Theonomy and the Perfect Law Code

Springboarding off of our previous discussion of the perfect law code, i.e., the single commandment of the creation mandate in Genesis 1 and 2, I want to discuss what one's view of secular law should look like when constructing a biblically consistent law code off of that perfect law code.

If the perfect law code is one that looks to create and preserve covenant human life then a Christian nation would construct laws that work toward both of these with creation of covenant human life as taking precedence. What I mean by this is that is that a Christian law code should look to govern in such a way so as to allow the church to do its mission of discipling the nations. This means that the laws set up would not interfere with but aid that mission.

This means, however, that if one makes the claim that our laws that govern unbelievers should reflect the Mosaic law code he would be going against the church's mission, and therefore, the perfect law code.

For example, the Mosaic law code commands that all who do not worship YHWH but rather another God must be put to death. This is a civil, not ceremonial law. YHWH is king and to not worship Him is to commit treason punishable by death. Likewise, constructing idols, engaging in sexual relations that do not create covenant human life, etc. are all to be met with the punishment of death. What this means is that ultimately everyone who practices a false religion and has sex, even in marriage, is to be put to death. But the Christian mission, consistent with the creation mandate that prioritizes the creation of covenant human life, is to convert the unbelievers. This is a little hard to do if they are all dead.

What would be consistent with the perfect law code of the creation mandate and the Christian mission is to have a minimal law that sought to preserve covenant human life but still allow unbelievers to morally and theologically sin against God in their deadness. In other words, a law that prevented harm to Christians and any interference of the Church's mission, but allowed the unbeliever to live in his ungodliness as an unregenerate individual. The Mosaic law code does not do this. That is because it is a civil law code not meant for the entire world but for a regenerate people, a saved people. It ended up killing Israel because many of them were not regenerate in the end and therefore were crushed by it. How much more would it crush the world that does not even make the claim to be the regenerate visible community of YHWH?

Hence, codes that are more minimal, like those found in Mesopotamia are instructive but might be augmented by the perfect justice found in the Mosaic law code. These laws deal with things like murder, theft, property rights, adultery, injury, rape, etc. These are things that seek to preserve life against those who would kill or harm it either directly or through the stealing of property. These laws have half of the creation mandate right in that they seek to preserve life. They have half wrong because they don't have the fullness of the mandate in the Christian mission as God's people do, which is to create and preserve covenant human life. But we can take the half that is consistent, evaluate what is more consistent in their laws and punishments with the Christian mission and creation mandate and end up with something much better than the Mosaic law code, not because the Mosaic law code isn't good, but because it is too good. Add Jesus' understanding of the law code to it and it's even better, so much better that anyone who does not obey it will perish. That's the problem of making it into a civil law code to govern unbelievers. It would likely kill believers. How much more unbelievers? And this would all be contrary to the mission of  the church, setting up a law that gets in the way of the church rather than giving it a clear path to do its job in the world.