of the Foundations book (assembly, commission, discipline//cultural, investment, frustration-mercy//ambassador, reformation, warfare, emigration) can be reorganized as applications of the three patterns of the lex Christi’s interdependence, supra-morality, and its replication within the redemptive history meta-narrative and related topics of systematic and practical theology.
Since Christ and his apostles proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom[1] as the primary meta-narrative structure for their teaching, we can develop our Reformed faith under a variation of this theme. Since the words “kingdom” and “righteousness” or “righteous” are also linked in Scripture, I will augment the theme with the word “righteous”.[2] We will link the additional categories of gospel, historical, systematic and practical theology under a new, synthesized title called the meta-narrative of the righteous king’s dominion (RKD).[3] To develop the meta-narrative outline, we will consider connections between theological topics that use these or synonymous words. Since the Reformed life is defined in WCF 19:2 by the moral law as “a perfect rule of righteousness,” these topics are linked by searching for the related sets of words “righteous,” “righteousness,” “holy,” “holiness,” “godly,” “godliness,” and the meta-narrative words “gospel” and “kingdom” in the Westminster Standards and Scripture, with particular attention to Romans, which uses the word righteousness 32 times (exceeding all other NT books by 4x’s or more), only exceeded by OT books Isaiah (48x’s) and Psalms (58x’s).
II. Westminster Standards’ Righteousness Integration Patterns
The longer I focus on the gift given to the church by the wise men who authored the Westminster Standards, looking at both their contents and their theological methods, while comparing what they wrote with Scripture, the more I see a unifying and integrated perspective on Scripture. I have observed how fragmented our seminary instruction and theological books (historical, systematic, practical) and have become, in part, because we have neglected the wisdom of our Westminster heritage! Even the current Reformed emphasis on being Christ-centered and Gospel-centered have not provided any widely endorsed template for organizing the sub-disciplines of the seminary curriculum. So many scholars have focused teaching and writing on the details of seminary sub-disciplines with much less time considering the importance of their studies for building up believers into the righteous likeness of Christ. From these sub-disciplines others have built mini-models out of fragments, while missing the larger integrating patterns that Westminster (and Romans) uses to link them all together and give them coherence.
Though the Ten Commandments are commonly referred to as the moral law, this phrase can be misunderstood to mean only the words of the Ten Commandments. We can describe the law in different ways in different time periods. God gave to Adam Eden’s kingdom law (without sin in the world, only the positive duty senses of the commands are revealed, with one prohibition not to eat from the tree, that, when transgressed, broke all Ten Commandments). In a later period we call it the Mosaic law (because sin has entered the world, the Ten Commandments emphasize mostly negative prohibitions of the commandments), functioning as an inter-generational school-master to prepare men to receive the work of Christ on their behalf, to realize the meaning of cross’s curse for unrighteousness and the resurrection as proof of Christ’s righteousness (Gal. 3:25; Phil. 3:9; Rom. 3:20-26; 4:24-25; 10:9-10). Faith that God raised Christ credits righteousness to us, and the Spirit is sent to write the law on our hearts (Rom. 8:3-4; Heb. 10:16). However, we do not need any required preparatory work of the law in repentance as somehow qualifying us to receive grace. Saving faith looks to Christ, who sends the Spirit to show us Christ and our helplessness without him. Our biblical counseling model could use several related NT phrases that seem to capture the essential meaning, “the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2; 1 Cor. 9:21) and the synonymous phrase ‘the royal law that gives liberty’ or the ‘law of the kingdom’ (Jas. 1:25; 2:8-12).[4] The law of the kingdom (Jas. 2:8) functions as an integrating perspective on all the RDK meta-narrative, or in other words, can help explain various parts of historical, systematic and practical theology. I will call this law, lex Christi, a derivative Latin phrase for the law of Christ.
How does Westminster use lex Christi? In three specific ways.
An irreducibly complex morality model: Westminster Larger Catechism 99 shows patterns of using each commandment as a way of interpreting other commandments. For example, the heart sin of coveting (10th commandment) is a root of many other sins. Those in authority (5th commandment) are to model, explain and use their authority to represent and apply the all the righteous commands. There are many inter-connections and parallels in meaning between the first four commands and the last six commands.
A supra-morality model: The Westminster Larger Catechism Q&A 99-150 interprets each command having duties and sins associated with the character of righteousness, similar to Ephesians 4:28 showing the sin of using your hands to steal, but the positive duty of using your hands to work so we have enough to share with those in need. Ephesians 4:20-6:9 tends to give the best development of duties and sins associated with various commandments. I call this Westminster’s supra-morality model, meaning that all the duties and sins defined in Scripture can be arranged under various commandments.
A meme that integrates the RKD metanarrative: The Westminster Standards link the lex Christi with righteous church assembly, the righteous individual, the righteousness of God in whose image man is made, Christ as the propitiation for unrighteousness and accomplisher of righteousness, with the Spirit as the applier of that righteousness in justification, sanctification until final glorification when we see Christ in his righteousness and are transformed, body and soul to live in the home of righteousness, and the Last Judgment of the unrighteous.
Westminster Standards’ Righteousness Integrating Patterns
Lex Christi (the law of Christ) is an integrating perspective on a Reformed theology: The moral law in-total can be integrated with various categories of historical, systematic and practical theology, what I call the Righteous King’s Dominion (RKD) meta-narrative. Saving faith knows God through this story, and we understand ourselves in light of the kingdom of God narrative, from election to creation (who were we created to be?), fall (what did we lose? explains why life is difficult, why sin is so destructive and entangling), redemption (what is in process of restoration?) and consummation (what is our hope for eternity?). The Lord’s promise to change his elect is joined with the command to yield ourselves and instruments or slaves of righteousness (Rom 6:13, 19; 8:1-4; Heb. 10:16). Discipleship and all practical theology start to make integrated sense.
A. RKD Revealed: Doctrine of Scripture WCF 1:6, 1:10
6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life[5], is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word: and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.[6]
10. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.[7]
B. RKD Planned: The Triune Righteous Lord
WCF 2:1. There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8), most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, (Eph. 1:11) for his own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him;w and withal most just and terrible in his judgments (Neh. 9:32-33); hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.
WCF 3:6-7 Election means Certain Justification (unrighteousness forgiven by Christ’s cross, credited with Christ righteousness) unto Righteous Transformation (Spirit changes into righteous image and keeps until Christ completes at his return)
6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power, through faith, unto salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.
7. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will, whereby He extendeth or witholdeth mercy, as He pleaseth, for the glory of His sovereign power over His creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonour and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glorious justice.
C. RKD Founded: Doctrine of Creation and Fall
WCF 4:2 “endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after his own image,[8] having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it”
WCF 19:1 God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which he bound him, and all his posterity, to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience; promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it; and endued him with power and ability to keep it. 2 This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon mount Sinai in ten commandments, and written in two tables; the first four commandments containing our duty towards God, and the other six our duty to man.[9]
1. Commandments given to Adam
2. In Principles of Conduct by John Murray (Murray, 1957, pp. 14-19, 25-44, 90, 126) he clarifies WCF by showing that the Lord gave Adam (and Eve) creation ordinances, (what I call the law of Christ) in the Garden of Eden. Murray (1957, pp. 189-194, 201) highlights that Paul calls this the law of Christ (Gal 6:2; 1 Cor. 9:21). To highlight its unique meaning in Pauline theology, this dissertation will use a Latin phrase lex Christi to describe this full biblical, theological, new covenant interpretation of the moral law.[10]
a. Sabbath and labor (4th commandment in Gen. 2:3; 1:26, 28 “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. . . . Let them have dominion over the [creatures] . . . . Subdue [the earth].”)
b. procreation (6th commandment in Gen. 1:28 “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth”)
c. marriage (7th commandment in Gen. 2:24 “a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife and they shall become one flesh”),
3. We could expand on Murray, similar to the creation-commandments themes developed by Waltke and Yu’s An Old Testament Theology (2007, p. 206) and further clarify WCF 19:2, related to other implied commands and also note that the language describes Adam as representative king and ruler over the kingdom the Lord created.
a. authority of the Lord-Creator to be loved above all else, to believe and obey his Word regarding all the commands, (1st commandment)
b. worshiped in his defined ways, to be thankful and bless the Lord for all his good gifts of the Garden, a wife (2nd commandment)
c. truthful witness of Adam and Eve to each other about the Lord’s creation commands; feared as just judge for any disobedience (3rd commandment in in Gen. 1:26, 28; 2:17 “Let them have dominion over the [creatures] . . . . Subdue [the earth]. . . . of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”).
d. authority of Adam over Eve (5th commandment in Gen. 2:20 “a helper fit for him”)
e. stewardship of the Garden and the world (8th commandment in Gen. 1:26, 28; 2:15, 19 “Let them have dominion over the [creatures] . . . . Subdue [the earth]. . . . The Lord God . . . put him in the garden to work it and keep it. . . . And he brought [the creatures] to the man to see what he would call them”)
f. truthful witness of Adam and Eve to each other about their identity as creatures made in God’s image, about Adam as head, Eve as helper in labor and obedience to the Lord; giving appropriate names to the creatures that Eve would learn and naming Eve, all signifying their identity, special characteristics and function (9th commandment in Gen. 1:27; 2:19 “ in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. . . . And he brought [the creatures] to the man to see what he would call them . . . This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man”)[11]
g. contentment by not eating from the forbidden tree (10th commandment in Gen. 1:29; 2:9, 16-17; 3:6 “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. . . . Out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. . . . You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. . . . when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”)
D. Man’s Fall, Doctrine of Sin
WCF 6:2 By this sin they fell from their original righteousness, and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.
WCF 19:6 “the law is of great use to [true believers] for . . . discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives, so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin”
What about the tree of the knowledge of good (righteousness?) and evil (unrighteousness)? How does this represent the fullest test of righteousness, not simply an arbitrary test? Curiosity about unrighteousness leads to knowing unrighteousness leads to doing unrighteousness. “then the eyes of both were opened” 3:7 “like God knowing good and evil” 3:5 The one test is a test of obedience to the two great commands and all the details of all the moral law put in a culturally appropriate gardening/farming/agricultural context. Only one “you shall not” needed! Stay away from unrighteousness! The Mosaic law needed to clarify/state for the record, the “you shall nots”
Mark Jones’ “Adam Broke All Ten Commandments” online article (2015) observes that ‘Adam broke all ten commandments in the Garden:’ he failed to love and trust God (1st), worship in the proper manner, listening to false religion (2nd), dishonored the word of warning against eating from the tree (3rd), failed to enter eternal Sabbath rest (4th), dishonored his Father (5th), brought death on himself and all mankind (6th), failed to protect his wife from temptation (7th), with Eve, stole from a forbidden tree (8th), believed false witness and didn’t resist it with the truth (9th), and due to discontentment, coveted the forbidden fruit (10th). In application, he notes that every sin usually breaks multiple commandments (Jas. 2:10), and second table sins (5th-10th) are usually connected to first table sins (1st-4th).
E. RKD Promised: Under the Law as a Shadow of Coming Realities WCF 7:5
This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel: under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all foresignifying Christ to come; which were, for that time, sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the old Testament.
F. RKD Renewed: WCF 19:1-2 Ten Commandments Given to Adam, Renewed by Moses
1. God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which He bound him and all his posterity, to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience, promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it.
2. This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables: the first four commandments containing our duty towards God; and the other six, our duty to man.
G. RKD Accomplished: Doctrine of Christ and Salvation
WCF 3:6
. . . Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power, through faith, unto salvation. . . .
WCF 8:3-5
3. The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, above measure, having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell; to the end that, being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and Surety. Which office He took not unto Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father, who put all power and judgment into His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.
4. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake; which that He might discharge, He was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it; endured most grievous torments immediately in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His body; was crucified, and died, was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. On the third day He arose from the dead, with the same body in which He suffered, with which also He ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of His Father, making intercession, and shall return, to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.
5. The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of His Father; and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto Him.
WCF 11:2 Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love [to God and man, both tables of the law].
WCF 13:1 They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they more and more quickened and strengthened, in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness [or righteousness], without which no man shall see the Lord.
WCF 14:2 By this faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God himself speaking therein; and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone [his cross propitiation for unrighteousness and resurrection for righteousness applied by the Spirit] for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.
WCF 15:2 Repentance unto life is a hatred for and turning from moral law disobedience unto moral law obedience
2. By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of His mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavouring to walk with Him in all the ways of His commandments.
WCF 16:2 These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith; and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God, whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto, that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.
WCF 17:2 This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ; the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of God within them; and the nature of the covenant of grace: from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.
WCF 18:3 This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it: yet, being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinary means, attain thereunto. And therefore it is the duty of everyone to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure; that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience [righteousness expressed by obedience to both tables of the law] (Rom. 14:17; Ps. 119:32), the proper fruits of this assurance: so far is it from inclining men to looseness.
