Pastor-teacher Don Hargrove

Faith Bible Church

Wed., Oct 21, 2009

http://fbcweb.org/Audio.html

Salvation (Rom 5:1-2); the spiritual life (1 Pet 5:7), spiritual maturity (Prov 23:7; Rom 12:1-2; Eph 3:20).

GOD’S COVENANTS – Part 15: The Mosaic Law, Part 7:

Mosaic Law, Natural Law, Lawlessness, and Apostasy

(Messiah & A.C. #261)

A. Dispensations and Covenants.

1. Dispensationalism (οἰκονομία) and the Sermon on the Mount.

2. Covenants and the biblical grid: 2 Covenants/Testaments or 8 Covenants?

B. The Mosaic Law and Natural Law.

1. Review of Mosaic Covenant (Rom 10:4; Js 2:10).

2. Even unbelievers instinctively do the things of the Law, Rom 2:14.

3. Man’s instinct to “do Law” is what is known as “natural law.”

4. It is critical to understand the distinction between natural law and positive law.

5. Man’s instinct for natural law works in conjunction with an inner faculty called conscience (συνείδησις) to give him sense of rationality, order, law, morality.

6. Lawlessness, degeneration, and gross evil is always a result of man’s suppression/rejection of natural law and the counsels of conscience, 1 Tim 4:2.

7. When natural law and the conscience are rejected and corrupted, positive law becomes the new norm and standard.

8. What to do in times of lawlessness: keep the eternal perspective (Col 3:1-3), pray for our leaders (1 Tim 2:1-2), inform others (Philip 2:15-16; 2 Cor 5:20).

C. Historical survey of natural law (ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῶσιν).

1. Sumerian Law codes (2900-1800 B.C).

2. Hammarabi’s law codes (1792-1750 B.C).

3. The Greek tragedians (c. 525 B.C.).

4. Stoicism (300 B.C.).

5. Romans.

6. Plato (427-347 BC).

7. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.).

8. Cicero (106-43 B.C).

9. Justinian (A.D. 533).

10. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274).

11. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804).

12. John Locke (1632-1704).

13. Natural law in America at the Founding (18th century).

14. New era of legal positivism: Command/utilitarian Law.

D. God and government.

1. God is not particularly interested in what form of government.

2. What God is interested in is the preservation of natural law.

3. God warns man about Big Government (1 Sam 8:6-22).

4. Government is a divine institution, Rom 13:1-7.

5. All human rights are gifts from God.

6. Natural law/rights & the 5 divine institutions.

#1: Volition – government is to protect our freedoms.

#2: Marriage – government is to protect marriages.

#3: Family – government is to protect our families.

#4: Limited Government – government is to protect us from others.

#5: Nationalism – government is to protect our nation.

E. The 5 stages of decay on both a personal as well as national level, Rom 1:18ff.

#1: Rejection of God as Creator, Rom 1:18-21.

#2: Idolatry, 1:22-25.
#3: Sexual immorality, 1:26-27.

#4: Depraved mind, 28-31.

#5: New/inverted morality in violation of natural law.

F. National/personal reversionism is always a result of –vol, Isa 5:11-21; Hos 4:6.

G. God’s warning to Israel of the 5 cycles of discipline, Lev 26; Dt 28

H. Divine discipline on gentile nations for violation of natural law, Dt 28; Lev 18.

1. Sexual promiscuity including molestation and incest, Lev 18:6-18.

2. Adultery, 18:20.

3. Infanticide, idolatry, sexual perversion, 18:21.

4. Homosexuality, 18:22.

5. Bestiality, 18:23.

6. Divine destruction of a lawless defiled gentile nation, 18:24-25.

I. Rejection of BD, lawlessness, apostasy, and reversionism in the last days of the Church Age, 2 Thess 2:3, 7.

1. The end of the church age will be characterized by lawlessness, 2 Thess 2:3. 2. Religious ascetic reversionism, 1 Tim 4:1-3.

3. Rejection of the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, 2 Pet 2:1-3

4. Religious hucksterism, 2 Pet 2:15.

5. Denial of the Return of Jesus Christ, 2 Pet 3:3-4.

6. Hedonistic, narcissistic, emotional, “religious” Christianity, 2 Tim 3:1-5

7. Rejection of sound doctrine, 2 Tim 4:3-4.

8. Self-confident in self-improvements and attainments, Rev 3:15-16.

J. Protection against apostasy and the lawless influences of our day.

1. Continue living out the spiritual life, 2 Tim 3:10.

2. Do not be surprised at the testings in life, 2 Tim 3:12.

3. Stay in doctrine, 2 Tim 3:14-17; Mt 4:4.

4. Focus on God’s plan for your life, 2 Tim 4:6-8.

5. Do not be distracted by fellow believers who are in KD, 2 Tim 4:10.

6. Continue to lean on the Lord for strength, 2 Tim 4:17-18.