God’s people are not to be lawless

Anyone can probably testify to the selfishness within people of today’s time.  It seems the more time passes, the more people, in general, become more self-absorbed, self-centered, dishonorable to others, and lawless (Matthew 24:12).  This can be noticed in the way some people drive, talk, and especially in the interactions among people in public even with strangers. 

Lawlessness begins with seeds of rebellion and pride.  This lawlessness includes being a lover of self, a lover of money, boastful, arrogant, a reviler, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, profane, unloving, irreconcilable, a gossiper, lacking self-control, a hater of good, a traitor, reckless, conceited, a lover of pleasure rather than a lover of God, and having a form of religion but deny God’s presence in their lives (2 Timothy 3:1-5). 

The church is not exempt from this spirit of lawlessness.  The more Christians walk with Jesus Christ, the more His character should be reflected in them as opposed to this lawlessness that so many live by (Colossians 2:6).  Also, walking with Jesus Christ should produce gratitude, which is the exact opposite of lawlessness and pride (Colossians 2:7).  Lawlessness can be defined as what you want, when you want, how you want.  Some may say, “That doesn’t sound bad,” but when a person breaks laws, especially the commandments of God, to receive what they want, this creates a lawless person. 

A person may think, “We are not under the law,” but remember Jesus said, “Those that love Me keep my commandments” (John 14:15, John 15:10).  Jesus did not place a timeline on this statement.  God desires things to be decent and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).  Decent and in order require a standard of operation to keep peace.  Without having some kind of “law,” things would descend into destruction very quickly.  Laws do not hinder the liberty of God’s people (John 8:32; Galatians 5:13; Galatians 5:1), but they do establish boundaries for lawless people to know when they are doing something incorrect or wrong (Titus 1:9; 2 Timothy 3:16).  God’s people should have the Word of God, also known as the Law of God, written on the tablet of their hearts (Proverbs 7:3) creating a distinction within them between what is right and what is wrong.  When Christians do not make this distinction clear with their mouths and through their actions, they are no different than the perverted priests (Ezekiel 22:26) who were seeking self over God.  Lawlessness will abound, but it should not abound in the lives of people who declare they love and serve the Law-giver, God.

Jesus calls out the religious leaders who have the appearance of doing everything correctly through religion on the outside but are lawless on the inside (Matthew 23:28).  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), so His expectation of God’s people living by the holy standard of God has not changed.  Anyone who practices sin is lawless (1 John 3:4).  Anyone who loves God and practices righteousness does not live in sin (1 John 3:6).  This does not mean they never sin, but they do not live in a repetition of committing or practicing sin, also known as lawlessness.

Christians must be quick to repent and turn away from sin.  Lawlessness is not of God, and it should not be among His people.  May Christians everywhere be determined to represent God with their very best and not be lawless people. 

For more information about Abundant Grace Church, visit agcsparta.org.