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31 Cards in this Set
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What is the moral law?
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The moral law is the declaration of God's will directing and binding everyone to conformity and obedience to it.
WLC 92 paraphrase... besides the command not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam was obligated to keep the moral law. WLC 93 The moral law is the declaration of the will of God to mankind, directing and binding everyone to personal, perfect, and perpetual conformity and obedience there unto, in the frame and disposition of the whole man, soul and body, and in performance of all those duties of holiness and righteousness which he owes to God and man: promising life upon the fulfilling, and threatening death upon the breach of it. |
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What laws besides the moral law did God give his people under the Old Covenant?
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The ceremonial law and the judicial (civil) law.
WCF 19.3 ...as a church under age [God gave them] ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth diverse instructions of moral duties. All ceremonial are now abrogated. WCF 19.4...to them also, as a body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the State of that people; not obliging any other now, further than the general equity there of may require. |
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Are believers under obligation to the law today? Explain and defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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Believers are no longer under the law to be justified or condemned by it; however it remains for them the rule of life, informing them of the will of God which they are to obey. (paraphrase WCF 19.6)
The moral law forever binds all... Christ, in the Gospel does not dissolve it - but much strengthens this obligation. (paraphrase WCF 19.5) Romans 13:8-10 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not covet,' and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Eph. 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother-which is the first commandment with a promise--that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth 1 Jn 2:3,4 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, 'I know him, " but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Matt. 5:17-18 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. |
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What is "theonomy?" Evaluate it biblically.
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1) simplest definition means “God’s Law.”
2) encompasses a fairly broad spectrum of views about the exercise & authority to exercise the civil, social, and religious laws of the Mosaic Law & the legal system of the OT theocracy of Israel. "All laws of the Old Testament were equitable for the era for which they were designed. But great care must be taken to determine precisely how they apply to the present era.” PP, 556 Matthew 5:17-18 came to fulfill not abolish... Deut. 22:8 "parapet law" John 4, Jesus set a precedent by showing mercy on an adulteress. NT moves to redemptive nature of the law - God will carry out retributive justice in his time. |
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Where is the law of God summed up?
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The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. (WSC #41)
By Jesus - Matt 22 & Mark 12 By the lawyer - Luke 10:27 |
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Can believers keep God's law? Explain and defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but does daily break them in thought, word and deed. WSC #82
Ecc. 7:20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. Rom 3:10ff There is no one righteous, not even one... 1 John 1:8 "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us .. Gal 5:17 the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit...They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. |
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What is at stake in the current "Lordship Controversy?" Explain and defend your view.
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The "Lordship controversy" has implications for the nature of regeneration, assurance, and salvation as well as the question of who or what will be the sovereign over our life.
Christ is both Lord and savior in union of person and cannot be saving embraced without both being true at the same time. Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved James 2 teaches that true faith must manifest itself in works of obedience to the King. This is not to say that we earn or in any way merit salvation, it is completely a gracious gift of the God who predestines, elects, regenerates, and sacrifice. |
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What are the "means of grace?"
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The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption... the Word, sacraments, and prayer.. all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation. WSC #88
Acts 2:21,42 Those who accepted his message were baptized...They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. |
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What is "Christian Liberty?" Explain and defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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The freedom of the Christian, on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit is to
1) Join OT saints in being freed from the guilt of sin 2) the condemning wrath of God 3) the curse of the moral law 4) this present evil world 5) bondage to Satan, 6) dominion of sin 7) from the evil of afflictions 8) the sting of death 9) the victory of the grave and everlasting damnation AND have free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of slavish fear, but a child-like love and willing mind. 2) Added in the NT 1) freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law 2) greater boldness of access to the throne of grace 3) in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God (I take an exception to this last one) - (WCF 20.1) Rom 6:18-22 You have been set free from sin, and have become slaves to righteousness…but now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life 1 Peter 2:16-17 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil... 1 Cor. 10:23-24 Everything is permissible-but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible-but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others 2 Cor. 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom |
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Who or what is Lord of the conscience? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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God alone is Lord of the conscience, and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men... WCF 20.2
James 4:12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy... Rom 14:4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand for the Lord is able to make him stand 1 Cor 10:25-26 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of the conscience... the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. |
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What is the "regulative principle?" Defend from Scripture.
