Law and Grace
by Kathy Brown on August 19th, 2010 | 0 comments
President Obama asked some interesting questions as a Senator in 2006: “"Which passages of scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is OK and that eating shellfish is an abomination? Or we could go with Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount?” Those of us who defend a Biblical worldview in the governing of our country should have some answers.
Essential to the understanding of the Old Testament is recognizing the three types of law which are outlined there: (1)civil (2)ceremonial (3)moral. The first two were uniquely applied to the Israelite people in that time period. The last exists forever as the guideline for human behavior. Being able to discern which is which requires some thoughtful study.
When considering which (not if) religious perspective will be reflected in our public policy, it is critical that the Scriptures be interpreted with care. The New Testament indicates that the Ten Commandments, or the “law”, are distinct from “grace.” It is the law itself that warrants the grace. Corporate life requires that laws defend and protect the common good. The Sermon on the Mount, referred to by Senator Obama, is the instruction for followers of Christ as they personally interact; it was not a Constitution nor blue-print for national rule.
The ability to determine what is right and wrong, the absolute minimum requirement for maintaining justice, comes from an instructed conscience and an acknowledgment that the Law-giver is the God of the Bible. In a free country, it is imperative that its leaders maintain the character necessary to see how law and grace interact. Actually reading that Bible in-depth and thinking about its meaning and purpose should precede disqualifying it as instructive in the private or public sphere of society.
The Words of Jesus from Matthew 5:18:
"I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."
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