Law in the Bible

Have you read the Declaration of Independence? The whole thing?

We live in a world that everything is summarized and people are not used to really using their brains to think. One of the advantages of the digital world is that you can have instant communication, which is fine. But in order to really understand things you need the whole story.

Here's a little pamphlet—and it's appropriate to read from it since it's the 4th of July, The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. If you read the whole thing you will see that they indicted King George in the most severe terms.

So, for the sake of the sermon, I'm not going to read it all, but this booklet is an indictment and includes seven pages. The part that everybody likes to quote is:

Excerpts from: The Declaration of Independence {https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript}

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Poor Joe Biden, he couldn't even remember that!

Now I'll read the paragraph before it:

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

That's the most important part of it right there. Why did we become a separate nation, and then all the indictments against King George, which all reside today in the Democrat Party. If you don't believe me, read it!

Preamble to The Constitution of the United States

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

That's important because you have to have a cause for everything, and the cause has to be right.

Let's compare that with Law in the Bible. God is the Lawgiver, there's one Lawgiver (James 4:12), and that's God.

Think about this. Everything in the universe is governed by law. Everything has their own law, even the law for wood. There are atoms in there that we can't see moving. There are particles so small that they penetrate through the earth without leaving one trail. God has created everything with a set of laws for whatever it is: air, water, land, plants, animals, and most of all human beings.

Since we're made in the image of God, and the whole plan of the Bible is to tell us what the destiny of human beings is. It is important that we understand about God's Law.

Let's look at it this way; I've listed them down, there are:

• Divine Laws—how you can be in contact with God
• sacrifice and ritual laws—which are in a subdivision of the Divine laws
• civil and personal laws
• sexual and health laws

All of this is in the Bible and is to tell us how we should live with one another, with God and how we should take care of ourselves!

In the Bible, God starts out with the very basis of all law that He has made and created. Let's see that this is the greatest missing link and ingredient in trying to solve the problems of the world today. Even in America once in a while they mention God. In Trump's speech last night at Mt. Rushmore for the Salute to America he mentioned God a few times. Also, that every child is made in the Holy image of God. Have you ever heard a Democrat say that?

Here's what God says, because what happens is that human beings can rise to a certain level, and it's self-evident that what we have done in America has raised to the highest level of what human beings are able to comprehend and do by using part of God's way. Not all of it, but part of God's way. Part is better than none!

Even those who were casting out demons in Jesus' name—it was not with the disciples, and John said to Jesus:

Luke 9:49: "…'Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbad him because he does not follow with us.' But Jesus said to him, 'Do not forbid him, because everyone who is not against us is for us.'" (vs 49-50). However, don't confuse that with an opportunity for salvation!

Even God recognizes that when people follow certain of His Laws there will be certain benefits because of it. But rarely… and I think the only one who ever did it was Abraham Lincoln when he said, 'Pray for the nation and fast.'

But here's what God requires, and here is why He made us: there's a countervailing law among all people. We'll look at that in just a bit.

Mark 12:27: "'He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. Therefore, you err greatly.' And one of the scribes who had come up to Him, after hearing them reasoning together and perceiving that He answered them well, asked Him, 'Which is the first commandment of all?'" (vs 27-28).

In other words, what's the most important, primary thing of all with human living and existence?

With this, even in the letter of the Law, as God commanded them in Deut. 6, with this not counting salvation, it would bring benefits to all people.

Verse 29: "Then Jesus answered him, 'The first of all the commandments is, "Hear, O Israel…"'"—put your name there, because God is talking to each of us individually; that's why He made us individuals.

"'…Our one God is the Lord, the Lord. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment" (vs 29-30).

Why is that so? Because God wants you to understand about Him! We're made in His image! Even David said that 'You made man a little lower than God (Psa. 8). Being made a little lower than God, when men make up their minds to do things, Gen. 11 tells us that nothing that they imagine to do can be withheld. That's a lot of power! But God doesn't want robots; that's what men make, robots.

Even 'AI'—artificial intelligence—in the movie artificial intelligence was on its way to destroy mankind. Maybe that's a true statement, who knows.

Even at that, they have to make something that they put everything into it in order for it to work. The only time that God did this was when He created Adam and Eve so that He could communicate with them. But He gave them free moral agency and they

• must choose
• choose to love God
• choose to do this

If everyone in the world followed this greatest commandment, we wouldn't have any war!