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The manner in which we worship God should be in accordance with what he has instituted in his revealed will - the Scriptures.
the acceptable way... is instituted by Himself, limited by His own revealed will... He may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devises of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture WCF 21.1 Deut. 12:32 ...do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it. Is. 29:13 ...These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men Matt. 15:9 - They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men |
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Who is to be worshipped? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and Him alone (WCF 21.2)
Matt 4:10 & Luke 4:8 - Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. |
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What are the ordinary parts or elements of worship?
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1) Reading of Scripture 2) preaching and hearing the Word 3) singing 4) administration of the sacraments (WCF 21.5), prayer (WCF 21. 3,4) and offering??
Eph. 5:19 ...addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart... (similar to Col 3:16) Acts 2:41-42 ... those who received his word were baptize.... And [all] devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers |
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Are Christians under obligation to keep a Sabbath? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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WCF 21.7... the law of nature, that in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in His Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, OT last day of week, NT first day of week (Lord's day).
The ten commandments are a summary of the moral law. Honoring the sabbath is the fourth commandment and a creation ordinance Gen 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were ompleted in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Ex 20:8-11 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy Sabbath principle repeated in Ex 16:29-30, Ex 31:12-17 & with special blessings mentioned in Is. 58:13-14 |
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If so, how should the Sabbath be kept? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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• By rest, worship, deeds of piety, deeds of mercy, healing, and goodness, and if need be that of necessity.
I take exception to WCF 21.8 - ...not only observe an holy rest, all that day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about the worldly employments and recreations, but also are taken up, the whole time, in the public, and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy. " The scripture is not this strict. Texts to reference: 1. Ex 20:8-11 (fourth commandment. 2. Is 58:13-14 honoring Sabbath and God will make you ride on the heights of the earth.... feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.... 3. Matt 12:11-12 - comparing the value of a man to a sheep Christ declares it is lawful to do good on Sabbath 4. Mark 2:27 - Sabbath made for man, not man for Sabbath 5. John 7:23-24 Jesus references circumcision Sabbath and declares healing is also acceptable... stop judging by mere appearances |
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Differentiate between the "Continental" and "Westminster" views of the Sabbath.
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• The continental view of Sabbath (espoused by Calvin) stresses the ceremonial and typological view of the Jewish Sabbath.
• The Westminster views the Sabbath as a creation mandate and therefore moral and universal in scope. |
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Should a Christian ever take an oath or vow? Explain. Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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The taking of oaths for a Christian is permissible, yet they can never be contrary to the Word.
A.A. Hodge refers to an oath as an act of supreme religious worship, since it recognizes the omnipresence, omniscience, absolute justice and sovereignty of the Person whose august witness is invoked, and whose judgement is appealed to as final. – WCF 22.2 in matters of weight and moment an oath is warranted in the OT and NT Heb 6:16 - Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument... 2 Cor 1:23 Paul calls God as witness... "I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth..." Ex 20: 7 You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name (third commandment) |
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What should be our attitude toward civil authorities? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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God has places the civil magistrates under his authority and over his people for his own glory and the public good. (WCF 23.1)
Matt 22:21 Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. Rom 13:1-4 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities..." 1 Tim 2:2 Pray for kings and all in high position... 1 Pet. 2:13-14 Submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good |
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What is the relationship between church and state?
