Quote: “People will settle for an ignorant answer and a fantasy rather than face a biblical reality.” – John MacArthur. Question: Does God exist? Ignorant answer: No. He exists only in the minds of people controlled by religious despots. Question: Is Jesus Christ God? Ignorant answer: No. He never said He was. Question: Will Jesus Christ return to earth? Ignorant answer: No. Question: Is the Bible the written word of God? Ignorant answer: No. It is the written word of unenlightened, superstitious and unscientific men. Question: Is there a heaven and a hell? Ignorant answer: No. Question: Is there life after death? Ignorant answer: No.This is all there is.
So what happens to people who start out asking questions but end up embracing ignorant answers and fantasies at the expense of facing biblical reality? They do what was done to them; they pass on the same to all who come under their sphere of influence. In other words, no serious thought do they give to the answers and no disciplined research or study do they undertake for confirmation; they simply parrot that which was once upon a time parroted to them. What’s the result of that? Lawlessness; an internal, nobody-tells-me-what-to-do, kind of lawlessness. “Nobody tells me what to do,” is in itself is a fantasy; one is either ruled by God or he’s ruled by spiritual tyrants. None of our thinking is original; it either originates from the mind of God or the god of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4.
Biblical evidence for internal lawlessness: For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within and defile a man (person) Mark 7:21-23; cf.Galatians 5:19-21. (Underline mine). That’s the spiritual condition of all unregenerate people. That’s what Jesus came to set us free from. If one rejects His offer, then lawlessness rules. Be mindful too, God holds us accountable for our thoughts as much as He does our actions. Many a sweet little conformer on the outside is a bitter little non-conformer on the inside. Of Jesus the Scripture speaks, You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness Hebrews 1:9; cf. Psalm 45:7.
There was time when the internally lawless kept those things under wraps and would be ashamed if their external lawlessness was exposed. Why the shame? It would cost them – reputation, family, employment and career advancement. Looking good was the order of the day. But more importantly, the restraining hand of God the Holy Spirit was upon the lawless due to the influence of all Bible-practicing Christians, but especially those filling prominent roles in society. Today that is not the case for a number of reasons: 1). There are far fewer such Christians in society. 2). They fill fewer prominent roles in society. 3). They no longer hold the respect they once held in society. Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law Proverbs 29:18.
Today external lawlessness is the order of the day, in high places and low places; an “in your face” lawlessness, lauded by almost everyone. No shame, reputations left intact, no loss of employment; there’s even a very high possibility that it will result in career advancement! Take politicians for example, if the media plasters their lawlessness all over the place, the head honchos remove them off the scene until the dust settles, then after a period of time they’re brought back into the fold. At a suitable later date they’re elevated to higher positions. Similar applies to the corporate world; company number one fires the lawless high-flying executive, company number two then headhunts him, hires him and off he goes again, flying high!
Take the external lawless in low places. They scream, they shout, they bully, they insult, they assault, they manipulate, they intimidate, they lie, they cheat, they rob, they steal, they injure, they maim and they kill. What happens to too many of them? The bleeding hearts hired to represent them before the magistrates or judges, highly skilled in the art of emotive appeal, have them back out on the streets and into society again in no time. In addition, they’re too often viewed as victims suffering some kind of silly personality “disorder” and not the lawless criminals they actually are. However, the High Court of Jesus Christ awaits them in any case. He who justifies the wicked (guilty), and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD Proverbs 17:15.
Of course, “No” is not always the cut-and-dried ignorant answer to the questions in the opening paragraph. Our task as Bible Christians would be less difficult if it was, when endeavouring to help some turn their “No” into “Yes” if asked for our view. Oftentimes ignorant answers can be, “Yes, but not in the way you believe.” They will say they believe in God, He just doesn’t happen to be the God of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the same God who declares, You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself any carved image…… Exodus 20:2-4. The god they believe in is one of their own creation, carved not into wood, stone or plaster, but into their mind. Too, some will call him Jesus. But he’s another Jesus 2 Corinthians 11:4.
Believers in another Jesus are equally as lawless internally as the “No” people, as are believers in all other gods. They may be less likely to display their lawlessness externally and even look upon those who do with great disgust, but unregenerate is what they are. Mention that to some in answer to any questions they have about God and you’ll get an evil eye alright! Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again (regenerated), he cannot see the kingdom of heaven John 3:3. Quote: “Every man must have two births, one from heaven, the other from earth – one of his body, the other of his soul: without the first he cannot see nor enjoy this world, without the last he cannot see nor enjoy the kingdom of God.” – Adam Clarke.
Many there are who say Jesus Christ was a good man, but not God. If Jesus was not God in the flesh, He was not a good man, He was a liar and a deceiver. The biblical answer: I and My Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a Man, make yourself God.” John 10:30-33. Jesus was not killed because He was a good Man! After the Lord’s resurrection, “Doubting” Thomas became “Believing” Thomas. And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and My God.” John 20:28.
And since Jesus was/is THE TRUTH, He spoke the truth when He said, Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in Heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory Matthew 24:29-30. Why will the tribes of the earth mourn? It’s crunch time for the majority of them – judgment time; they’ll now know the truth about the One they spent their lifetime denying, blaspheming, ridiculing and mocking. The primary truth for them being, Jesus is about to remove them off the earth.
As for the Bible not being the written word of God, all clever and sophisticated arguments and denials about it that have been expressed down through history, will cease. On the day of the Lord’s return only one thought will be on their mind; the judgments they’re about to face there and then will be from the Bible, as will their final judgment 1000 years later at the Great White Throne. In the meantime the arguments and denials will continue, the worst and most influential of them coming from titled and certificated men and women who lecture and preach in Bible Colleges and church pulpits, hiding behind a facade of Christianity. Lawless wolves in sheep’s clothing, they are in reality. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed 2 Peter 2:2.
Denials of heaven, hell and life after death will continue also. When people don’t want to believe what God wants them to believe, He lifts His hand and gives them over to believe what ever they want to believe. Worse: God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie 2 Thessalonians 2:11. There are opportunities to turn back when Satan the devil sends his delusions, but there are no such opportunities when God sends His! What to do then? Reject ignorant answers and fantasies; face up to biblical reality. Humble yourself to Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God; experience release from internal lawlessness while you still have time. Don’t die a lawless rebel! All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out John 6:37. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble James 4:6.