Difference between revisions of "Introduction to Theonomy/simple"

From Theonomy Wiki
(Created page with "Introduction to Theonomy ")
 
(Updating to match new version of source page)
 
(4 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
<languages />"Theonomy" is a word built from two Greek roots:
+
<languages /><div class="mw-translate-fuzzy">
 +
"Theonomy" is a word built from two Greek roots:
 +
</div>
  
 
# Theos (θεός) -- God
 
# Theos (θεός) -- God
 
# Nomos (νόμος) -- Law
 
# Nomos (νόμος) -- Law
  
Therefore, in it's modern sense, "theonomy" refers to various ways of applying the law of God to human thought and action. In one (very broad) sense, all followers of Christ are "theonomists," since all those who truly follow Christ will recognize at least some level in which God's law binds and limits our ethical choices. Also, all true followers of Christ will affirm that no human being is justified by works of the law. We can only be justified by the one-time, finished work of Jesus Christ.
+
Therefore, in its modern sense, "theonomy" refers to various ways of applying the law of God to human thought and action.  
  
This wiki, however, is directed at theonomy in a narrower sense: the "lawful" use of God's law for:
+
In one (very broad) sense, all followers of Christ practice "theonomy," since all those who truly follow Christ will recognize at least some way in which God's law binds and limits our ethical choices. Also, all true followers of Christ will affirm that no human being can use the law to be justified (to repair our relationship with the Holy God, a relationship which our sins damaged). We can only be justified by the one-time, finished work of Jesus Christ.
 +
 
 +
This wiki, however, is directed at theonomy in a narrower sense: the "lawful use" (see 1 Tim. 1:8) of God's law for:
  
 
# defining justice
 
# defining justice
Line 14: Line 18:
 
In each of these three areas, the history of Christian teaching has been shamefully inadequate. Christians, historically, have cheerfully supported tyrannical governments. Even though the apostle Paul said that the Old Testament scriptures were "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in justice, in order that each person belonging to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work," (2 Tim. 3:16-17) we find that Christians in history have often neglected God's law, substituting in its place the teachings and injunctions of men.
 
In each of these three areas, the history of Christian teaching has been shamefully inadequate. Christians, historically, have cheerfully supported tyrannical governments. Even though the apostle Paul said that the Old Testament scriptures were "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in justice, in order that each person belonging to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work," (2 Tim. 3:16-17) we find that Christians in history have often neglected God's law, substituting in its place the teachings and injunctions of men.
  
This wiki aims toward a solution to this problem. We affirm that God intended everyone to use his law in the above three areas. We affirm (with the apostle Paul) that God's law can be understood and applied in our modern context with the same equity that it delivered to the people to whom it was originally delivered.
+
This wiki aims toward a solution to this problem. We affirm that God intended everyone to use his law in the above three areas. We affirm (with the apostle Paul) that God's law can be understood and applied in our modern era, providing the same level of justice that it provided to the Israelites.
  
 
Our tasks as ambassadors are to:
 
Our tasks as ambassadors are to:
Line 20: Line 24:
 
# teach (disciple)
 
# teach (disciple)
 
# gather in governing communities
 
# gather in governing communities
# provide an example to the world of people who are willing to volunteer to live under the most just (and most liberty-protecting) legal system ever created
+
# provide an example to the world of people who are willing to live under the most just (and most liberty-protecting) legal system ever created

Latest revision as of 00:14, 14 November 2020

Other languages:
Bahasa Indonesia • ‎Deutsch • ‎English • ‎Kiswahili • ‎Nederlands • ‎Simple English • ‎Tiếng Việt • ‎español • ‎français • ‎italiano • ‎norsk bokmål • ‎português • ‎svenska • ‎íslenska • ‎Ελληνικά • ‎русский • ‎հայերեն • ‎العربية • ‎فارسی • ‎हिन्दी • ‎മലയാളം • ‎中文 • ‎日本語 • ‎한국어

"Theonomy" is a word built from two Greek roots:

  1. Theos (θεός) -- God
  2. Nomos (νόμος) -- Law

Therefore, in its modern sense, "theonomy" refers to various ways of applying the law of God to human thought and action.

In one (very broad) sense, all followers of Christ practice "theonomy," since all those who truly follow Christ will recognize at least some way in which God's law binds and limits our ethical choices. Also, all true followers of Christ will affirm that no human being can use the law to be justified (to repair our relationship with the Holy God, a relationship which our sins damaged). We can only be justified by the one-time, finished work of Jesus Christ.

This wiki, however, is directed at theonomy in a narrower sense: the "lawful use" (see 1 Tim. 1:8) of God's law for:

  1. defining justice
  2. teaching us how to love our neighbors, and
  3. limiting the authority of human governments (which often try to usurp God's authority and trample on our God-given liberty).

In each of these three areas, the history of Christian teaching has been shamefully inadequate. Christians, historically, have cheerfully supported tyrannical governments. Even though the apostle Paul said that the Old Testament scriptures were "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in justice, in order that each person belonging to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work," (2 Tim. 3:16-17) we find that Christians in history have often neglected God's law, substituting in its place the teachings and injunctions of men.

This wiki aims toward a solution to this problem. We affirm that God intended everyone to use his law in the above three areas. We affirm (with the apostle Paul) that God's law can be understood and applied in our modern era, providing the same level of justice that it provided to the Israelites.

Our tasks as ambassadors are to:

  1. evangelize
  2. teach (disciple)
  3. gather in governing communities
  4. provide an example to the world of people who are willing to live under the most just (and most liberty-protecting) legal system ever created