Last Friday evening at our Digging Deeper Home Fellowship (4 regular participants were out, 15 present) I posed a question like this:
“If you are working with others to form a new nation and are asked to write the laws for your new country, what laws would you establish?”
The answers were extremely varied, but as you can easily imagine, some ideas were pretty consistent, such as: no murder, no theft, as well as freedom of speech, assembly, and worship. However, some were quite challenging and a few truly intriguing, like:
- Public transparency in governmental spending.
- Regulations concerning pets.
- Illegal resident regulations.
- Rights of self-defense as well as for family and property.
- Two years mandatory military service.
- Mandatory school attendance.
- No daylight savings time.
- Justice without prejudice.
- Preserve / protect / honor humanity.
- Care for veterans.
- Checks and balances for governmental leaders.
Due to the fact that our home fellowship is a group of committed believers, the concepts of honoring, loving, and serving the Lord, as well as loving one’s neighbor were generally included, as were a few references to the 10 commandments. However, one individual wrote out only 4 laws for the new nation:
#1 “Jesus is Lord.”
#2 “All men and women are created equal, + all are sinners in need of salvation that only Jesus can secure.”
#3 “There are only 2 sexes, male and female as each is created by God.”
#4 “Marriage is between one woman and one man.”
WOW, these are all biblically-based (God’s) Truths, irrespective of the Mosaic Law and our current nation, and perhaps even a majority of individuals in our nation have abandoned such antiquated ideas. This may actually fully explain the current condition of our nation! The simple, yet profound abandonment of GOD!
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”
Proverbs 14:34
That evening, after outlining 7 reasons for God’s Law as presented to Moses for the Hebrew people, I asked this important question,
“OF WHAT VALUE ARE A NATION’S LAWS THAT EXCLUDE OR ELIMINATE THE VALUES OF GOD?”
Today, we need to ask that question as it relates to our own individual lives as well as that of our nation, because the Law of Moses was originally given to regulate / govern their society and reveal / expose humanity’s sin.
The apostle Paul shares his experience with the law in Romans 7:7-8.
What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”
Paul was able to identify his own sin because God have given a law to his people!
While we are not spiritual legalists, since we have been set free from the law of sin and death through Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2, Titus 2:14), nonetheless, a lawless (unregulated – concerning right and wrong) life and a lawless (unregulated – concerning right and wrong) nation is extremely destructive and tremendously dangerous! There must be a “rule of law” that upholds a biblical standard of truth, and identifies, as well as enforces, concepts of right and wrong.
“Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”
1 John 3:4, Matthew 24:12-13
Christ speaking to the disciples about the end times
“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.”
Matthew 24:12
“But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.”
1 Timothy 1:8-11
Sadly, lawlessness prevails in our current nation and throughout our world.
Even though we have a promise of a different nation where righteousness prevails 24 / 7, in the interest of our children, our children’s children, Christ’s Church and the USA, will you meditate on our condition, live righteously, share your faith, and humbly pray for the Lord God Almighty to extend His powerful hand of renewal (perhaps complete reformation) and restoration?
“The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.”
Psalm 37:30-31
Please Lord!
His & Yours, because of GRACE (God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense)
-PF
