Articles
The Rule of Law
There are some in this country who, when it is politically expedient, like to emphasize this country is “a nation of laws,” and will point out certain individuals or classes who seem to ignore these laws and how we all are bound by “the rule of law.” Again, such appeals are usually politically motivated, rather than out of a genuine interest in the rule of law, but they are not wrong when they say that we are a nation of laws; the “rule of law” is what does guide this country, but what does that mean?
Wikipedia defines the “rule of law” in this way: “The rule of law is a principle that ensures all individuals and institutions are accountable to the same laws, promoting equality and preventing arbitrary use of power. It emphasizes that no one is above the law and that everyone is treated equally under it.” The American Bar Association [ABA] states the rule of law “is more of an ideal that we strive to achieve, but sometimes fail to live up to,” and quoted Justice Anthony Kennedy on this, where he noted, “… we assume that we’re talking about a law that promotes freedom, that promotes justice, that promotes equality.”
The ABA is correct in noting this is an ideal that we fail to live up to, and it seems we live by the old saying, “Justice for you, mercy for me.” It seems we want everyone else to abide by the laws, but want mercy when we do not. In reality, we as a society quite often ignore the laws we don’t particularly like, and do whatever we think we can get away with [for example: speed limits]. We then get upset when a law we deem ‘important’ is ignored or broken, and demand the lawbreakers be punished accordingly. The other lawbreakers. Not us!
It seems this is a common problem among man, and has long been an inconsistency within religious circles and institutions, too. Even in the first century, the religious leaders would “bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers” (Matt. 23:4). Paul likewise chastised his Jewish audience who would heap condemnation on the sinning Gentiles while they were practicing the very things they condemned (Rom. 2:1), asking, “You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?” (Rom. 2:21-23).
I would guess that the scribes and Pharisees, and even the Jewish audience of Paul, would argue that they upheld the law and valued it highly, but like so many men do, only when it was convenient or only when it affected others and not self. That is not “the rule of law”; that is the rule of self.
The “rule of law” only works when all who are bound by it truly do value it and truly do strive to abide by its laws — whether countries, churches, or individual disciples. One may certainly say they love the Lord, but Jesus said we prove it by our willingness to obey His commandments (John 14:15). He also said that calling Him ‘Lord’ is not enough, either; we must do the will of the Father to be a part of the Kingdom (Matt. 7:21-23).
Superficial obedience to laws, whether secular or religious/spiritual, is not enough, either, for God has always demanded the heart. And therein lies the real root problem in this: Our hearts are not right! We honor the Lord with our lips while our hearts are far from Him (Matt. 15:8); we wouldn’t think of committing adultery, but we lust in our hearts (Matt. 5:27, 28); we wouldn’t dare murder another, but we hide hatred for them in our hearts (Matt. 5:21, 22) and walk in darkness, rather than in the light (1 John 2:9-11); we demand others keep their promises, fulfill their contracts, and uphold their solemn vows, and then we turn around and seek any kind of ‘escape clause’ to get out of unpleasant agreements, stop making payments when the value is not in our favor, and seek a divorce when we are no longer ‘happy’ or we just seek another.
The religious leaders of the first century were notorious for their self-righteousness (cf. Luke 18:9), but for also finding ‘loopholes’ in the Law they did not want to keep, and for ‘keeping’ the Law in, shall we say, ‘creative’ ways. Jesus condemned the scribes and Pharisees for “laying aside the commandment of God” and would “reject the commandment of God” so they could keep their traditions, instead (Mark 7:8, 9). They would come up with excuses to not keep a commandment (Mark 7:10-13), all the while making loud and bold assertions that no one was more strict than they regarding the Law. They were merely hypocrites.
I know we like to shake our heads and are often disgusted by this behavior and hypocrisy, but we might want to take a look in the mirror before heaping too much criticism on them. Maybe we are not that different. Maybe we argue for submitting to the Lord, but set aside His commandment (baptism, Mark 16:16) so we can keep our traditions [faith only]; maybe we profess to love the Lord (cf. Matt. 22:37), but then put our family before Him when it is unpleasant or inconvenient (Matt. 10:37); maybe we proclaim a love for God’s word and love to hear it preached, but then go out and fail to live up to it and live like the world, instead (Ezek. 33:30-32); maybe we demand strict adherence to the various laws and commands of Jesus, but then complain about the preacher, look for loopholes, and make excuses when they hit a little too close to home. Maybe — just maybe — we have a heart problem.
When the apostle Paul addressed our responsibilities toward earthly governments, he noted “the authorities that exist are appointed by God,” and “rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.” As such, every disciple is to “be subject to the governing authorities” (Rom. 13:1, 3). Peter would likewise exhort the early disciples, “submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good,” and that they should “Honor the king” (1 Pet. 2:13-15). Obedience to the authorities begins in the heart; superficial obedience is not enough, for we must also honor those in authority.
I hope we can see the higher point behind this: God wants us to honor Him and to honor His Son; He wants us to value them and respect them so that our obedience is not just something we feel obliged to do, but something we want to do and seek to do at all times because we love them and respect them. Yes, we have laws we must obey, but more than that, we have a God we should love and His Son worthy of unending thanks for what has been done for us that we might be reconciled to God.
Let us not look into God’s word as merely a compendium of laws and rules we appeal to when it is convenient, when we seek to justify ourselves, or when we are looking for a way to chop the legs out from under someone we dislike. God’s word is not merely a reference book when we seek to point out the faults of others, or a book we use to beat someone over the head with our superior knowledge. It is for our spiritual good, but we have to have a heart for it first.
Let us be able to truly say, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart” (Psa. 40:8). — Steven Harper
