The Law of Perfect Freedom

'It is impossible to know the true God, apart from His self-disclosure.' pg 107 Any manifestation of God's grace, even His law, is a gift (James 1:17). A decade ago Michael Horton emphatically stated: 'That is why, throughout this book we will make a conscious effort to see these commandments not merely as stones to throw at secular society, but as a witness to our unfaithful record at the end of the 20th century.' Throughout the Bible sin is depicted in uncompromising terms. Taking us back to a time now far removed from modernism, God revealed Himself to Moses at the constitution of the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments were not just God's suggestions, for how could a holy God come and live amongst sinful men? We fail to appreciate that God's wrath would have been seen far more often if it was not for the successful operation of the sacrifices set forth to deal with Israel's transgressions. Yet Israel's failure to walk before God alone and forsake her unfaithful ways brought God remorse. 'There is no hesed (covenant loyalty), no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.' Hosea 4:1 Horton recounts the enormity of the consequences this had on Israel as a nation, as divine judgment followed. 'The religion of Israel, however, was committed to a mediated relationship with God. Individual Jews had a relationship with God only because they were part of a community of faith. This community was represented by mediators: prophets, priests and kings. In the New Testament, the final prophet, priest and king appears.' pg 79 'There are various theocracies (lit. 'God-reigns') in redemptive history. In Eden, God rules through one representative, Adam. When He establishes Israel as a nation, God rules both spheres once again through... one representative, the king. But apart from these theocracies, God rules through providence rather than miracle, and the two spheres are separated. Throughout the gospels Jesus announces the dissolution of the Jewish theocracy. The kingdom of God is no longer identified with one single nation. This is the point of the many parables. But when Jesus, the King of kings, arrived, He declared, 'My kingdom is not of this world' (John 18:36). In other words, Christ's kingdom is not like David's. It is, for the time being, a kingdom in spiritual conflict rather than physical conflicts.' pg 160-163 Tellingly, the message of old, the warning of dire consequences to Israel, has as much fallen on deaf ears in our day. 'We cannot be expected to put God at the centre of our existence if He is not at the center of our theological system.' pg 76 'It is easy to use God's Name, instead of fearing it.' pg 100 'Our motivation for excellence - in work, in education, in relationships, in the home - must be the sanctity of God's reputation.' pg 103 God's moral laws are precepts which are 'righteous altogether', set in place for eternity and aim toward preserving the attribute of His holiness. Horton draws on the socia

'It is impossible to know the true God, apart from His self-disclosure.' p 107 Any manifestation of God's grace, even His law, is a gift (James 1:17). A decade ago Michael Horton emphatically stated: 'That is why, throughout this book we will make a conscious effort to see these commandments not merely as stones to throw at secular society, but as a witness to our unfaithful record at the end of the 20th century.' Horton starts out by immediately directing our attention to important distinctions that have now become blurred, e.g. God's revealed will and God's secret will; the sustainability of the moral (God's) law and the passing of the Jewish ceremonial and civil law; the confusion between the gospel and civil 'righteousness', as set forth by J Gresham Machen a century ago; and the false dichotomy created repeatedly between the Spirit and the Word, as if they had competing agendas. 'Only the Spirit can take those dead in trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1) and make them alive. And once one is made alive, he or she is able to respond positively and affectionately to the law of God for the first time.' p 26 Throughout the Bible sin is depicted in uncompromising terms. Taking us back to a time now far removed from modernism, God revealed Himself to Moses at the constitution of the nation of Israel at Mt Sinai. The Ten Commandments were not just God's suggestions, for how could a holy God come and live amongst sinful men? 'The concept of sin behind the sacrificial system was that of sin as a contagious disease which contaminated the whole of society if allowed to spread.' George Carey, The Gate of Glory, p 37. Israel's failure to walk before God alone and forsake her unfaithful ways brought God remorse. 'There is no hesed (covenant loyalty), no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.' Hosea 4:1 Horton recounts the enormity the consequences of this had on Israel as a nation, as divine judgment followed. 'The religion of Israel, however, was committed to a mediated relationship with God. Individual Jews had a relationship with God only because they were part of a community of faith. This community was represented by mediators: prophets, priests and kings.' p 79 'There are various theocracies (lit. 'God-reigns') in redemptive history. In Eden, God rules through one representative, Adam. When He establishes Israel as a nation, God rules both spheres once again through... one representative, the king. But apart from these theocracies, God rules through providence rather than miracle, and the two spheres are separated. Throughout the gospels Jesus announces the dissolution of the Jewish theocracy. The kingdom of God is no longer identified with one single nation. This is the point of the many parables. But when Jesus, the King of kings, arrived, He declared, 'My kingdom is not of this world' (John 18:36). In other words, Christ's kingdom is not like David's. It is, for the time being, a kingdom in spiritual conflict rather than physical conflicts.'