You raise many interesting points. I wonder if adultery was unlawful in Roman society, while at the same time everyone ignored the law, and neither was it enforced? I don't know. I'm thinking of American laws, which proscribed certain homosexual behaviors, which everyone ignored and neither were they enforced. Many of them have been removed from the books.
This raises another issue that I think you might find relevant? Paul wrote about the fruits of the Spirit in his epistle to the Galatians, saying "against such things there is no law." And the obvious implication, which is often overlooked, is the difference between what we lawfully obey, and the good we voluntarily pursue. It seems to me that in a theocratic society, the distinction is blurred and easy to miss. One could argue that the Kosher laws, while prescribing lawful behavior, also provided Israel a window into God's morality. His law says something important about himself.
Another thing, which is similar . . . One might argue that "the good" is something we ought to do, whether their is a law or not. In this case, those living under God's law are invited to ask whether one is practicing the good for its own sake or whether one would stop the practice once the law is rescinded. I am reminded of the Christian practice of tithing, which was also part of the Jewish law. It's as if Christians have decided that giving a tithe should be done voluntarily and for it's own sake because it is the right thing to do.
Follow me?
"
One might argue that "the good" is something we ought to do, whether their is a law or not."
Living by faith, not by a law.
"
one is practicing the good for its own sake or whether one would stop the practice once the law is rescinded."
Living by faith
from the heart does good and eschews evil: transgression of the law of God. Avoiding transgression by fear of punishment does not produce 'doing good'. One does not 'stop the practice' of doing good, because a law is rescinded, because not transgressing a point of law does not produce doing good elsewhere.
Satanism's creed is: do no harm. But Satan never states what 'harm' is. Satan has no
law to define evil and no commandment to do good.
1. Not 'doing harm' does not produce doing good. It is 'good' not to kill your neighbor, but other than that, what
good are you doing when opportunity arises? How are you loving your neighbor as yourself?
Just because I don't steal because of fear of punishment, doesn't mean I
go about doing good elsewhere as Jesus would (Acts 10:38).
2. Who is defining right and wrong, good and harm? Yourself. Therefore, without God there is no right and wrong, good and harm, except what one wants to think or believe,
at the time. And one man's good can be another man's harm, and vica versa. Even as one man's trash is another man's treasure...
The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom, because the Lord 'defines' evil deeds and works of unrighteousness
by His Law, and fearing the Lawgiver becomes proper fear of His punishment for transgression.
And eschewing evil is understanding, because fearing the Lord and knowing what transgression is by His law, we avoid doing any evil.
But that only goes so far. It is 'good'
not to be a transgressor, but that alone--the 'works of the law' alone--does not produce
good works from the heart elsewhere. The work of the Law is only to avoid transgression, but the
work of faith is to do good from the heart.
Love of God
produces doing good works, which is by the faith of Jesus freely given into the heart when born of the Spirit of God.
By grace through faith we are saved
from all transgression and evil, but we are also created
unto good works.
It is not 'good enough' with God to only avoid doing evil
and no more. With God doing good is His
way of Life, and so when doing good is absent in deed, then faith is dead (James 2), though with words we speak good and hopeful things, that we ourselves do nothing to produce.
"
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." (I John 3:18)
Keeping the law of God is
avoiding doing evil. Keeping the commandments of the Lord is
to do good. Therefore let us do the former, but not leave the latter undone.
The Pharisees were great at keeping the Law of Moses, and no good at all in keeping
and doing the commandments of God. Very religious to the law, and very dead to God.
