Thoughts from Chapter 1:
Jesus did not come to abrogate the OT.
Matthew 5:17-19 17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Since Jesus did not come to change the law, we can assume that OT laws apply unless the bible shows us otherwise.
It is not up to us to pick and choose what we want to obey depending on our personal preference. But we allow the New Testament to interpret the OT for us.
The attitude of Jesus and the Apostles to the Mosaic law determines our Christian ethics.
An example of commands that would
not apply would be the command to take Palestine by war. (opsie lol)
An example of principles that would still apply would be the difference between accidental manslaughter (by a flying axe head) and malicious murder.
Ceremonial laws of sacrifice obviously do not apply.
What Bahnsen is advocating is "the continuing validity of the Old Testament law, including its socio-political standards of justice"
He is not "advocating the imposition of God's law by force upon a society . . . God's kingdom advances by means of the Great Commission"
I think what Bahnsen is saying is reasonable. Instead of looking for precepts for morality from the philosophies or social contracts of men, let us have the whole bible as our standard for morality.