Articles
A Nation of Laws?
During the discussion of some highly-emotional and, often, purely political issues, one might hear someone argue that a certain action or a certain individual should be punished because they have flouted the existing law and, as the argument is then made, “We are a nation of laws, and not of men.” The statement is a conclusion drawn from what is known as the rule of law, the doctrine that no individual is above the law and that everyone must answer to it. The implied application is that all are accountable to this nation’s laws, and anyone who breaks the law should be punished.
While I agree wholeheartedly with the premise of the rule of law, I am often and rightfully skeptical of those who cite it selectively, and only seem to be interested in calling out and punishing those who break certain laws while the one calling for punishment ignores and flouts other laws he or she finds unfair or merely inconvenient. [For example: Demanding illegal aliens be punished or deported, but ignoring the speed limits on a daily basis.] Such behavior reminds me of the first two chapters of the book of Romans, where Paul spent time in the first chapter recounting the history of the Gentiles’ rejection of God and their subsequent spiral into all kinds of sin (Rom. 1:18-32), and then turns to the Jews who were likely urging on Paul as he condemned such, but who were guilty of doing the same things, or merely different sinful actions (Rom. 2:1-29). Paul’s condemnation of the Jews was simple and to the point: “You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?” One cannot complain about someone else breaking a law we happen to like, while we are breaking the same law or a different law — one that we don’t like. That is called hypocrisy and, worst of all, we dishonor God when we, as Christians, do it.
And, brethren, it is certainly no better when we selectively seek enforcement of God’s laws or desire God’s punishment of those who are committing sins we dislike more than others. It is made all the worse when we are quick to point out and condemn and excoriate those who are disobeying God’s laws when we are disobeying other laws we have arbitrarily deemed ‘less important’ than the ones someone else is disobeying. Jesus tells us the one who looks at the speck in his brother’s eye while he has a plank in his own (Matt. 7:2-5) is a hypocrite.
Christians live within what might be called a kingdom of laws, since we are also required to keep the commandments of our King, Jesus Christ (John 14:15) — especially if we claim to love Him. The truth is, we cannot truthfully call Jesus our Savior unless and until we obey Him (Heb. 5:9); as with our own nation, we are expected to keep the laws of the land, and no one is above the law or excepted from obedience.
But, as our earthly judges many times have the liberty to show mercy, our Lord is also merciful and forgiving. And in the spiritual kingdom, in particular, we hopefully recognize that none of us could ever be saved without our heavenly Father’s abundant grace. Not one of us is going to stand before the throne of Judgment guiltless in regard to law-keeping, and it will only be those who have been washed in the sin-cleansing blood of our Lord Jesus Christ who will then stand before Him sanctified [cleansed from sin], and justified [declared ‘right’]. Not one man will be able to declare total innocence or perfection in his or her law-keeping. No one did that under the Old Law and none will do it under the New. We depend on our Lord’s mercy and grace.
I am afraid that we have become so focused on the law-keeping aspect of our faith that we spend far too much time pointing out the failures of others to keep the laws of God on one point or another. Many of us have come to think it is our sole duty in life [or at least the primary duty], and much of our time is spent in Bible classes talking about how ‘they’ disobey this and disobey that and, of course, we are doing it ‘right.’ It is in such times we would do well to remind ourselves that not one of us keeps God’s word perfectly, either, and with that in mind, we should be focusing on self and ensuring we are doing what we should be doing. We do not improve our spiritual standing before God by pointing out the faults of others.
If we are of a mind to make and pronounce judgment on others, let us make sure that our standard of judgment is the word of God and not just our personal opinions about how things should be. I am afraid many brethren today — especially those who happen to be the most judgmental ones — are using their own opinions rather than the word of God, and are attempting to bind their view on others about how things should be. Paul chastised the Roman brethren for doing that on the matter of what they ate, and gave some powerful instruction on the matter of how we judge one another, asking, “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother?” and then reminded them of the sobering fact about judging: “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ…So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” With that in mind, he concluded, “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore” (Rom. 14:10-13). In short: Stop judging!
When it comes to matters that are not sin [and here is where we need to check ourselves; we might think it is a matter of ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ when it is merely our opinion], it is then we must be willing to work together and not waste time judging [as in condemning] one another. Can we not be willing to show mercy and grace on many matters where judgment seems to be the prevailing desire? Far too many brethren take it upon themselves to mold the church into a congregation that, curiously, looks, acts, and thinks exactly like the one doing the judging. Maybe we should spend more time helping them to look, act, and think more like Jesus? After all, He is the standard to whom we should all be aspiring to emulate. That is what should be the goal of every disciple (Eph. 4:12-15).
Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying, or the appeal I am making; if you know me at all, you know I believe without a shadow of a doubt that our obedience to the laws of Jesus Christ is necessary, and will play a part in our ultimate and eternal salvation. But I also believe — and it is not a contradiction — that mercy and grace will also be a large part of our Judgment in the end. Let us not forget that James once wrote, “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (Jas. 2:13). I don’t think any of us want to stand before Christ in the final Judgment knowing He will Judge us only on whether or not we have obeyed Him perfectly. No, we will want mercy in Judgment. That being true, let us not forget the rest of what James said in that passage: “judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.”
So, as we go about our daily lives, and we see so many disobeying the laws of the land or even the words of Jesus, or if we see brothers and sisters who may not be sinning, but just aren’t who we think they should be, show some grace; show some mercy. Be more like Jesus. He pointed out sin when it existed, but He also showed great mercy and grace to all — even to those we would deem ‘unworthy’; after all, aren’t they the ones who needed it most?
Grow in grace. — Steven Harper
