Hi Jacob,
Neither Paul nor the others engaged in the apostolic witness of the NT give scant attention to "Christian social theory," at least as it refers to collective civil society. This is about as close as it comes:
Quote:
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1Th 4:10-12 But we urge you, brothers, ... to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may live properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
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Isn't that great? Be
ambitious... to mind your own business. And if folks would do that, the world would be a better place. There's your essential social ethic in the NT.
I think raising the issue of how Israel in their kingdom was supposed to punish what was clearly and obviously a law-violation is not really germane to what Paul has to say, and that's the reason he makes no reference to it.
The question of "what should the state do" isn't Paul's concern at all; its irrelevant. The church is his concern. The church is going to roll on, and has to deal with its membership--but it is not a civil institution, not a civil government,
it has no sword other than the sword of the Spirit.
__________________
Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI
Made both Lord and Christ--Jesus, the Destroyer
Acts 2:36 - 1 Cor. 10:9-10 & 15:22-26 - Hebrews 2:9-15 - 1 John 3:8 - James 4:12
When posting friends, kindly bear those words of earthly wisdom in mind:
Oh, that God the gift would give us
To see ourselves as others see us.
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