We continue with our mini-study of the three main philosophies that undergird every society in the world.
They are…
1) Guilt and Innocence
2) Power and Fear
3) Shame and Honor
I remind you that what kicked this study off was the character Hadad and the motivations behind his hatred of Israel.
So next up on our list is Power & Fear.
This one is the most primitive when examined closely.
It’s a society that believes in many gods and that these spirits influence events in your life.
That’s precisely why you fear them.
And that’s also why these societies have shamans and witch doctors.
They’re called on for protection against supernatural attacks.
As you can imagine, superstition dominates these societies.
Their day-to-day is filled with fear of the spirit world.
To deal with their anxiety, they might try to hide from these spirits.
Or appease them by offering gifts or sacrifices.
Or they’ll try to get their hands on an opposing spiritual weapon to scare off an attacking deity.
Christians try to do this with their crucifixes.
In other words, SURVIVAL IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.
That’s why these societies don’t operate under principles of right and wrong, or good and evil.
The concept of guilty and innocent doesn’t exist in their world.
Whatever makes you stronger, or frightens away spiritual attacks, is considered fair game.
Think about it.
If you believe invisible spirits and gods are constantly involved in your everyday affairs, then you don’t see the world as separated into the natural and the supernatural.
They’re intermixed.
So the idea that men can create legislation and establish rules that will better their lives is foreign to them.
Their belief system is truly lawless.
And as the Bible teaches, where there is no law, there is no transgression.
If a society has never established a law in the first place, how can anyone be guilty of breaking it?
Ya feel me here?
So what nations would fall under this category?
The top 3 countries that come to mind are Papua New Guinea, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Why?
Because these nations strongly believe in witchcraft and Juju (supernatural power).
Their societies are filled with the fear of curses, demons, and supernatural attacks.
To deal with these fears, they use protective charms and amulets.
They also perform deliverance rituals and spiritual cleansing.
Can you see why Israel was repeatedly warned against adopting the religious practices of surrounding nations?
This included sorcery, divination, and attempts to manipulate supernatural powers.
I’d also say a lot of the modern-day law-of-attraction manifestation nonsense we see in the coaching world would also fall under the witchcraft category.
Ironically, I’d classify Christianity under the Power & Fear category.
Why?
Because when you hold to a doctrine that teaches that God’s law has been done away with, by default, you can’t help but fall into a fearful and superstitious mindset.
I mean, just take a look at the lawless Catholic Church with all of its idols and superstitious purgatory beliefs.
That leads to our takeaway for today.
The Torah is God’s blueprint that defines right and wrong, and good and evil.
When you do away with it…
Refuse to study it…
Or consider it irrelevant to your faith walk…
You are truly walking in darkness.
Ya feel me?
Done.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Everyone who sins breaks the law;
in fact, sin is lawlessness.“
– 1 John 3:4
“Do not think that I have come
to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them
but to fulfill them.
For truly I tell you,
until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter,
not the least stroke of a pen,
will by any means disappear from the Law
until everything is accomplished.
Therefore anyone who sets aside
one of the least of these commands
and teaches others accordingly
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,
but whoever practices and teaches
these commands will be called great
in the kingdom of heaven.”
-Matthew 5:17-19
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
shall enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of
My Father in heaven.
Many will say to Me in that day,
‘Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in Your name,
cast out demons in Your name,
and done many wonders in Your name?’
And then I will declare to them,
‘I never knew you; depart from Me,
you who practice lawlessness!’”
-Matthew 7:21-23
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