II. La loi — Le 33e dimanche
The Twofold Office of the Law
The Law serves as a mirror of condemnation for the unbeliever and a guide for the faithful.
227. M: From that we must conclude that the Law has a double office, according as there are two kinds of people. C: Indeed.1 For toward the unbelieving, it serves only to convict them and make them more inexcusable before God (Romans 3:19-20). And that is what Saint Paul says: that it is a ministry of death and damnation (2 Corinthians 3:6-9). Toward the faithful, it has a quite different use.
The Law as a Guide for Life
For the believer, the Law humbles the heart, drives one to Christ, and provides a goal for daily growth.
The Office of the Law 228. M: What is it? S: First, because it shows them that they cannot be justified by their works, and so humbles them, it prepares them to seek their salvation in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:18–21). Then, insofar as it requires more than they are able to do, it urges them to pray that the Lord would give them strength and power (Galatians 4:6), and yet always to acknowledge themselves guilty, so that they do not grow proud. Third, it acts like a bridle for them, to keep them in the fear of God. 229. M: So should we say that even though we never fulfill the Law during this mortal life, it isn't pointless for it to require such perfection from us? For it shows us the goal toward which we must aim, so that each of us, according to the grace God has given him, may diligently strive toward it and advance day by day. C: Yes, that's how I understand it.2
The Sufficiency of Obedience
God requires obedience above all else, and all other biblical exhortations serve to clarify this singular standard.
Obedience to the Law 230. Minister: Don't we have in the Law a perfect rule for every good? S: Yes—so much so that God asks only that we follow it; on the contrary, he disowns and rejects everything a person undertakes to do beyond what it contains. For he asks for no other sacrifice than obedience (1 Samuel 15:22; Jeremiah 7:21-23).✦ 231. M: So what good are all the admonitions, remonstrances, commandments, and exhortations that both the Prophets and the Apostles give? E: They are simply clear declarations of the Law, which aren't meant to turn us away from obeying it, but rather to lead us into that obedience.3
Living Out the Calling
The Law provides the foundation for understanding our specific duties in our various stations of life.
232. Minister: And yet, doesn't it address specific callings? Child: When it says we must give everyone what belongs to them, we can easily conclude what the duty of our station is, each in our own place.✦ And then, as we've already said, we have the explanation throughout all of Scripture. For what the Lord has set down here in summary, he treats here and there for fuller instruction.
Read the original Latin
227. M : Par cela il faut conclure que la Loi a double office, selon qu'il y a deux espèces d'hommes. E : Voire. Car envers les incrédules elle ne sert sinon de les redarguer et rendre plus inexcusables devant Dieu (Romains 3:19-20). Et c'est ce que dit saint Paul, qu'elle est ministère de mort et damnation (2 Corinthiens 3:6-9). Envers les fidèles elle a un bien autre usage.
L'office de la Loi 228. M : Quel? E : Premièrement, d'autant qu'elle leur démontre qu'ils ne se peuvent justifier par leurs oeuvres, en les humiliant, elle les dispose à chercher leur salut en Jésus-Christ (Romains 5:18-21) ; puis après, en tant qu'elle requiert plus qu'il ne leur est possible de faire, elle les admoneste de prier le Seigneur qu'il leur donne la force et le pouvoir (Galates 4:6), et cependant de se reconnaître toujours coupables, afin de ne s'enorgueillir point. Tiercement, elle leur est comme une bride pour les retenir en la crainte de Dieu.
229. M : Nous dirons donc que combien que durant cette vie mortelle nous n'accomplissions jamais la Loi, toutefois ce n'est pas chose superflue qu'elle requiert de nous une telle perfection. Car elle nous montre le but où nous devons tendre, afin qu'un chacun de nous, selon la grâce que Dieu lui a faite, s'efforce assidûment d'y tendre et s'avancer de jour en jour. E : Je l'entends ainsi.
Obéissance de la Loi 230. M : En la Loi n'avons-nous pas une règle parfaite de tout bien? E : Si, tellement que Dieu ne demande sinon que nous la suivions ; au contraire désavoue et rejette tout ce que l'homme entreprend de faire outre le contenu d'icelle. Car il ne demande autre sacrifice qu'obéissance (1 Samuel 15:22 ; Jérémie 7:21-23).
231. M : De quoi servent donc toutes les admonitions, remontrances, commandements, exhortations que font tant les Prophètes que les Apôtres? E : Ce ne sont que pures déclarations d'icelle, qui ne sont pas pour nous détourner de son obéissance, mais plutôt nous y conduire.
232. M : Et toutefois si ne traite-t-elle pas les vocations particulières? E : Quand elle dit qu'il faut rendre à chacun ce qui lui appartient, de cela nous pouvons bien conclure quel est le devoir de notre état, chacun à son endroit. Et puis nous avons, comme dit a été, l'exposition par toute l'Ecriture. Car, ce que le Seigneur a ici couché en somme, il le traite çà et là pour plus ample instruction.
Scripture echoes
- ↩1Sam.15.22 — And Samuel said, "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
- ↩Rom.13.7 — Pay to all what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
Notes
- 1 ↩Speaker label E (Enfant) rendered as C (Child) to match the catechetical dialogue form; Voire = affirming 'indeed / quite so'.
- 2 ↩Source speaker tag is E (Enfant). Rendered as C (Child) to match the catechetical dialogue roles in modern English.
- 3 ↩Middle French icelle points back to la Loi (the Law) in the preceding exchange; rendered as 'the Law' for clear English reference.
Catechism of the Church of Geneva (Le catéchisme de l'Église de Genève) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit