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Pergamum · #19 (**permalink**) 09-13-2008, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christusregnat

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pergamum

Adam, thanks for the invite. If I go over to the daerk side, you'll be the first one to know.

I do consider myself a small t theonomist, since we are to follow God's law...I think all who follow the WCF have to be. But that general equity clause calls for a whole world of change between Levitical law and Paul's I Cor 5 injunction to cast out the evil doer (aplying excommunication as fitting in the NT to the death penalty of the OT).

[Darth Vader voice] Luuuuke... Come to the dahk side..

As for Paul's injunction to the church, I think you may be mistaking jurisdictions. The church has the "sword" of excommunication, and the keys to the kingdom. The state has the "beheading sword", as Paul mentions in Romans 13. They are to execute the wrath of God against criminals; criminals such as pedophiles. This has nothing to do with excommunication. Different jurisdiction; different enforcement technique; same law.

Cheers,

Adam, I've heard that before and I don't buy it. Israel of old was God's people in the form of a civil state. Now, there is no civil state. Paul was talking to God's people, who are no longer in the form of a civil state. Thus, in I COr 5 Paul's application of OT law is a clear example to us as to how "General equity" works. Paul gives us a case study of "general equity."

P.s. I dislike theonomy but like most of you fellers. Fun talking to you. When your kingdom comes in its postmillenial theonomic glory, don't put me in the stocks for havign anabaptist tendencies.

Third*Millennium*Ministries

Both theonomists and other reformed scholars believe that the moral law continues into the present age and the ceremonial law has been abrogated by the coming of Christ, since He has fulfilled those aspects of the law in His priestly ministry. The point of discussion is over how the judicial law should be applied to the present age. It is important to realize that the Mosaic law "was accommodated to the people of God in their particular redemptive-historical setting" (Pratt 1990, 345). The Jews lived in the land of Israel and many of the penal sanctions (as well as the moral and ceremonial laws) were contextualized to that situation. For instance, "Prohibitions against stealing in the Old Testament included respect for a fellow Israelite's permanent land inheritance (1 Kings 21:1-19)" (Pratt 1990, 345). However, the Christian has no inheritance in the land of Israel. Our inheritance is the New Heavens and New Earth (Hebrews 4:8-11). The coming of Christ and the consequent disenfranchisement of the Kingdom of God so affected history that the proper application of the Mosaic law within the church must account for these situational changes.

John Frame has noted that the New Testament church "fulfills the Old Testament theocracy" (Barker 1990, 95). In applying the Old Testament laws to the church, Paul did not apply them exactly as they were applied in the Old Testament. For instance, In 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, Paul addresses a situation where a man is living with his father's wife. According to Old Testament law, the man and the woman should receive capital punishment (Leviticus 20:10). However, this was not recommended by Paul. Rather, the proper punishment of this crime for Paul is excommunication (vv. 2, 13). Furthermore, Paul's statement in verse 13 is a quotation of a formula found in Mosaic penal sanctions (Deut. 17:7, 12; 12:19; 19:21, 21:21; 22:21, 24: 24:7).