I should probably begin this post by explaining what the NAP is. The NAP is an acronym for the non-aggression principle. To put it simply: One may not use coercive means against anyone’s person or property. One may use coercion in order to protect a person or his property; or one’s own property. In Libertarian political theory, the NAP is the central ethical principle for society.
How broadly should the NAP be applied? Libertarian theorists have been careful to limit the NAP to legal matters and legal relationships. Thin libertarians, as opposed to thick libertarians, teach this. In libertarian theory, scholars have primarily applied the NAP to the civil government (Those who protect the righteous and punish the offender (Romans 13)). This, of course, does not mean that the NAP does not apply to other social spheres. Rather, the way in which it applies to the political sphere is distinct. Libertarian theory began as a critique of the civil government. Therefore, the great majority of libertarian theory works to apply the NAP to the civil government.
God and the NAP
There is work to do. I would argue that the NAP should apply to every institution. This is because I believe that the NAP is an expression of God’s nature.
As Christians, who believe that God is intimately involved in the affairs of mankind, we readily ask, does the NAP have a part in the righteousness of God. Does God deal with mankind according to the NAP? Or does God merely view man as his own property? If he pleases, he may get rid of him? There is a false dichotomy here, but unfortunately, this is how we often frame the debate. I would argue that if the NAP applies to mankind, it also applies to God.
The image of God.
God created man in his own image. When we apply a little bit of deductive logic to Ephesians 4:24 we see that this means that man was created in true righteousness and holiness. Paul tells in Ephesians 4: 24, “Put on the new man, the one created according to God’s likeness, in righteousness and purity of the truth.” The new man is Christ, whom God commands us to put on in Galatians 3:27. God gave us Christ as the true image of God since the image of God in Adam is marred. I won’t argue what exactly this image is, but we can see that God gives it “in righteousness.”
God is righteous. God created man in righteousness. The duties that God asks of us are according to the dictates of God’s own nature. If the NAP is an expression of a righteous society, then God will also deal with his people according to the NAP. God will not demand a righteousness in man that is not expressed in himself. We, after all, carry the image of God. Before the fall and later in Christ, man freely shares in the righteousness of God. God limits himself by the NAP, so that it is natural for man to limit himself by the NAP. (Granted that the NAP is a righteous principle) (We should also not that we use the word “limit” as a human way of talking about the works of a spiritual, and impassible Lord)
Our God limits himself by the NAP according to his nature, his works, and his goals. God is Creator. God is our redeemer. God will glorify his creation. The Creator God has exclusive rights over his creation but he willingly limits himself to treat us according to the nature he has created us with. To understand how this works, we need to have a deeper understanding of how God defines himself in scripture. We need to understand his work, as he has revealed himself in our Lord Jesus Christ.
If the NAP applies to God, then…
We can go further. If the NAP defines God’s relation to his creation and our relation to one another under the civil government, that means that the NAP also applies to all our institutions. It has to apply to each institution according to the nature and the goals of that institution. government in the family, government in the church, government in a business, must reflect on how the NAP applies to their institutions.
(n.b. Why did I include this post under applied hermeneutics? To keep it simple, we can begin with John 1. John 1 reveals our Lord God Jesus Christ as the logos. The logos or the word is the thing that holds all things together. Jesus not only the primary hermeneutical principle of scripture but is the primary hermeneutical principle for understanding the world. See here.)