Threefold Use of the Law

Jacob Whitaker

The Law • Sermon • Submitted 7 months ago • Presented 7 months ago

1 Timothy 1:8–10

The Three Uses of the Law

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Introduction

1 Timothy 1:8–10 ESV

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,

This is the second message in our series on the 10 commandments, this time focusing on what’s often been referred to as the threefold use of the law. How many of you have every heard of the threefold use of the law? Now, this is different from the threefold division of the law, which we’ll look at later, but today we’re going to focus on the purpose of the law. I want to answer the question, “Why did God give the law?” or “What is the intended function of the law?”

Now, there will be significant overlap between these opening sermons, but my goal in these messages is to prepare you to handle the 10 commandments rightly, to know how to use them properly, without injuring yourself. The law is good and perfect, but it can injure us if not wielded properly. This is why we considered in our last time the two most common misuses of the law, that we might avoid them. Therefore, before we consider the 10 commandments we must first understand how to employ them correctly.

So, when we talk about the threefold use of the law we’re talking about three proper, biblical uses of the law. And there are three different uses of the law in Scripture, because there are three different circumstances that the law is employed. The law functions differently depending upon its context. For example, the law serves a different purpose in society than it does in the life of an individual, and the law serves a different purpose in the life of an unbeliever than it does in the life of a Christian. The law functions differently in each of these three circumstances.

I’m sure you can think of tools that are designed to serve different purposes in different circumstances. For example, while a knife is sharp and designed to cut, it’s use will vary depending upon its context. You might use it to chop food into small pieces, or you might use it to peel the skin of an apple, you might use it to score bread dough to control the rise and appearance of the bread, you might use it to fillet an animal or a fish, you might use it in an emergency to cut a seat belt or a rope. While the fundamental design of the knife doesn’t change in any of these differing circumstances, it’s use or purpose does, and so it is with the law. Therefore, we need to know how to use the law properly, like a knife, in each context.

Identifying the threefold use of the law is often attributed to John Calvin. While he obviously didn’t invent the law or its purposes, nor was he the only one to identify its uses, he was the first to describe and systematize the law in this helpful manner. He identified three uses of the law of God, 1) its civil use, or how it functions to maintain civil order by restraining evil in society, 2) its pedagogical use, or how the law functions as a tutor or schoolmaster, exposing our sinfulness and our need for redemption, and 3) its normative use in the Christian life, instructing the believer how to obey and to please God. Now, we’ve covered some of this ground already, but I want to take some time today to look at each of these in greater detail. Let’s begin by looking at them in the order Calvin described them in his Institutes of the Christian Religion.

1) Civil use

The first, and most general use of the law is its civil use, or how it functions to maintain civil order by restraining evil in society. Examples of this are your ability to walk down the street without a fear of being mugged or attacked along the way, or allowing your children to play outside or walk to the park alone without a fear of them being taken. Or the confidence that if someone damaged your property or stole from you, that there would be some kind of recourse to fix or restore what was taken. Some of us rarely lock our homes or our cars because of the law’s operation in society. The law of God is good and it’s intended to restrain evil.

The law a terror

And how does the law restrain evil? It restrains evil by its threat of judgment. The law is meant to be a terror to those who do wrong. Any transgression of the law carries with it the threat of God’s wrath. And we see this play out in the Bible as early as Genesis chapter 4. After Cain is punished for murdering his brother he says to the Lord,

English Standard Version Chapter 4

“My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.

Cain fears that others will seek his life for what he has done, but we’re told that the Lord placed a mark on Cain to remind everyone that “if anyone kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” The threat of judgment was intended to protect Cain from being killed.

Then again, later, in Genesis chapter 9, after the flood, God established a covenant with Noah and told him to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth, but he also told Noah that he would require a reckoning for the life of man, that whoever shed the blood of man, by man would his blood be shed. In other words, God restrained man’s wickedness with a threat of judgment, in order that his command to be fruitful and to multiply might be safeguarded. Again, the law of God is meant to restrain evil and to be a terror to those who do evil.

