Controversial “Theo-” Words
Over the last decades there have been two “Theo-” words that have been causing controversy, consternation, and concern. This controversy is a sad reflection upon the Church at large and its continual drift away from God’s revealed standards.
As part of this drift, it has, with much regret, become de rigueur for the Church to accept the World’s ways and principles as Standard Operating Procedures. By this is meant that, all too often, people and ideas are maligned from the standpoint of ignorance or semi-ignorance when they seek to do nothing but introduce or re-introduce a Biblical concept that has been removed from view. The reasons for this removal are many and varied, but it usually boils down to sin, rebellion, compromise, and the idea that modern man has a bit more of a clue than God – even if it is not expressed this boldly.
The “Theo-” words we are about to consider are two such points of contention; not because they are unBiblical, but because they cut across the modern, selfish, individual standards that have become so popular with the modern Christian.
The two words or terms are Theocracy and Theonomy.
If you are still reading and have not fainted, let us explain these words in their simplest forms. These words are made by joining the Greek word for God (Theos) to the Greek words for Might / Power – and by extension Rule – (Kratos) and Law (Nomos). Thus, when we speak of Theocracy and Theonomy, we are simply speaking of God’s Rule and God’s Law or we might say God’s rule by God’s Law.
When viewed from this standpoint, it is very hard to see what all the fuss is about and why these terms create such controversy, particularly amongst Christians; but more on that later.
From my youth, I have heard many statements about God being the King of the world or many affirmations that “Jesus is King!” Preachers have preached on the text, “King of kings and Lord of lords”. We have heard sermons from prophecy that state that the Messiah will be a king on David’s throne and that He will rule the nations. This prophecy is fulfilled and it is said of Jesus, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord (Luke 19:38). I remember many preachers praying and asking God for the help to “obey God’s law”.
Even in our singing we have historically affirmed these truths. Do we not sing, “He’s got the whole world in His hands” or “The Lord is King! Lift up your voice, O earth and all you heavens, rejoice; from world to world the song shall ring: “The Lord omnipotent is King!” A glance at one hymn book sitting on my shelf reveals two consecutive hymns that start with the line, “The Lord God reigns …!” Do we not also sing of the “blessed man” whose sole delight is the “Law of God” on which he joys to “meditate day and night”? Let’s add a twist. One of Amy Grant’s big hits contained the words, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”, which, of course, were not her own words, they were taken from Psalm 119 – a Psalm that spends 176 verses extolling God’s Law, commandments, and statutes.
So what is all the fuss about? Well, it seems that there a many points of contention to be explored. However, we will focus on three that form the core.
Hearers not doers: First, this whole controversy highlights the fact that, amongst Christians, there seems to be a widening gap between profession and action. In other words, what we hear and sing on Sunday does not translate into practice during the week. We talk of God’s law as the rule for life; we sing of the merits and wonder of God’s law; we offer prayers that ask for Divine help in obeying God’s law. Nonetheless, in practice, we do not seem at all interested in living by and applying God’s law to our lives, family, and culture. It is rare to find those who are truly interested in reading, studying, and preaching God’s law so that it is understood in order that it may be obeyed and consistently applied.
The truth of this can be attested with an empirical examination of Church life. Take Bible studies as the first example. How many Bible studies happen and how many actually study the Bible? The truth is that “Bible study” is now a code word for an ecclesiastical “get-together”. More often than not, a book or a book about the Bible is studied and not the Bible itself. Furthermore, as it has become unacceptable to have an authoritative and defined answer, as though truth exists, these studies are often little more than “opinion fests” or an out pouring of subjective feelings wherein the answers begin with, “I feel …!”
Another test, which highlights the current failing, can be viewed in the general Biblical illiteracy that abounds. Take a setting in Church life, any setting, and ask yourself, “When was the last time you heard someone cry out, ‘To the law and to the testimony’?”[1] In short, how many discussions and / or debates have ended up with an open Bible and the Word being the master that was invited to settle the debate?
