Three uses of the law
Historic orthodoxy
The Reformation teaching that God's moral law restrains evil in society, shows sinners their need of Christ, and guides believers in grateful obedience.
Also called: third use of the law, uses of the law
What it means
The Reformers distinguished three ways God uses his moral law, summarized in the Ten Commandments. The civil use restrains wickedness in the world. The pedagogical use convicts sinners, showing them that they cannot keep the law and driving them to Christ. The normative use, often called the third use, shows believers how to live as those already forgiven.
This framework keeps law and gospel in their proper places. The law cannot justify anyone; only Christ's righteousness, received by faith, can. But the law is not thrown away once a person is saved. It remains holy, righteous, and good, and the Spirit writes it on the believer's heart.
The Westminster and 1689 London Baptist confessions both teach that believers are not under the law as a covenant of works, yet the law remains a rule of life, informing them of God's will and their duty. A church that affirms the three uses avoids both legalism and antinomianism.
In Scripture
No one is justified by works of the law; through the law comes knowledge of sin.
The law served as a guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith.
The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.
The law is good when used lawfully, and it restrains the lawless and disobedient.
In the new covenant God writes his law on the hearts of his people.
Where it comes up
Confessions: WCF 19.5-7; LBCF 1689 19.5-7
On this site: Law & gospel
Related terms
Ten CommandmentsTerm
The ten words God spoke from Sinai and wrote on stone, which the Reformation confessions take as a summary of his moral law.
AntinomianismSerious error
The teaching that God's moral law has no binding claim on the lives of believers.
LegalismSerious error
Treating obedience to God's law, or to human rules, as the ground of a person's acceptance with God.
The gospelHistoric orthodoxy
The good news that God saves sinners through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and freely forgives and accepts all who turn from sin and trust in Him.
Justification by faith aloneHistoric orthodoxy
God declares sinners righteous in His sight not because of anything they do, but only because of Christ's righteousness, received through faith alone.