Recently, a Hampton Roads city announced it is installing speed cameras in school zones.  This isn’t surprising as it seems our culture has misplaced some of the most basic principles of civility. In this case, steps are being taken to protect children from those who may not follow the law, or choose to dismiss the possible horror associated with their actions. 

I realize traffic laws aren’t specifically mentioned in the Bible (with the possible exception of Jesus’ direction to go the extra mile), but it does speak of “lawlessness”.  God’s Word tells us there is a “man of lawlessness” and that the spirit of lawlessness is already in the world.  We experience it when we sin against God, are hurt by the sins of others or hurt others because of our own sin.  In 2 Thessalonians 2:7, the Apostle Paul writes, “For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work.”

Since the laws our government establishes fall under the Bible’s teaching on obeying those God has placed in authority over us (Romans 13:1-7), we can rightly say that in most cases, breaking the law is a sin.  Exceptions might be when a law requires us to disobey God (such as Nebuchadnezzar’s command that others should worship his statue in the desert), or when a government loses its legitimacy.  But these are topics for another time.  For now, I wish to ponder why we need laws and why we follow them.

In the most general terms, laws are given for our own welfare.  While it is true, some laws may not impact all of our lives the same way, we still recognize the behavior they promote creates an environment in which we can find fulfillment in our personal pursuits.  One would think we would naturally want to follow all reasonable laws (and less naturally follow the ones we think are unreasonable), if for no other reason but to contribute to the moral and ethical fiber that holds our society together.  “One would think”. 

A quick review of recent news stories tells us people are not thinking; at lest not in the way I have shared here.  Examples include mass shootings, flash-mob robberies, hate crimes and identity theft.  All of these expressions of lawlessness, which we call crimes, involve those who put their individual desires above the mutual hope of blessings of peace and prosperity for all.  No one with hopes and dreams for a better life wants to live in a place where they don’t feel safe, and given an opportunity to relocate, they likely will. 

Perhaps it isn’t necessary to consider why we need laws and why we follow them.  I don’t imagine any of us would have to think hard to answer both of these questions.  However, the question all of us must ask is, “Have we created space in our hearts for the sprit of lawlessness?”  Yes, we are all sinners, but there is a difference between being lured into temptation, and allowing Satan to set up camp in our hearts.  At some point, we may recognize we have started to embrace the spirit of our age and fostered attitudes that make us less sensitive to God’s will.   Should this happen, or perhaps to guard against the possibility, consider these reminders from the Word of God:

The spirit of lawlessness appeals to immediate pleasures and vulnerable places in our hearts. In James 1:14, we read, “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”  While James refers to “evil desires”, we must realize “evil” can be applied to desires which are not sinful in themselves.  One of Satan’s methodologies is to convince us to pursue natural desires in evil ways rather the wholesome and life-giving ways God intended.  This reality can apply to many things, but certainly two areas where we find it in our culture are the American work ethic and sexuality.  For example, the Bible tells us to work to provide for our families, and I believe God has wired us to be ambitious as we pursue our dreams.  Yet, work can become evil when we allow things such as greed and envy to fill our hearts.  If we aren’t careful, we will sacrifice people in our lives for things which are temporal.  In like manner, sexual pleasure is a gift from God within the bonds of a loving marriage between a husband and wife.  But when we step out of God’s will, something intended for pleasure becomes sinful and destructive.  The spirit of lawlessness can convince us we aren’t doing anything wrong because our activity may not be inherently evil, when in fact, we are in danger of turning a blessing into a curse because we are putting our desires above the truths found in God’s Word.

Secondly, The spirit of lawlessness appeals to our desire for a stress-free life.  We all know the feeling of standing against popular opinion, whether it be with our peer group or society at large.  It is human to be liked.  This is probably why we let the spirit of lawlessness creep into our hearts.  If we embrace sin, people might like us more.  Of course, the “us” they are liking isn’t the real us.  We may also discover people who like us most when we agree when them aren’t very reliable.  This means while dismissing the seriousness of sin might temporarily keep the peace with those around us, it is a weak foundation for long and meaningful relationships.  In addition, our chief goal is life should be to please God, not others.  When we do, God blesses others through us.  This is why Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).  In reality, the spirit of lawlessness produces more stress in our lives because it makes up puppets of Satan who has no concern for our welfare and takes joy in leading us down a path to destruction.

Finally, the spirit of lawlessness makes us proficient at mind tricks, such as rationalization and justification.  This may come in the form of a new vocabulary as we find spiritual ways to explain away ungodly acts.  Perhaps you have heard people say, “the church is known more for what it is against than what it is for.” One way to interpret this statement (with which I agree) is that we should make sure we, as Christians, are not “Bible-thumping”, judgmental and hateful beings, but rather ambassadors of the good news of Jesus’ love and grace.  On the other hand, if we believe this means we should dismiss biblical truth to befriend the world, then we are falling victim to the wiles of the evil one.  In reality, we should do both, speaking the truth in love and grace, but not one at the expense of the other.  Unfortunately, as humans we often latch onto perspectives which can be formed in our own image and used to explain away what God desires.  Jeremiah spoke to this bent in Jeremiah 17:9 when he wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and beyond cure.”  The spirit of lawlessness rarely appears in full disclosure.  Rather, it twists and distorts what is true to give voice to our sinful selves.

We cannot help but shake our heads at the lawless things that others do.  We may also pride ourselves in being different, pure and sound in our adherence to the will of God.  Just remember, Satan has been at helm of lawlessness since the beginning of time.  He works through the morally loose and the theologically proper.  He rummages around in the hearts of people who want to love others in Jesus’ name as well as those who strive to hold to biblical truth. 

Please slow down in school zones, and any other zones where a law is in place to protect others.  If you don’t, I can’t guarantee you will get caught (unless you are in the city with the new cameras).  But you will be putting out the welcome mat for the spirit of lawlessness.  And believe me, once he finds a comfortable place in your hearts, he’s hard to evict!