John Calvin on the Three Functions of the Law

 

The Law was never given by God to His people as a means of salvation, as if salvation could ever be possible by our own works. Salvation has always been by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Neither can the Law be dismissed by Christians, as if it has no abiding relevance to us. Our Lord is clear: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). Christ came into this world to fulfill the Law perfectly on our behalf. He has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, borne the punishment we deserve for our sin in our place, and clothed us in His perfect righteousness, earned on our behalf.

Even the ceremonial aspects of the Law – such as animal sacrifice – which Christ has abolished by bringing them to completion in Himself, still retain their truth and doctrine for us today. We must read and study all of Scripture, for all Scripture is breathed-out by God. Our being justified in no way means we can just arrogantly throw out the Law as if it is of no more relevance to us. Having been justified, and having been freed from the power of sin, we are now free to strive to walk – imperfectly as we do – in “the obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5).

As we consider, then, the place and function of the Law of God today, it’s helpful to consider what John Calvin has to say on the subject. He identified, correctly, three functions of God’s Law for the world today: 1) To convince us of sin, 2) to restrain sin in the world, and 3) to encourage believers to obedience.

1) To Convince us of Sin

Ask anyone the question, “Are you a good person?” and they will most likely respond with, “Yes”, or at least with, “I try my best”, followed by a reference to God being loving, gracious, or understanding of them. What we see here is a manifestation of the fact that all of us, by nature, are self-righteous. Men reject and suppress the true standard of righteousness and holiness – God’s standard – and in its place they set up their own false standard. Then, in their arrogance, they delude themselves that they are “a good person”, according to this false standard they have set up.

There are only two religions in the world. There is the true religion of God, which is Biblical Christianity. And then there is the false religion of man, which is every other religion and philosophy that has ever existed, or ever will exist.

The fundamental essence of false religion – the religion of man – is that it teaches some form of “salvation” by works. This is not surprising, given man’s natural self-righteousness and pride. Man wants to be master of his own destiny. So he sets up a little god in his own image who will give him what he wants, and invents a religion to suit himself. Thus, whether it be by carrying out rituals and ceremonies and observances, works of charity, or merely by wishful thinking, the world deceive themselves that they are “good people”.

True religion, by contrast, begins with an understanding of the absolute holiness of God, and the utter sinfulness of man. It begins by understanding this fact: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12 ESV). And this is where the Law of God comes in. As Calvin puts it, “the law is like a mirror”.¹ In the Law, we see ourselves as we truly are: Monsters of sin and evil and rebellion against a holy God.

What arrogance and wickedness and presumption to think that any of us could do anything to merit our own salvation from God! All man’s false religions are nothing but broken cisterns. As it is written: “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20 ESV). The Law was never given as a means to earn our salvation. It was given to show us our sinfulness. Calvin writes:

“[A]s long as [man] looks only to his own judgment, he conjures up, instead of true righteousness, a hypocrisy which he happily flaunts in defiance of God’s grace, on the basis of a few rites dreamed up by himself. But when he is obliged to judge his life by the measure of God’s law, abandoning his false view of righteousness he finds that he is unimaginably far from true holiness, but is, on the contrary, full of those faults of which he once believed he was clear.”²

The Law shows us in intricate detail just how deserving we are of condemnation. And it has a powerful inward ally in our own conscience, which also condemns us. And the result is that, by nature, all we do is sin more and more. Calvin again:

“[T]he more deeply the conscience is troubled by the recognition of its sin, the more iniquity also grows, because transgression is accompanied by rebellion against the Lawgiver. In consequence the law arms God’s vengeance to bring about the sinner’s doom, since all it can do is accuse, condemn, and destroy.”³

It’s not just our outward deeds, not just our words. Even our inward desires and thoughts are exposed by the Law for how wicked they truly are. “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). The Word of God destroys our false standards of righteousness, and sets before us with devastating clarity the true and only standard, exposing our sinful delusions of self-righteousness, and laying us low before God.

The reprobate cannot bear the truth, and so flee from God in carnal fear and hatred. They will not do the one thing that can save them, which is to come to the Light. But for we who by grace are given eyes to see, that same Light draws us to Himself. We recognise that God’s ultimate intention is not to condemn us and destroy us, but to save us. He is exposing the depths of our sin and helplessness to show us our need of a Saviour.

“May Your compassion come to me that I may live, for Your law is my delight” (Psalm 119:77). The Law, even in its ministry of condemnation, is a means of grace to those who believe. It exposes our vileness, but more than that it shows us God’s beautiful and perfect righteousness. We long to be made righteous and pure, and we recognise that our only hope is in running to Him who was righteous and pure for us. Calvin writes:

“[God’s] purpose… is that men, renouncing all belief in their own strength, should acknowledge that it is only his hand that sustains them; and that, wholly naked and empty-handed, they should take refuge in his mercy, trusting it completely, hiding in its shade, relying on it alone for righteousness and merit. Such is the mercy made manifest in Jesus Christ for all who seek, desire and wait for it with true faith.”⁴

2) To Restrain Sin in the World

The second function of the Law of God is an aspect of common grace. Even reprobate sinners, though they despise God and suppress the truth in their own hearts, none-the-less experience – and enjoy the benefits of – the Law in its second function, which is to restrain sin in the world. The Spirit of God, working through the Word of God, restrains sin and prevents the world from descending utterly into lawlessness and chaos. God has ordained that the primary agent for holding forth the Word is the Church, which individually and corporately is to be salt (a preservative), and light (a beacon of hope in the darkness), to the nation (Matthew 5:13-16).

