Nov26th 2008
Today, lawlessness abounds in the world. While it is true on one hand that there has never been a time of immorality and lawlessness as of now and it has had an influence on the church. On the other hand, we also need to understand that it is no excuse for lower standards in the church. God expects us to be Holy like Him as always and He has also provided us the way, the truths and Grace to get there.
From looking into the word of God and church history we can see that God always provided those who were sincere and humble the grace/ability to overcome the most difficult of circumstances and times. That explains why Christians sang joyfully while being eaten alive by lions or exhibited great peace when burnt at stakes. As a matter of fact at one point the standards were so high during those times that people who denied Christ due to fear of death were actually not accepted by the church. While whether that is right or wrong is debatable and needs to be looked in context; one thing is certain that people during that time had great grace to overcome.
Now a critic might argue that there were also times when people struggled and stumbled. In answer to that, while that is a fact and it happens, it never negates the truth that God provides us with the absolute grace to overcome the worst of circumstances.
The problem is instead of looking to the absolutes we have settled for the lesser and this has resulted in a standard so low that it contradicts Scripture. In a more understandable sense just because some don’t get healed we don’t form a doctrine on God tolerating sickness or justifying it. We always hold onto and believe the truth that God intends to heal everybody while extending love to the ailing and still sick, continually praying that they will get healed.
While healing (in this context) concerns the physical man, God is more concerned with our spiritual man and for his well-being Holiness and Righteousness are absolute requirements set forth by Him. From the example on healing, since there is prevalent lawlessness in the church we don’t preach to justify that position but rather in humility point to Him that His Holy and bring forth His standards. For when absolute truth is preached there is absolute Grace but when truth is diluted there is also dilution in Grace.
In the following, we are going to see in detail the reason for lawlessness and also the things that have lead to lawlessness and what needs to be done to close those doors.
1) Prophecy will be fulfilled:
In Matthew 24:12 Jesus states very clearly that in the end times lawlessness would abound and that the Agape of many would grow cold.
Paul in II Timothy 3:1 to 5 when talking about the last days predicts on the evil nature of men. From verse 5 we see that it relates to “Christians” in the church. These professing followers didn’t live as Christ and did not exhibit His transforming power that turns a sinner into saint.
Some have interpreted “denying the power”(in verse 5) as relating to denying signs and miracles. If we read from verses 1 to 5 and further in context we see that it is clearly not the case at all. Paul is commenting on ungodly life styles and the power of God that can transform sinners to saints.
From these two passages; we must also understand that no matter how much we pursue after bringing Holiness in the church , there is always going to be a counter culture within. Whether we like it or not lawlessness will be prevalent because Gods word says so.
However on the other hand that is no excuse for passivity. We need to pluck as many people as possible out of the fire and to others show mercy leading to repentance (Jude: 22,23), Secondly, disassociate with people who don’t want to pursue after Holiness and Righteousness (II Timothy 3:5,I Corinthians 5:11) while pursuing after being Christ like ourselves.
When that happens and we start walking in the light increasingly, people in darkness would be drawn towards the light also.
2) Is Christ the chief cornerstone and the foundation?
Ephesians 2: 19, 20 talks about the church being built on the foundations of apostles and prophets with Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.
Also in I Corinthians 3:11, we see that Christ is the sure foundation.
So Christ is not only the cornerstone but also the foundation that we build on.
In a more practical sense everything that we do or say has to have the Spirit of Christ in it. It has to portray Christ in all that He was and is and is to come. In regards to living our present life, Christ’s life on this earth is the example for us to follow.
Have we built on that foundation? As we look to Him to follow and potray Him to people in deed and word, then His life would be there to empower.
Isaiah had a revelation of God as Holy, which produced instant conviction and cleansing from sin! The more Christ/God is revealed to us, the more we acquire His nature and the more we acquire is nature the more we see Christ clearly.
3) What is more important the gifts are the fruit of the Spirit?
Today the emphasis seems to be more on the gifts of the Spirit than good Christian character or His fruit. This has lead to people mainly pursuing the former and ignoring the later. It has resulted in a rapid decline in morality. While we need to understand that the gifts have their place, we also need to know that God values walking in the fruit of the Spirit more than operating in the gifts.
