Today (October 26,2019), I read that Kamala Harris made the statement “President Trump is a lawless President”. She continued, “Not only does he circumvent the laws of our country and the principles of our Constitution, but there is nothing in his career that is about justice, or in celebration of justice.” She was critical of President Trump receiving a “reward Friday for his work on criminal justice reform with the First Step Act, which allowed thousands of nonviolent offenders to gain early release from federal prison.”
I choose not to pursue the political right or wrong of her assessment. However, what perked my attention was the word that she used to characterize him. The word that she chose was ‘lawless’. That is a very strong word. Her choice to use this word activated my thinking to reflect on just how much ‘lawlessness’ there is in politics. Politically, acts of lawlessness, both in word and deed, are found in both political parties.
The definition of the word lawless says, “not regulated by or based on law”; “not restrained or controlled by law”; “unruly”; “illegal”.
It seems to me that much of what is done in our political system seeks to circumvent the law, ignore the Constitution, or pursue one’s own personal agenda. Therefore, any such action, that is not in keeping with a political party’s philosophical agenda is characterized as an act of lawlessness.
Is that rational? Is it tolerant? What kind of political atmosphere is set by such thinking?
I find it also interesting how selective individuals are with their word choices to imply the characteristic of ‘lawlessness’ regarding other people’s words and actions. They might not use the word ‘lawless’; but they certainly suggest it by their rhetoric.
However, ‘lawlessness’ implies recognizable moral standards, absolutes, and/or accepted guidelines for conduct. To imply one is lawless means that the person making an accusation of ‘lawlessness’ recognizes the conduct of another individual being in violation of, or is not measuring up to, an agreed upon standard.
The irony, that I perceive, is that one’s conduct or behavior that has been labeled as’ lawless’ may be, in reality, in keeping with an accepted standard; but has been judged as ‘lawless’ because the person making the claim of ‘lawlessness’ has no moral standard of their own. They have ignored the accepted standard, or they have misinterpreted the accepted standard to benefit themselves so that when comparing their personal interpretation to another’s ethical behavior, they view the other individual as ‘lawless’ to their own way of thinking.
Do you realize that Christianity is a ‘lawless’ lifestyle in the eyes of the world when it is compared to the standards of the world?
Christ is Christianity’s standard. We are being conformed to the image of Christ. Apart from Christ, we are a ‘lawless’ people.
The Church living like the world is ‘lawless’ when compared to the standard of Jesus Christ, who is God’s Word.
None of us are exempt from ‘lawlessness’. I John 3:4 says, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”
Because of Adam’s original sin, all mankind has a sin nature; and the fruit of our sin nature is to commit sin, which is ‘lawlessness’. Romans 3:23, says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”.
The notes in my New Spirit Filled Life Study Bible says regarding I John 3:4, “Sin is the spirit of rebellion against God’s law.
That was Adam’s choice when he chose to disobey the commandment given to him by God. His disobedience was rebellion against God’s Word. God had given to him a standard. God spoke it to Adam. Adam disobeyed the standard; therefore he was ‘lawless’ in God’s eyes (sin is lawlessness).
I will say it again,’ lawlessness’ implies there is a standard to obey.
The standard is Jesus Christ who is the Word of God.
Our disobedience is against God’s Word. We disobey because our sin nature can only choose to disobey. We are incapable of obeying God’s commands.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, however, is good news.
G.R.A.C.E. says, God’s Redemptive Activity Changes Everything.
For He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus the Son) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (emphasis mine) 2 Corinthians 5:21
The incarnate Son of God (Jesus) is the Lamb of God (John 1:29) who takes away the sin of the world. It is because of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection that we can be born again (John 3:3-21) and receive new life in Christ. Christ’s shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins, His death broke the power of death that governed our lives, and His resurrection assures us of our heavenly hope of living eternally in the presence of God.
