The danger of the lawless

 

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:17-18 ESV

            There is an ever-present danger that the true saints will be carried off in the errors of those who claim to be saints and are not. Here Peter calls such people lawless, indicating that they are marked by a lack of submission to the commands of Christ. This is further supported by the end of verse 16 which states that these same twist scriptures bending it to their foolish ends rather than yielding themselves to its ultimate authority. Now if one would dare even to tamper with God’s holy word, what manipulations would they reframe from?

            The lawless undermine the confidence of the saints, making them unstable by pulling them off of the solid rock of scripture. This may be done by sheer forcefulness, or by subtle suggestion. Stability my be compromised by questions, or insulations, with lies or with half-truths. The lawless may appear as bully, or victim, or even as both. They may hold a position of influence, or they may exercise their wicked influence unnoticed. The more subtly a lawless one works their false teaching, both in word and in deed, the more dangerous they become.

            As the true saints’ desire, as Peter and through Peter our Lord Christ desire for them, to grow in sanctification by the knowledge of the truth (John 17:17), the lawless are perhaps most successful in sowing instability among the true saints when they create guilty feelings within them. And this is very often their aim for it well serves their purposes of pursuing evil without accountability. By creating faults, or exaggerating them the lawless disarm the saints rendering them mute when they would speak the truth in love. Those they cannot silence through shame they will disregard and undermine by accusations. They would even use god as their defense for disobeying God.

            And yet beloved, though no man on earth not pastor or elder, friend or family member; nor any congregation, or group, or even family might hold such a one to account there is yet accountability. For the Lord will judge, and for these the judgement will be very harsh. For they have known the truth, but rejected it. More than this they have caused others to stumble. So, it is better as the scripture says that such as these should never have heard the truth, and if they will not hear the truth it is better that they hear it spoken no more. Because, those who hear the truth without receiving it are held to account for what they should have received. It is also better that they be removed from the place of influencing the true saints, that the growth of the true saints would be as unimpeded as possible: and also that those who mislead would heap no more condemnation upon themselves in misleading still more.

            Now dearly beloved, this is a tragic circumstance, and I do not say we should walk through it without shedding of tears. Indeed, we ought to shed tears for such souls, and plead with God who is able to save even such as this that He would show them mercy like that the prodigal son was shown when with the pigs. Nevertheless, we ought also to recognize the goodness when such as these are found out, and either leave of their own accord or our rightly sent out by the elders. It is better for both the lawless, and the saints that those who persist in lawlessness be set outside the fellowship. And we know it is good for it is the will of God as revealed in scripture.

            Finally, beloved, it is not right that anyone should feel guilty because of the accusation of a lawless one, for these do not esteem the standard of truth and so judge wrongly by some false standard. But if anyone feels guilty let them go before the true Judge in prayer, and examining the full counsel of the word, ask whether the guilt is of God or of men. And if anyone feels that one who has broken the law shows no signs of guilt that leads to repentance let them approach that one directly with prayer and with the word of God and reason with them that a soul might be improved in holiness. In all things, and in every way set yourselves upon the scriptures and be ruled by them so that you may walk in the right way and so progress into glory by grace through faith as is the will of Christ for all who believe.

Prayer

            Father may the lawless be kept from influencing those who are under the law of grace and willingly constrained by Your perfect love to obedience, for our good and Your glory, that Your children may grow-up in holiness as you desire and not be misled. Let the lawless ones known their lawlessness, and the results thereof that they might repent and come to the right way. Let Your saints be not swayed by bullying, or by manipulation but standfast upon Your word speaking the truth in love without compromise. Let Your saints feel no guilt that is not of You, but make us attuned to the Holy Spirit heeding the voice of truth and knowing the judgment of the true Judge. Let us weep as You weep. Let Your good and perfect will be done. In the name of Jesus, the Christ we pray. Amen.

Songs

Means of grace by Timothy Brindle (feat, Shai Linne) Stylistically this won’t be for everyone, but the lyrics should be appreciable.

Stay away from Jesus by Matt Papa

How firm a foundation