WCF 19:6-7 uses the moral law as an integrating perspective on soteriology (doctrine of salvation) in all three quotes below: “as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly” additional integration to Christology (doctrine of Christ), “a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience” and integration to Pneumatology (doctrine of the Spirit) “the forementioned uses of the law . . . do sweetly comply with [the grace of the Gospel]; the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requires to be done.”
The WCF 19:5-7 and 20:4 are reprinted in full below.
1. Of the Law of God WCF 19:5-7
Moral Law as Glory Revealer, Standard for Human Comparison & Restoration: See Christ, Know Sin, Learn Duty
V. The moral law does forever bind all,[12] as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof;[13] 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.[14] Neither does Christ, in the Gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.[15]
VI. Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned;[16] yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as
1) a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly;[17]
2) discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives;[18] so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin,[19]
3) together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of His obedience.[20]
4) It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin:[21] and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve; and what afflictions, in this life, they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law.[22]
5) The promises of it, in like manner, show them God's approbation of [the duties of] obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof:[23] although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works.[24] So as, a man's doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law: and not under grace.[25]
VII. Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it;[26] the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requires to be done.[27]
H. RKD Applied: Apologetics, Evangelism & Missions
WCF 19:5 states that “the moral law does forever bind all [men]” indicating that it can be integrated with practical theology topics like apologetics, evangelism and missions, telling all men that God will hold them accountable to the moral law. WCF 24:1-6 explains the obligations of all men, both Christians and non-Christians, to obey the 7th commandment.
I. RKD Applied: Doctrine of the Church and Civil Government: WCF 20:4 Of Christian Liberty
And because the powers which God has ordained, and the liberty which Christ has purchased[28] are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another, they who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God.[29] And, for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature,[30] or to the known principles of Christianity (whether concerning faith, worship,[31] or conversation[32]), or to the power of godliness; or, such erroneous opinions or practices, as either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ has established in the Church, they may lawfully be called to account,[33] and proceeded against, by the censures of the Church [and by the power of the civil magistrate].[34]
J. RKD Applied: Gospel of Kingdom Finalized, WCF 33:1-2
1. God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world, in righteousness, by Jesus Christ, to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father. In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.
2. The end of God's appointing this day is for the manifestation of the glory of His mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of His justice, in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient. For then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fullness of joy and refreshing, which shall come from the presence of the Lord: but the wicked, who know not God, and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.
VI. Westminster’s Structure for Reformed Faith & Life: The Righteous King’s Dominion (RKD)
There are three hermeneutical categories that the Westminster Standards uses to interpret and explain the uses of the moral law.
A. Interdependent morality model: The individual commandments can be used to interpret and apply other commandments.
B. Supra-morality model: All biblically relevant teachings for new covenant believers about righteousness (duty) and unrighteousness (sin) can be integrated under various commandments.
C. The Lex Christi (law of Christ) is an integrating perspective on a Reformed theology: The moral law in-total can be integrated with various categories of historical, systematic and practical theology, such as the Righteous King’s Dominion (RKD) meta-narrative.
A. Interdependent morality model: the Moral Law’s Individual Commands Interpret the Other Commands
The irreducible complexity of these commands received together is a test for balanced maturity.
1. Obedience to every law is required as a total system of righteousness. Breaking one law is breaking them all (Jas. 2:10).
2. The 10th commandment not to covet but to be content, reaches the understanding will and affections related to all the other commandments. Each commandment has a heart as well as behavioral requirement. Coveting, greed and love of worldly things is the root of all evils and thus contentment and love for and trust in God is part of each commandment.
3. The 5th commandment applies to all the others, in that superiors, equals and inferiors each have influence on others to keep all the other commandments. It also relates to the individual’s circumstances in life, in that some may be own property and have material possessions, some may not, but each has different obligations to the 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th commandments.
4. One who claims to love God with all his heart, cannot be double-hearted, friends with the world (Jas. 1:8; 4:1-4).
5. One who holds the faith of the Lord Jesus cannot be partial to the rich (Jas. 2:1-9).
6. Faith in God (commands 1-4a) must be shown by good works to men (commands 4b-10) (Jas. 1:25; 2:8-14).
7. One who claims to love God cannot also hate his brother (1 John 4:20-21).
8. The love of money is the root of all evil, so coveting is the root of all material greed and idolatry (1 Tim 6:9-10; Eph 5:5; Col 3:5).
9. Discernment developed: Legalists and pharisees who boast in their doctrine but neglect loving those in need. Social Gospelites who care for the needy without love for God. Discern wrong judging: often due to coveting, or sinful envy, using faulty or incomplete information about the person or problem (or deliberate misinformation as in US media political warfare, the trial of Jesus) to attack, injure or hinder his/her flourishing, work or service, steal (against 5th, 6th, 9th commandments, provoking him/her to anger).
B. Supra-morality model: the Moral Law as the Topical Outline for all Biblically defined Duty and Sin: The Ten Righteous Prohibitions (mostly 8/10) against Sin (Ten Commandments)
First, the Westminster interpretation of the moral law defines all biblical righteousness and unrighteousness under the outline of the Ten Commandments. All biblically relevant teachings for new covenant believers about righteousness (duty) and unrighteousness (sin) can be integrated under various commandments. This is largely the task of WLC 99-150 with its catalog of terms and proof-texts from all over Scripture.
The commands to love God and neighbor are the ways to fulfill or carry into effect the moral law as a motive and active principle, not as a NT substitute for the Ten Commandments. “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” means that the law is something other than these two commands. Love is not equal to the whole law, nor does this motive let us experiment and reason our way to what it means to love. Instead, the Lord revealed to Adam what that law was, that law that love was to fulfill, then restated those laws in the Ten Commandments given to Moses.
Specific Development of Each Commandment
1st commandment: a brief summary of duties and prohibitions in WLC 104-105
DUTY: Whole-hearted love and obedience for God as the only true God, our God, knowing him as he reveals himself, with humility, trust, fear, joy, worship and honor in all our thoughts and choices, showing zeal to please him by doing his will, and sorrow at all sins against him. [in this command, the 1st table of the law includes the Gospel of the new covenant]
SINS: Resist, oppose and remove ignorance, forgetfulness, false opinions, resisting self-love and self-seeking, lukewarmness and deadness, trying to discover God’s unrevealed secrets, heresy, distrust, despair, making men the lords of our faith and conscience, slighting and despising God and his commands, discontent and impatience at his dispensations, ascribing the praise of any good, we either are, have, or can do to fortune, idols, ourselves or any other creature.
