This is Part 2 of a series on what I understand might be the top 10 spiritual principles or laws that relate to many of the crises across our world today. Please see Part 1. I decided to present this in more than the originally planned 2 parts. Hopefully, this will allow time for pondering and reflection on these concepts.
Some readers may be tempted to argue that, as born again Christians, we live under Grace (and we do!), and therefore, are delivered from spiritual laws or principles. This would be the height of fallacy. While we are, indeed, delivered from the Mosaic and Levitical laws, it is helpful to keep in mind that God, the highest power in existence, is highly ordered and structured. He created and governs everything in the physical universe to follow His laws and principles. We know many as the laws of physics, aerodynamics, mathematics, etc. As with all things physical, I believe even these laws are subject to higher spiritual laws and principles. Being saved by Grace does not exempt us from God’s highly ordered spiritual principles. Rather, it should draw us into much deeper study, appreciation and obedience of His highly principled requirements and expectations, such as loving, forgiving, sowing righteous seeds, etc.
Ok, so what are the priority spiritual laws; how are they being implemented and enforced; and how might they relate to crises you may have experienced or witnessed? Here is my take, presented in a series, based on considerable pondering of this very complex topic. Hopefully you will be inspired to do your own pondering and share your thoughts as well. (Be sure to see Top 10 Reasons for Crisis - Part 1)
#3. The Law of Faith. Four times, The Bible iterates the righteous , born-again person must live/walk by faith, which simply means learning to trust God and His Word from moment-to-moment. Because faith works by Love (Galatians 5:6), it, along with Love, likely has a neutral spiritual pH equivalent, while fear (the opposite of faith) must be highly acidic/toxic.
While it’s possible to have faith in things other than God and His Word, as many in our world do, The Bible promises that all else eventually shall fail and prove unworthy of our faith, whether in this life ...or beyond. Life is so structured that we will either live/walk by faith in God, who alone is trustworthy …or by fear of other things that are totally untrustworthy! All across our world today, we see the stark and dark results of people walking in fear, even many who profess being born-again!
Another post, Fear Is Faith Is Fear Is..., notes that faith and fear are the exact same spiritual force -- God's creative, attracting force. They are both spiritual substance that produces physical results. (Hebrews 11:1) Fear is simply faith that has been corrupted, and rather than creating/attracting things hoped for, as faith is intended to do, it does the exact opposite -- creating/attracting things NOT hoped for; things dreaded. We can only wonder how much of the crises and tragedies in our world today may be in some way triggered by people exercising strong fear, which is corrupted, negative faith. (See: Job 3:25) Remind yourself regularly that our loving, foreseeing God on 4 occasions in His Word, The Holy Bible, reveals that the just person (those whom He has deemed righteous and born-again in Jesus Christ) shall live by his/her faith. I personally believe and embrace this as both a commandment and a promise. What about you?
NB: Satan, as a created being, does not possess the creative power of God. As God’s enemy, he uses his kingdom of devils and demons (fallen angels) to work through us to manipulate and corrupt the good things God has created. Thus, he corrupted faith to become fear, or negative faith. In this manner, he succeeds in getting us to use faith against ourselves (akin to how stressors work against our autonomic nervous system).
#4. The Law of Causeless, Brotherly Blood Guiltiness. God’s ‘life-for-life’ law requires our high respect for His gift of life in order to help sustain healthy lifestyles within nations/societies. Many of us erroneously understand this law as requiring no blood guiltiness, without exception, omitting the part about ‘causeless and brotherly’. There are clear Biblical exceptions for taking a life with just cause within a nation/society. But what about the taking of lives between opposing nations/societies, such as in wars? Is there Biblical basis for conscientious objections to participating in wars? I do not know. I do know that throughout The Bible, God iteratively affirms, ‘I am The Lord. There is no other God.’ With only one Sovereign Deity, it is He who ultimately directs and controls everything, even things we humans think may go against His loving and graceful character. We tend to think that because we conveniently forget that He is the ultimate Judge of all things. As The Lord above all things, He declares He who ultimately starts and ends wars. (See: Exodus 15:3, Deuteronomy 7:9-10, 32:30 and 39, Isaiah 45:7 and 48:10, Jeremiah 31:25, Ezekiel 9 and 14:12-23, Amos 3:6 and many more such attestations.)
Does this sound sacrilegious to you? If so, please read and meditate on these Bible verses affirming God’s role in causing/allowing calamities, including wars, all to accomplish His high-level purposes and objectives across His creation. Psalms 46:9 affirms God shall one day cause all wars to cease. Thus, since He is indeed above all things, and there is none other higher, we are the ones who need to adjust our thinking and accept what He has intentionally and purposefully iterated in His Word, The Holy Bible.
Imagine the potential links between the extent of causeless, brotherly blood guiltiness across our land and world, and the incredible calamities regularly reported in the news!
#5. The Law of Governmental Respect. God has ordained governmental structures and authorities as the means by which societies can be sustained orderly. This reflects the highly ordered and structured nature of everything spiritual, from which physical authority derives. Imagine the consequences when those in governments, themselves, and governments, in general, disrespect this particular law, and God’s other laws as well! For example, do you really think the Law of Sowing and Reaping will be suspended for them?! (See: Judgment Bar Absences)
Blessed pondering...
