I remember a thought provoking question being asked a few
years ago in a Bible study that I attended for which we could not find a clear “theological”
position on the matter. The question was: “Is it a sin to drive above the
posted speed limit?” It was an interesting debate. The general consensus was loosely bound in
the fact that it was breaking a law, and to break a law is sin, but that never
set well with many of us.
It wasn’t until about a week later, I awoke in the morning,
and the first thought that popped in my head, seemingly out of nowhere was “God
is the only Lawmaker, what men call “law” is really only regulations.” It was a moment of clarity that drove me
first to my cup of coffee, then to the Bible where I read “There is only one lawgiver and
judge…(James 4:12) For me, the matter was settled. If we do not follow the speed limit posted,
we are not breaking “God’s Law”, but man’s legislation or regulation. Certainly consequences may follow, we may be
fined, and it is for reasons of safety that these speed limits are posted so
that while we are living in this world, we should, as much as it is in our
power, to live peaceably rendering respect to the authority placed over us…but
we are not necessarily breaking “God’s law” if we break man’s legislation. So why is this distinction important?
We have an enemy who bears the name “the accuser of the brethren”
(Rev.12:10). If he manages to convince
us that we are in a state of sin because we may have gone over the speed limit
by a couple of miles per hour, then we will find ourselves confessing this “pseudo-sin”
to God, as we approach Him in our prayers.
The same can be said for most regulations and bills signed into
legislation. So many of these regulations are passed to be “the law of the land”
without having been read, it is as
though the so called “lawmakers” know they are not really writing “laws”, and
the joke is on us.
These are not really “Law”, though men call them “law”. If
we thought we were in a state of sin every time we violated a regulation, how
can we have confidence before a Holy God? The accuser burdens our hearts with
our wretchedness and guilt, and we become regulated into slavery to the world
system, barely able to lift our hearts in prayer. Our faith is suffocated, for
when we become legalistic, we fall from grace (Gal.5:4) Satan knows this. We
ought to remember this also.
This distinction is important because historically, the
governments of this world generated increasingly restrictive regulations and
legislation, sometimes contradictory, so that every aspect of our lives becomes
hemmed in and while we try to live peaceably as much as it is in our power, this
is always understood that our lives are under the authority of the only
Lawgiver, Our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. So long as man’s regulations do not violate
our allegiance to Him, we are free to cooperate. When we find ourselves at a cross-road, we
must choose to whom we will be slaves, to men or God.
As this age is drawing to a close, we see an increasingly
hostile sentiment to Holy Scripture, and it is likely that we will all be in a
position, at one time or another, “to draw the line”…to be in that valley of
decision where we are prompted to “choose
this day whom you will serve…” (Josh.24:15) With man muddying semantics
by calling regulations and legislation “law”, and dismissing the Laws of the
one and Only Lawmaker, we must pray for discernment and conclude that we must obey God, rather than men
(Acts 5:25) If we are unable to make that distinction, we are no longer free.
If we are no longer free, we are enslaved. It was for freedom that Christ set us free;
therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Gal.5:1)
DJ