2nd commandment: a brief summary of duties and prohibitions in WLC 108-109
DUTY: All that pertains to biblically defined worship and ordinances must be received, observed and keep pure (fasting & prayer, ministry of the Word, administration of sacraments, oaths and vows, church government and discipline). [in this command, the 1st table of the law includes faith in the Gospel of the new covenant]
SINS: Resist, oppose and remove all false worship, human-devised traditions of worship, visible or mental idols, superstitions, simony, sacrilege, contempt for, hindering of and neglect of true worship.
3rd commandment: a brief summary of duties and prohibitions in WLC 112-113
DUTY: Holy and reverent use of God’s names, titles, attributes, worship, Word and ordinances and living with integrity as an ambassador of his reputation and glory. [in this command, the 1st table of the law includes faithful witness to the Gospel of the new covenant]
SINS: Resist, oppose and remove all misuse of God’s names, titles, attributes, worship, Word and ordinances, hypocrisy, or the neglect of proper uses of God’s name, reputation and glory.
4th commandment: a brief summary of duties and prohibitions in WLC 116-120
DUTY: Prepare for set apart times established by God in his Word, namely, the Lord’s Day, by resting from our employments and recreations and spent it in worship with works of necessity and mercy. [in this command, the 1st table of the law includes the Gospel of the new covenant]
SINS: Resist, oppose and remove negligence, laziness, weariness in observing, and distractedness, as this command to worship one day in seven through worship, prayer and ministry of the Word, is at the root of reinforcing all other commands.
NOTE: When we consider themes that still need to be developed, we could note that the exposition of the Fourth Commandment only explains the ways to observe the Lord’s Day, but omits the importance of observing six days of labor. This is partially covered in the Eighth Commandment to work to supply our own needs and the needs of those we are responsible for.
5th commandment: a brief summary of duties and prohibitions in WLC 127-132
DUTY: Delight in, practice and promote the proper relations of superiors, inferiors and equals.
Inferiors to Superiors: honor them from the heart, and with words and behaviors, praying for and giving thanks for them, imitating their virtues and graces, obeying their lawful counsels and commands, submitting to their corrections, allegiance to and defense of their persons and offices, bearing with their infirmities and covering them with love.
Superiors to Inferiors: love, pray for, bless, instruct, counsel, admonish, rewarding those who do well, discouraging and correcting those who do evil, providing for their souls and bodies, and being an example of integrity to preserve the honor due to your authority.
Equals: serve, give honor, praise and thanks to others above yourself
SINS: Resist, oppose and remove all improper relations of superiors, inferiors and equals:
Inferior to Superior: envy and contempt of, cursing, mocking, rebellion against authorities
Superior to Inferior: neglect of duties to, self-seeking by them, unlawful commands, unable to perform, encouraging evil, discouraging good, excessive correction, carelessly exposing them to sin, temptation and danger, provoking them to anger, or giving a bad example.
Equals: neglect of duties, undervaluing, envying, grieving at advancement of others, putting yourself above others
6th commandment: a brief summary of duties and prohibitions in WLC 135-136
DUTY: Increasing knowledge and lawful actions (sober use of foods, drinks, medicines, sleep, work and rest) to preserve our own and other’s lives, protection of innocent life by just authorities, humble, patient submission to God’s difficult providences, cheerfulness, thinking the best of others and showing the fruits of the Spirit to them, willing to reconcile and forgive, paying back good for evil, and comforting the distressed.
SINS: Resist, oppose and remove all thoughts purposes, passions, opportunities, temptations to or practices that lead to unjust taking of life (not including just execution, lawful war or necessary defense), sinful anger, provoking, fighting, hatred, envy, revenge, hitting, wounding, oppression, distracting cares, immoderate use of foods, drinks, medicines, sleep, work and rest.
7th commandment: a brief summary of duties and prohibitions in WLC 138-139 about
DUTY: Sexual purity of and protection of affections, mind, words behavior and body, and helping others to this goal, associating with pure examples, dressing modestly, getting married to enjoy sexual pleasure with spouse by living together (if no gift of singleness), and staying busy with six days of labor to avoid idleness and opportunities for immorality.
SINS: Resist, oppose and remove adultery, fornication, rape, incest, sodomy, bestiality, and any other unnatural lusts, unclean fantasies, affections, thoughts, purposes or ways of speaking, or listening to or associating with others unclean imaginations or exploits, lustful looking at people, or seductively portraying yourself, immodest dress, prohibiting lawful marriage, unlawful divorce, prostitution, unnecessary vows of singleness, delaying marriage unduly, polygamy, desertion, idleness, use of any sexually seductive entertainment (adult stores, nude bars, pornography or sexually explicit movies).
8th commandment: Here is a brief summary of duties and prohibitions in WLC 141-142
DUTY: Protecting of the value and use of each person’s private property, rendering to each what has been promised or what is due: contracts, taxes, making restitution for damage or theft, giving and lending freely according to our ability and other’s needs, moderating our affections, judgments and will towards worldly goods, choosing a calling and faithfully working to supply our own needs and those we are responsible for, frugality, and encouraging others to do the same.
SINS: Resist, oppose and remove, neglect of duties, theft, kidnapping, use of stolen goods, fraud, cheating, bribery, breaking contracts, taking interest from brothers, unnecessary lawsuits and taking on unnecessary debts, oppression, hostile take-overs, inflating prices, coveting, love of the world’s goods, distracted by getting keeping and using them, envy, idleness, wastefulness, gambling.
9th commandment: a brief summary of duties and prohibitions in WLC 144-145
DUTY: Preserve, stand for and promote truth between people, our own and our neighbor’s good reputation, speaking the whole truth clearly and truthfully from the heart in matters of justice and judgment, and having as a positive of a view as possible of our neighbor and rejoicing in any good, gifts, graces and innocence we observe in their reputation. We keep our promises and focus on whatever is true, honest, lovely and of good report. We are ready to receive good reports, while discouraging evil reports, gossip, flattery, slander We sorrow for and cover their infirmities.
SINS: Resist, oppose and remove all prejudice against the truth and our own and the good name of our neighbors, (especially in courts of law), false evidence, false witnesses, knowingly defending an evil cause, calling evil good, speaking wrongly and suppressing the truth, unjust legal sentencing or discipline based on faulty evidence, breaking contracts, rewarding the wicked, forgery, hiding the truth, undue silence on a just cause, not speaking up for justice or correcting evil, speaking truth without love, with malice or for other sinful purposes, altering the meaning by doubtful and equivocal expressions to prejudice the truth and justice, lying, slander, back biting, gossip, scoffing, reviling, rash or harsh statements, willfully misinterpreting the plain meaning of another person’s motives, words and actions, flattery, boasting, thinking or speaking too highly of ourselves, denying that these are all God’s gifts and graces, making a small matter too big, hiding, excusing, or over-emphasizing others sins, acting like a police-sin inspector to all faults, starting rumors, receiving and accepting evil reports, preventing just defense and truthful speaking, evil suspicion, envy or grief or suppression of another’s deserved credit, rejoicing in their disgrace, contempt for others.
10th commandment: a brief summary of duties and prohibitions in WLC 147-148
DUTY: Full contentment with our own condition and a loving, gracious positive attitude to all that rightfully belongs to our neighbor, wanting him to receive all good that is due him.
SINS: Resist, oppose and remove all discontentment, envy, grief at our neighbor’s prosperity or good.
C. Law of the Kingdom as an Integrating Perspective on the Righteous King’s Dominion Meta-narrative
The meta-narrative of the righteous king’s dominion alone (RKD) for the elect, could be expounded using this outline.
1. RKD Revealed: SCRIPTURE: revealed to man in history by special revelation, his holy Word,[35] for training in righteousness,[36] and for interpreting general revelation, leading the saints to saving faith,
2. RKD Planned: KING & KINGDOM: all glory be given to the righteous Triune Lord revealed in his kingly dominion,[37] the Father who by grace alone decreed the fall while righteously choosing his elect in Christ in union with the Spirit for royal-law-righteousness and justly passing by the rest in their sins,[38]
3. RKD Founded: RIGHTEOUS KINGDOM FOUNDED-LAW OF CHRIST GIVEN-REBELLION BY UNRIGHTEOUSNESS: (original righteousness): creating man in his righteous-kingly-dominion image to rule over the earth,[39] writing the royal law of Christ on his heart to receive creation ordinances as perfect rule of righteousness,[40] (original sin): that he disobeyed and fell into bondage to sin, the Lord permitting the fall for the display of his righteousness and condemning sin due to lack of conformity to royal-law-righteousness,[41]
4. RKD Promised: SHADOWS OF KINGDOM GOSPEL: Gospel proclaimed,[42]
5. RKD Renewed: LAW OF CHRIST: refreshed the creation ordinances’ perfect rule of righteousness in the royal law[43] and the evident historical inability of all men in Adam to perfect royal law righteousness,[44]
6. RKD Accomplished: GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM ACCOMPLISHED & APPLIED: fulfilled in Christ’s Gospel ministry, who as King, establishes an eternal kingdom of righteousness by uniting his elect kingdom citizen-priests and ambassadors under his dominion by saving faith[45]
a. the Son, as second person of the Trinity, fully God with all the omni-attributes[46]
b. taking full humanity upon himself, as Christ, filled with the Spirit to fulfill royal-law-righteousness, the law of Christ,[47]
c. enduring the passion and crucifixion, suffering the wrath and curses of the law as King, for Gospel propitiation on behalf of the moral-law unrighteousness of the elect,[48]
d. raised and exalted to the Father’s right hand for crediting royal-law righteousness in Gospel justification of the elect by faith,[49]
e. sending the Righteous Spirit, to convict the elect of unrighteousness unto repentance for forgiveness of sins[50] and to write royal-law righteousness on the sanctified hearts of the elect from among all nations,[51] that they may pursue righteousness as a kingdom of priests,[52] rewarding the righteous,[53] keeping them in saving faith by his providence,[54]
f. having authority over the elect angels, sending them to serve for the perseverance of the saints all over the world in all ages,[55]
7. RKD Applied: GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM REALIZED: (RKD vision applied by royal law)
a. CH Church History shows the promised endurance of God’s righteous kingdom[56]
b. PT Evangelism, Missions, Apologetics proclaimed and demonstrated by his righteous ambassadors and other assembly ministries,[57]
c. PT Assembly: worship (his Sabbath days transformed to the Lord’s Day worship[58]) prayer,[59] partaking of righteous signs and seals of the covenant of grace[60] preaching, church government administering church discipline to guard righteousness by his appointed elders,[61]
d. PT Biblical Counseling for Marriage and Family: righteous husbands and wives giving birth to and raising righteous children,[62]
e. PT/Marketplace Ministry (MM) Righteous stewardship in the Cultural Mandate
8. RKD Applied: GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM FINALIZED:
a. raising the souls of the elect, who die before his second coming, to perfection in righteousness until their bodies are raised,[63]
b. returning to glorify the elect by conquering the last enemy of death, raising their bodies in perfected moral-law-righteousness, ‘giving them crowns of righteousness,’[64] to dwell forever with the him and the elect angels in the new kingdom-creation of righteousness,[65] and to destroy all other unrighteous rule, power and authority, righteously judging the wicked by turning all his omni-attributes to curse them forever, and delivers the perfectly righteous, moral-law submissive kingdom to the Father.[66]
RKD Summary Catechism
Q. 1: Elect believer, what do you believe about the meta-narrative of the righteous king’s dominion (RKD)?
A. 1: That the righteous triune King has graciously given his self-breathed Scripture for establishing his dominion of righteousness on the earth among mankind: to us for revealing his righteous election, and in his time, in us teaching us to pray with saving faith by the Spirit, uniting us to Christ, the righteous Savior-Lord-King, to know our unrighteousness unto repentance for forgiveness of our sins by the propitiation of his cross and applying the dominion of his righteousness to us by Christ’s resurrection, credited in justification, written on the heart for daily sanctification, joining us to his righteous assembly to bless us with edifying gifts, and to enduring hope in the finalization of his kingdom by bringing us body and soul into his newly prepared creation, the home of righteousness and representing, sealing and applying these truths by the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper; to others, by the mystery of his sovereign will, these same means are used to provoke his enemies’ unrighteousness, to blind and harden them unto religious pluralism, laziness, worldly wealth, cares of this world, fear of those who can kill the body, ignorance, superstition, idol worship, false religion, atheism, humanism, national and political pride, hatred and persecution, passing them by and leaving them in their sins, providing for their physical needs, administering temporal judgments, patiently enduring until he finally executes his unrestrained, eternal wrath in his prepared hell, and representing his judgment by barring them from profaning the sacraments.
