Plain-language reading guide
READING HELP
Read this chapter alongside the Confession chapter on the same subject. The Testimony states what the church teaches, applies that teaching, and identifies views it rejects. Read each statement with its Scripture proofs and the surrounding paragraphs.
To find explicit rejections in this chapter, go to point 3, point 5. Read each full point to see exactly which teaching is rejected.
This reading guide is separate from the official text below.
Read the official text, or choose a simpler explanation to explore together.
Westminster Confession
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.
Scripture proofs: Gen. 1:26-27 with Gen. 2:17; Rom. 2: 14-15; Rom. 10:5; Rom. 5:12, 19; Gal. 3:10, 12; Eccl. 7:29; Job 28:28.
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 four first commandments containing our duty towards God; and the other six our duty to man.
Scripture proofs: Jas. 1:25; Jas. 2:8, 10-12; Rom. 13:8-9; Deut. 5:32; Deut. 10:4; Ex. 34:1; Matt. 22:37-40.
3. Beside this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated, under the New Testament.
Scripture proofs: Heb. 9; Heb. 10:1; Gal. 4:1-3; Col. 2:17; 1 Cor. 5:7; 2 Cor. 6:17; Jude 1:23; Col. 2:14, 16-17; Dan. 9:27; Eph. 2:15-16.
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 thereof may require.
Scripture proofs: Ex. 21; Ex. 22:1-29; Gen. 49:10 with 1 Pet. 2:13-14; Matt. 5:17, 38-39; 1 Cor. 9:8-10.
5. The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; 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: neither doth Christ, in the Gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.
Scripture proofs: Rom. 13:8-10; Eph. 6:2; 1 John 2:3-4, 7-8; Jas. 2:10-11; Matt. 5:17-19; Jas. 2:8; Rom. 3:31.
6. Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs, and binds them to walk accordingly; 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; together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of His obedience. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; 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. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God’s approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof; although not as due to them by the law, as a covenant of works. So as, a man’s doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to the one, and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law; and not under grace.
Scripture proofs: Rom. 6:14; Gal. 2:16; Gal. 3:13; Gal. 4:4-5; Acts 13:39; Rom. 8:1; Rom. 7:12, 22, 25; Ps. 119:4-6; 1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 5:14, 16, 18-23; Rom. 7:7; Rom. 3:20; Jas. 1:23-25; Rom. 7:9, 14, 24; Gal. 3:24; Rom. 7:24-25; Rom. 8:3-4; Jas. 2:11; Ps. 119:101, 104, 128; Ezra 9:13- 14; Ps. 89:30-34; Lev. 26:1-14 with 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 6:2-3; Ps. 37:11 with Matt. 5:5; Ps. 19:11; Gal. 2:16; Luke 17:10; Rom. 6:12, 14; 1 Pet. 3:8-12 with Ps. 34:12-16; Heb. 12:28-29.
7. Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it; 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, requireth to be done.
Scripture proofs: Gal. 3:21; Ezek. 36:27; Heb. 8:10 with Jer. 31:33.
Words to know
- Moral law
- God’s lasting rule for right conduct, summarized in the Ten Commandments.
- Ceremonial laws
- Israel’s former worship signs and practices that pointed forward to Christ.
- General equity
- The lasting principles of justice expressed in ancient Israel’s civil laws.
WCF 19.1 · God’s first law
God required Adam and those he represented to obey him perfectly, fully, and continually. In the covenant of works he promised life for obedience and warned of death for disobedience. Adam was created able to obey. God’s commands were real obligations, not suggestions.
Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:17; Romans 2:14-15.
What did God promise and warn Adam about?
WCF 19.2 · The Ten Commandments
God’s moral law remained the perfect standard of righteousness after the fall. At Mount Sinai he gave it in Ten Commandments on two tablets. The first four describe duties toward God; the remaining six describe duties toward other people.
James 1:25; James 2:8; Romans 13:8-9.
How do the commandments teach love for God and neighbor?
