PART I.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.




CHAPTER III.

THE LAW.


The Ten Commandments are called the _Moral Law_, or more briefly the
Law, and sometimes the Decalogue or the Ten Words. They make known to us
God's will, which is the law for all His creatures. Each commandment has
a _negative_ side, and _forbids_ something; each has also a _positive_
side, and _commands_ or enjoins something.

The Giving Of The Law. The Law of God was originally written in man's
heart at creation. [Rom. 2:15] We call that law in the heart,
Conscience. After the fall into sin, the conscience became darkened, and
men did not always know right from wrong, and fell into gross idolatry.
[Rom. 1:21-23] God, therefore, through Moses at Mount Sinai, gave men
His law anew, [Exod. 20:1] written on two Tables of stone. [Exod. 31:18]
He also gave the Israelites national and ceremonial laws. These, being
meant for a particular people and a certain era of the world, are no
longer binding upon us. But the Moral Law has been expressly confirmed
by our Lord Jesus Christ as valid for all time and binding upon all men.