[1] Matt. 4:23; 9:35; 10:7; Luke 8:1; 9:2, 60; Acts 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31; Heb. 12:28; Jas. 2:5; 2 Pet. 1:11; Rev. 1:9; 12:10
[2] Isa. 9:7; Matt. 5:20; 6:33; 13:43; Rom 14:17
[3] The Scriptures and confessions (WCF 8:1; HC 31-32) show the Christ is anointed to three offices of king, priest and prophet, but this RKD metanarrative selects the predominant office that runs throughout Scripture and expounded in the Gospels as the king ruling over his kingdom (Matt 21:5; 27:11, 29, 37, 42; John 1:49; 12:13-15; 18:33-39) and related phrases used by Christ like the “gospel of the kingdom” and kingship parables (Matt. 18:23-35; 22:1-14; 25:31-46).
[4] See Richard Bauckham, James: The Wisdom of James, Disciple of Jesus the Sage, (Routlege 1999), 142-147 for explanation of how James uses the term “royal” to mean “the law of the kingdom of God” (142) and “law” to mean “the law interpreted by Jesus in his preaching of the kingdom” (143) and “liberty” means heart deliverance out of sin’s bondage (Jas. 1:14-15) into renewal by the implanted word of truth (Jas.1:18, 21) to love God and neighbor. James 2:1-5:12 offers an extended exegesis of Leviticus 19:12-18 (Lev. 19:12, 13, 15, 16, 17b, 18a cited or alluded to in Jas. 5:12; 5:4; 2:1 & 9; 4:11; 5:20; 5:9 respectively) including citing the command to love neighbor (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:40) (143). But James also shows that the teaching of Jesus is the authoritative interpretation of the law (cf. Jas. 4:11; 5:9; 5:12 with Matt. 7:1; 7:1-2; 5:33-37 respectively) (145).
[5] In Scripture & the Westminster Standards, the Christian life is defined by moral law righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
[6] There can be no integration of any tradition of men that pertains to what to believe for salvation. How to live in a way that pleases God and serves the good of man must be in accord with the moral law. Christians are bound always and only to the general rules of the Word and the good and necessary consequences deduced from it. Thus, any integration of external knowledge related to worship and church government, when they discern things common to human actions and societies, should be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, and general rules of the Word, specifically, we could clarify, that these ‘orderings’ must be in accord with the moral law. Derived from this pattern of external knowledge integration, we could also insert that we may also integrate any extra-biblical knowledge that helps us apply the lex Christi (the law of Christ), whether from psychology, sociology or economics, knowledge that discerns patterns common to human actions and societies by the light of nature. Productive six-day labor includes using time wisely to study knowledge that is useful to human flourishing or limiting human chaos.
[7] Proof text Matt. 22:29, 31 where Jesus critiques Sadducees faulty doctrine of the future, who deny the resurrection of the dead. Jesus says they are wrong because they do not know the Scriptures, or the power of God. WCF view of how God engages all worldviews is the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures.
[8] The Lord-King defines His righteous self-identity to Adam by the righteous duties of Adam as image; no other Self-introduction is given by the Lord. He is the righteous Lord-King in whose righteous image man was created to reflect. Key verses: (Gen 1:28) ADAM WAS BLESSED AS REFLECTING-RIGHTEOUS KING TO . . .
WORK/CULTIVATE & KEEP/GUARD (for food): “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it,” (Gen. 2:15) or to work/cultivate and guard/watch over. “And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food,” (Gen. 1:29). The Lord does these things by planting a garden of trees pleasant to the sight and good for food in Eden and putting the man in it (Gen. 2:8-9)
BE FRUITFUL & MULTIPLY; SUBDUE & GOVERN: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion [rule/govern] over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen. 1:28). The Lord does these things by blessing the creatures to “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:22) and by creating the sun & moon to “rule” day and night (Gen. 1:16-18).
BLESS & GIVE NAMES DEFINING IDENTITIES: Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man,” (Gen. 2:19-23). The Lord does these things by calling forth the creation, blessing and naming the things he created: “heaven” “earth” “seas” “man” ‘the first to the seventh day’ (Gen. 1:8, 10, 26).
LIMIT/PROHIBIT: Adam was commanded to limit/prohibit himself and Eve from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16). The Lord does these things by prohibiting Adam from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17).
These are stewardship actions that the righteous Lord-King does in his created world that Adam was to imitate, with parallels in the response to all the commandments, namely, a kingly stewardship that cultivates and guards, subdues and governs, names creation according to its purposes the relationships defined by each of the commandment duties.
[9] The Mosaic Ten Commandments merely renew and place the creation ordinances within the establishment of a redemptive kingdom (Exod. 19:4-6).
[10] The Latin Vulgate translates Galatians 6:2 “the law of Christ” as “legem Christi” but for purposes of memorability, I have chosen the more commonly understood word “lex” for the translation of “law” such as in Puritan Samuel Rutherford’s book Lex Rex, The Law of the King. We could also propose the phrase James uses, “the law of liberty” “legem libertatis” (Vulgate) and “the perfect law of liberty” “lege perfecta libertatis” (Vulgate), but for greater identification with the teaching of Christ, the law of Christ, lex Christi will better serve the representative purpose.
[11] “In the Bible a name . . . reveals the very essence of a thing, or rather its essence as God’s gift. . . . To name a thing is to manifest the meaning and value God gave it, to know it as coming from God and to know its place and function within the cosmos created by God. To name a thing, in other words, is to bless God for it and in it.” (Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts, 2010:53, citing Schmemann, For the Life of the World 1973:15)
[12] Here we should note that the Westminster Assembly holds all men accountable to the moral law, thus we can infer that they understand it as the supreme apologetic tool for engaging worldviews. The universal apologetic usefulness of the moral law to engage worldviews is further developed in WCF 19:6.1-2 below, informing all men, “true believers . . . as well as others,” of their duty to obey the will of God, their sins against God, and their need of Christ as Savior. The moral law is also a significant way that God, through his servant-ambassadors, engages the darkened worldviews of the Gentile nations, since it will be the standard by which he judges the nations (Rev. 21:8; Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Pet. 4:3-5; Rom. 1:28-2:2; 1 Cor. 5:10-13; 6:9-10), but beginning at his own house (1 Pet. 4:15-17; Rom. 2:17-24; 9:31-10:3; 1 Cor. 10:6-10).
