In a recent blog post, I argued that the NAP was an expression of God’s justice. In that article, I assumed the biblical nature of the NAP and argued via the doctrine of the “image of God” that the NAP necessarily is an expression of both divine and human justice.
This, of course, begs the question, is the NAP biblical? Does the Bible teach the NAP? Literally, the Bible does not teach the NAP. The Bible never tells us that the most important principle of social co-operation is non-aggression. I would argue, however, that when we reflect on Biblical teaching, we can demonstrate that the NAP is a reasonable way to summarize biblical teaching on social ethics.
I don’t have time to give a full argument. Instead, let me give some impressions on biblical teaching
1. Creation and the NAP (Adam’s vocation and the image of God)
When Adam and Eve are created They are given the command to take dominion. He is to mix his labor with the land around him and so show ownership over the land. This work begins with a garden that God himself has planted. God reserves rights over the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam sins by transgressing on God’s property, rather than enjoying the other gifts that God has given him.
Adam and Eve are also given the image of God. God has imprinted them with righteousness and holiness. They reject that gift by attempting to attain the uniqueness of God on their own terms. In seeking to be like God (This is the temptation of the serpent), they challenge the uniqueness of God and attack his image. They now deserve the punishment of exile and death. God deals with them according to the NAP.
2. Israel and the NAP (Holy War and the Law)
Israel’s war on the Canaanites seems to violate the NAP. Except we are shown in Genesis 15: 16 that the Israelites will be the hand of God to punish the Amorites for their iniquity. The Canaanites are condemned justly for their destruction of God’s image in themselves and one another. We can see some of the cruelty of the Canaanites in Judges 1, where Adoni-Bezek is punished for his cruelty toward 70 kings, with the same indignity he meted out to them.
Further, the ten commandments given to Israel are all in accord with the NAP. The first four are all an attack and God and the image of God in man. The 5th commandment condemns ignoring the natural authority of parents; an authority which God has instituted. An attack on that natural authority also constitutes an attack on God’s authority. The 6th and 8th commandment are obvious; both condemn an attack on somebody’s person or property. The 7th commandment condemns an attack on the image of God in man through sexual sin. It also condemns the breaking of the only contract that is grounded in nature. (see 1 Corinthians 6:16) The 9th commandment condemns attacking a person’s life or property through lies in court. Finally, the tenth commandment condemns the heart that desires to do any of these things.
3. The Nations and the NAP (A lawsuit over violence)
God does not treat Israel, Judah, and the nations in the same way when it comes to his lawsuit against them. In Amos 2, Judah is condemned for disobeying the statutes of God. Israel, or the northern part of the kingdom of David and Solomon, no longer connected to the temple, is condemned for cruelty and for sexual immorality. The other nations, given in Amos 1, are almost unequivocally condemned for cruelty. We have a similar situation in Nahum, where the nation of Assyria is condemned for cruelty.
4. The Church and the NAP
The church inherits the law of God, as it has been transformed in Christ. Christ has covered our aggressions against God. From an earthly perspective, those who confess Christ continually remain in the church. Those who deny Christ, whether verbally or by demonstrating a love for sin by continuing in and celebrating their sin are removed from the communion of the church by the elders of the church.
5. The Civil Magistrate and the NAP
The role of the civil magistrate is outlined in Romans 13. The civil magistrate is called to protect the righteous and to bear the sword against the wicked. The most natural way to interpret this is that the civil magistrate should punish the wicked men who commit violence (coercion) against the righteous. This violence is exclusively directed at person and property.
I hope these short impressions will help in understanding how the NAP is Biblical.