Tag: lawlessness

The Unimpressed Judge: A Warning Against Lawlessness

Brent Pollard

On January 21, 2004, a state trooper pulled over the renowned folk musician Art Garfunkel for speeding in upstate New York. During the stop, the trooper discovered marijuana in Garfunkel’s jacket, adding another layer of complexity to the situation. Despite Garfunkel’s protests, the trooper issued him a ticket, seemingly unfazed by the musician’s celebrity status.

This anecdote raises an intriguing question: how many people will react similarly to Garfunkel on the Day of Judgment, expecting their earthly accomplishments to be significant? Jesus Christ himself addressed this issue by saying:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7.21-23 NASB95)

Jesus’s words reveal a sobering truth: many will attempt to leverage their reputation among people to impress Jesus, but their efforts will be in vain. Even if they have performed remarkable deeds, they will face the consequences of their actions if they do not align with God’s will.

Are you consistently doing good deeds in the name of Jesus throughout the week? The important question is: are you truly fulfilling God’s will? It’s easy to get caught up in our responsibilities and forget the duties God expects us to carry out. For example, the Pharisees were careful to tithe on herbs like anise, mint, and cumin, but they neglected the more important aspects of the Law, as mentioned in Matthew 23.23. The Mosaic Law required tithing on agricultural produce (see Deuteronomy 14.22), but it didn’t require tithing on herbs. So, we could see the Pharisees’ actions as self-imposed, stricter rules meant to enhance their status among people. However, Jesus was not impressed because their actions disregarded God’s will.

May you stand before the Judge of mankind (as referenced in Romans 14.12) with unwavering confidence, knowing that your actions were guided by God’s will. Otherwise, be prepared to hear Him say, “Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.”

Lessons from the Apostasy

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

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Gary Pollard

One of the more difficult passages to understand in scripture is found in II Thessalonians 2. This chapter talks about a figure known as the Man of Lawlessness. Theories abound concerning his/its identity which, thankfully, is immaterial to our salvation and will not be the focus of this article. I would prefer to focus on the apostasy (also translated “rebellion” [ESV] or “falling away” [KJV]) preceding the appearance of the man of lawlessness in our passage. 

Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica because some false teachers, evidently posing as Paul and Sylvanus (2.2), had convinced several members that they had missed out on the second coming (2.1-3). Paul begins by telling them not to believe anything other than what he had already taught them (2.2, 5) and rehashes a proof he taught in person (2.5). Before the second coming, two things had to occur: 1. The Apostasy, 2. The Man of Lawlessness. This would not be a sign of the second coming but an event that would be obvious (2.8, 9) and of unknown duration, eventually brought to an end by the appearance of Christ (2.3, 8). Clearly this had not happened yet or it would be an irrelevant comfort or proof to the Thessalonian church. 

Whoever/whatever the man of lawlessness may be, no one argues that its advent is preceded by the apostasy (2.3). The construct of the original language seems to describe this apostasy as being a major, far-reaching event rather than an isolated or regional one. Regardless of the timing of its advent (as in, has it happened or is it yet to come?), the apostasy was or is to be a tragic event. 

The word is ἀποστασία which means, “Defiance of established system or authority” (BDAG 121). Keeping the context in consideration this apostasy is an event characterized by a mass “falling away” from the church. It is a tragic event. To quote a great fictional philosopher, “Today is not that day.” It is easy to get caught up in the doom and gloom of current events and think, “There’s no hope.” 

Bear Valley Bible Institute recently released their annual report on the work being done through its mission efforts. This is just one school and one evangelistic effort among hundreds, but the church is doing great work in a world that seems to falling apart. Last year alone over 800 preachers were trained and over 3,000 people converted. Again, this is just one great effort among many. The soil is still fertile. There is still work for us to do. There is still hope. When we get overwhelmed by the political chaos in our own country or stressed about events overseas, let’s remember this: this world is not our home, and with our limited time here there is still so much good to be done! 

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Photo credit: Keith Kasarjian (Limbe, Cameroon, near Bear Valley Bible Institute extension)