Calvin writes:

“This impulse is more obvious in some, while in others it is more hidden; but it is in all who are unregenerate. They are persuaded to submit more or less to the law, not of their own free will but by compulsion and with much resistance. It is only the fear of God’s severity which ensures their compliance. Nevertheless this righteousness, though forced and constrained, is necessary for human society, for whose peace our Lord provides by keeping everything from descending into chaos, which would happen if we were all allowed to do as we liked.”⁵

Though Calvin doesn’t go into it here, this links in with the role of human government. When we consider the history of Britain, we see the great influence that the Bible has had upon this nation, especially over the past 500 years. How great have been the blessings that this nation has enjoyed through the deep and lasting influence of the Bible, in terms of good laws and just government. The civil magistrate is called to be “a minister of God to you for good” (Romans 13:4). These words are the standard to which all human government is called by God. And what other standard is there for what is “good”, but God’s holy Law? The Church is called to be a prophetic voice to our government, reminding them that they are accountable to God to serve Him as ministers for “good”.⁶ In so doing, we are once again salt and light to the nation.

It is a terrible judgment of God – “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven” (Romans 1:18) – when He ceases to restrain sin, and gives men over to their wickedness. When God, in wrath, sends a famine upon the land, “Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of Yahweh” (Amos 8:11). Tragically, it seems to be only as the many Biblical principles that for so long have brought stability, good government, and just laws to our nation are being intentionally torn down by wicked men, that we finally begin to recognise and appreciate what we had. We have taken many things for granted. We have not glorified God, or given Him thanks. Now, in judgment, the nation is given over.

It’s important to say, though, that the answer to the woes of our nation doesn’t lie in politics. Many are falling into this error today, as they see wickedness and chaos growing worse and worse. True righteousness and justice cannot be imposed from the top down by any government, however well intentioned. You cannot make a nation “Christian” by the decree of Caesar. A true Great Awakening only happens by God’s grace, when the hearts of individual men and women are humbled before Him, and brought to repentance and faith in Christ. Such a supernatural act of God won’t come about by political lobbying or activism, but through much prayer, and by means of the preaching of the Word of God – both the Law and the Gospel – in the power of the Holy Spirit. “Salvation belongs to the LORD!” (Jonah 2:9).

3) To Encourage Believers to Obedience

The third function of the Law discussed by Calvin relates only to believers, and serves as a fitting answer to the heresy of antinomianism. The unbeliever hates God and has no desire to obey Him, even if they are restrained from the worst sin by carnal fear. But we who by grace have been reconciled to God have been given new hearts which love Him and desire to serve and glorify Him: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to do My judgments” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

No Christian is perfect in this life. We all continue to sin and fall short every day. But in our hearts we grieve over our sin, and we hunger and thirst for righteousness. We long to be faithful to God in every thought, word, and deed, even as we rely continually upon His grace to uphold us and enable us, and upon His mercy to forgive us our daily failings. The important thing to note is the direction of travel. The true Christian moves towards perfection. We bear good fruit and grow in sanctification, because God is at work in us: “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

The Law of God serves to encourage us and motivate us onwards in our pilgrimage. As we strive to cultivate a Biblical worldview – as we are transformed by the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2) – we increasingly grow to think God’s thoughts after Him, and to love what He loves, and hate what He hates. Calvin writes: “The law is… a splendid instrument for giving [believers] each day a better and more confident understanding of God’s will to which they aspire, and for confirming them in their knowledge of it.”⁷

As Christians – still here in this world, in our bodies of flesh – we can so often be lazy and lack diligence in our duties. Thus, the Law of God serves to stir us up to love and to the good works that God has prepared for us to do. Calvin puts it in these striking terms: “The law is like a whip to our flesh to impel it to work… [S]ince the spiritual man is not yet freed from the burden of his flesh, the law will be a constant goad to him, to stop him growing sleepy or dull.”⁸ This is another reason why preachers need to set the whole counsel of God’s Word before the people entrusted to their care. If we are intentionally overlooking and ignoring certain parts of Scripture, and sticking only to “favourite” passages, then we are depriving people of what is perhaps the exact truth they need to hear to spur them onwards in faithfulness and obedience.

“[L]et us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9). The Scriptures remind us continually of the promises and rewards that are set before us in the coming Millennial Kingdom, when we will see our King face to face. Let us strive to hear these words: “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).

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1 John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion: Translated from the French Edition of 1541 by Robert White (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2014), p.172.

2 Ibid, pp.171-172.

3 Ibid, p.172.

4 Ibid, p.173.

5 Ibid, p.175.

6 For more on this subject, see: John MacArthur, “Calling Rulers to Repentance”, Grace to You (2022). Available at: https://www.gty.org/sermons/81-131/calling-rulers-to-repentance.

7 John Calvin, Institutes, p.176.

8 Ibid.

Image: Andrew Barden, “View from Schilthorn, Switzerland” (September 2012).