The word of God is very clear on this. In I Corinthians 13 we see that we can prophesy, speak in tongues and even walk in faith but if we do not have Love and do not do it in Love it is useless. When the Spirit says it is useless (amounts to nothing), He really means it. What a way to bring the importance of a fruit of the Spirit.
Also in Matthew 7:21 to 23, we see that God is displeased with those who walked in the gifts and power but did not walk in obedience to Him.
Looking at this from a different perspective, we can heal the sick, raise the dead and cleanse lepers but if we hadn’t done it with the motive of pleasing and exalting Christ we will not receive any reward.
All of this brings out the necessity of good Christian character.
One might argue that the reason for the greater emphasis on the gifts is that there is a lack of the same. While it is true, we also need to know that there is an even greater lack of Christian character. Since we saw that God values character more shouldn’t we also emphasize the same?
One should never be expressed over the expense of the other (more importantly in this case). Once we realize this and start emphasizing on Christian conduct and character more, and talking on Gifts of the Spirit on a foundation of Love and Holiness, there would gradually be an increase of the same and the manifestations of God’s grace accordingly.
4) Done with legalism now what?
While the above subtitle is a little overstated, it stands true on a general sense. When the church opened its eyes to legalism, it started to destroy it radically. The only problem was it did not have (TRUE HOLINESS) anything to plant in its place, which is very dangerous.
Jesus said that when an unclean spirit is driven out of a man, and if his vessel remains empty, it brings with him 7 more demons and the latter state of the man is far worse than the first.
In Rick Joyner’s book “The Torch and the Sword” we see Rick presumptuously destroying a bad tree and not planting anything in its place. Very soon he finds out that in its place is an even bigger and worse tree, which is now destroying the whole city.
In a similar sense legalism is giving place to something far worse which is lawlessness. In a literal sense, the legalistic demon has brought his brothers along now who are lawless spirits. These spirits of deception are at work today. To the point where ,we see that even the convicting work of the Holy Spirit is considered as a religious spirit.
When sin is being confronted or when God is revealed in Holiness people are not able to take it. If we are wondering why we are not seeing much of the Spirit these days, its because we cant handle it when He convicts us of sin, talks on God’s righteous requirements and forewarns of the coming judgment which are very basic to why He is here on this earth. Either we do thing God’s way or He stays away!!!
One of the other extremes as a result of this is taking Gods Love to us for granted and misusing the precious blood that Christ shed. One of the statements constantly heard from people living in sin is that “No matter what I’ve done God loves me”
In answering this we need to know that God’s love never changes. Even when a sinner ends up in hell He still loves him. God loving us has nothing to do with where we are going and where we will end up. God has given us a free will and choices to make. What we do with those choices will determine which nature of God we will experience which is unchanging and eternal.
In conclusion when we destroy a lie let us also plant truth in its place. For, now lawlessness must be confronted and reigious spirits behind lawlessness must be exposed. True Holiness must be planted in place and people will live, serve and worship Him in the beauty of Holiness.
5) Gods moral laws are eternal
The law in general could be divided into three categories. Civil Laws-which were regarding Israel’s governance. Since a lot of it had to do with or determined Israel’s culture, after Christ it varies according to the different societies today.
Ceremonial Laws-which were the different types of offerings and festivals. Christ fulfilled all of them or in another sense did away with them. That is why we are not required to observe them anymore.
Moral Laws-This includes the Ten Commandments. These continue to remain for our times.
When the church [NOT ALL] was breaking away from legalism, it came across the truth that Christ abolished the law with its ordinances on the cross. Instead of investigating further, it assumed that it relates to the law as a whole (including moral laws) and started preaching it. Others should have foreseen the misinterpretations that would arise as a result of preaching on the law being abolished. They should have brought the differentiation on God’s moral laws and our obligation to always fulfill them.
Since this was not done properly, lawlessness further found place through the cracks of this approach and has seated itself deeply today.