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Civil government has the right and responsibility to protect the church, while not being allowed to intervene in ecclesiastical matters or abridging church government.
ref. WCF 23.3 [American Form 1789] |
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What are the proper duties of civil authorities? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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To protect the church, prevent interference with church government, protect persons and their good name, to provide freedom of religion, and to guarantee the freedom of assembly - ref. WCF 23.3 [American Form 1789] (see above)
Romans 13:3-5 rulers not a terror to good conduct, but to bad... God’s servant for your good... servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 1 Tim 2:2.... prayers, petitions & thanksgivings be made... for kings &all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil & quiet life in all godliness & dignity. 1 Pet. 2:14 punishment of evil doers, praise of the good. |
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What obligations do believers have to civil authorities? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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•Pray for magistrates, honor their persons, pay them tribute/other dues, obey lawful commands, and be subject to their authority . Ref WCF 23.4
Matt 22:21 pay taxes Rom 13:1ff Subjection to authority 1 Tim 2:2 Prayer for them 1 Pet. 2:13 Subjection to ordinances |
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By whom and for what purpose was marriage designed? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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Marriage is for one man and one woman for their mutual help, the increase of mankind and church and to prevent uncleanness. Ref WCF 24.1&2
Gen 2:18,24 ...not good for man to be alone... make a helper suitable for him ...For this reason a man will leave his father &mother and be united to his wife.. become one flesh 1 Cor 7:2, 9 since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each wife her own... it is better to marry than to bum with passion. |
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Who may (and may not) lawfully be married? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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All sorts of people who are able to give their consent - with Christians being exhorted to marry only in the Lord (not infidels, papists, idolaters). Ref. WCF 24.3
Heb 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 1 Cor 7:39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to many anyone she wishes, but he must belong 10 the Lord. 2 Cor 6:14 - Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers... |
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What is divorce?
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Dissolving the marriage bond.
"Adultery or fornication committed AFTER a contract, being detected BEFORE marriage, gives just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract. In the case of adultery AFTER marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce: and, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending party were dead. " WCF 24.5 |
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Under what circumstances is divorce permissible? Defend your answer with Scripture.
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Adultery and irremediable willful desertion - ref. WCF 24.5 - 6
Matt 5:31-32 anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery. Matt 19:9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery 1 Cor 7:15 if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. |
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Is divorce an option for those abused by their spouses (physically or otherwise)? Defend.
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WCF 24.6 references cases where it can in "no way be remedied by the Church, or civil magistrates " In abuse, it can be said that the guilty party has in effect willfully abandoned the other party. They have willfully broken the covenant that binds them and have split the unity of their flesh. However this would be a last resort situation and would not be considered until all other options have been exhausted. I would want to defend the biblical principles of marriage, but not at the expense of doing good and showing charity.
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May those who have been divorced remarry? Defend your answer with Scripture proofs.
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• Those who have been divorced on biblical grounds are free to remarry .
• WCF 24.5 (see above) • Matthew 19.9 (see above) • "For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man. "-Romans 7:2-3 |
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How does Christian liberty bear on the Christian's obligation to the state?
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• Since God intends our liberty, not to destroy, but to uphold the powers which he has ordained; we are to submit to the state.
• “And because the powers which God has ordained, and the liberty which Christ has purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually 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...” -WCF 20.4 |
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Where does Westminster deal with the Christian life?
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WCF 19-20, 22-24
WLC 91-152, 154-196 WSC 38-84, 88-107 |
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What is meant by the “general equity” clause in the confession (regarding judicial law)?
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Appears in WCF 19.4
This means that the judicial laws for Israel do not apply for other nations today, unless the “general principal” behind the law has a modern day correlation. For example, the death penalty for murder in Gen 9:6 carries over, but the command against wearing clothes of more than one material in order to show the purity of God’s people does not. |
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How does Christian liberty bear on the Christian's obligation to the State?
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Since God intends our liberty, not to destroy, but to uphold the powers, which he has ordained; we are to submit to the state – in as much as it does not do violence to the light of nature, and the known principles of God’s Word (WCF 20.4)
Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.... Rom 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.... |