[13] Rom. 13:8-10; Eph. 6:2; 1 John 2:3-4, 7-8
[14] Jas. 2:10-11
[15] Matt. 5:17-19; Jas. 2:8; Rom. 3:31
[16] Rom. 6:14; Gal. 2:16; 3:13; 4:4-5; Acts 13:39; Rom. 8:1
[17] Rom. 7:12, 22, 25; Ps. 119:4-6; Gal. 5:14, 16, 18-23
[18] Rom. 7:7; 3:20
[19] Jas. 1:23-25; Rom. 7:9, 14, 24
[20] Gal. 3:24; Rom. 7:24-25; 8:3-4
[21] Jas. 2:11; Ps. 119:101, 104, 128
[22] Ezra 9:13-14; Ps. 89:30-34
[23] Lev. 26; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 6:2-3; Ps. 37:11; Matt. 5:5; Ps. 19:11
[24] Gal. 2:16; Luke 17:10
[25] Rom. 6:12, 14; 1 Pet. 3:8-12; Ps. 34:12-16; Heb. 12:28-29
[26] Gal. 3:21
[27] Ezek. 36:27; Heb. 8:10; Jer. 31:33
[28] A liberty under the law of Christ as the best design for human flourishing 1 Cor. 9:21; Eph. 6:3; 1 Tim. 4:8 (Dixon, 2016, pp. 42-47)
[29] The lawful power of the church is to exercise church discipline on those who disobey the moral law and refuse to repent, including any who resist legitimate powers, which is a sin against the 5th commandment. The separation of church and state in some Western countries and some mental health contexts resist the ordinance of God in forbidding the lawful exercise of Christian counselors, therapists or psychiatrists giving unfettered biblical counsel in military, government-controlled secular institutions, hospitals and mental health clinics. Some places do permit chaplains to serve with a great deal of freedom.
[30] Likely, because of the law written on the human heart, this means socially common laws that affirm the second table of the law Romans 2:14-16 and later references to second table examples of adultery and stealing 2:21-22, with specific reference to 7th commandment such as homosexuality giving up “natural relations” Rom 1:26-27, also 6th commandment malice and murder, 9th commandment such as strife, deceit, gossip, slanderers, since Rom 1:32 is cited in #16 proof text, 8th and 10th commandments such as covetousness, envy, evil, and 5th commandment such as insolent, haughty, boastful, disobedient to parents.
[31] First table of the law 1st-4a commandments
[32] Second table of law 4b-10th commandments
[33] Rom. 1:32; 1 Cor. 5:1, 5, 11, 13; 2 John 1:10-11; 2 Thess. 3:14; 1 Tim. 1:19-20; 6:3-5; Tit. 1:10-11, 13; Matt 18:15-17; Rev. 2:2, 14-15; 3:9
[34] This phrase deleted from the American revision, but it might still be maintained if understood that, while not involving itself in internal church discipline, a righteous civil government and police force does protect the church from disruptive protesters, frivolous lawsuits, destruction of property and violence from her enemies. This meaning is part of the American revision of WCF 23: “Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; or, in the least, interfere in matters of faith. Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger. And, as Jesus Christ hath appointed a regular government and discipline in his church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, let, or hinder, the due exercise thereof, among the voluntary members of any denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief. It is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the person and good name of all their people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be suffered, either upon pretense of religion or of infidelity, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse, or injury to any other person whatsoever: and to take order, that all religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance.” Deut. 13:6-11; Rom. 13:3-4; 2 John 1:10-11; Ezra 7:23, 25-28; Rev. 17:12, 16-17; Neh. 13:15, 17, 21-22, 25, 30; 2 Kings 23:5-6, 9, 20-21; 2 Chron. 34:33; 15:12-13, 16; Dan. 3:29; 1 Tim. 2:2; Isa. 49:23; Zech. 13:2-3.
[35] WCF 16:1; Ps. 119:160
[36] 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 5:13
[37] WCF 2:1-2; 15:2; 1 Chron. 29:11; Ps. 72:1-20; 145:11-13; Isa. 9:7; 32:1; Dan. 2:44; 4:1-3; 7:27; Matt. 4:23; 6:33; 9:35; 22:1-14; 24:14; Mark 16:15; Acts 20:25; Rom. 1:1, 9, 15-16; 2:16; 10:16; 11:28; 14:17; 15:16, 19-20; 16:25; 1 Cor. 15:1-8; Gal. 3:8; Rev. 14:6. In The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments, Schreiner (2013) develops similar OT-NT biblical theology themes of the king uniting all kingdom citizens into his eternal kingdom. Job 36:3; 37:23; Ps. 7:17; 22:31; 31:1; 33:5; 35:24, 28; 37:6; 45:4, 7; 50:6; 65:5; 89:14; 98:2; 99:4; 103:6; 111:3; 112:9; 119:142; Isa. 5:16; Isa. 9:7; 11:5; 45:23-24; Jer. 9:24; 23:6; John 17:25; Rom. 1:17-18; 3:5, 21-22, 25-26; Lev. 19:2; 1 Pet. 1:15-16; 2 Pet. 1:1; Rev. 15:4. Righteousness is not a single attribute, but a meta-attribute describing all the Lord’s perfections, shared by each person of the Trinity, with synonyms of holiness, godliness and spiritual Foundations: God’s Glory as an Integrating Perspective on Reformed Theology (Yates, 2017, pp. 96-97), shown in justification as imputation of Christ’s righteousness—all that God requires of believers—because of all that Christ accomplished (Rom. 5:18-19; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 3:18). The terms are interchangeable in describing the saints (Rev. 22:11b). Heavenly glory is described as the hope of righteousness, a summary of the beauty and perfections of the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells (Gal. 5:5; 2 Pet. 3:13). To the praise of his glory: Eph. 1:6, 12, 14.
[38] WCF 5:4, 6; Eph. 1:4; Rom. 9:11-23; Jas. 1:25; 2:8-12. “Royal law” in James 2:8 could be translated “kingdom law” again showing that the law is part the rule of Christ the king over his kingdom.
[39] Gen. 1:26; Acts 17:25-26; Eph. 4:24; WCF 4:2; 6:2
[40] WCF 4:2; 19:1-2; see Principles of Conduct (Murray, 1957, pp. 25-44) for clarifications on creation ordinances of procreation (6th) and marriage (7th), the Sabbath and labor (4th), and expanding on Murray and clarifying WCF 19:2, other implied commands, such as the authority of Adam over Eve (5th), stewardship of the Garden and the world (8th), truthful witness that reinforced the creation commands of God (9th) contentment by not eating from the forbidden tree (10th), and the authority of the Lord-Creator to be loved above all else (1st), worshiped in his defined ways (2nd) and feared as just judge for any disobedience (3rd). In the NT this is called the law of Christ (lex Christi) and the entire outline includes this idea when speaking of righteousness.
