This post is part of a series walking through the third volume of Abraham Kuyper’s Common Grace
Picking up the second point from the end of the previous chapter–the question of the impact of the Gospel on the Old Testament–we should remember that we cannot simply proof-text (except for our individual responsibilities–not for big-picture stuff). Nor is this information easily available in the natural world. The solid principles of one century are discarded in the next–and unbelieving politicians must build on these principles. Christians struggle with this as well, though we should seek God’s will as a foundation and not join with unbelievers in using cultural assumptions as our own basis. Time and again we must rearticulate Scriptural principles in the context of contemporary problems. Simply repeating the tradition as if it is authoritative won’t do.
Nor can we adopt “neutral” modern principles wit ha veneer of faith–this is simply liberalism itself in action. Nor can we separate “the Gospel” from “Holy Scripture.” Even the various uses of the word “gospel” makes this tricky–the promise to Israel, all of Scripture, the New Testament fulfillment of Old Testament promises, the “way of salvation”, or all of Christianity as opposed to other religions/moral systems. These are all uses of the term “Gospel,” and all addressed in Scripture.
In the context of the state, we need to be clear that “gospel” means the way to be born again/redeemed/fulfilled apart from the promises of the state. The French Revolution promised utopias, while the Gospel says that peace comes only through Christ. Still, when some use “gospel” they mean only general New Testament principles and pay no attention to the Old Testament. We must oppose this approach–not least because there are many political principles found in the Old Testament. We especially must resist dismissing what we do not like as not a “Gospel principle,” and thus really just baptizing our own religious views. (191)
Instead, as believers we see unfolding clarity in Scripture. Romans 13 is the “clear, complete explanation of the role of government” that includes both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Likewise marriage and charity both begin in the Old Testament and are fully seen in the New Testament, fulfilled in Christianity. But we must not disconnect the fulfillment from the promise, the bud from the tree, in Kuyper’s example. We must not let the Old Testament go the name of our made-up views. Some today have even started to go after the New Testament (i.e. ‘what did Jesus really say?’ type questions).
So we must begin with “the authority before which we must bow in order to safeguard ourselves against the endless process of confusion…” Scripture must not be set against itself, or replaced with the “inner light”, or rejected completely. We need to restore the study of the whole Scripture, with all its themes and connections, seeing the organic whole of Scripture. Again, Kuyper is anticipating the coming field of Biblical Theology (itself in its infancy in Kuyper’s day).
Dr. Coyle Neal is co-host of the City of Man Podcast an Amazon Associate (which is linked in this blog), and an Associate Professor of Political Science at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO
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