Pastor-teacher Don Hargrove 

Faith Bible Church

Wed., Oct 28, 2009  

http://fbcweb.org/Audio.html   

 

Salvation (Eph 2:1-10; Col 1:13); the SL (1 Cor 1:9; Eph 5:13-18), spiritual maturity (Rm 12:2; Js  1:8; 4:4-6)

 

GOD’S COVENANTS – Part 17:  The Mosaic Covenant, Part 9:

Mosaic Law, Natural Law, Nomonology, Degeneracy and Reversionism  

                                                                                                                                                                                    (Messiah & A.C. #263)

 

A.   The Mosaic Law and Nomonology.

            1.  Nomonology refers to the philosophical study of mankind’s orientation to “law” throughout history.

            2.  Although no man can “perfectly keep” the law, man instinctively “does” the “things” of the law.

            3.  These “things” of the law refer to the three aspects of the Mosaic Law.

                        a.   Virtue code as per the Decalogue.

                        b.   Spiritual code as per the ordinances.

                        c.   Civil code as per the statues.

            4.  The study of all civilizations throughout human history reveals the workings of these three orientations to “law” in conjunction with man’s conscience, Rm 2:15.

                        a.   National historical examples. 

                        b.   The individual example of Marcus Aurelius.

.           5.   Nations and people who responded positively with their consciences to these three categories of Law/Truth were blessed while those who suppressed and distorted these intuitive laws/truths became degenerate and were cursed as per  the 5 cycles of discipline, Gen 15:16; Lev 18; Acts 17:26-27; Jn 3:19-21.

 

B.  The 5 stages of personal and national decay, Rom 1:18-32.

            #1:   Rejection of God as Creator. 

            #2    Idolatry, 1:22-25.

            #3:   Sexual immorality, 1:26-27.

            #4:   Depraved mind, 1:28-31.

            #5:  New perverted morality in violation of natural law, 1:32.

 

C.   In the 5th stage of degeneracy, rejection of truth reaches its climax as absolute truth is replaced with lies - which lies become the new perverted absolute truths in which good is called evil and evil is actually called good, Isa 5:11-21; Hos 4:6.

 

D.   The 5 cycles of national discipline on Israel, Lev 26; Dt 28. 

            1.  Cycle #1:  Lev 26:16-17,  defeat in battle. 

            2.  Cycle #2:  Lev 26:18-20, economic destruction.  

            3.  Cycle #3:  Lev 26:21-22, increase violence, crime, and terrorism. 

            4.  Cycle #4:  Lev 26:23-26, disease, military defeat.

            5.  Cycle #5:  Lev 26:27ff., removal of nation. 

 

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

                        1.  Judgment for sexual promiscuity including molestation and incest, 18:6-18.

            2.  Judgment  for adultery, 18:20.     

            3.  Judgment for infanticide, idolatry, sexual perversion, 18:21.

            4.  Judgment for homosexuality, 18:22.

            5.  Judgment for bestiality, 18:23.

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

 

F.   The principle issue for all nations in regard to natural law and government is found in the 5 divine institutions.

 

G.   Rejection of truth leads to acceptance of relativism and it is relativism that is the dominant characteristic of reversionism – on individual (believer and unbeliever) as well as national levels.

 

H.   America’s nomonology and current reversionism.

            1.   America’s founding on Truth.

                        a.   America’s Christian heritage.

                        b.   Declaration of Independence.

                        c.   The American Constitution.

                                    1)   The Federalists (Madison, Hamilton).

                                    2)   The Anti-federalist (Patrick Henry, Henry Lee).

            2.  Communistic/socialistic attack on and corruption of America.

            3.   The Four Premises of Communism.

            4.   The 45 goals of communism to take over America. 

            5.  In contrast to tenets of socialism/materialism, government was instituted by God to protect the law abiding citizen from malefactors, Rom 13:1-4; 1 Pet 2:13-14.

 

I.   Lawlessness and apostasy in the last days of the Church Age, 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.

 

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 believers in KD, 2 Tim 4:10.

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