WHERE DID WE GET OUR LAWS?

Historically, laws & adjudication of law in the US has been (at least ideally) based in what is called the Judaeo-Christian ethic. This means that the Old & New Testaments have provided the basis on which legislators & courts have functioned.

Some have argued that the Bible is not a good basis for law. Among other things, they have used passages like Exodus 22:18 (“You shall not allow a sorceress to live”) to show that the Bible shouldn’t be used.

I believe that such an idea is faulty. One reason is that there are at least 3 aspects of Old Testament law – civil, ceremonial, & moral. We have to think about these aspects & see how they relate to each other if we are serious about understanding how the Bible has influenced law in the US.

Briefly, civil law in the Old Testament was intended to be the legal code in ancient Israel. Ceremonial law prescribed how God was to be worshiped. Moral law described the ethical foundation that was the basis for everyday behavior. This moral law in many ways reflects how the New Testament teaches Christians to conduct themselves.

Exodus chapter 22 gives several examples of how we have based our legal system on the biblical model: the principle of appropriate restitution (vs 1); the right to defend personal property (vs 2); judicial discretion to determine what is best in a particular case (vs 7-8); the necessity of honest testimony (vs 10-13); equality of all before the law without regard to economic status (vs 21-22).

I’m thankful for the magnificent, firm foundation that has been left to us in Scripture. God has truly blessed us.  Let’s pray that righteousness will continue to be established in our land!

SOME THOUGHTS ON PREACHING & MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING

We get to hear a lot of preaching. That has gotten me to thinking about a couple of kinds of public speaking that we sometimes get confused in our thinking. Those 2 things are preaching & motivational speaking.

My conviction is that preaching involves proclaiming content of the Bible, thru the supernatural enablement of the Spirit, for several specific, redemptive purposes. These purposes are to bring people into a personal relationship with Christ, to inspire believers’ spiritual growth, & to encourage disciples to fulfill their specific God-given part in fulfilling the Great Commission.

Preaching is not the aim or climax of the worship service; like every other part of a service, it is intended to prepare people to respond to what the Holy Spirit desires to do in their lives.

In very broad terms, motivational speaking encourages people to develop their own abilities & talents so that their lives can reach maximum potential. Motivational speakers sometimes use biblical texts or stories to confirm or illustrate what they are saying. As a result of self-development, individuals should become better partners, parents, employees, leaders, etc.

There are some overlaps between these 2 kinds of speaking. Both should inform & motivate. Both should result in lives that are fuller & better lived.

But, there is a difference.

Preaching should begin & end with God’s sovereign plan for people. Motivational speaking tends to focus on our desires & plans. It may only make God & the Bible incidental in reaching the goals that we have set for ourselves.

Preaching focuses on the fulfillment of what God ultimately wants, while motivational speaking values what we desire at that particular season of our lives. I can be a successful spouse or employee without necessarily finding the place that God has ordained for me.

Just a few thoughts for consideration...