The Session of Christ—By What Standard?
Following His triumph over sin, death, and Satan, Jesus secured absolute authority (Mat. 28:18) and ascended to His throne, ruling according to His heavenly session.
The term “session” comes from the Latin word “sessio,” which means “sitting” or “seated.” It’s based on Psalm 110:1, “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’” This verse is cited in numerous places in the New Testament, attributed to Jesus Christ (Mat. 22:4, 26:64 Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42; Acts 2:23-35, Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2).
In His exalted state, having procured crown rights over creation, Jesus presently sits, ruling, reigning, and judging. But here’s the question: according to what law does the King of kings, Lord of lords, and Judge over the living and the dead rule?
The Three-fold Division of The Law
The laws in the Old Testament can be broadly divided into three categories: moral, civil (judicial), and ceremonial.
Moral Law
The moral law is the ethical and moral principle that God has imprinted in every human soul. It is instinctual to us, and theologians refer to the moral law as a creation ordinance.
Romans 2:14-15 indicates that pagan Gentiles have this law in their nature, too, because it is written on their hearts. In other words, the moral law is obligatory to all people, believers, and non-believers.
The moral law is summarized in the Ten Commandments. Its principles as a rule of life extend beyond the explicitly stated Commandments, as Jesus noted when He taught that the one who looks after a woman with lust has committed adultery with her in his heart (Mat. 5:28).
This also means, for example, that homosexual behavior and transgenderism are violations rooted in the moral law since God created them male and female, united in marriage as man and woman, and are prohibited against committing adultery (7th Commandment).
Civil Law
The civil laws are those regulations that God gave to the commonwealth of Israel to govern its civil affairs. Laws concerning divorce, sexual immorality, loans and interest, marrying captive women, and cities of refuge are some examples of civil laws.
Ceremonial Law
The ceremonial laws are the rituals and practices that God gave to Israel for worshipping Him. Rules for the sacrificial system, feasts, and sanctuary practices are some examples of ceremonial laws.
The Universal Nature of The Moral Law
Although we acknowledge this three-fold division of the law in the Old Testament, we affirm the universal nature of the moral law. In other words, the civil and ceremonial laws were in place as a Positive Law until their purpose was fulfilled in Christ.
Wait, what’s a positive law?
A Positive Law is a law that is added ‘on top of’ the moral law. Think of the mathematical symbol of addition or the plus sign. A positive law may be added upon a covenant people temporarily. One example of this in the Old Testament is circumcision. In the Old Testament, ethnic Israel was required to observe the law of circumcision.
However, before its institution, this law was not part of the moral law and, therefore, not punishable. There is no creation ordinance for circumcision. Abraham was given this commandment of circumcision when he was 99 years old (Gen. 17:1). When he was 98 years old and uncircumcised, he was not guilty of breaking the law. That’s because, before the institution of this positive law, uncircumcision did not constitute a violation of God’s law.
Moreover, once the purpose of this positive law was fulfilled in Christ, it no longer remained binding to ethnic Israel. The positive law, once it served its purpose, expired and became obsolete.
Another example of the obsolescence nature of a positive law is in Leviticus 11, where Moses records a list of unclean foods. From a covenantal perspective, these restrictions pointed to an ultimate meaning: God’s people were to separate themselves from spiritual uncleanness while looking forward to a future Redeemer who would one day turn their hearts to the Lord, making them eternally clean before God.
So when Jesus arrived as the promised Redeemer, He fulfilled the purpose of the food restriction laws and declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19). All those united to Jesus by faith are made spiritually and eternally clean. The positive law imposed upon Israel was temporary, fulfilled, and made obsolete.
Can you still apply the ceremonial law as binding today? No. Their purpose is complete. What about the civil law? The moral principles, also known as the general equity, which is rooted in the moral law, may still be applied since the moral law is abiding.
The Moral Law is Universal and Binding
Only some people are required to follow a positive law. Specifically and exclusively, covenant people. But all people everywhere have the entire moral law written upon their hearts because God did not create morally-neutral people. He made humans in His image, which means there is a sense of God in all people, and His moral law is innate in every soul.
The moral law was never abrogated or made obsolete. This is worth repeating: Christ never made the moral law obsolete. Yes, sin has perverted our sense of the divine and His moral law, but it has not eliminated nor nullified it. All people possess the knowledge of the moral law, which includes both tables of the law.
Two Tables of The Moral Law
The two tables of the moral law refer to Commandments 1-4, which focus on our obligation to God, and Commandments 5-10, which focus on our commitment to our neighbor.
Old and New Testament nations and kings were held to the standard of the entire moral law and were punished for disobedience to both tables of the moral law.
