As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to live following all the teachings of Jesus. This is ultimately what it means to be a disciple of Christ. A person who makes the teachings of the Lord, Jesus Christ, the framework by which it builds and develops in his/her life, as obeys and practices them.
Christonomy is the notion that the law of God, received through the Patriarchs and Prophets of Israel and the Covenants made between God and His people in the Old Testament, has been unveiled or fulfilled in Jesus Christ, His Covenant, His Kingdom, and His Church. Furthermore, the law of Christ contains the full revelation of these divine mysteries, which were entrusted by the Lord Jesus to His apostles.
A single word, Christonomy, can define the teaching and mission of Christ. This word means being under the law of Christ and fulfilling the same (Galatians 6:2). Being so, our lives are defined by the law of Christ and, therefore, governed by the teaching and example of our Lord, Jesus Christ, rather than by our self, own desires or cultural norms.
The law of Christ is not contrary to the law of God in the Old Testament. On the contrary, it is the fulfilment of the law and the previous Covenants (a divine pledge and agreement between God and His people).
“Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfil. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18, NASB).
“And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40 NASB; cf. Deuteronomy 6:5 (Shema); Leviticus 19:18).
Jesus highlights that His mission was to bring the Law to its intended completion, fulfilling its moral, ceremonial, and prophetic dimensions. This fulfilment involves both His perfect obedience to the Law and the completion of all prophecies referring to the coming Messiah King that were realised through Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. In Christ, the law of God becomes the law of Christ.
In contrast and opposition to Christonomy, we found the modern concept of autonomy. The idea that we have the right to self-governing outside the influence of God. Therefore, humankind does not need God to determine what is the moral compass, it is the individual or society who defines what is right and wrong based on our understanding, desires and choices. It makes us decide our moral compass, not as a universal truth, but as a temporal reality based on our emotions, thoughts and needs. Being able to change them, as circumstances may change as well.
It is not a new idea. It is only a refurbish of an old one. The same that brought Satan to rebel against God, to take his place. We see the same in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve desired to become like God. They acted autonomously by eating the forbidden fruit led to sin, curses, and death entering the world (Genesis 3). Their decision to rely on their judgment rather than God’s command brought devastating consequences. Autonomy always causes rebellion, death and sin.
The same can be said of Sarai (Abram's wife). Sarai had been unable to have children for a long time and wanted to find a way to fulfil God's promise that Abram would be the father of many nations, especially since they were both getting old. So, she offered Hagar to Abram as a wife. She was an Egyptian slave-girl. Abram and Hagar had a child, causing Sarai to be jealous and angry. Sarah began to harshly treat Hagar. God protected Hagar and her son, Ishmael, when she was running away. Sarai’s autonomy caused Ishmael’s descendants to pose a constant threat to Israel, as they have never stopped claiming Abraham’s inheritance. Autonomy always causes doubt about God’s promises, jealousy, anger, strife, and conflict.
Another example is King David’s autonomy. His sexual desires and emotions made him pursue Bathsheba, lay with her, and get her pregnant. If this was not enough, upon learning of her pregnancy, David attempted to conceal his sin and eventually arranged for her husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle. Autonomy always causes sinful sexual desire, anxiety, lies and, ultimately, unrighteousness.
Autonomy leads away from God, His presence, will, wisdom and guidance, taking us to separation, selfishness, condemnation and judgment. Autonomy ultimately brings us to an open conflict with God, or, if you dare to say, a war with God.
The Bible warns us against the dangers of autonomy. Not just in the previous stories, but also in the following Bible references:
“There is a way which seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12 NASB)
“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25 NASB)
These biblical verses highlight the deceptive nature of human autonomy, where what feels right to us can lead to spiritual and moral downfall. Judges was marked by chaos, moral decay, and suffering, demonstrating the dangers of rejecting God's governance.
Living under Christonomy requires surrendering our will to God’s will, as Jesus modelled in His prayer at Gethsemane: “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). This surrender is not a loss of freedom but a pathway to true freedom found in Christ, who came to give us abundant life (John 10:10).
The Holy Spirit produces in us to will and the power to live according to the law of Christ, guiding us into all truth (John 16:13) and producing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians 3:12-17). By walking in the Spirit, we fulfil the righteous requirements of the law, not through our strength but through God’s grace and power.
Rejecting autonomy in favour of Christonomy aligns our lives with God’s perfect plan and purpose. It nurtures healthier relationships, ethical behaviour, wise decision-making, and ultimately, a life that glorifies God. As we daily choose to live under the law of Christ, we experience the fullness of life that He promises and become a testament to His transforming power in a world desperately in need of His light.
Let us commit ourselves to Christonomy, allowing Christ to reign supreme in every aspect of our lives and the nations, and reject the false security of autonomy that leads us away from His will and sovereign guidance.