Jesus committed no ‘lawlessness’. He lived a perfect life of obedience as the Son of Man. Acts 4:12 tells us, “Nor is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” – [And that name is JESUS. (emphasis mine)]
Romans 5: 12-21, compares the first Adam to the Second Adam, Jesus Christ. Romans 5; 17, says, “For if by the one man’s (Adam) offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”
The issue of the universe is obedience. Unregenerate mankind is ‘lawless’. By the grace of God, a man can accept the Lord Jesus Christ, and be freed from the bondage of ‘lawlessness’. A regenerate man/woman is a new creature in Christ Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ lives in that person by the Spirit of the Living God. That person is redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and a citizen of the Kingdom of God. Christ is the King of the Kingdom, now. Our life is governed by the Word of God and guided by the Spirit of God.
I made the statement earlier, that the Church is ‘lawless’ in the eyes of the world when compared to the standards of the world. Let me say, too, that Jesus, because He lived to obey and please His Father, was a ‘lawless’ person in the eyes of the Jewish religious leaders [read that statement carefully again]. He did not abide by their standards of religion. The Jewish religious leaders believed that they set the standards regarding the keeping of the law. Therefore, Jesus was ‘lawless’ in their eyes because He did not live according to their interpretation of the law and their traditions. But He did come to fulfill the law; and He fulfilled the Law perfectly. In short, that infuriated them because He didn’t do it their way.
Let me remind you, if you are going to be a follower of Jesus Christ, and walk uprightly before Him, and seek to obey His Word, then you will be a ‘lawless’ person in the sight of the world. Your obedience to the Lord is in direct conflict with the’ lawlessness’ of the world. That will get you into trouble. Jesus said. in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that you may have peace (what things? John 13,14,15,16). In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (Amen)
Why the conflict? The world is made up of unregenerate sinners; we are born sinners; we are unregenerate; however, in Christ, we are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-10). Romans 12: 1,2 exhorts us, “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Do you see that as you put off conformity to this world and put on Christ your personal standards change. You are conformed to the person of Jesus Christ according to the Word of God. Therefore, I submit, your lifestyle, conduct, behavior and thinking that is ‘lawless’ in the eyes of the world by contrast is ‘obedience’ to your Heavenly Father because you are in Christ.
As Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 6:11-7:1, “O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open . Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be My people. Therefore, “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”
Remember the world is ‘lawless’ to God’s standard. Unregenerate mankind can only be ‘lawless’ before God. It is impossible for them to be obedient to God (See Romans 8:1-11). That is why God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Question: How much of the world’s standard is found in the church today? I will put forth another question. How far removed from God’s standard of the Word has the church digressed? Or maybe, it would be better to ask, how much of the world’s standard do I struggle with in my own personal lifestyle?
I would like to close reflecting on Jesus’ words to His disciples found in Matthew 24.
Jesus said in Matthew 24 three things that stand out to me; and these three things I believe are extremely important in the hour in which we live and relative to what I have been sharing. The first is His response to the disciples question about when the end time events will occur. The first thing He said was, (vs.4), “Take heed that no one deceives you.” The second is found in verse 12, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love (agape) of many will grow cold.” And the third is found in verses 13,14, “But he who endures to end shall be saved, and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come.”
Three important words, ‘deception’; ‘lawlessness’; ‘endures’.
The importance of understanding these three words impact the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. That is what Jesus said.
Think about it, in the midst of increasing deception and lawlessness, we are told to endure. Endure to do what? Preach the gospel; how? by how we live our lives.
This is the task of the true Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
What standards do you live by? Are you a ‘lawless’ person in the sight of the world? Sending out His disciples to minister, Jesus pointed this out in Matthew 10:22, “And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” By the grace of God, we shall endure and overcome.
May our love (agape) for one another, and shown to the world, not grow cold as ‘lawlessness’ abounds. (Matthew 24:12)
a brother in Christ, deo
Living Words of Encouragement 