In the Old Testament, for example, certain nations were breaking both tables of the law, and Moses said, “And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you” (Deut. 18:12). What were the abominations? Idolatry (first table) and child sacrifice (second table).
In the New Testament, King Herod considered himself a god. Immediately, because he did not give God glory (first table), he was eaten by worms (Acts 12:23). To be sure, everyone in the auditorium celebrating Herod was breaking the first table of the law as they shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” (Acts 12:22). Still, Luke only records that King Herod, the governing authority, suffered immediate judgment for breaking the first table of the moral law.
Therefore, it is the plain teaching of Scripture that even pagan nations and kings are held to the standard of both tables of the moral law.
How, Then, Should Rulers Govern?
Christ has delegated authority to three spheres, or kingdoms. Each of these kingdoms is under His reign and judgment. They will all be judged according to their obedience to His law.
“And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42).
Government
When Scripture says that God institutes government to punish evil (Rom. 13:1-3), it must mean that government has been delegated powers to punish the outward display of evil according to the standard of the moral law since this is the universal ordinance obligatory to all mankind.
It’s important to note that the government does not wield the keys of the kingdom on matters of church discipline and practice or the rod for the child’s discipline. It wields the sword, exercising its authority under Christ’s rule.
Therefore, it is appropriate for Christians to insist that governments submit to the rule of Christ, from whom they receive limited power. Jesus said that all must render to God the things that belong to God (Mark 12:7). And it is necessary for the government if it wishes to govern rightly, to punish evil according to the moral law.
Church
The church, too, must govern according to both tables of the moral law, but its method of discipline will look different than that of the civil government since the church holds the keys of the kingdom and not the sword. Church discipline, for example, may escalate from confrontation and public rebuke to excommunication.
In addition to following the standards of the moral law, the church must also observe new covenant positive law (i.e., baptism, communion). If a professing Christian is unrepentant, breaking either the moral or positive law, then the church may proceed with church discipline (Mat. 18:17).
The elders do not wield the sword (government) or the rod (parent) but the keys (church membership), exercising their authority according to Christ’s rule for the church.
Home
The home is also governed according to both tables of the moral law. The father is the head of the household, and his rule must be according to the principles derived from and grounded in the moral law. The father does not wield the sword (government) or keys (church) but the rod of discipline and correction.
A well-ordered Christian family is one that not only outwardly obeys the rule of God’s moral law but also looks to Christ as their example of inward obedience. And when members of the household stumble, they must repent and find grace in Christ that removes the guilt of sin and enables them to walk again in strides of holiness.
Public, Private, and Secret
OK, so what does this practically look like within all three spheres? How are violations addressed by the government, home, and church? Let me provide an example of the application of commandments 2, 3, 4, and 10 since these are the ones commonly objected to by those who oppose the government’s enforcing of both tables of the law.
2. Idolatry: It is right for the government to penalize a citizen for outwardly and publicly bowing down to a carved image of a false god. It is right for a father to warn his child against other private forms of idols and train the child to identify and avoid idolatry. It is right for the church to continually warn against the dangers of secret idolatry in the heart. Local church discipline must be enforced if a member refuses to repent from known idolatry.
3. Blasphemy: It is right for the government to enact prohibitions against publicly using God’s name as a curse word. It is right for fathers to discipline their children against private and vain use of God’a name. It is right for the church to teach and warn against blasphemy.
4. Sabbath: It is right for the government to prohibit a business from forcing its employee to work seven days a week regularly. It is right for the father to impose a rest day. It is right for the church to gather weekly for worship.
10. Coveting: It is right for the government to punish a business or institution for practices that unfairly take advantage of a citizen, such as imposing an insanely high-interest rate on a loan. Additionally, it is wrong for the government to start a war against a nation for unjust gain. Wars must be limited to protecting against evil rather than gaining territory or resources. Moreover, it is right for the father to discipline the child for coveting. It is also right for the church to discipline its member for unrepentant covetousness.
A certain sin may overlap all three spheres, and each authority must wield its appropriate instrument. When abuse takes place in the house, for example, the wife should call the governing authorities and the church. The governing authority will execute just punishment, and the church must execute church discipline. The wife in the home has submitted to Christ by not obeying an ungodly husband’s command to submit to violence.
Conclusion
The law of Christ is the standard by which authorities govern. The government, church, and home must rule according to the moral law with their respective instruments of discipline: sword, keys, and rod. The church is uniquely called to also obey new covenant positive commands. Only when using the law of Christ will the government, church, and home properly discipline evil and reward righteousness. Therefore, Christians should insist that the State govern according to both tables of the moral law.