Standing Against the Tide of Lawlessness
Remembrance Day brings to mind the lives that were sacrificed in epic battles. Soldiers who embraced their duty engaged in the struggle between good and evil. As Christians the battle we fight is no less intense. As soldiers in God’s army do we stand for what is good, and recognize the consequences of evil. This week the horror of the Sutherland Springs shooting brought to mind the scripture that speaks of our violent age. “Because lawlessness will abound the love of many will turn cold.” This lawlessness, anomia, will have consequences. When evil is allowed to flourish it is only those who stand for what is good who will endure. It is the Lord’s loving loyalty that will make them stand.
When Secularism is On the Attack
Recently, Julie Payette, Canada’s new Governor-General, voiced the sympathies of many in our secular world. She mocked those who value the scriptural creation account and divine intervention as being unscientific. Others in the media’s eye continue to repeat the old saw that blames the violence of the past on Christian religion. Yet it is the secular ideologues of the past century that engendered the evil regimes of despots like Stalin, Mao, or Pol Pot and resulted in the deaths of millions. Human traditions, whether secular, scientific, or religious have brought their chilling effects on the world. Having embraced lawlessness and rejected God’s inspiration they are left with the evil consequences of their choices.
No Excuse for Evil
Paul in writing to the Romans made it clear that they could have understood what was “good” and “evil” even without the covenant relationship that the Jews enjoyed. The Romans if attune to the natural world could have understood natural law, the logic of cause and effect in human relationships. The Celtic Christians in working with their society appealed to the need for natural law, Mosaic Law, and the Law of Christ. They understood that lawlessness was a root cause of evil. Our society seems to be attempting to deny what previous generations understood. Yet, as believers, we need to stand firm in our resolve to resist evil. We must know what is good, and then embrace it in word and action. The battleground is set, are we prepared to stand and fight?
