In arguing for the continuous validity of the law, Greg Bahnsen employs a two-fold trinitarian approach from Chapters 3 to 10 in his book, "By This Standard: The Authority of God's Law Today." In chapters 6 to 8, Dr. Bahnsen used the ontological Trinity as his basis for argument. He believes that the holiness of the Father, the righteousness of Jesus, and the leading of the Holy Spirit all prove the continuing validity of the law. In chapters 3, 5, 9, and 10, Dr. Bahnsen utilized the trinitarian ethical approach - the normative, consequential, and motivational aspects of ethics to prove his point. Here in chapter 11, he advances his argument further by claiming that the New Testament explicitly validates the present applicability of the law. And he does this in three ways: by citing three general affirmations in the New Testament, by showing the role of the law in the life and teachings of Jesus, and by giving the overview of the teachings of the apostles on the subject.
Three-fold Affirmations
The New Testament simply presupposes the ongoing validity of the law due to the fact that "sin is defined as transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4; Romans 7:7)" (p. 89). And this is also true since love summarizes Christian life in the New Testament, which can only be understood "in terms of God's law ( Matthew 22:40; Romans 13:10; 1 John 5:2-3)" (ibid.). Furthermore, without the law of God, New Testament morality would be "aimless" and without direction.
Jesus' Life and Teachings
Jesus parents' and close relatives are described as faithful in obeying the law of God (Luke 1:6; 2:21-24, 27, 39). Jesus himself constantly appealed to the law during his earthly ministry (Matthew 4: 7; 5:19; 6:10; 7:21-23; 12:5; 15:4; 19: 17-18; 28:18-20; Mark 1:44; 2:25-28; 10:17-19; Luke 10: 26; 11:42; John 7:19; 8:17; 10:35).
The Teachings of the Apostles
For the apostle Paul, keeping God's commands counts in Christian life (1 Corinthians 7:19). In fact, Christians life is described as obedience to God's commandments (Revelation 12:17; 14:12) or the other way of putting it is that God expects us to keep the law (James 2:8-10). Furthermore, purity is expected from us (1 John 3:3), and we are admonished to allow no sin to reign in our body (Romans 6: 12-13). Even the seemingly minor matters such as women's silence and submission in the churches are according to the Law (Romans 14:34). Moreover, the laws of God are wriiten on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10), and we are given the promise that the requirements of the law are fulfilled in us according to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:4). As a whole, by loving one another, we are able to fulfill the law (Romans 13: 8-10).
Source: Bahnsen, G. L. (1985). By This Standard: The Authority of God's Law Today. Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics.
