Kingdom Principles

Kingdom Principles

as prescribed by custom, or by statute.” 2 This is the word from which we get our English word norm . Whatever becomes accepted as a norm in our society eventual ly becomes a law of our society. If we are exposed to a certain unac customed idea or behavior long enough, we eventually become so used to it that we start to accept it. Once we accept it, we begin to think of it as “normal,” or as a “norm.” And once we see it as a norm, we start to expect it. Once we come to expect it, it becomes in prac tical terms no different from a law, even if it is never formally estab lished as a legal statute. Depending on the nature of the idea or behavior, this process could be very dangerous because we as a society could end up endorsing and normalizing evil or immorality. This is precisely what has happened and is happening in western culture with regard to such issues as homosexual rights, homosexual marriage, abortion rights, assisted suicide, embryonic stem cell research, and the like. God’s laws are designed to prevent us from accepting and nor malizing evil and assigning it the force of law in our society. This is the protective nature of laws. They prevent ideas and behaviors that are contrary to the constitution and the good of the state and the people from becoming a dominant influence. In other words, God’s laws are designed to protect the whole community. This is why sin and violation of the law never affect only the per son or persons directly involved, but many others as well. It is like a ripple effect. Our actions, good or bad, affect those around us in ways we may never know. When the Israelites were attacking the city of Ai during their conquest of the land of Canaan, the sin of one man , Achan, led to the defeat of the entire community. Only after the Israelite community dealt with Achan’s sin were they able to achieve victory (see Joshua chapters 7–8). God’s laws have personal application with national ramifications. Another meaning of nomos is that of a decreed law established by a state. This definition applies perfectly to the Kingdom of

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