So that we don't become self-centered, we have the second commandment that is like unto it.:

Verse 31: "And the second is like this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." In Matt. 22 it says, 'and on these two hang the Law and the Prophets.'

So, law is never separated from love. That's why when you have good laws it considers the blessing to the individual. You need liberty and you need choice!

With the Declaration of Independence they have a good deal correct. They didn't want to establish a theocracy, so they didn't go to the first commandment. But many of those who were participating and writing the Declaration of Independence and later the Constitution of the United States were connected to God by understanding His Word!

We don't know if there were actually any converted. However, since God also operates in nations—we know that's true and find that in the book of Daniel—and He also judges the nations, whether they do good or they do evil.

Also for individuals and nations, God looks to repentance! God is a God of love and mercy, and He wants mercy and not sacrifice. That's how God has established it!

• What is the law of Satan the devil?
• Have you ever heard of that?

He has laws!

That dawned on me the other night when I was watching a documentary on NatGeo about gangs in the Philippines. They set it up just like the Mafia was setup in America. They have rules, regulations, one 'honcho' in charge with absolute power of life and death.

Everything that they run on we can categorize as the law of sin and death! They operate on death. The one who was the host was an ex-mafia man, so they let him come in and see all the rituals and everything that they were doing.

He talked to one who was just initiated into it. He said, 'What happens if you go against this?' He said 'I'll die.' The host said, 'Are you afraid of dying?' No! Whatever he tells me to do—rob, steal, kill—I do it or I die! So, all of Satan's laws are based upon death!

• they don't lead to blessings
• they don't lead to life

Just look at the end result of everything that Satan does, and for those who follow him.

One thing that is very deceptive with Satan's system is that he offers you illicit benefits. These illicit benefits are breaking the Laws of God so that when you do it you bring the penalty of the law of sin and death upon you. That's quite a thing to contemplate.

God's way is that He offers you mercy and forgiveness, and He offers you deliverance from the law of sin and death—which is human nature—so that you can receive His Spirit and eternal life! Satan cannot offer that!

Let's look at what James called it. God's Laws are good, they're spiritual and they are Holy! An interesting comment that we will explore later: Satan can take part of what God says and turn it into a tool of violence, because he does the opposite.

James 1:21: "Therefore, having rid yourselves of all filthiness and all the abounding of wickedness around you… [and that's the way it is today] …then in meekness accept for yourselves the implanted Word, which is able to save your lives."

The Word of God implanted or inscribed into your heart and mind. How do we operate? By what we're taught! What we're taught is stored in our mind. So, if we have the implanted Word of God, what is that going to do for us? That's going to help us regulate our behavior!

Look at the lawless mobs that are running around today. They don't have that. They have:

• hatred
• lies
• death
• anarchy

Look at how they operate and they want to tear down the country; they want to destroy it!

Why would God allow it if we're so great? Because everything that was originally recorded 90% of it they're not following! The religious leaders have done one of the greatest evils of all; they have lied!

Verse 22: "Then be doers of the Word…"—not just the Law, but the Word, every word of God! What did Jesus say? Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God!

"…and not only hearers, deceiving your own selves" (v 22). Isn't that they way it is with the Christianity of the world? They have the name of Jesus, they have a certain amount of the Laws of God that they believe in, and they think they're just fine!

For example: One minister was counseling a man for baptism, and it shows you the morays of today. The man said he had a girlfriend, so the minister at the right moment said, 'Are you living together?' The man said yes. The world today thinks that's good. God says that that's not good!

What happens? There is no covenant commitment for better or worse, through thick and thin, sickness or death—whatever—there's no commitment!

I know a young lady that it just happened to. She thought she was doing good living with this man and had a nice little boy. He decided to go, and now she stuck with a child and having to go back and live with 'mama.' Well, mama should have said, 'You better get married so you have legal recourse and you have a commitment,' because love has commitment. Lawlessness has no commitment!

Verse 23: "Because if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer…" Isn't that true that every time there's a great disaster everybody says to return to God?

"…this one is like a man considering his natural face in a mirror. Who, after looking at himself, went away and immediately forgot what he was like. But the one who has looked into the perfect law of freedom…" (vs 23-25).

