Recommitment to the Ten Commandments came before every instance of national reform recorded in the Bible. Thus, the modern concept of separation of church and state is exposed as a sham.
Church and state are assigned unique tasks by God in the Bible, and both are accountable to the Word of God. Thus, any attempt to separate God and state or the law of God and the state can only result in judgment for the state.
The book of Nehemiah is a great example. This book describes the return of a band of Jews to Jerusalem under Nehemiah and their rebuilding of the city walls. After the work is completed, there is an assembly of the people for reading the the law of God, which led to repentance and renewal of the national covenant (cf. Neh. 9 & 10).
But that was then and this is now. Do these things still apply to us today under the New Testament?
The Lawful Use of Law
The operative rule is assume the laws of God continue to be binding unless modified in some way by the Divine Lawgiver in subsequent revelation. For example, we know that the various Old Testament ceremonial observances are no longer obligatory because of the work of Christ on the Cross. His perfect sacrifice became the final offering for sin, replacing the ceremonies, which were "a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ" (Col. 2:17).
On the other hand, we should assume that judicial case laws such as the requirement of double restitution for theft continue to be authoritative (see Ex. 22:4). Nowhere does the New Testament or any subsequent revelation rescind laws such as this in the Old Testament.
Sometimes we find that the Mosaic judicials are repeated in the New Testament. For instance, in a single verse (Mark 7:10) Jesus mentioned one of the Ten Commandments and one of the case law illustrations as both being part of the command of God not to be rejected. This was the Fifth Commandment to honor father and mother (Ex. 20:12) and the case law penalty attached (Ex. 21:17).
In addition, we find other New Testament writers appealing to case law recorded in the books of the Old Testament without apology. For example, the apostle Paul applied the case law regarding the ox treading out grain to pastoral pay in 1 Timothy 5:17-18. This is sometimes referred to as the "general equity" of the law, which is deduced from its specific cultural setting in Israel and applied to the present.
But the laws of God do not have to be repeated in the New Testament in order to remain binding on the civil magistrate. For example, the law against bestiality is repeated several times in the Old Testament, but never in the New Testament. Obviously it remains in force today.
The Unlawful Use Of Law
Seeking to conform our personal and national life to the laws in the books of the Old Testament is not legalism. On the contrary, it is obedience. Legalism has reference to a variety of man-made traditions, as per the Pharisees. This is another unlawful use of law in addition to the ceremonial observances mentioned above (cf. I Tim. 1: 8-11).
There is a popular misperception that Jesus rebuked the Pharisees so harshly because of their attempted conformity to the law found in the books of the Old Testament. Rather, Jesus reprimanded the Jewish religious leaders "for laying aside the commandment of God." (Mk. 7:7-9, RSV). America must abandon her Pharisaical ways and return to the Law of God or we will surely drink the cup of His judgment. - 38623
Church and state are assigned unique tasks by God in the Bible, and both are accountable to the Word of God. Thus, any attempt to separate God and state or the law of God and the state can only result in judgment for the state.
The book of Nehemiah is a great example. This book describes the return of a band of Jews to Jerusalem under Nehemiah and their rebuilding of the city walls. After the work is completed, there is an assembly of the people for reading the the law of God, which led to repentance and renewal of the national covenant (cf. Neh. 9 & 10).
But that was then and this is now. Do these things still apply to us today under the New Testament?
The Lawful Use of Law
The operative rule is assume the laws of God continue to be binding unless modified in some way by the Divine Lawgiver in subsequent revelation. For example, we know that the various Old Testament ceremonial observances are no longer obligatory because of the work of Christ on the Cross. His perfect sacrifice became the final offering for sin, replacing the ceremonies, which were "a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ" (Col. 2:17).
On the other hand, we should assume that judicial case laws such as the requirement of double restitution for theft continue to be authoritative (see Ex. 22:4). Nowhere does the New Testament or any subsequent revelation rescind laws such as this in the Old Testament.
Sometimes we find that the Mosaic judicials are repeated in the New Testament. For instance, in a single verse (Mark 7:10) Jesus mentioned one of the Ten Commandments and one of the case law illustrations as both being part of the command of God not to be rejected. This was the Fifth Commandment to honor father and mother (Ex. 20:12) and the case law penalty attached (Ex. 21:17).
In addition, we find other New Testament writers appealing to case law recorded in the books of the Old Testament without apology. For example, the apostle Paul applied the case law regarding the ox treading out grain to pastoral pay in 1 Timothy 5:17-18. This is sometimes referred to as the "general equity" of the law, which is deduced from its specific cultural setting in Israel and applied to the present.
But the laws of God do not have to be repeated in the New Testament in order to remain binding on the civil magistrate. For example, the law against bestiality is repeated several times in the Old Testament, but never in the New Testament. Obviously it remains in force today.
The Unlawful Use Of Law
Seeking to conform our personal and national life to the laws in the books of the Old Testament is not legalism. On the contrary, it is obedience. Legalism has reference to a variety of man-made traditions, as per the Pharisees. This is another unlawful use of law in addition to the ceremonial observances mentioned above (cf. I Tim. 1: 8-11).
There is a popular misperception that Jesus rebuked the Pharisees so harshly because of their attempted conformity to the law found in the books of the Old Testament. Rather, Jesus reprimanded the Jewish religious leaders "for laying aside the commandment of God." (Mk. 7:7-9, RSV). America must abandon her Pharisaical ways and return to the Law of God or we will surely drink the cup of His judgment. - 38623
About the Author:
Oliver Woods is a born-again anti-Federalist, whose books and video expose the unbiblical nature of the U S Constitution at the America Betrayed website. He also serves as headmaster at King's Way Classical Academy an online, classical, Christian secondary school for grades 7-12.
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