Law
A law is a regulation that requires an act or a refrain from action on threat of penalty. And every society, especially in a fallen world, needs civil laws carried out by the civil government (for they alone have the authority to administer the penalties) in order for civil evil to be restrained, for civil good to be promoted, and for civil justice to be ensured.
But as stated previously, not just any civil law will create such an environment. The laws themselves must be just. But what constitutes a law being just? We need to leave that up to the One who Himself determines justice (Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; Job 8:3, 34:10; Isa. 5:20; cf. Ps. 51:4).
Therefore our understanding of a just law must be based on God Himself - on laws and principles which He has clearly revealed in Scripture as being just (Heb. 2:2). When studying the issue further we find that, as a rule of justice, all of God's civil laws are objective, universally binding, and enforceable by appropriate penalties with appropriate means.
Of course, while justice is objective and universal, there are certain laws God had given to Israel that in their case form were specific to their situation. For instance, as a case form of the law regarding protecting life (Ex. 20:13), they were commanded to have railings on their roof tops (Deut. 22:8). The reason for this was that in their situation they had flat rooftops from which they would entertain guests. In America most people do not have flat rooftops from which they entertain guests, but there are other ways in which we entertain and must make certain provisions in order to protect human life (fences around swimming pools for example). While rooftop railings are not something we need to do in America today (unless of course we resurrect that type of housing structure and entertainment), the principle of the rooftop railing law is still binding. The principle of protecting human life, even when it comes to our homes and in the area of entertainment, is objective and universal.
In short, while certain applications of God's law will change based on culture, geography, and other temporal reasons, the principles of the laws must be measured by the standard of the Word of God.
Therefore, any and every modern law, if it is to be a just law, must be:
Again, the only legitimate standard by which to measure a law's true objectivity, which in turn determines its universally binding character and its appropriately enforceable nature, is the just Word of God (Deut. 4:8; Heb. 2:2). Therefore, any modern laws which seek to be just must be, in principle, based on God's Word.
But as stated previously, not just any civil law will create such an environment. The laws themselves must be just. But what constitutes a law being just? We need to leave that up to the One who Himself determines justice (Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; Job 8:3, 34:10; Isa. 5:20; cf. Ps. 51:4).
Therefore our understanding of a just law must be based on God Himself - on laws and principles which He has clearly revealed in Scripture as being just (Heb. 2:2). When studying the issue further we find that, as a rule of justice, all of God's civil laws are objective, universally binding, and enforceable by appropriate penalties with appropriate means.
Of course, while justice is objective and universal, there are certain laws God had given to Israel that in their case form were specific to their situation. For instance, as a case form of the law regarding protecting life (Ex. 20:13), they were commanded to have railings on their roof tops (Deut. 22:8). The reason for this was that in their situation they had flat rooftops from which they would entertain guests. In America most people do not have flat rooftops from which they entertain guests, but there are other ways in which we entertain and must make certain provisions in order to protect human life (fences around swimming pools for example). While rooftop railings are not something we need to do in America today (unless of course we resurrect that type of housing structure and entertainment), the principle of the rooftop railing law is still binding. The principle of protecting human life, even when it comes to our homes and in the area of entertainment, is objective and universal.
In short, while certain applications of God's law will change based on culture, geography, and other temporal reasons, the principles of the laws must be measured by the standard of the Word of God.
Therefore, any and every modern law, if it is to be a just law, must be:
- Objective
That is, it must be outside ourselves - Universally binding
It cannot be partial, based on social status, color of one's skin, geographical boundaries, etc. - Enforceable by appropriate penalties with appropriate means
It cannot be merely a suggestion, but it has to have a physical incentive behind it
The penalty also must be fair (when someone steals, his hand isn't cut off; but when someone murders, he doesn't simply get to pay a fine)
Again, the only legitimate standard by which to measure a law's true objectivity, which in turn determines its universally binding character and its appropriately enforceable nature, is the just Word of God (Deut. 4:8; Heb. 2:2). Therefore, any modern laws which seek to be just must be, in principle, based on God's Word.