Think about that! Obedience leads to freedom!

• freedom from sin
• freedom to receive blessings

You can't receive blessings when you're living in sin! Satan will come to give you a benefit.

If you've ever seen I Almost Got Away with It—American History Channel every Saturday and Sunday nights—these are felons who have escaped from jail and 'live on the lamb' and think they're going to be successful. There was one man who went out and robbed many banks and had lots of money and had a girlfriend. They were happy with all the 'benefits' that they had until the police caught up with him.

So, the "…law of freedom…" keeps you from those troubles!

"…and has continued in it…" (v 25). It's not just you look into it and then you look away! You look into it and say that's what you need to do and continue in it!

What does Jesus say about salvation? The one who endures to the end, the same shall be saved! That's continuing; endurance is continuing!

"…this one himself has not become a forgetful hearer, but is a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his actions. If anyone among you considers himself to be religious, and does not control his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this ones religion is vain. Pure and undefiled religion… [God's way of life] …before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their afflictions, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (vs 25-27). Let's see how else James names this:

James 2:8: "If you are truly keeping the Royal Law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well. But if you have respect of persons, you are practicing sin, being convicted by the Law as transgressors" (vs 8-9).

In the first verses of James 2 he was talking about the rich man coming into the congregation and is loaded with a gold necklace and good clothes and you tell him. 'Friend, come sit right up here in front.' Here comes someone kind of dressed in drabby clothes and looks disheveled and you say, 'You better go to the back.'

Sidebar: What if that were an angel? You never know!

Some of the slickest, most well-dressed people in the world have been the worst deceivers and liars.

So, respecting persons is part of it, as well!

Verse 9: "But if you have respect of persons, you are practicing sin, being convicted by the Law as transgressors; for if anyone keeps the whole Law, but sins in one aspect, he becomes guilty of all" (vs 9-10).

What's the favorite thing that men like to do concerning the Word of God? They like to add to it, or take away from it! or Tell God what to do! You can take and that put within that framework Sunday and all the holidays of the world. It says that you're to be a doer of the Word! What does the Word contain? The Ten Commandments! The Holy Days of God!

So, when we look out and see the world the way it is today with all of this lawlessness, these people don't have a clue as to what they're doing. What it really requires is mammoth repentance of the whole nation IF they're not going to be given over to their enemies because of their sins!

Watch them! Go to TBN and watch those delusional preachers! I know that when I did the series on Protestantism, that was hard to watch. {sermon series: The Mystery of Protestantism} There was one man who said that the Law is done away and he had the stone plaques of the Ten Commandments and they just dissolved. And God accepts you as you are! No, He doesn't!

• What does God says?
• What's the first thing that God says?
• Repent!

That means that God does not accept you as you are! That means that you have to come to God and repent to Him for your sins, and start keeping His Laws. Quite a different thing!

We won't go to Adam and Eve, but the biggest thing with them was that they did not obey the voice of God!

Whatever God says is a law. He's Lawgiver and Lawmaker. So, if God says not to eat of this fruit, that's a law. Since it came directly from God to them, and He told them they could everything else but this one tree. That's generous, isn't it? Think about it! They could eat of every tree and every plant except this one: the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil! That means that they would decide for themselves what was good and what was evil; what was right and what was wrong.

That resulted in the judgment of God against them, which was translated into the law of sin and death within us.

Let's look at something else; what else happened when He judged them? Environmental change! Thorns and thistles! Ever have a garden without any weeds? No! Both have sorrow:

• Women have sorrow in birth and with their children all through life, because they always remember them as their babies. It doesn't matter if they're 50 years old.
• Men have sorrow because they do all this work—sweat and labor—and it comes to nothing.

They both have sorrow, so ladies, don't think that God has picked on you to make you sorrowful; men have sorrow as well.

After the Flood and the reason there was a Flood—and we're reaching the same state today—because every thought of every man was only evil continually.

Make this a special project, and you can do it mentally: Go along through this week and note all the evil thoughts that come into your mind—

• whether they're already there and they pop up because there are a lot of them there
• or you're watching television and it entices you to it
• or whether it's just your own emotions against someone that you don't necessarily like

and see how automatic sin is within!

