What Is the Perfect Law Code?

Notice that I did not entitle this post, "What is the perfect law?" We know that the perfect law is the law of love, love of God and love of fellow covenant member, i.e., neighbor. My question instead is, "What is the perfect law code?"

I recently joined a Theonomy group on FB simply because I'm curious to know the various arguments and types of Theonomists. I wouldn't call myself a Theonomist, but the designation might be appropriate if it is understood in light of what I am about to say.

I got into a discussion with a particular Theonomist who was arguing that the Bible does not condemn sex with children, and therefore, it should not be considered a crime. To consider it a crime would be to go beyond God's Word that does not say it is a crime.

He used 1 Corinthians 4:6 to back up his hermeneutic that no one should go beyond what is written. I pointed out, of course, that 1 Corinthians 4:6 is not giving us a hermeneutic by which we might interpret Scripture and apply it, but rather it is not talking about not adding Greek philosophy and persuasive rhetoric to the gospel as though that should capture men's minds. Hence, it is the Spirit through the simple gospel message who does the work of capturing those who are being saved. Men are just the messengers and therefore should not be exalted nor their grasp of deep philosophy or rhetoric replace the Christian message of the gospel which lies at the foundation of all Christian unity and practice.

So I pointed out to him that the law is actually based on the creation mandate in Genesis 1-2. Jesus affirms this by pointing back to this law when evaluating a misuse of a particular law dealing with a divorce case in Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Jesus does not bother quibbling about the law itself but points out that this law was a concession that dealt with an unjust situation where a man divorces a woman. Instead, Jesus appeals to the original creation, where a man and woman are made for the purpose of becoming one, and so refutes the Pharisaical interpretation that the law allowed for divorce and remarriage.

Likewise, Jesus' hermeneutic is to go beyond the explicit in the law to get at the creational principle behind it. Hence, it is not enough to simply refrain from murdering someone. One must also not degrade his humanity in any way. It is not enough to merely honor one's parents with his lips, but also to give money to them when they are in need. The Mosaic law does not say that though, which means that the Mosaic law code is not the perfect law code. It is perfect in the sense that it is not flawed or containing error, but it is not perfect in the sense that it is exhaustive and complete.

Notice, Jesus does not negate the Mosaic law in any way. He merely acknowledges that the law is good and right, but that one can misinterpret it if he or she thinks it is exhaustive. This means that the laws in the Mosaic law code, or codes, is representative, not exhaustive. The law is simply filled with examples of the larger principle found in creation, mainly, that what creates and preserves the life of covenant people is good/ordered/creational and what works against that is evil/disordered/chaotic. This means that the Mosaic law code, though good and perfect in one sense, is insufficient if one is looking for every example of good one can do or evil from which one should refrain.

This is why Paul argues that the one who steals no longer (i.e., obeys the Mosaic law of not stealing) must also now work to provide for anyone who is in need. The latter is not implied in the law of not stealing, but both not stealing and providing for covenant members is implicit in the creation mandate.

What this means is that the creation mandate, not the Mosaic law code, is the perfect law code simply because all of the laws both in the OT and the NT are implicit within it. It also means that other laws not mentioned in the Bible but that are implicit in the creation mandate are also meant to be obeyed by Christians. Hence, sex with children is wrong because it works against the creation mandate. Children cannot have procreative sex. It is therefore forbidden and would carry with it the same penalties as those found in texts condemning unproductive sexual activity (e.g., Lev 18).

What this means is that the perfect law of love, not only looks to the Mosaic moral law for examples to follow in order to love God and other covenant members, but first and foremost to the principle of the creation mandate the governs all law codes within the Bible.