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32 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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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.
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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.
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) 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) Teaches “abiding validity of law in exhaustive detail”—Christ did not abrogate a law unless the NT specifically says he did. OT civil law must be basis of civil law today. Rulers must submit to X, Sabbath-breaking punishable by death, etc. Sees too much continuity, not enough discontinuity between how ’s people are set up under Old & New Covenants. Paul applies OT civil laws in different way to the church, e.g. excommunication instead of execution. Matthew 5:17-18 came to fulfill not abolish... 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
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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... |
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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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Freedom from:
• Guilt of sin • Wrath of God • Curse of moral law • Present evil world • Bondage to Satan • Sting of death • Hell Freedom to obey God out of childlike love, not slavish fear. All of these were true under OC but enlarged under NC. Also: • Freedom from yoke of ceremonial law • Greater boldness of access to throne of grace • Fuller communications of free Spirit of God 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 |
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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... |
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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.
All of life should be regulated by scripture Deut. 12:32 ...do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it. |
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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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Yes, its a creation ordinance. Gen 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed 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.
Commandment #4: 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 |
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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.
On first day of the week: Acts 20:7 "on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread. 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 12:28-Son of man is Lord of the 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 authority1 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.... |
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What are the types of law are found in the OT?
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Moral, Ceremonial, Civil
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