Multiply that over thousands and millions of times, and that's what the world was like before the Flood. And they lived long lives. God said after the Flood that man's days would be 120 years. You see as you look at the chronologies the length of time that person lived when down, down, down. Moses died at 120 and King David died 'well stricken in age' at 70!

Gen. 8—the Flood is over. Imagine that, all being in the ark for 402 days; you're anxious to get out. God finally opens it up and let's them out. The first thing that Noah does is offer sacrifices for thanksgiving.

Genesis 9:1: "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and He said to them… [fresh start] …'Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the air, upon all that moves on the earth, and upon all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered'" (vs 1-2). That's quite a dominion!

Verse 3: "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you, even as the green herb…"

What is the condition? The seed in it! So, with every living thing there is the condition that it has to be cleaned because God brought the animals over, clean and unclean. All the clean came by seven pair and the unclean by one pair.

…I have given you all things. But you shall not eat of flesh with the life in it—which is its blood" (vs 3-4).

I remember when I was growing up, about 10-11-years old—I went over to one of the neighbors up the road and they were killing a big hog. I had never seen anything like that before. I was up there watching it and as soon as the slit the throat they each took a cup and put it under and caught some blood and drank it.

I thought: What is this? I knew nothing about God or anything, but I couldn't understand why they would do that.

Verse 5: "And surely the blood of your lives will I require. At the hand of every animal will I require it, and at the hand of man. At the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood shall be shed by man—for He made man in the image of God" (vs 5-6).

This is where God gave sovereign jurisdiction to men over men when they organize into nations. Here's a principle: You cannot have two sovereigns within one geographical territory.

You see the sprouting of a newbee sovereignty with all the ANTIFA, Black Lives Matter and the extreme radical left. They're going against the sovereignty of the United States. You always have clashes, so that's why we find in Acts 17 that God set the bounds of the nations. He wanted the nations to be separate.

What they were to do was to administer the death penalty. We'll take a look at some of those other laws in just a little bit.

Verse 7: "'And you, be fruitful and multiply. Bring forth abundantly in the earth, and increase in it.' And God spoke to Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 'Behold I, even I establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you; and with every living creature that is with you—of the birds, of the livestock, and of every animal of the earth with you—from all that go out from the ark, to every animal of the earth. And I will establish My covenant with you. Neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood. Neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth'" (vs 7-11). And then God gave the sign of the rainbow!

When you look at the rainbow you can say, 'Ah ha!' does this mean that they didn't have the rainbow before? No! Undoubtedly, they had the rainbow, but now it becomes special.

Exo. 20—here we have the Laws of God. Like everything else that God does, He first gives the major part of the law then the details. So, we have here the Ten Commandments.

(go to the next track)

Now let's see what the Lawgiver gave, the most important Ten Commandments. I won't go over them except to say that—Exo. 20:

• the 1st one keeps you in contact with the true God
• the 2nd one keeps you from worshipping any physical idol
• the 3rd one keeps you from taking God's name in vain
• the 4th one keeps you in contact with God on a weekly basis for education in His Word
• the 5th one is the cornerstone for society, children honoring their father and mother, and father and mother taking care of the children
• the 6th one is that you shall not murder
• the 7th one is you shall not commit adultery
• the 8th one is you steal
• the 9th one is you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
• the 10th one is you shall not covet your neighbor's house, wife, servants, anything that is your neighbor's

Based on that were other lesser laws! What do you mean by murder? What is murder? It is willful determination of exterminating someone else, especially if you're in hiding, to kill them! That would require your life!

They also had in Exo. 21 that if there was an accidental death of someone the one who was responsible could flee to a 'city of refuge' until they setup a judging committee to go through thoroughly every aspect of the charges brought against him to see if it was an accidental death or not.

Exodus 21:22: "If men strive and strike a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and no harm follows, he shall surely be punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him. And he shall pay as the judges determine."

So, they setup a system of judges, and they were to be obeyed. All of these things, 'life for life, tooth for tooth' are as the judge would determine. If the things were very complicated, then they would go to the priests.

What's important in all of this is that truth, love, honesty, dedication for the well being of the citizenry against those who sent to harm it. You'll find that in thievery that the one who was the thief had to restore. In other word, restitution!

Think about how long Black Lives Matter and ANTIFA would last if tomorrow they were presented with a bill for all of the damage, lost wages and destroyed businesses that they caused? How many rioting protests do you think would be after that?

