Let's grant, for the sake of the argument, some of the apparent theses of the "Two Kingdoms" folks, and assent to the idea of "natural law" as being the normative principle for civil governments. What if, just as the light of nature points us to find the revelation from God and read it in things spiritual, so also the light of nature points us to find the revelation from God and read it in the moral aspects of civil law?
Is it possible that natural law leads to theonomy?
-TurrertinFan
P.S. I want to be very clear: I hold to the tri-partite division of Old Testament law: the moral law is constant, the civil law is abrogated but relevant as to its general equity, and the ceremonial law is fulfilled in Christ. This is the "Confessional" position and different from the novel position espoused, it seems, among "two kingdoms" folks that the civil law was essentially ceremonial and consequently fulfilled in Christ.
Friday, October 31, 2008
4 comments:
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I guess I need to get out more. I have argued with people about the persistence of the moral law (etc) before, but it never crossed my mind that people actually actively hold (as opposed to ignorantly assume) anything other than the tri-partite view that you describe (which I never had a name for-- nor thought I needed a name for-- either, until today).
ReplyDeleteTJ: I think I'll substitute this post with one more directed to this issue.
ReplyDeleteit is basic to theonomy - at least that was the way i learned about theonomy. natural law is inseparable from a true theonomy. i should state that the understanding of theonomy i was schooled under holds that the clarity of creation as revelation is what roots natural law and accountability to its duty. it was until later that i came to realize that most theonomists root theonomy primarily in special revelation (scripture) as opposed to general revelation (creation). i personally don't see how one can justify theonomy without also upholding its ground in the clarity of creation as revelation, but i admit that it is mainly because of how i was taught to view theonomy.
ReplyDeleteRiddlebarger admits this point in his lectures on two kingdoms:
ReplyDeletehttp://contrast2.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/the-natural-law-state-church/