Westminster Larger Catechism (Q 115-121)

Dear Church Family,

This past Sunday, we continued our Sunday school lessons in the Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC) in questions 115-121 (the fourth commandment). Here is a brief review.

WLC 115  Which is the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thy labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath-day, and hallowed it.

The fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) has to do with remembering the sabbath-day to keep it holy. Of all the commandments, the fourth is arguably the one that most Christians in our day do not understand, believe, or follow. The WLC devotes seven questions to the explanation and application of the fourth commandment.

WLC 116  What is required in the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment requireth of all men the sanctifying or keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his word, expressly one whole day in seven; which was the seventh from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, and the first day of the week ever since, and so to continue to the end of the world; which is the Christian sabbath, and in the New Testament called The Lord’s day.

In WLC 116, we learn three general truths with regard to what is required in the fourth commandment:

(1) All men are to sanctify and keep holy to God the day which He has set in His word.

In addition to being a part of the moral law (Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15), the sabbath-day is also a creation ordinance (Genesis 2:2-3); the keeping of it is, therefore, intended for all men, believers and unbelievers alike.

(2) Before the resurrection of Christ, it was the last day of the week; afterward, it was changed to the first.

After Jesus resurrection, the New Testament church began to keep the sabbath on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1).

(3) In the new covenant, it is called “the Christian sabbath” or “The Lord’s day.”

– see Revelation 1:10

WLC 117  How is the sabbath or the Lord’s day to be sanctified?
A. The sabbath or Lord’s day is to be sanctified by an holy resting all the day, not only from such works as are at all times sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are on other days lawful; and making it our delight to spend the whole time (except so much of it as is to be taken up in works of necessity and mercy) in the publick and private exercises of God’s worship: and, to that end, we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose and seasonably dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day.

In WLC 117, we learn four truths with regard to how the Lord’s day is to be sanctified. These include negative observances (things prohibited) and positive observances (things commanded):

(1) Negative observance: resting from sinful works, but even lawful, worldly employments and recreations (e.g., Exodus 16:25-28)

(2) Positive observance: spend the whole time in public and private worship (e.g., Isaiah 58:13-14)

(3) Caveats: in caring for ourselves and loving our neighbor, works of necessity and mercy are not prohibited (e.g., Matthew 12:1-13)

(4) Preparation: we are to prepare, spiritually and physically, for the Lord’s day (this is seen in the word ‘Remember’ (Exodus 20:8) – we are to remember the sabbath-day, and thereby make preparations to keep it

WLC 118  Why is the charge of keeping the sabbath more specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors?
A. The charge of keeping the sabbath is more specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors, because they are bound not only to keep it themselves but to see that it is observed by all those that are under their charge; and because they are prone ofttimes to hinder them by employments of their own.

Here, we are reminded that those who have authority over others are specially reminded of their responsibilities in keeping the Lord’s day. The fourth commandment is about honoring the Lord, as well as caring for our fellow man and even animals (Exodus 23:12)

WLC 119  What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the fourth commandment are, all omissions of the duties required, all careless, negligent, and unprofitable performing of them, and being weary of them; all profaning the day by idleness, and doing that which is in itself sinful; and by all needless works, words, and thoughts, about our worldly employments and recreations.

The sins forbidden in the fourth commandment may be summarized under three headings:

(1) Neglecting the required duties (see previous three questions (116-118))

(2) Profaning the day by idleness or sinning (e.g., Malachi 1:11-13)

(3) Needless works, words, and thoughts about worldly employments and recreations (e.g., Jeremiah 17:24-27)

WLC 120  What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it?
A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it, are taken from the equity of it, God allowing us six days of seven for our own affairs, and reserving but one for himself, in these words, Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: from God’s challenging a special propriety in that day, The seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: from the example of God, who in six days made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: and from that blessing which God put upon that day, not only in sanctifying it to be a day for his service, but in ordaining it to be a means of blessing to use in our sanctifying it, Wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath-day, and hallowed it.

From the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, we learn three truths (all derived from Exo. 20:9-11)

(1) The fourth commandment is equitable (reasonable and fair)

(2) God has propriety in the Sabbath (He owns it)

(3) It is a creation ordinance in which God set the example

WLC 121  Why is the word Remember set in the beginning of the fourth commandment?
A. The word Remember is set in the beginning of the fourth commandment, partly, because of the great benefit of remembering it, we being thereby helped in our preparation to keep it, and, in keeping it, better to keep all the rest of the commandments, and to continue a thankful remembrance of the two great benefits of creation and redemption, which contain a short abridgment of religion; and partly, because we are very ready to forget it, for that there is less light of nature for it, and yet it restraineth our natural liberty in things at other times lawful; that it cometh but once in seven days, and many worldly businesses come between, and too often take off our minds from thinking of it, either to prepare for it, or to sanctify it; and that Satan with his instruments much labour to blot out the glory, and even the memory of it, to bring in all irreligion and impiety.

There are two reasons for which the fourth commandment begins with the word “Remember”:

(1) The benefits of remembering it

We partake of many benefits when we remember the Lord’s day to keep it holy. First, we are helped in our preparations to keep it. Second, when we keep the fourth commandment, we are better enabled to observe and keep the other commandments. Third, we continue in our thankful remembrance of the Lord as both our Creator and our Redeemer.

Here is one of the fascinating things about the fourth commandment: it is the only commandment in which the reasoning is changed. When the Lord gives the ten commandments to His people on Mount Sinai, the reason given for which we ought to keep the sabbath-day holy is because the Lord made all things in six days and then rested on the seventh (Exodus 20:11). Forty years later, as God’s people are about to enter the promised land, Moses reminds them of the ten commandments. This time, the reason given for which we ought to keep the sabbath-day holy is because the Lord has redeemed us from slavery (Deuteronomy 5:15). So, today, in the new covenant, when we remember the Lord’s day to keep it holy, we remember and praise the Lord as our Creator and as our Redeemer.

(2) We are prone to forget it

The keeping of the Lord’s day is not obvious from natural law; we are prone to forget it over the course of the other six days; and Satan seeks to blot out the glory of the day. Therefore, we ought to be diligent to remember the Lord’s day to keep it holy.

Conclusion

As we read and study the required duties and forbidden sins of the ten commandments, we all are certainly convicted of the innumerable ways in which we do not conform to God’s law and the innumerable ways in which we transgress God’s law every day in thought, word, and deed. And, as we are convicted of our sin, we are also reminded of the two special uses of God’s law for the regenerate which we learned in WLC 97.

First, we grow in our assurance of salvation through faith in the Person and work of Christ. The law of God shows us how much we are bound to Christ for His fulfilling the law and enduring the curse of the law in our stead, and for our good. Second, we learn better how to love the Lord and to love our neighbor. The law of God provokes us to thankful obedience, to endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ.

Join us on Sunday mornings at 9:15 am as we learn how we may offer up our thankful obedience to our Savior in all that we think, say, and do.

The Lord be with you!
Pastor Peter M. Dietsch