Then to take legal recourse and all of those corporations and individuals who donated to them would also be fined for promoting a terrorist organization. That would stop it! That's would be God's way of doing it.

Now back to where you have a complicated case; Deuteronomy 17:2: "If there is found among you, inside any of your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, in breaking His covenant, and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the forces of heaven, which I have forbidden, and if it is told you, and you have heard and inquired diligently, and, behold, it is true and the thing is certain, that such abomination is done in Israel; then you shall bring forth that man or that woman who has committed that evil thing to your gates, even that man or that woman, and shall stone them with stones until they die" (vs 2-5).

Why? Look at what happens when other religions and gods and things take place! Look at the manifesto of ANTIFA and Black Lives Matter. They are dedicated to destroying the country!

Verse 6: "At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death. At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death."

In the book of John you find that Jesus adhered to that (John 8). The woman was taken in adultery. I think Jesus wrote this in the dirt: Where is the man? How can you catch a woman in the act of adultery if there isn't a man?

A miscarriage of justice! So, they all left, and you will notice that Jesus didn't say He forgave the woman, because this was not grace. This was a miscarriage of justice.

Jesus asked her, 'Has anyone condemned you?' No, Sir! Jesus said, 'I do not condemn you either, go and sin no more.' It wasn't a matter of forgiveness; it was a matter of mistrial, because it says that you are bring both the man and woman and both shall die.

Verse 7: "The hands of the witnesses shall be the first on him to put him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people. So, you shall put the evil away from among you. If a matter is too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of strife within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the LORD your God shall choose. And you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge that shall be in those days, and ask. And they shall declare to you the sentence of judgment. And you shall do according to the sentence, which they declare to you from that place which the LORD shall choose. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they tell you" (vs 7-10). Well, this is like a Supreme Court!

In every case you go along with everything; what is required in all of this? Facts and truth! Today, too many people operate on emotions and slogans. You must have facts and truth.

Then it goes on to say that if they don't do what they're suppose to do, then they shall be put to death.

Now let's talk about the police for a little bit. You want to dissolve the police? Remember what we said in Gen. 9 that that's when God gave sovereign power to the nations. That's why every nation has a system of judging, policing and armies living in the carnal world.

And because just like there are criminals on an individual basis, gangs on a group basis, there are evil men on a national basis who desire to kill and destroy other nations; that's called war!

Here's the policing power; Romans 13:1: "Let everyone be subject to the higher authorities because there is no authority except from God…"

The Church is not a sovereign nation. That's why we do not carry out the death penalty. The Church is in every sovereign nation from time to time down through history, and the greatest policing that the Church has is disfellowshipment. You cannot have two sovereign powers within one geographical area!

How do you think it would be if we setup a tribunal here in Hollister and someone in the Church sins a grievous sin, and they come here and we have a judgment and we execute that person?

Well, the authorities would shut us down right away, because that is against what God has established and that would be ungodly for us to do so. The Church has no authority of the administration of death (1-Cor. 3). The other authorities, the police and judicial system, every nation has setup.

• Did Paul use the judicial system? Yes, he did!
• What did He do? He appealed to the high court of Caesar!
• What did they do? They took him to Rome!

"…and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God" (v 1).

• look what happens when you defund the police
• look what happens when you don't charge them for thievery

It used to be a felony if you took so much value of goods in stealing, now it's in some states it's up to $750 that you can take without it being a felony.

Now they have gangs that come into the store—they've already planned what they're going to get—and they come out with their arms full and they can't even call the police to charge them.

That's is lawlessness!

Notice that this authority we are to submit to unless it's preventing us from serving God and worshipping God!

That's why in America we have the first[transcriber's correction] amendment: "…the right of the people peaceably to assemble…" and freedom of religion, worship. {https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript}

Other countries have it similar, but many of them have a state religion. I don't know if you've heard of the alliance between the pope and China, but now China is going to let some of the Catholics in IF the Chinese government approves of the leaders of the Catholic Church. It's not like America. Freedom of worship, that's what we have. However, on the other things:

Verse 2: "So then, the one who sets himself against the authority is resisting the ordinance of God…" That's what all of these lawless groups are doing!

They're not only going against the established government, they are going against God because He set the authority.