[41] WCF 5:4, 6; 6:1, 6; Isa. 46:12; 48:18; 58:2; 59:14; Rom. 3:5, 10; 9:31; 10:3, 5; Gal. 3:21; Jas. 1:20; 2:8; see online article “Adam Broke Ten Commandments in the Garden” (Jones, 2015) for a perceptive expansion of how Adam broke all Ten Commandments in eating the forbidden fruit.
[42] WCF 7:5-6; 8:6; Gen. 3:15; 12:3; 15:6; Rom. 4:3, 5-6, 9, 11, 13, 22; Gal. 3:6, 8, 21; Heb. 11:1-12:4; Jas. 2:23; Rev. 13:8
[43] WCF 6:6; 15:2; 19:2; Exod. 20:1-17; Deut. 5:1-21; Rom. 7:12
[44] Rom. 9:31; 10:3; 2 Cor. 3:9; Gal. 2:21; Phil 3:9; Tit. 3:5
[45] WCF 8:5, 8; 25:2; Exod. 19:6; 2 Sam. 7:12-13, 16; Ps. 45:6; Isa. 9:7; Jer. 33:15; Dan. 2:44; Luke 1:33; Rom. 1:17; 10:4; 14:17; 2 Cor. 3:9; 5:20; 9:9; Phil. 1:11; 3:20-21; Col. 1:13; Heb. 1:8; Rev. 1:4-8
[46] WCF 8:2; John 1:1; 4:10; 8:24, 58; 14:1; 20:28
[47] WCF 8:2-3; 11:1-2; Ps. 99:4; Isa. 11:1-5; 16:5; 32:1; 42:1-9; 53:11; 59:16-17; 63:1; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Zech. 9:9; Matt. 3:15; 5:17-18; 27:19; John 12:13-15; Acts 3:14; Rom. 5:17-18; Heb. 1:9; 7:2; 1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 2:1, 29. He also fulfilled the civil and ceremonial law to point us to the new covenant realities they foreshadowed, WCF 19:3-4.
[48] WCF 8:4-5; Matt. 27: 11, 37; Rom. 3:25-26; Col. 1:20-23; Pet. 3:18
[49] WCF 11:1-2; 14:2; Ps. 106:31; Isa. 53:11; Rom. 3:31-22; 4:3, 5-6, 9, 11, 13, 22; 5:17-21; 8:4; 9:30; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9; 2 Tim. 2:8
[50] WCF 15:1-6; Luke 24:47; John 16:8-10; Acts 2:37-41; 13:10; 17:31; Rom. 8:4, 10; 14:17; 1 Tim. 3:16. Based on connections in the verses in this footnote and the following explanation, though not explicitly used in Scripture, Righteous Spirit, Godly Spirit and Holy Spirit could all be used to describe the third person of the Trinity. “Holy” is not the only biblical adjective used to describe the Spirit. He is also called the “Spirit of the Lord” (Judg. 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14; 1 Sam. 10:6; 16:13), “Spirit of God” (Matt. 12:28), “Spirit of Christ” (Rom. 8:9), “Spirit of truth” (John 16:13), “Spirit of holiness” (Rom. 1:4), “Spirit of life” (Rom. 8:2), “Spirit of adoption” (Rom 8:15), “Spirit of his Son” (Gal. 4:6), “Spirit of wisdom” (Eph. 1:17), “Spirit of grace” (Heb 12:29), “Spirit of glory” (1 Pet. 4:14), and especially note Isaiah 11:2, “And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.” We conclude that the Spirit can be described by his ambassadorial sending to represent the other persons of the Trinity, and by the various derivative attributes he imparts to men, including the Spirit’s fruits (Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 5:9 where some textual variants and the KJV translates as “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth). Thus, we can infer the term “Righteous Spirit” is a biblically derived phrase, synonymous with “Holy Spirit” and use it in this outline to show coherence with the righteous/righteousness theme it expounds.
[51] WCF 11:5; 13:1, 3; 16:2; Rom. 8:4, 10; Heb. 8:10; 10:16
[52] WCF 20:3; Exod. 19:4-6; Ps. 23:3; Jer. 22:3; Hos. 10:12; Zeph. 2:3; Matt. 5:6, 19-20; 6:33; Rom. 6:13, 16, 18-20; 8:10; 14:17; Eph. 4:24; 1 Thess. 2:10; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22; Jas. 3:18; 1 Pet. 2:9, 24; 1 John 2:29; 3:7; Rev. 19:8
[53] 1 Sam. 26:23; 1 Kings 8:32; Ps. 85:10-13; 89:16; 106:3; Prov. 8:18-20; 11:4-6, 18-19; 12:28; 14:34; 16:12; 21:21Isa. 32:17; 54:14; 58:8; 60:17; 1 Pet. 3:12
[54] WCF 5:1, 4, 5; 33:3; Isa. 51:5-8; Jer. 18:7-9; Matt. 5:10; Rom. 8:28-30; Heb. 12:5-14; 1 Pet. 3:14; 5:6-10
[55] Heb. 1:13-14; Ps. 37:7; Ps. 91:11-12; Dan. 6:22; Acts 12:7; Matt. 1:20; 2:13; 24:31; Rev. 22:16
[56] Heb 12:1-4; 13:7; Dan. 2:44; Matt 16:18
[57] Here the categories of practical theology can be integrated with the moral law. WCF 14:1-2; 25:2; 26:2; Matt. 21:32; 24:14; Luke 24:48-49; Acts 1:8; 20:25; 24:25; Eph. 4:11-16; 2 Pet. 2:5
[58] WCF 21:7-8; Exod. 20:8
[59] WCF 14:1; 21:3-4; Matt. 6:9-13
[60] WCF 14:1; 27:1
[61] WCF 20:4; 30:2-3; Acts 20:28-31; 2 Cor. 6:7
[62] WCF 24:2-3; Mal. 2:15; 1 Cor. 7:14; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 6:4
[63] WCF 32:1; Heb. 12:23
[64] 1 Cor. 15:24-26; Gal. 5:5; 2 Tim. 4:8
[65] WCF 33:2; Dan. 7:18, 22, 27; Matt. 13:43; 25:46; 2 Pet. 3:13
[66] WCF 33:1; Ps. 9:8; 96:13; 98:9; Isa. 10:22; 11:4; 26:9-10; 28:17; 60:12; Acts 17:31; Rom. 1:32; 2:5; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 19:11
