The principle of resting one day in seven to worship God is a permanent moral law (the Fourth Commandment, rooted in Creation). However, the specific requirement to observe it on the seventh day of the week (Saturday) was a ceremonial aspect tied to the Old Covenant. With the resurrection of Christ, the ceremonial shadow of the seventh day expired, but the moral duty of the Sabbath remains, now celebrated on the first day of the week (the Christian Sabbath or Lord’s Day).

If we are justified entirely by God’s grace through faith in Christ, and if our good works cannot merit salvation, what do we do with the Old Testament Law? Are Christians completely free from the Ten Commandments? Should modern nations enforce the civil codes of ancient Israel? Do we still need to observe Jewish dietary laws?

Throughout church history, Christians have struggled to understand how the Old Testament law applies to the New Testament believer. The Westminster Confession provides a masterful solution in Chapter 19 by employing the classical “Tripartite” (three-part) division of the law. It teaches us to divide the laws given to Moses into three categories: Moral, Ceremonial, and Judicial. By understanding these distinctions, we can see how the Law is both gloriously fulfilled by Christ and practically useful for the Christian.

The Confession teaches that God gave Adam a moral law that continues today as a perfect rule of righteousness, summarized in the Ten Commandments; that He also gave Israel ceremonial laws prefiguring Christ and judicial laws governing their state, both of which have expired, though the general equity of the judicial law remains.

The Original Law (WCF 19.1)

Long before Moses climbed Mount Sinai, God gave a law. The Confession states that “God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works.”

Adam was created righteous, “endued with power and ability to keep it.” This law required “personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience.” The terms of this covenant were simple: perfect obedience brings life; disobedience brings death. As we know from Genesis 3, Adam broke this covenant, bringing ruin upon all his posterity. Because of the Fall, no human (except Christ) can ever be saved by obeying the law, because we have lost the ability to keep it perfectly.

The Enduring Moral Law (WCF 19.2)

Although the law can no longer save us, the core of that original law did not disappear. “This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness.”

Because God’s moral law is a reflection of God’s own holy character, it does not change. What was wrong in the Garden of Eden is still wrong today. This eternal moral law “was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables.”

The Ten Commandments are the summary of all human duty. The first table (Commandments 1-4) dictates our duty toward God (loving Him with all our heart). The second table (Commandments 5-10) dictates our duty toward man (loving our neighbor as ourselves).

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