Covert Theonomists

Many who loudly oppose theonomy nevertheless selectively affirm God’s law when it aligns with their preferences, enforcing Old Testament commands such as prohibitions on cross-dressing, bestiality, or sexual immorality while denying the continuing authority of the law as a whole. This inconsistency exposes the flaw in the claim that only laws repeated in the New Testament are binding, since Scripture itself does not support a rigid separation between “moral” and “civil” law, nor does grace nullify God’s revealed standards. By rejecting theonomy in principle yet reintroducing biblical laws piecemeal, such critics become covert theonomists while functionally practicing autonomy placing themselves as judges over God’s law. As Cornelius Van Til made clear, the real issue is ultimate authority: theonomy, submission to God’s law, versus autonomy, self-law rooted in Genesis 3:5. These two positions are irreconcilable, representing Christianity versus humanism, and to sit in judgment over God’s law is ultimately to surrender the sovereignty of the triune God.

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