"…and those who resist shall receive judgment to themselves" (v 2).

So, it's entirely, absolutely correct for President Trump to sign an Executive Order concerning the tearing down of the historical monuments, because the Congress will not act.

Verse 3: "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil works. Do you desire not to be afraid of the authority? Then practice good, and you will have praise from it; for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you are practicing evil, have fear! For he does not wear the sword in vain because he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to the one who is practicing evil" (vs 3-4).

All of this is turned upside down today! That one case in Atlanta, Georgia, look at the video cam that they have of that, that man had many arrests, he was drunk, he had already been in jail, he was resisting arrest and he beat up two policemen and grabbed the taser and was running away and shooting it back at the policeman. The police shot him and their charging the policeman with murder!

That is lawlessness!

That was a justified thing to do for resisting arrest. If you're the kind of character that that guy was, and you're running away, you don't know what he's going to do.

Verse 4: "For he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you are practicing evil, have fear!…."

• that's what should be stated
• that's what should be pronounce everywhere

What they should do in cases like this where they have renegade governors, city mayors, they should arrest them for their lawlessness against the people, against property, against the good welfare of the state.

But when you get corrupt leaders, corrupt judges, corrupt laws you have lawlessness!That's what we have today!

Verse 5: "Consequently, it is necessary to be subject to authority, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience. For this cause, you are also obligated to pay tribute… [pay your taxes] …for they are servants of God, continually engaged in this very thing" (vs 5-7).

• What do we have today because of the lawlessness? 272 policemen in New York City have applied for retirement!
• Do you want to go out and risk your life when you have no backup by the authority that you have to submit to?

What we're looking at is this, right here in Matt. 24; this is what we have in society today:

Matthew 24:12 "And because lawlessness shall be multiplied, the love of many shall grow cold."

• Is that not what we're seeing?
• Lawlessness even in high levels of politicians?

That's not to say that there are not corrupt Republicans, but the majority of them are in the Democrat Party.

Just like today, the governor of California despises 4th of July celebrations because he hates this country. So, he has used and misused his authority to say, 'No gatherings! You can't go to the beach. You can't have a barbeque in your backyard or we will arrest you!'

That is lawlessness!

Especially when there is no account of when the mobs were burning and looting that the doctors in New York and the various other cities said that there was no increase or up-tick in the Wuhan Virus. But 'you can't assemble to worship God and you can't assemble to celebrate the 4th of July, because, I the oppressor king of California tells you no!' That's the same way in other states as well.

That is lawlessness!

There's lawlessness by rampant crime, and by criminal acts of politicians against the people! That's not of God!

Let's look at another thing that's important. Prov. 1 is very interesting. It tells young people not to get involved in gangs.

Proverbs 1:1: "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel." Remember that the first ten chapters are from David!

Verse 2: "To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding." In other words, you can be mature in mind and thought so that you can be a responsible individual!

Verse 3: "To receive the instruction of wisdom, righteousness, and judgment, and equity; to give prudence to the simple…" (vs 3-4).

What happens when you don't educate them. Look at the mobs that are out there, no education! No proper education! They've been educated in the all of the wrong propaganda from the godless people who are in the universities and schools.

Verse 5: "A wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel to understand a proverb and its interpretation, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings" (vs 5-6).

The first thing here, notice that all children need to be taught this. That's why it is honor father and mother because God has put them over their children. If they're going to bring children into the world they are responsible to teach them, and the children are responsible to obey them. That's the way God made it. Here's the first thing they need to learn:

Verse 7: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…" You learn to fear God because He has given your parents to be over you for your good, until you are old enough to be able to function on your own as an individual.

"…but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (v 7). That's what happens; they get mad and run off and reject their parents, and they end up committing crimes and with drugs. Girls end up pregnant.

Verse 8: "My son, hear the instruction of your father and forsake not the law of your mother." There it is the 5th commandment, which is the fulcrum commandment that makes them all work; the first four and the last five after the 5th one.

Verse 9: "For they shall be an ornament of grace to your head and chains of honor around your neck."

If you treat your parents with Godly loving respect, God is going to bless you. If you don't, then your parents have to discipline you and if you don't go with the discipline the way it should be then you're going to get yourself in trouble. What's the first thing that's going to happen to you? You're going to find friends that are rebellious!