One Way: Second, these two Theo- words force us to singularity rather than plurality in terms of belief and practice. Sounds complicated, but it is not really. The World likes plurality. This is witnessed in thought and practice, for example, in a saying like, “All roads lead to Rome!” and a religion like Baha’i. It is witnessed in Eastern religions where the individual discovers truth for themselves – One thousand individuals equal one thousand unassailable truths.[2]
By contrast, God, as revealed in Scripture, is concerned with singularity. Thus, God alone is rightly ascribed as the determiner of truth (singularity).[3] We see that there is a wide and narrow path (plurality), but each leads to a different destination (singularity) and a person can be on but one path (singularity). Jesus alone is “the way” (singularity) and none can come to the Father but by Him. We are told that “there is salvation in no one else (singularity); for there is no other name (singularity) under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).”
Warfare: Third, these unpopular Theo- words remind us of the reality and truth of the warfare that we, as God’ people, are involved in on a daily basis. This warfare is in our blood. It is woven into our existence, and, for now, it most certainly is the essence of our calling. Yet, most Christians find this concept repugnant; they seek to find peace in and with the World; and they lament the need to be constantly on guard and to fight.
Christians generally resent this basic fact because it means that, to live the principle of warfare fully, this world must be apprehended as a battleground and not a beach resort. It means army life – bad food, barracks, one-size-fits-all boots, sharpening of swords, polishing of armour, and early morning wake up calls – just so you can march, bleed, and die!
Okay, you may be a little confused, so let’s try and pull this together.
Man was created to obey God and to live by His law. Hence, Man was created to be both Theocratic and Theonomic – no “buts!” about it. Man was made to live under God’s rule and by God’s law; so we say again, Man was made to be Theocratic and Theonomic!
When sin entered the world through Man’s rebellion against God’s righteous rule and rightful sovereignty, Yahweh declared war on Satan and his seed saying, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed.”
Understood properly, this means that there are now two lines of Man upon the earth – those who live under God’s rule and by His law and those who endeavour to escape from it. It means that the inclination of Man’s heart is only evil all the time (Genesis 6:5). It means that even redeemed Man must work hard at overcoming the inclinations of evil and rebellion so that he may serve God as He was created, and re-created in Christ Jesus, to do.[4]
Therefore, it means that the life and calling of redeemed Man in this divided world has become harder. However, we must understand that the intrinsic nature of our life and calling in this divided world has not changed. God still requires Man to live the Theocratic and Theonomic life, but the actuality and realisation of this goal now falls to redeemed Man as he alone is equipped with Christ’s Spirit and, therefore, the Power to realise the goal.[5]
That Man’s goal and purpose has not been changed by the fall is clearly seen in the judgements that God decreed in the wake of the fall. Man’s basic call remained intact even though frustrated by sin and God’s judgement. Woman, given to Man so that they could be fruitful and multiply, now has pain in childbearing and pregnancy. Man, placed to cultivate and keep the earth, will now reap by the sweat of his brow. He will be frustrated by thorns and thistles. Note, please, that the intrinsic nature and function of Man remains – Woman still bears; she is still fruitful; Man labours; he is still required to use and keep the earth – but now these tasks are frustrated.
In regard to our Theo- words, it means that Man is still required to be Theocratic and Theonomic. The only difference is that fallen Man has no desire to comply and redeemed Man finds it much harder to attain this end. Redeemed Man must now accomplish his mandate from God, not in an environment of peace and harmony, but in the environment of warfare. We must fight sin, the world, and Satan. In other words, we have opposition from within and without, and all of this is fuelled by “the prince of the power of the air.”
The reality of this warfare strikes home when Man seeks to supplant the Theo- words with some Auto- words that he finds much more palatable.[6] Man sinned against God by trying to ascend to God’s throne and Man is still afflicted with this desire today. Rather than Theocracy, sinful Man prefers Autocracy. Rather than Theonomy, sinful Man prefers Autonomy. Sinful Man still recognises, generally speaking, the need for rule and law, but, to spite God, sinful Man wants it to be his own rule by his own law – and the long war against God continues! This then places Redeemed Man in the midst of a war—the war proclaimed by our God, the war to which we are called, and the war in which we must engage, if we are to be a faithful servants of Jesus Christ.
