Questions 39-84: The commandments and the life of obedience

#Overview

A guided study map for the Shorter Catechism's law section.

The catechism's moral-law section, arranged as a browseable path through obedience, neighbor love, and Christian duty.

#Commandments and obedience

This cluster organizes the moral law so that duty to God, neighbor love, and contentment remain easy to study.

#Reading rhythm

The three child clusters move from the first table to the second table and then to the inward uses of the law.

#Study note

This is where the catechism's practical theology becomes especially clear.

#Key topics

• Ten Commandments
• Obedience
• Duty
• Neighbor love

These topics mark the doctrinal and navigational center of the page ¹.

#Related pages

• Questions 39-54: The moral law and the first table — The law as a rule of life and the duties that belong directly to God.
• Questions 55-70: The second table and neighbor duties — How the commandments shape public worship, authority, and neighbor love.
• Questions 71-84: Contentment and the uses of the commandments — The inward uses of the law, contentment, and the practical shape of obedience.

Use these child pages to move from the overview into narrower study units ¹.

#Study path

The Shorter Catechism is presented as a compact memorization tool that still retains doctrinal order and clear navigation ¹.

#Memory and review

The smaller clusters help learners remember the structure of the catechism without flattening it into a single long page.

#Study note

Use these pages for quick review, family instruction, and reference to the larger catechetical structure.

#Sources

• [1] RPCNA convictions - Official constitutional landing page.

#Rights note

Summary-first treatment only. ²