Verse 10: "My son… [or daughters] …if sinners entice you, do not consent." Don't agree to do things that are wrong, crimes, and evil!

Verse 11: "If they say, 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; we will watch secretly for the innocent without cause; let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those who go down into the pit; we shall find all precious substance; we shall fill our houses with plunder'" (vs 11-13).

• What happened with the 'autonomous zone' in Seattle?
• Was it a summer of love? No!

They had rapes, robberies, destruction of property, and shootings!

• What did they say? Let's get rid of the police and get out of this area, and 'we're going to setup CHOP!'

Well, after a couple of weeks, and even the police chief went along with it—imagine that—getting rid of a precinct of policemen in the area. Then when they got out of there and she saw all of the graffiti and mess and everything that was broken and destroyed, businesses ruined, peoples hard earnings all lost. 'I was surprised, I didn't think it would be like that.'

So, you see what happens when you have tolerance and corruption within the authorities, and you have violence and determination by gangs.

That's lawlessness!

If it continues, sooner or later the country will come down.

Verse 14: 'Cast in your lot among us, and let us have one purse.' My son, do not walk in the way with them! Keep back your foot from their path" (vs 14-15).

I remember that there was young girl in middle school and she had a couple of friends—her mother told me this, so I know it first hand—and the friends said, 'Let's go out. Let's go over at the corner of the playground and let's smoke some pot.'

She said, 'No' and walked away. She had good common sense because her mother taught her, and she has since been successful in her life, graduated from high school, took two years of college and just recently got married and they have a wonderful one-year-old boy.

If she would have gone the other way with marijuana, what comes next? Speed, cocaine, then illicit sex, unwanted children, and no one to take care of that little child. The mother is incapable, and what happens? We have a lot children growing us with no adult supervision or examples to follow. So, they get in these gangs! Think of these mobs as I read this:

Verse 16: "For their feet run to evil and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird" (vs 16-17). In other words, if you don't enforce the law it's going to get away from you!

Verse 18: "But they lie in wait for their own blood; they watch secretly for their own lives."

They don't realize it, but their cutting their lives short. Lawlessness in kid and teenage gangs—unless it is by adult supervision for a sport, hobby, craft—this is what it's going to lead to. What happens when they get into robbery? Guns? Look at Chicago! Dedicated to murder by gangs!

They've even had reporters go in and the gangs show them their weapons. They know that that's their life. Amazing! Here it is right here! That's why the Word of God is so important. That's why there are laws.

• you have God's Laws, which lead to life and eventually eternal life
• you have the laws of Satan the devil, which lead to death and destruction

That's what we see! Right there on television, and you get tired of seeing it! I remember one day they had the screen split four ways, with four riots.

Verse 19: "So are the ways of everyone who gets gain by violence…"

How much did CHOP amount to up in Seattle after they destroyed everything?

"…who takes away the life of its owners. Wisdom cries outside; she utters her voice in the streets" (vs 19-20). Everyone saying, 'Don't do it!'

Verse 21: 'She cries in the chief place of gathering, in the openings of the gates; in the city she utters her words, saying, 'How long will you love simplicity, simple ones?….'" (vs 21-22)—or stupidity, stupid ones!

• Isn't it stupid to do the things that they did?
• How stupid is it?

You take a wonderful business and you come up and smash in the glass windows, and then you have a horde of people go in there and take everything out of the store.

"…And will scorners delight in their scorning? And will fools hate knowledge? Turn back at my reproof…" (vs 22-23).

When you're told not to do it, don't do it, unless they're trying to tell you to quit worshipping God!

"…behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. Because I called, and you refused to hearken…" (vs 23-24).

How many times were they told, 'Don't do that.' I wonder how many of those kids were told by their parents, 'Don't do that.' They didn't listen!

"…I stretched out my hand, and no one paid attention; but you have despised all my counsel and would have none of my reproof. I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes" (vs 24-26).

Lawlessness never works for the good! Never! Never!

Verse 27: "When your calamity comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and pain come upon you, then they shall call upon Me, but I will not answer; they shall seek Mw early, but they shall not find Me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD" (vs 27-29).

That goes right back to the beginning, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge! The consequences will come sooner or later.

Verse 31: Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices."