If we look at Matthew 5:27 to 29 we see that adultery will result in hell fire. This is Jesus’ own word. Although we need to understand that there is Mercy and Grace for the repentant sinner, there are still severe consequences and sometimes-ultimate consequences for living in sin. Also Jesus talks on murder in the same note. We can take this as an affirmation of God’s moral laws going into the New Testament.
Also in Paul’s letter to the Galatians we see a clear distinction between what parts of law Christ did away with and what He did not. In the first four Chapters Paul talks in detail on Christ abolishing the law and then on Chapter 5 he talks on the works of the flesh encouraging them to observe God’s moral commands. Again the consequences for breaking Gods moral commands are very serious.
So we see very clearly that God expects us to observe His moral commands. When the church is made aware of this on a clearer note, then automatically there would be an increasing awareness for the need to be Holy and the result a step forward in the right direction.
6) Why are we hesitant to confront sin?
When confronting sin we need God’s Love and wisdom. We also need to see things from God’s perspective before coming to a judgment. On the other hand we should not let sin grow unchecked but confront it.
Paul when talking to the Corinthian church on the immoral brother, states that only a little yeast is necessary to leaven the whole bread. Meaning that if sin is tolerated or not dealt with it starts to spread fast and affects others also.
However, since we have been slow in dealing with sin it has resulted in a moral decay. This does not mean we go around identifying people’s sin but that we in meekness are quick to help them that stumble, bringing them to restoration.
One of the main reasons for hesitancy in confronting sin today is the fear of offending people. While in countries like India and Africa there is little or no self-esteem, in the West its is the exact opposite. Self in itself has become a god and an idol. This has made it increasingly difficult to tell people they are wrong, as it would offend their self-esteem and pride leading to a negative reaction.
One day the Lord humorously but with pain remarked, “In some places there is a selfless Christianity with little or none of Me, in other places it is selfish Christianity with little or none of Me”. We need to stop fearing men and start fearing God. As we proceed to deal with sin in God’s Love surely we will see marked results.
7) Answering critics
One of the common arguments as to why there is little or no emphasis on Holiness is that there is no necessity as we are transformed (into his image, likeness, character) by beholding Him. And so since we acquire Holiness that way we do not need to talk on it, all we need to do is focus on Christ. This position has several grievous errors.
1) Beholding Him actually means beholding His nature and in this case Christ in His Holiness. It is not some vague focusing on Christ outside of the parameters of scripture or simply a call to behold without scriptural guidance as this can result in visions and dreams in the flesh and a god of our own making and thinking.
2) Secondly, Jesus Himself taught on Holiness. He taught on everything from adultery and its consequences to managing things right. If He found it necessary to do so shouldn’t we also follow in his footsteps?
8) Is our Focus wrong?
Are we spending too much of our energy trying to increase the moral standards of the world while our own is on the decay ? It is a terrible misconception to think that things are going to get better as far as moral issues are concerned in regards to the world when the word of God clearly states the opposite.
In saying that i’ am not encouraging a passive approach but where is our main focus, the church or the world? John the Baptist did confront Herod but it was an one off incident and he didn’t devote his time and energy towards it. While an Old Testament approach involves the church with the state, it is debatable if that is the case in the New Testament. The church leaders did not devote their time to politics or did they?
When the church changes, the world changes and not the other way around!!
Further in trying to increase the world’s moral standards many have judged it unrighteously (I Corinthians 5:12,13). This has resulted in us losing a certain element of Grace and the world in turn judging us.
While we need to profess our standards, do things legally if we have the opportunity to and help those who are deceived, we cannot tell a nonbeliever what his standards are or pray against things pertaining to it or can we? However we can bring out right from wrong in the context of the gospel or help them if they need to be. There needs to be a radical shift in thinking in regards to this. When it happens we will start seeing a lot of things we have longed for in the church including a marked increase in Holiness.
Daniel 12:10 says that in the end times many will be made spotless pure and refined. As Gods children it is for us to choose how that is going to happen. Either we can cleanse ourselves or the Lord will discipline us, which will be a much harder way!
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