Government

And the law of God is intended to function the same way today, with God’s temporal judgment mediated, primarily, in two ways, 1) the government, and 2) the family. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 13:1-5,

Romans 13:1–5 ESV

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

The Apostle Peter would later echo the same sentiment in 1 Peter 2:13-14,

1 Peter 2:13–14 ESV

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

Family

And similarly, the law of God is mediated in the home by parents. The 10 commandments are listed in Deuteronomy chapter 5, and immediately following them in chapter 6, beginning in verse 6, the Israelites are instructed to diligently teach them to their children, we read,

English Standard Version Chapter 6

6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

And children are commanded to obey their parents, and to honor their father and mother in the 5th commandment. The Apostle Paul reiterates this in Ephesians 6:1-3,

Ephesians 6:1–3 ESV

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Then Paul goes on to write in verse 4,

Ephesians 6:4 ESV

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

So, the instruction given to children includes discipline, which is intended to restrain their wickedness. Proverbs 22:15 puts it like this, “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him,” and then again in Proverbs 13:24 it says that, “whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”

The law of God is intended to restrain evil both within the home and outside the home. It is the responsibility of both parents and governments to mediate the law of God and its judgments within their corresponding sphere’s of authority. Therefore, if families and governments trend toward lawlessness, and neglect to teach and uphold the law of God, the restraint put upon wickedness will be diminished. And when the restraint upon wickedness is weakened evil is increasingly unleashed upon the home and society.

So, as Christians it’s important that we understand the value and the use of God’s law in society, whether in the home or in the government. The law of God is intended to restrain evil for the common good of both believers and unbelievers. Theologians have frequently called this common grace, grace that’s available to everyone. Therefore, as Christians we should never shy away from seeking to have the law of God upheld within society, and we should never shy away from upholding it in our homes. We should never shy away from bringing up our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Again, the first use of the law is its civil use, how it functions to maintain civil order by restraining evil in society.

Limitations

However, within this context, the law does have limits. The law applied within the context of society and in the home, by itself, is effective only because of its punitive nature (because it threatens punishment for disobedience), therefore it can only cause men to render external obedience. The law keeps wicked men from being as evil as they might otherwise be because it threatens them with punishment for their disobedience.

Now, this doesn’t mean that just because the law has limits that we shouldn’t employ it at all. Just because the law, by itself, can only render external obedience from your children or your neighbor doesn’t mean it’s less valuable or shouldn’t be utilized in this way. I actually know parents who think they’re doing their children a favor by not holding them accountable to the law of God, reasoning that since the law, by itself, can only produce external obedience then they shouldn’t use it all. As we’ll see here in a minute this would be a dangerous mistake to make. Instead, one one hand, employ the law when raising your children or making legislation, but on the other hand, do so understanding it’s limits. Just because the law can’t save your kids doesn’t mean it serves no good purpose at all. Similarly, passing just laws won’t change the hearts of citizen, but just laws serve the common good of everyone.

2) Pedagogical use

That being said, the second use of the law is pedagogical, it functions as a schoolmaster or instructor. In the first context the law and its threat of punitive justice restrains evil, but in this context the law is intended to instruct us. In the Roman Republic a pedagogus was “a slave who accompanied a child to and from school”, but eventually came to refer to a “teacher” or “guide” who taught the sons of Roman citizens the Greek language. They were also later described as tutors and guardians who were trustworthy slaves charged with the task of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the upper class.

This is how the Apostle Paul described the law in Galatians 3:23, as a pedagogus, or a guardian. He wrote,

English Standard Version Chapter 3

23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

Pedagogus here could also be translated moral caretaker. The idea here is that the law of God is like a trustworthy slave responsible for our moral instruction and training, pointing out our sin, and punishing it. Which is precisely how the law is described elsewhere in Scripture.

Mirror

We’re taught that the law was added because of transgressions, and laid down not for the just, but for the unjust and disobedient. 1 Timothy 1:8-10 says,

1 Timothy 1:8–10 ESV

Paul also wrote in Romans 3:20 that “through the law comes the knowledge of sin,” and in Romans 7:7 that “if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’” So, the law was added because of transgressions, laid down for the unjust and disobedient, that we might recognize and acknowledge our sin. In other words, the law is intended to reveal the sinfulness of mankind, it’s intended to expose your sinfulness.

Exposes sin

You see, the law exposes your sin by reflecting the righteous character of God. When we look into the mirror of God’s law we see ourselves as we really are, the law of God confronts us with who we really are. This is what Paul meant in Romans 5:20 when he said that “the law came in to increase the trespass”. The law, like a light in a dark room, exposes the sin that we didn’t know was there. Most of us are pretty good at convincing ourselves that we’re fairly righteous, but when we’re confronted with the law we’re confronted with our true depravity. Listen to how Martin Luther described this in his commentary on Galatians,

“As long as a person is not a murderer, adulterer, thief, he would swear that he is righteous. How is God going to humble such a person except by Law? The Law is the hammer of death, the thunder of hell, and the lightning of God’s wrath to bring down the proud and shameless hypocrites. When the Law was instituted on Mount Sinai it was accompanied by lightning, by storms, by the sound of trumpets, to tear to pieces that monster called self-righteousness. As long as a person thinks he is right he is going to be incomprehensibly proud and presumptuous. He is going to hate God, despise His grace and mercy, and ignore the promises in Christ. The Gospel of the free forgiveness of sins through Christ will never appeal to the self-righteous. This monster of self-righteousness, this stiﬀ-necked beast, needs a big axe. And that is what the Law is, a big axe. Accordingly, the proper use and function of the Law is to threaten until the conscience is scared stiﬀ.”

