Scribes of the Kingdom of Heaven
Forty years ago, my father challenged a peculiar theological statement by a Christian author. When the writer said he intended to be innovative in his Biblical commentary, my father responded with, "We are not called to be innovative; we are called to be faithful."
This represents our calling as individuals and Chalcedon's as a ministry. Christian Reconstruction was a term coined to describe the responsibility of Christians in a period of declining faithfulness. It was a new expression of the duty of faithfulness in the Master's absence.
Our Lord expressed this in a very beautiful passage, one we often overlook. He told his disciples (Matt. 13:52) that they must be "scribes" of the Kingdom of Heaven. A scribe was an expert on God's law. They are sometimes referred to in the gospels as "lawyers," in fact.
As scribes of God's Kingdom, the disciples were to bring out this treasure of knowledge, "things new and old." Both are necessary. The "old" represented the established, honored teaching and applications, but the "new" was also important. While holding to all the "old," their new scribal declarations made them fresh and relevant. So too, must Christian Reconstruction work from a position of orthodoxy, but then make "new" application. Just as a civil lawyer bases his new appeal on "old" established jurisprudence, we are to seek fresh ways of bringing all of life and thought into subjection to our Lord and King. This is Chalcedon's purpose, and we are grateful for those who support our work in this effort.
Topics: Biblical Law, Christian Reconstruction