Pastor-teacher Don Hargrove

Faith Bible Church

Wednesday, Dec 9, 2009

http://fbcweb.org/Audio.html

Salvation (Rom 4:1-6; 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:8-10); SL (Gal 5:22-23; Eph 4:30; 1 Thess 5:19), SG (Eph 4:14-15; 1 Cor 13:11; 2 Cor 10:4-5)

GOD’S COVENANTS – Part 26: The Mosaic Covenant, Part 18:

Personal and National Reversionism

(Messiah & A.C. #272)

A. Rejection of the Laws of Divine Establishment and Reversionism.

1. Reversionism is a technical theological term used for suppression and rejection of God’s absolute truth, and drawing into the mind relative truth; it is the process of exchanging the truth of God for lies of kosmos-diabolicus; it is the rejection and hatred of God’s truth for the love of Satan’s lies with the end result that the individual develops a depraved mind (αδοκιμον νουν, Rm 1:28) the Bible teaches unbeliever reversionism (Gen 6:5; Rom 1:18-25; 2:5; 2 Thess 2:7-12) as well as Christian reversionism (Numbers 14:22-45; Dt 31:27; Rom 16:17-18; Gal 5:4; Eph 4:17-20; 5:14; Philip 3:18; 1 Tim 1:19-20; 4:1-5; 2 Tim 3:1-7; 4:3-4; 2 Pet 2:22; Js 4:4, 8; 1 Jn 2:15; Rev 2:4-5, 23; 3:15-17).

2. Reversionism as it relates to the 5 laws of divine institutions on personal as well as national levels.

a. #1: Reversionism’s suppression & rejection of Biblical volition.

b. #2: R’s suppression & rejection of the Biblical marriage.

c. #3: R’s suppression & rejection of the Biblical family,

d. #4: R’s suppression & rejection of limited government.

e. #5: R’s suppression & rejection of nationalism.

3. As reversionism grows in a nation its culture with all of its norms and standards are transformed into a state where good is called evil and evil is called good and it is at that point that God has no alternative but to take out that nation (Lev 18; 26; Isa 5:20; Mal 2:17; Rm 1:32).

4. In reversionism the issue is exchanging the truth of God for the love of the lie and this plays out in both moral as well as immoral degeneracy, Jer 6:14; 8:11; Eze 13:10, 16.

B. OT survey of national and spiritual reversionism (Gen 3:8-24; 4:7-8, 23-24; 6:5-9; 12:1-4; 17:1-2; 19:16; Ex 14:10-12; 15:22-26; Num 14:1-11, 22; Judges 10:6-16; 21:25; 2 Sam 11; 1 Kings 12:28-33; 18:19-28; 2 Kings 17:7-19; Isa 1; 5; Jer 2:19-24; 3:6-10; Eze 8:6-14; 16:23-28; 23:20; Hosea 4:11-14; 6:4-6; Zeph 3:1-4; Micah 6:7-8; Mal 3:13-18; Psa 78).

C. NT survey of national and spiritual reversionism (Mat 2; ; Mat 2; Jn 19:15; Acts 5:1-3; Roman 1-3; 1 Cor 3; 10:1-13; Galatians; 2Thess 2:3-12; 1 Tim 4:1-3; 2 Tim 3:1-5; Rev 3:14-22).

D. Survey of reversionism from the 1^st century to the present.

1. Reversionism of Greek society.

2. Reversionism of ancient Rome.

3. Reversionism of Catholicism from the 1st to the 16th Century.

4. Reformation: First major dismantling of personal and national reversionism with the return to BD & laws of DE , 16-20th century.

5. Reversionism of materialism (18th-21th) – death of God & death of man.

6. Reversionism of religious existentialism (18-21st) – death of doctrine.

E. Reversionism’s rejection of the Christian-based economics of Laissez-faire capitalism.

1. Laissez-faire capitalism (LFC) is the economic system that is most compatible with God’s Word and the laws of DE (Rom 13; 1 Pet 2:14-15).

2. The rise of LFC and enormous temporal freedom has only existed in nations that were heavily influenced by doctrine as instantiated in the protestant work ethic.

3. Reversionism with its moral and immoral degeneracy has always been the enemy of LFC (i.e. Marx, RCC).

4. The dynamics and connection between the reversionism of John Maynard Keynes and the worldwide “Keynesian Revolution” with its philosophical animus toward Christian based economics.

5. The Bible clearly teaches the right of private property and LFC, Ex 20:15, 17; Mt 20:15; Acts 5.

6. In spite of the fantastic success of LFC, attacks on capitalism continue.

7. Socialism as an economic system is a logical impossibility.

8. Only in LFC capitalism is there the recognition of the sacredness of privacy, property, freedom, and life under the rule of law.

9. Only in LFC capitalism is there a separation of business and the state.

10. LFC and free enterprise is consistent with the biblical view of man.

11. LFC and free enterprise works best in a society which is influenced by the biblical ethic.

F. Truth & Freedom versus relativism and loss of freedom – and reversionism.

1. True personal freedom is incompatible with government security - which requires controls.

2. The 8 building blocks of temporal freedom.

a) #1, Primacy of the individual.

b) #2, Private property.

c) #3, The Protestant work ethic.

d) #4, Individual responsibility.

e) #5, Generosity.

f) #6, Rule of law.

g) #7, Federalism.

h) #8, Republicanism.

3. When man, believer or unbeliever, fails to orient to Truth, he will necessarily default to relativism and reversionism, with his twin “gods” of personal peace and affluence.

4. In personal & national reversionism there is always a willingness to give up freedom for personal peace & affluence - as well as excuse evil for price of expediency.

5. The reversionist with his twin gods of personal peace and prosperity is always more than happy to accept any kind of authoritative government for security – just as long aS it means security for his personal peace and prosperity.

6. The Biblical truths with all their virtues, values, and absolutes demand absolute commitment, 2 Tim 4:1-18.

7. Lack of absolute commitment always results in reversionism, 2 Tim 4:10.

a. The Lord, the POG, and Bible doctrine are relativized, Mt 26:70.

b. Priorities are reversed, 2 Tim 4:10.

c. Life dominated by the OSN w/degeneracy – Eph 4:17-19.

d. Life of reaction and distraction, Mt 6:31-33; 1 Jn 2:15.

e. Life of FSH, 2 Tim 3:4; Ecc – contra 1 Tim 6:6-7; Philip 4:11.

G. Massive reversionism in the last days of the Church Age: lawlessness and rejection of Truth, 2 Thess 2:3, 7.

1. Lawlessness, 2 Thess 2:3, 7.

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.

H. Protection against the lawless/reversionistic influences of our day.

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

2. Focus on your future with the Lord, 1 Jn 3:2-3.

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

3. Keep growing 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 believers in KD, 2 Tim 4:10.

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