# Creation Ordinances



## ChananBachiyr (Dec 10, 2016)

I was listening to a lesson on Covenant Theology this morning, Dr. Stephen Myers spoke of the CoW with Adam and also mentioned the creation ordinances, which was the first I had ever heard them referred to as such!

Concerning the ordinances of procreation and marriage... how do they coincide with Paul in 1 Corinthians 7?
I know in 1 Cor. 7:35 Paul kind of rounds off the situation by saying "This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord." 
So hes compelling married and unmarried people to undistracted devotion, but distractions are sure to come to the married and not married for he just stated in vv 32 - 34 "One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided." 

I probably need to continue to listen to the next lessons as I know Dr. Myers mentioned at the end of this lesson that he'll be discussing the continuity of the CoW in the next lesson... and probably the continuity of the creation ordinances, which thinking about it:
We still ought to work 6 days
We still ought to keep the Sabbath, not lawfully of course, but the rest is surely blessed after laboring 6 days...
And on the last two, I suppose I'll learn lol

Just some thoughts... 
May God bless you all today, in our Lord Jesus!


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## Dachaser (Dec 10, 2016)

Far as I know, only 2 ordinances that were commanded and given unto us by the Lord were water baptism and communion.


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## RamistThomist (Dec 10, 2016)

He means "ordinance" in the sense of a creational law.


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## Dachaser (Dec 10, 2016)

What is "creational law"


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Dec 10, 2016)

Dachaser said:


> What is "creational law"


Creation ordinances are decrees of God related to the moral and natural ordering of the world. For example, the Sabbath is a creation ordinance. Observance of the Sabbath on Sunday is an expression, divinely sanctioned, of this ordinance.

While I do not have the reference at hand, search the internet for a thesis on the topic of _creation ordinances_ by Michael Munoz, which is a nice treatment of the topic, including the historical development of the phrase.


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## Edward (Dec 10, 2016)

Dachaser said:


> What is "creational law"



Creation ordinances. As opposed to Mosaic ordinances. And neither to be confused with the Sacraments, although the Sacraments of the New Testament can be tracked back to Jewish law. 

The Lord's day of rest, for example, is a creation ordinance, although it can also be found in the Ten Commandments.


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## Edward (Dec 10, 2016)

http://www.fpcjackson.org/resource-...rst-things-creation-5-the-creation-ordinances

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/creation-ordinances/


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## Dachaser (Dec 10, 2016)

Thanks!

So it seems that the ordinances can be specific, as in water baptism/communion, as being directly given by God to the Church, and others more woven into general revelation, as part of the created natural order of things?


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Dec 10, 2016)

Dachaser said:


> Thanks!
> 
> So it seems that the ordinances can be specific, as in water baptism/communion, as being directly given by God to the Church, and others more woven into general revelation, as part of the created natural order of things?


Found that reference I asked you to seek out and study:
https://www.rts.edu/sharedresources/documents/global/Creation and Culture.pdf

Tolle lege.


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## Dachaser (Dec 10, 2016)

That is a lot....

Will read through this weekend...


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## Peairtach (Dec 11, 2016)

Some churches call the sacraments "ordinances". Maybe they think "sacraments" smacks of Latin and Rome, but the word can be used properly with understanding. The sacraments/ordinances are visible signs and seals of the Covenant of Grace and of God's people and there are only two of them, baptism and the Lord's Supper.

When we talk about creation ordinances we're talking about something else. We're talking about things that God instituted at the very beginning and which will remain to the end of time. Marriage, labour, the seven day week, the Sabbath, maybe the "Creation Mandate" could be included ( Genesis 1:28) maybe other things?

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## Peairtach (Dec 11, 2016)

ChananBachiyr said:


> I was listening to a lesson on Covenant Theology this morning, Dr. Stephen Myers spoke of the CoW with Adam and also mentioned the creation ordinances, which was the first I had ever heard them referred to as such!
> 
> Concerning the ordinances of procreation and marriage... how do they coincide with Paul in 1 Corinthians 7?
> I know in 1 Cor. 7:35 Paul kind of rounds off the situation by saying "This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord."
> ...


The Apostle in I Corinthians 7 is talking about the decision to get married or not and how it is sometimes wise to get married, sometimes not, depending on the situation. There were maybe particular reasons why it might have been unwise for some people to get married in the particular situation the Apostle is addressing. See the standard commentaries available online by Calvin, Henry, etc, on I Corinthians 7.

When we say that marriage is a "creation ordinance" we don't mean that it is morally obligatory for everyone to get married or be married their whole lives through. Then our Saviour and the Apostle would have been in moral error. We just mean that marriage is a foundational institution for all time given by God at the beginning until the end of time for the good of mankind and to be regulated by His law.

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## brendanchatt (Dec 11, 2016)

To answer the OP, I think the key to your question is that we are between two worlds, one where marriage is the bedrock of its purpose in generating the elect, and the second earth where we will be like the angels. Those who have children of the flesh and have a spouse are doing what others may be partakers of, furthermore, in the time of the gospel: fashioning the elect for the world to come, even as Paul claimed he was a spiritual father, and secondly, devoting themselves to Christ, the bridegroom.

Brendan
OPC
Florida


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## ChananBachiyr (Dec 11, 2016)

Great insight here guys!


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