I can certainly understand the sense of fear and hopelessness that might be gripping our nation in the wake of the violent attacks against our Homeland this past week. America has largely escaped the terror that the rest of the world has lived in during our modern era. We have always been able to live our lives in relative peace and freedom; going about our days without the extreme fear and trepidation that harm or death awaits us. But we are now experiencing a heightened sense of foreboding that is both unfamiliar and alarming. The chaos and lawlessness that have risen have the clear signature of God's Enemy imprinted all over them.
But how should a Christian respond and react to the rebellion that is at the heart of this turmoil? Doesn't this lawlessness come down to the rejection of God's standards of righteousness and His absolute Truth? So, shouldn't our response be in defense of [and the exercise of] Christ's Love and Truth? Sounds too simple in the face of the images flashing across our TV and phone screens, doesn't it? Yet, that's exactly what our Lord did in the midst of the lawlessness He faced. And He knew what was coming!
It is time that believing Christians [and I don't use that term lightly], come to a spiritual place of Trust in the Sovereignty of the Lord. This is not the time to rest on your reputation as a Christian. It is the time to really live your Faith! I believe we are living in the Last Days. And if you are a True Christian, then you know the implications of that terminology. The Bible tells us that Good will be called Evil, and Evil called Good. Deception will run rampant and lies will be believed; even "the Elect" could be deceived, which reveals just how strong the deception will be. Constant vigilance must be employed; no one will be immune to Satan's efforts to spiritually deceive the world.
We must see the evil for what it is -- deliberate rebellion against the Living God and His Truth. The godless are set on fomenting increasing violence and lawlessness due to their ignorance of the heart of the One True God. And that lawlessness is taking many forms. We see it in the wars that are circling the globe; the "lone wolf" attacks on civilians; the rebellion against the knowledge of God; the intentional killing of His creation in the womb; and the calculated efforts to change the divine design of our children's bodies.
So, again, I ask ... as a Christian, how do we live in the midst of the lawlessness of this generation? We can no longer afford to ignore it or compromise with it. Only Trust, Faith, Love, and Repentance (not necessarily in that order), will provide us with the Hope that we desperately seek. And included in that formula is standing for God's Absolute Truth, especially as we see it being blatantly denied and falsely interpreted. And we can trust in that Truth because we know that God never changes. His moral laws and promises are the same today as they were thousands of years ago when He revealed them through the prophets. And because we trust in His Divine order, we can perceive our current circumstances from an eternal perspective -- the lawlessness we are suffering today will be defeated and we have a future waiting for us in His Heavenly Kingdom.
If we believe and trust in the Word of God, then we know that our faith will sustain us during this turbulent time. Jesus, Himself, tells us to "Have faith in God... whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours". We don't have to see it to believe it ... we have the Word of God that assures us of what we hope and pray for. One of the first passages of Scripture that I memorized was Proverbs 3:5-6 .... Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Our hearts must remain steadfastly focused on Jesus because the devil is going to try to deceive us; therefore, we can't rely on our human comprehension, but must trust in our spiritual discernment, listening for His voice and following His guidance through the Holy Spirit. That's how we circumnavigate the lawlessness and stay on the paths of righteousness. That is putting our faith in action!
Of course, it is the Love of Christ that is our hope and consolation in the midst of chaos and lawlessness. He tells us He will never leave us nor abandon us, so we must trust in His Word and walk this Truth out in faith. But we are also to love our enemies, forgiving them and exhibiting our belief that Christ died for us all; to save us from the wrath of our Holy God; a wrath and punishment we all deserve. So, while forgiveness seems so hard to offer in the face of the atrocities and sinful acts of those who rebel against God, it also leads to our own repentance for the ways that we have sinned against Him. Let our repentance be a light to the lost, that they might see and respond to the Love of Christ that changes even the most hateful heart.
In summary, lawlessness is here to stay, and as a Bible-believing Christian, I am expecting it to increase in strength and intensity. But I also know that our failing culture urgently needs the hope that every believing Christian possesses in the promises of our Sovereign Lord and Savior. Let us profess that hope to a disbelieving world [in both word and deed], and highlight our persistent trust and faith in His redeeming love for everyone in this decaying world. And may His peace be with you as you journey towards your eternal Home.
John 1:5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
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