Condemns and drives us to Christ

The law is intended to condemn us and cause us to despair of our own righteousness. How often have you despaired at your inability to keep the law? How often have your sins caused you to despair? Well, this is one of the functions or uses of God’s law. To teach us the righteous character of God, to expose our sin, to cause us to despair of our own righteousness, and to bring condemnation.

But more than that, the law causes us to despair of our own righteousness, that we would no longer look to ourselves for righteousness, but to Christ! The pedagogical use of the law is meant to be a schoolmaster that drives us to Christ. Like a trusted servant that brings us to Christ, to look unto Christ for righteousness. The law is a means to arouse within us repentance, and confession of sin.

Parenting

This is why the law is so vital to our parenting, for instance. The first use of the law is to restrain our children’s bad behavior, yes, but the second use of the law is intended to drive them to despair of their ability to keep the law, that they might know how to ask for grace. If you neglect to use the law when parenting you will deprive your children of the very tool intended to lead them to Christ.

And as parents we must be very wise and intentional in our use of the law, we mustn’t use it to merely condemn our children, while stopping short of the Gospel. The law can have a very damaging affect on our children if we don’t use it lawfully. This doesn’t mean we’re better off neglecting to use the law at all, but that when we do our aim should be to show our children the grace that is only found in Christ. Again, if we err to one side we risk turning our children in to mere law-keepers who think they can justify themselves by the law, or if we err to the other side we risk having our children giving cheap lip-service to Jesus while living a life of lawlessness. The second use of the law is pedagogical, it exposes our sin and is a schoolmaster that brings us to Christ.

3) Normative use

The third use of the law, is what’s called the normative use. The normative use of the law refers to how it’s meant to function in the Christian life. While the first use of the law produces only external obedience through threats of judgment, the third use of the law produces obedience that comes from the heart, and that pleases God. The Christian asks, “How should I live?” Looking to the law not for salvation, but as how to please God. The Christian does not keep the law that he might live, but he keeps the law because he lives.

Drawn back to the law

18th century pastor, Ralph Erskine, once wrote, “When once the ﬁery law of God, Has chased me to the gospel-road, Then back unto the holy law, Most kindly gospel-grace will draw.” In other words, once the law of God has chased us into the arms of Christ, then we’ll find ourselves drawn back to the law of God. While we no longer live under its burden of demands, because Christ has fulfilled them all, we’re drawn back to the law to please our Lord. The law becomes a delight rather than a burden.

Obedience as evidence

Furthermore, the Scriptures teach us that our obedience to the law is the evidence of our salvation. 1 John 2:3-4 says,

1 John 2:3–4 ESV

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

Our obedience to the law is not the source of our salvation, but the evidence of it. Therefore, we’re exhorted to obey the law. Listen to Ephesians 2:10,

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

or Colossians 1:10,

Colossians 1:10 (ESV)

… walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Furthermore, we keep the law because we love Christ. Jesus said in John 14:15,

John 14:15 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Guide for righteous living

To the Christian, the law of God becomes a guide and a schoolmaster for righteous living, not condemnation. For Paul writes in Romans 8:1

Romans 8:1 ESV

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Restrains our sin

However, the law is still intended to restrain our sinful corruptions by forbidding sin. Though we have been freed from the law and its demands, the law still warns and threatens us with the consequences of practicing sin. The regenerate person heeds these warnings and threats and takes them seriously, and so they become the means by which God keeps us. However, if we do not heed these warning and threats we risk shipwrecking our faith, and so proving that our faith was never genuine.

Sanctification

The law therefore becomes an instrument of our own sanctification, over time the law shapes us, and it conforms us into the image of Christ. Over and over again the law wounds us, and the gospel heals us. Repeatedly the law exposes our sinful corruptions, and becomes an instrument of conviction and repentance, and stimulating hatred for our own sin. The law deepens and reminds us of our dependency upon Christ and his righteousness.

Conclusion

So, again, before we study the 10 commandments in the weeks ahead we must first understand these things and keep them in mind. We must be aware of the ditches of legalism and antinomianism on either sides of the road, and we must understand the threefold use of the law, first, how it is meant to restrain evil in the civil sphere, second, that it’s intended to expose our sin, condemn us, and drive us to Christ, and thirdly, how it is meant to be used in the life of the Christian, as a means of pleasing God, of personal sanctification, and to restrain our own sinful corruptions.