Theonomy

                                                             Theonomy

 

Theonomy has a flawed hermeneutic of Old Testament priority.

·         Same logic as infant baptism, if it is not forbidden, it is still permissible.

·         Same logic as Dispensationalism, saying that the promises of the OT are awaiting a future fulfillment in a new Ethnic Israel.

·         Both lack a New Testament focus. Over-emphasis of the Old Testament. The latter parts are supposed to clarify the earlier parts.

·         Theonomy is not compatible with the WCF and LBC.

 

Gentiles were never under the Old Covenant

·         The Gentiles were judged under the moral law, not the Old Covenant. See Romans 2:14-15, 21-24; Jeremiah 46-51; Ezekiel 25-32; Amos 1-2; Obadiah; Jonah; Nahum; Habakkuk 2; Zephaniah 2.

 

Theonomy doesn’t take into account that the civil and ceremonially laws have been fulfilled

·         The civil and ceremonially law has been fulfilled in Christ. The moral law is consistent with God’s character. Therefore, it is our guide for morality. See Hebrews 7:12, 18, 8:13, 10:9; Ephesians 2:14-15. Theonomy has no basis on why we should follow the civil and ceremonially laws in the new covenant.

·         Theonomy fails to draw a distinction between the civil/ceremonial parts of the law with the moral/natural parts of the law. For example, Adam did not know it was wrong to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Another example can be with Abraham not knowing about circumcision. Both examples rely on God’s revelation for man.

·         The moral/natural law transcends all covenants. They are grounded in God’s character and all image bearers.  In contrast, non-believers are aware of moral/natural law, not civil/ceremonial law. Civil/ceremonial law can only function with individuals within that covenant’s purpose. Therefore, non-believers do not have revelation in regards to the civil/ceremonial parts of the law.

 

Theonomy doesn’t take account that the civil and ceremonially laws were supposed to be practiced in the Promise Land

·         You cannot separate the civil/ceremonial laws away from the land of Canaan. 

·         The Hebrews/Jews were commanded to follow the laws IN THE LAND. See Deuteronomy 4:14. For example, Deuteronomy 22:8 states that the Jews had to make a parapet for their roof in order to avoid the shedding of blood upon the land and ultimately resulting in exile. While the moral/natural law of “do not murder” is still in effect today, the expulsion condition of the law can only be applied in Canaan.  See Deuteronomy 19:10, Numbers 35:33, Leviticus 18:25, 20:22.

Theonomy misapplies the death penalty

·         The death penalty is a moral/natural law. It goes hand in hand with the commandment “do not murder.” See Genesis 9:6.

·         According to Deuteronomy 13:12-16, if a city has been heavily influenced by idolaters, and then the whole city, including the livestock, must be put to death. The whole city must be burned down as a burnt offering to God.

·         In the Old Covenant, the penalty for breaking the law was physical death. In contrast, the New Covenant penalty for the non-elect in Christ is eternal condemnation. See Hebrews 10:28.

·         Old Covenant death penalties were never applied to the Gentile nations. Only to the Jewish nation who were in covenant with God.

·         The Old Covenant had a works-based principle that focused on Land inheritance. See Leviticus 25:18. When these commandments were disobeyed, exile and/or death were the result. The perpetrator lost their share of the inheritance. In the New Covenant, there is no work principle. Our inheritance is based on Christ’s work on the cross via grace. We do not lose our inheritance in Heaven. See Galatians 3:12-13.

 

Theonomy doesn’t acknowledge the severity of the law and its protection

·         Israel consisted of believer and non-believers within the covenant. The laws needed to be severe in order for the nation’s protection. Christ was the fulfillment of the law. See Galatians 3:19, 24-25.

·         Acts 15:10 acknowledges the law as a burdensome yoke. Therefore, it makes no sense to impose it on Christians or Gentiles. Christ has already come and fulfilled the law.

 

In the NT, the General Equity of the Civil Laws were only applied to the Church, Not Gentiles

·         We need to see how the New Testament applies the Old Covenant civil laws.

·         There is no example of a civil law being applied to a Gentile nation. You will not find one verse in the New Testament that has an Old Covenant judicial law being applied to a Gentile government.

·         For example, in 1 Timothy 5:17-18 (quoted in Deuteronomy 25:4), Paul applies the law’s general equity (do not steal) to paying elders. Paul never applies it to a Gentile institution.

·         In 1 Corinthians 5:13, when Paul talks about church discipline, he says, “Purge the evil person from among you.” This is quoted from Deuteronomy 13:5, 17:7, 12, etc. In the Old Covenant, “purging the evil person from among you” referred to the death penalty. But in the New Covenant, it is applied to a church discipline context, not to the Old Covenant death penalty. When we allow the New Testament to interpret Old Covenant civil laws, we can see that it applies primarily to the church, and not to Gentile governments.

 

The Civil/Ceremonial laws of Israel were never intended to be a universal norm

 

·         The natural/moral law of the Old Covenant is a universal norm for all nations. However, the civil/ceremonial laws of the Old Covenant function to all the people within that covenant, specifically during that time in redemptive history. The civic/ceremonial laws were tied to the land, worship, and the preservation of the Messiah’s genealogy. These laws were designed to separate Israel from the other nations. It was unique to Israel during this dispensation.

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