WCF 19.3 · Ceremonies pointing to Christ
God also gave Israel ceremonial laws about worship and other duties. Their sacrifices and signs pointed forward to Christ and his saving work. Now that he has come, these ceremonies no longer bind New Testament believers. Their meaning still helps us understand him.
Hebrews 10:1; Galatians 4:1-3; Colossians 2:17.
Why do we read about sacrifices but not keep offering them?
WCF 19.4 · Israel’s civil laws
God gave ancient Israel laws for its national life. Those laws ended with that nation’s old political order and are not simply imposed on other nations today. Their general principles of justice still matter. We must distinguish a particular ancient rule from the lasting justice it expresses.
Exodus 22:1-29; Genesis 49:10; 1 Peter 2:13-14.
How can an ancient law teach justice without applying in exactly the same form?
WCF 19.5 · God’s moral law still matters
God’s moral law always binds everyone, including forgiven believers. Its commands come from our Creator’s authority. Christ does not cancel our responsibility to obey; the gospel strengthens it. Being saved by grace is no permission to ignore God.
Romans 13:8-10; Ephesians 6:2; 1 John 2:3-4.
Does forgiveness mean we may stop caring about obedience?
WCF 19.6 · The law guides forgiven people
Believers do not use law-keeping to earn justification or face its curse as a covenant of works. Yet the law shows how to live, exposes sin, and helps us see our need of Christ. Its warnings restrain us; its promises encourage obedience. God’s correction and blessing matter, even though we do not earn salvation by keeping rules.
Romans 6:14; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:13.
How can God’s law help someone who is already forgiven?
WCF 19.7 · Grace helps us obey
God’s law and gospel grace work together. The Spirit changes our desires and gives us strength to do freely and gladly what God commands. Grace does not set us against obedience; it makes willing obedience possible.
Galatians 3:21; Ezekiel 36:27; Hebrews 8:10.
How does the Spirit change obedience from mere outward rule-keeping?
1. This law is still the rule of God’s judgment of men. Christ has fulfilled the requirements of the law for His people by His perfect obedience and His propitiation for their sins. Gal. 3:10-14; Matt. 5:17-18.
2. The ceremonial laws were fulfilled by Christ as our high priest and are no longer binding. Heb. 10:1-22.
3. We reject the teaching that believers are not required to keep all of the Ten Commandments under the New Testament. Matt. 5:19-20.
4. A believer’s obedience to the law of God is a proper expression of his thankfulness for the love which he has experienced in the Savior. John 14:15.
5. We reject the view that obedience to God’s law is sinful legalism.
6. Sinful legalism consists of mere outward conformity to the law in the absence of love to the Lawgiver. It often involves the effort to gain salvation or reward through such obedience, and the tendency to require of others a similar pattern of conduct. It may also involve adding human requirements that evade God’s law. Matt. 23:13-31; Mark 7:1-23.
Words to know
- Moral law
- God’s lasting rule for right conduct, summarized in the Ten Commandments.
- Ceremonial laws
- Israel’s former worship signs and practices that pointed forward to Christ.
- General equity
- The lasting principles of justice expressed in ancient Israel’s civil laws.
- Rejects
- Says that a teaching is wrong and must not be accepted.
- Ceremonial
- Concerning the Old Testament worship ceremonies that pointed forward to Christ.
Testimony 19.1
God’s law remains the standard of judgment. Christ meets its requirements for his people through his obedience and his sacrifice for their sins.
Read original point 1 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 19.2
Christ fulfilled the Old Testament ceremonial laws as our high priest, so those ceremonies no longer bind us.
Read original point 2 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 19.3
The Testimony rejects the claim that New Testament believers need not keep all Ten Commandments.
Read original point 3 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 19.4
Obeying God is a way of thanking him for the love we have received through Christ.
Read original point 4 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 19.5
The Testimony rejects calling obedience to God’s law sinful legalism simply because it is obedience.
Read original point 5 and its Scripture proofs →Testimony 19.6
Legalism is outward rule-keeping without love for God, often aimed at earning salvation or reward. It can also add human rules that evade God’s commands.
Read original point 6 and its Scripture proofs →Source: The Constitution of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, updated 2026, A-55, A-56, A-57.