More on the Moral Will of God

We must affirm the unity of the moral will of God expressed in creation, in the redemption of Israel and her covenant at Sinai, and under the New Covenant. The discontinuity rests not in the moral desire of God for man; but rather in the purpose of the revelation of the "righteous" path revealed in it's work under each administration. In creation, Adam was under probation and failed his obligation thus condemning him and his children after him; at Sinai and in Israel's history, Israel was under law (moral, ceremonial, and civil)as a child is under her tutor AND as a covenant of works typologically in possession of the Land; and for us from the Incarnate Word as a means of expressing gratitude and love. I see 9 commandments re-cast in the N.T. and the 10th (Sabbath) as changed and designated as "the Lord's Day" under which "none should be judged". Can we look to the Sinaitic Covenant in any positive light for us now? I believe we can look to it and say on the one hand... yes... as it reveals an enduring standard of righteousness by God as a republication of the Covenant of Works from creation and fulfilled in Christ; yet on the other hand... no, if it is taken as the normative standard for us to live in this age. The Mosaic standards are fulfilled in Christ's life and work thereby establishing a pattern by which we are called to reflect His image in this age as faith works through love. We are not under the Sinaitic Covenant in any sense. We are under the New Covenant whereby we are called to respond to God's gracious adoption in love. The norms of this covenant are not a new law in any sense similar to a COW; rather, the norm of this New Covenant is Faith working through Love.

Lee Irons has drawn a careful and useful line with respect to God's Moral Will discussing how it was revealed in the COW in Creation, in the Sinaitic Covenant and then in the New Covenant. The OPC had problems with his definitions when compared with chapter 19 of the WCF. However, I think Lee's formulation is outstanding and may very well be a superior interpretation of the Biblical-Redemptive Historical record.