This then brings us back to the concept of singularity and plurality. Jesus told us that no man can have two masters.[7] Plurality is out. We cannot be of the World and of Heaven. We cannot love God and obey the Devil. We cannot be autocratic and Theocratic; we cannot be autonomous and Theonomic. It is impossible to have a foot in both camps. James (4:4) puts it bluntly but truthfully when he says: “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
In short, there are not multiple roads to heaven. There are not multiple Saviours. There are not multiple ways to please God. There are not multiple ways to run a country, a household, or a business. There are not multiple ways to raise children, construct families, or define families. There are not multiple ways to live acceptably before God. Man must live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.[8] Full stop!
Consequently, it seems that the controversy caused by our Theo- words stems from the fact that, in our age of radical individualism and the idol of ‘personal choice’, too many Christians have imbibed the “snake oil” being sold by the World. They have come to love their Auto- words and resent the fact that they are being forced to make both a choice and an admission; a choice for God’s singularity and an admission that they have sinned by living the World’s plurality.
Some may as yet remain unconvinced. If so, simply think of the progress of salvation history. Yahweh brought Israel out of Egypt. God redeemed Israel by promise and having brought them out, Yahweh gave them His law – not as a means of Justification, strictly speaking, but as a means of sanctification (so that God’s people could live the holy life that is pleasing to God). To this some will say, “Ah, Yes; but that is the Old Testament.[9]
To this, we reply, “Ah, yes; but the New Testament says the same thing!” Colossians 1:13 states: “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” Note please that we are not delivered from the domain of darkness to Autocracy and Autonomy – self rule and self law – but to the kingdom of His Son! We are transferred into a Kingdom in which there is a King. This King has a Law by which He governs His Kingdom. This King is the Son of God. Thus, the Rule and Law of this Kingdom must be Theocratic and Theonomic. Equally, the citizens of this Kingdom must live the King’s rule and law or be considered as traitors. Likewise, it is the task of God’s people to extend this rule over all the earth.
Our redemption is to obedience, not inventiveness. We were redeemed that we should obey God’s word. James makes a strong a valid statement when he says, “But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.”[10] In other words, God does not call us to form a committee so that we can assemble all the latest and greatest ideas and work out how best to serve Him. No! God reveals Himself, says, “Look at Me and know My law!” and then expects us to implement those standards. This is where we find blessing – in hearing and doing! There is no future in a lot of head nodding on Sunday followed by apathy and neglect on Monday.[11]
Similarly, in understanding hearing doing, we better understand that we are servants obliged to follow the instructions given to us by our Master, our King.
Therefore, Theocracy and Theonomy are not ideas and concepts to be feared or shunned. No, they are to be embraced. God’s Rule by God’s Law over all of creation is the restoration that Jesus Christ has purchased with His precious blood. To say or state otherwise is to contradict God and the complete revelation of salvation history.
When we as God’ people recover the age old truth that this world is to operate under God’s rule and by God’s law, we will once again see the return of godly, peaceful, and Christ honouring societies. When we return to a true belief in Theocracy and Theonomy we will, for the first time in centuries, return to living and implementing the Great Commission.
Controversial “Theo-” words (Pt. 2)
Controversial “Theo-” words (Pt. 3)
Controversial “Theo-” words (Pt. 4)
Footnotes:
[1] Isaiah 8:20.
[2] It is equally seen today in the misguided attempts to show that Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are really one religion or that they are so much alike that they should be able to co-exist.
[3] Isaiah 45:18-19.
[4] See, for example, Romans 6:12; Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Corinthians 6:11.
[5] See Romans 8:37; 1John 4:4; Revelation 2:7; John 16:33; Revelation 12:11;
[6] Let’s be clear here. Even Christians fall into this trap when they are not singularly focussed upon God.
[7] Matthew 6:24.
[8] Deuteronomy 8:3.
[9] This type of response is also part of the problem as it conceives of much of God’s revelation as passé and irrelevant. It places a divide in God’s word as though He changed His mind or some such, when no such change has occurred. It purports that God’s word is not a singularity and a unity in theme and purpose, but a plurality of stories that remain in disunity.
[10] James 1:25.
[11] Compare Jesus’ words in Mathew 7:24-27: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. “And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.”
