<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"]according to whose creed tho? Not all reformed churches agree on every single aspect as this subject shows. So which ones specifically?</font><hr></blockquote><p><br><br>Theonomy does not argue for a monolithic Church supported by the State. This is what the Reformers and puritans and Scottish Covenanters had advocated. Theonomy allows for an ecclesiastical pluralism within an orthodox concensus. This concensus would be the Ecumenical Creeds and the freedom for each church to choose its own
reformed Confession (presbyterian, baptist, Anglican, etc). In other words something alittle more broader than NAPARC, but not as broad as the WCC or NCC or NAE.<br><br>However, I should point out that Theonomy per se is not about Church organization. I realize that you are trying to understand what a Theonomic State might look like. The Book,
God and Politics: Four Views on the Reformation of Civil Government edited by Gary Scott Smith gives some good answers to these kinds of questions. <br><br>Basically, Christian Reconstructionism is a kind of Libertarian version of the Puritan view of Church and State. So the emphasis is on
limiting and restraining the power of the civil magistrate, not expanding it. <br><br>Thus, the
primary theonomic view of government is
Self-government under God. This simply means the Lordship of Christ over the redeemed Christian applies the law to his own life<br><br>The secondary theonomic view of government is family government or the Lordship of Christ over the Redeemed family along with God's law for the protection and blessing of the family.<br><br>The Third Theonomic view of government is church government or the Lordship of Christ over his Church. Thus, far Calvin's
2nd and 3rd Uses of the Law are used for all three of these governing bodies.<br><br>Last
and also Least is State government or the Lordship of Christ over the Civil Sphere. This is where Calvin's
First Use of the Law applies for the purpose of restraining sin and crime. (1 Tim 1:8-10).<br><br><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"]but isn't that the crux of the problem with all man-run governmental systems? Aren't even Christians apt to abuse power?</font><hr></blockquote><p><br><br>Any and all man made institutions are subject to abuse. And if the sinless Adam who even abused his Divinely given freedoms in the Garden of Eden, how much more so are we prone to abuse? <br><br>But God's law is meant for a blessing. This is why God gave us His various moral and civil laws in order to restrain such abusive behaviour of man. And while various institutions are prone to abuse because of sin, that does not nuliify the lawful institutions themselves. For example, the institution of marriage is prone to abuse, but the institution itself is still lawful. Likewise, the family is an institution prone to abuse, but it is still a lawful institution. The same too, with the institution of Work and Church and Civil government. All of them are prone to abusive power.<br><br>But as Christians who are recipients of God's sovereign grace and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to help our infirmities, we are given the strength to obey our Lord and Saviour who continues to forgive our misdeeds when we ask His forgiveness. <br><br>And God's law serves as our Divine guide for righteous behaviour for
all things in life including culture and political matters. (2 Tim 3:16-17).<br><br>For a much better explaination of Theonomy, see:<br><br>
What Is Theonomy?<br><br><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"]Pleas explain the Galatians passage to me?</font><hr></blockquote><p><br><br>I'm not exactly sure what you are referring to? The i]Theonomic[/i] view of the book of Galatians is the same as any standard reformed view of Galatians. John Brown of Edinburgh wrote one of the best reformed
Expositions on Galatians. And Moisés Silva of Westminster Seminary wrote one of the best expositions of Galatians 3 in his chapter entitled,
Is the Law Against the Promises? The Significance of Galatians 3:21 for Covenant Continuity published in
Theonomy: A Reformed Critique and which teaches that the Law was given for
Sanctification and not for Justification.<br><br>Thus, the teaching of the Book of Galatians is simply not a unique or controversial issue in respect to Theonomy.<br><br>Colin