• they don't want to be beat upon, but they beat upon others
• they don't want to be killed, but they kill others
• they don't want their goods taken from them, but they're happy to take other people's in thievery

Verse 32: "For the waywardness of the simple shall slay them, and the complacency of fools destroys them. But whoever hearkens to me shall dwell safely and shall be secure without fear of harm" (vs 32-33).

After going through all this, you need a way of recovery. Can they recover from this? Yes! If they stop doing the things that are wrong and start doing what is right!

Proverbs 2:1: "My son, if you will receive my words and treasure up my commandments within you." In other words, reprogram your rebellious mind with the Word of God!

This is the initiative from the one who has been doing wrong. If they want to change and do right, here's how to do it. You can preach to them all day long, and tell them to do it, but if they stay in rebellion, they won't do it.

Verse 2: "So that you incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding; yea, if you cry after knowledge and lift up your voice for understanding" (vs 2-3)—seek out what is right; do what is good! Think what needs to be.

Verse 4: "If… [conditional] …you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures."

The initiative must be taken by the young people growing up themselves! Mothers and fathers can teach them. Or if there's a single parent, the mother or father can teach them. Some of the single parents have done great jobs with their children.

The one who comes to mind is Ben Carson. His story is that he was with a gang and ready to go out and do some very violent things. He got really angry and the best I can remember of the story is that he shut himself in the bathroom and read the Bible, and that got his attention.

Look at him now. He is one of the best brain surgeons in the world, and now he's the head of HUD for the government. He's doing more to help the depraved and the deprived communities in these large cities.

Now notice what you have to do, what this will do IF you receive the words and seek for knowledge. IF you listen to the voice and do it as if you're going after silver…

Why? Because when you educate yourself, when you get older you're going to be worth more to whomever hires you! You will make more money that if you just dabble your life and do nothing.

I remember one young lad who I met and knew him. He was smoking pot. I got angry at him because he was just laying around and doing nothing, and said, 'Look! Unless you get your life squared around, you're going to amount to nothing!' Somehow that got through to him. He's doing quite well with his life. He's married with one child and another one in 'hatch' and is building a brand new house.

The reward does not come immediately; it comes when you prove that you can do it right over a period of time.

Now notice what it will do when you come to God; v 5: "Then you shall understand the fear of the LORD…"—and why you should fear God!

People will say, 'If God is a God of love, why should you fear Him.' Because if you transgress, you're going to suffer the penalty! Do you like the penalties? No!

"…and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; out of His mouth… [which is written down for you] …comes knowledge and understanding. He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly. He keeps the paths of right judgment and preserves the way of His saints" (vs 5-8).

God's blessing on you as you go about your daily life! Even young people don't like difficulties. But if you don't like difficulties then make your life right.

Verse 9: "Then you shall understand righteousness and judgment and equity, every good path. Wisdom shall enter into your heart…" (vs 9-10).

You're going to be smart, not stupid! Look at those people in those gangs and lawless riots, they're stupid! That's all you can say of them. Well, they didn't follow God's way.

Verse 11: "Discretion shall preserve you and, understanding shall keep you, to deliver you from the way of the evil man, from the man who speaks wicked things" (vs 11-12). You won't be tempted to do evil! You can overcome the temptation!

This is why, and you have to remember this. Everything that there is functions by law, regardless of what it is! But the most important things that need to function correctly are us as individuals with the laws, commandments and Word of God and Spirit of God. That's the most important thing. Everything else out there is physical and temporary.

But God is offering eternal life, and that law of life is through Jesus Christ. If they don't turn back the lawlessness, it's going to destroy us! Let's hope it can be turned back.

Scriptural References:

• Luke 9:49-50
• Mark 12:27-31
• James 1:21-27
• James 2:8-10
• Genesis 9:1-11
• Exodus 21:22
• Deuteronomy 17:2-10
• Romans 13:1-7
• Matthew 24:12
• Proverbs 1:1-29, 31-33
• Proverbs 2:1-12

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• James 4:12
• Deuteronomy 8
• Psalm 8
• Genesis 11
• Matthew 22
• Genesis 8
• Acts 17
• Exodus 20
• John 8
• 1 Corinthians 3

Also referenced:

• The Declaration of Independence {https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript}
• Sermon Series: The Mystery of Protestantism

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 7/7/20

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