Three Uses of the Law

The Christian’s relationship with God’s law can be confounding if not understood rightly. Possibly due to our own sinfulness, we may be tempted to downplay the benefits of the law in our life and sanctification. Some may even look at Jesus’ summation of the law[1] as a freedom from such strict, draconian, Old Testaments requirements. But if we were to think as such, we would miss out on the good that God has for us in His law. Even more, we would be opposing the psalmist who writes: “Oh how I love your law!”[2] Thankfully, the wisdom of the church passed down has given us a means of rightly understanding and applying God’s law, The Decalogue. Historically this has been known as the “Three Uses of the Law,” which is presented below (in no particular order)[3]:

Pedagogical. In Exodus 20, as the people of God heard the thunder and voice of God, they trembled in fear and asked that Moses would speak God’s words to them, and not God directly. The awful display on the mountain brought fear, and I would suggest that so does God’s law to the people. Upon hearing how God has called them to live, they in turn should realize how unable they are to fully and perfectly keep the commandments of God. Some theologians would consider this the mirror effect of the law. The law perfectly reflects the holiness and character of God and therefore shows the sinfulness of man. Heidelberg Catechism Question 3 reminds us that it is from the law that we know our sin and misery. In teaching us of our sinfulness, the law then also serves in pointing us to Christ and our great need for His salvation.[4] As the Apostle Paul would point out, God in His wisdom used the law as a type of guardian until the coming of Christ.

Normative. It is clear from The Decalogue’s prologue[5] that the law is not a means of salvation, but the way in which God calls His people to live. God in His wisdom, knows just how forgetful His people are and therefore gives them written words to guide their moral life. Yet, as stated previously, the law reflects God’s character and God’s desires for His redeemed people to reflect His character in the earth. Through the law, we know what is pleasing to our Lord. And what he desires is that we keep His commandments.[6]

Civil. Finally, a chaotic and lawless world is not what God desires for His creation. God’s Ten Words, if followed, are a means to a just and fair society. The civil use of the law simply means that the enforcement of God’s wise laws curbs sin for productive communal living. Because He is the Creator, and because humanity is made in His image, the general knowledge of the Law is plain to image bearers.[7] There is no functioning society that does not give at least a half-hearted knowledge to the Ten Commandments, particularly the last six, even when they do not recognize them as such. Unfortunately, even with this common knowledge, societies still fail because the problem is always the sinful, corrupt hearts. Even in history, in places where the church and state were indistinguishable, nations would still fall in war, chaos, and upheaval because of the sinfulness of the human heart. This reality should drive man to Christ, the one who fulfills the law and provides forgiveness to all those who break it.

[1] Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:30-31

[2] Psalm 119:97

[3] The Reformed and Lutheran churches and theologians have slightly different numberings for the three uses of the law. For this discussion, the numbering itself is inconsequential.

[4] Galatians 3:19-24

[5] Exodus 20:2

[6] John 14:15

[7] Romans 1-2