Theonomy Primer, pt. 2

The Law of God (in the Old Covenant specifically) has always been troubling for Christians. They never quite know what to do with it. They have a vague sense of needing to keep at least some of it, all the while denying that they are bound to do so, because as New Covenant believers we are "under Grace." So they usually settle on the Ten Commandments. That seems pretty clear. We have to keep the Ten Commandments. They're the big ones, right? But wait, Christian, are you saying we are to keep the Old Testament Law? Uh...no, isn't that legalism? We're "free from the Law..."

It gets confusing.

Consider Jesus' attitude toward the Law:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Now that gets interpreted in a lot of ways, which I'm not going to get into here. Suffice to say that whatever "fulfill" means, it can't mean "do away with," because the Lord just said He didn't come to do that. He goes on:

For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

So the Law is to be taught and kept, according to Jesus. And yet, He has come to fulfill it.

We see that there is a place for God's Law in the life of one who would follow Jesus. And, as the One Who fulfilled the Law, He kept it--perfectly. As those being conformed to His image, we grow in our Law-keeping. As we are sanctified by the Holy Ghost, He begins to establish the Law in us. As we love, we fulfill the Law ourselves.

Do you see what is going on? The Law is a pattern of sanctification for the people of God. It is not about justifying oneself by following the rules. It has never been about that. Rather, it is the way that someone who loves God demonstrates that love--by keeping His commandments.

Next time, we'll look at how the Christian keeps the Law.