Lawlessness

State of the Church: The Celtic Revival (9)

But hear too the blessed Zechariah, the prophet, warning you with the Word of God…“they made their hearts immovable, so as not to hear My Law and the words which the almighty Lord sent in His Spirit and in the hands of the former prophets…My wrath is piled up on the shepherds, and I shall punish the lambs.”

  – Gildas, The Ruin of Britain

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”

— Matthew 24.12

Immovable hearts
Surely this is as great a word of condemnation as can be levied against any pastor, that one maintains an immovable heart “so as not to hear My Law”. Through Zechariah the Lord condemned the shepherds of Israel because they refused to hear His Law or to learn from the prophets who had gone before them. Gildas applied this to the shepherds of Britain in his day. No wonder they had no love for their sheep, but only saw them as a means to their own aggrandizement.

Where the Law of God is ignored, lawlessness will abound, and the love of many will grow cold. How could it be otherwise? The Law and the prophets set the guidelines and motivations for loving God and our neighbors (Matt. 22.34-40). Where the Law is neither heard nor taught, it is impossible to believe that anything like real love will abound.

And this is precisely what was happening in Britain early in the 6^th century. The shepherds of God’s flock were not eager students of God’s Word; they were workman who should have been ashamed of their neglect of that holy spiritual food which alone can bring health and fruitfulness to the soul (2 Tim. 2.15; Heb. 5.12-14).

But their hearts were immovable. Nothing Gildas might have said would have caused them to examine themselves, repent of their slothful and self-serving ways, and return to the Lord and the proper care of His sheep. God was piling up wrath against them, as Gildas knew, and His own lambs would suffer as judgment fell upon His shepherds.

Like shepherds, like sheep?
A familiar rap against the Church in our day is that it loves so little. We have plenty of lively and “fun” worship services, lots of activities and programs, and all the latest in facilities and staff. But we don’t love our neighbors. The poor in our cities languish. Do we care? People in our neighborhoods need to hear the Gospel. Are we praying, preparing, and reaching out to them? Do we even love our fellow believers throughout the community? We care almost nothing for the unity of the Body of Christ for which Jesus prayed so earnestly (Jn. 17.21). And for too many Christians, who just can’t seem to find the time for Scripture-reading or prayer, love for God is reserved mainly for the Sunday morning service. Just checkin’ in, Lord.

Of course, this condition exists in varying degrees of decrepitude. But the lack of love and the spiritual malnutrition that lack indicates are everywhere visible. And why is this so? Why has our love grown cold?

Because lawlessness is practiced throughout the land. And why is this?

Because we and our shepherds have little taste for the Law of God. Our hearts are becoming—if they aren’t already—immovable against the Law of God, that which James referred to as the Law of liberty and John insisted was the Law of love (Jms. 2.12; 1 Jn. 5.3). Jesus walked the path of God’s Law (1 Jn. 2.1-6). Should not we, His disciples, do the same? 

But if, as in Gildas’ day, our shepherds have little taste for the Law of God, we must not allow their shame to be our punishment. God will bring judgment against those shepherds who despise or neglect His Law, believing themselves to be better sources of teaching about “love” than God Himself. 

But, whereas in Gildas’ day, people did not have the Word of God, we do, and we must apply ourselves to it diligently, day by day, not neglecting the Law of God nor any other aspect of His precious and eternal Word.

For Reflection
1. What is your approach for reading and studying through the Bible?

2. The Psalmist delighted to meditate daily on God’s Law (Ps. 1). Why do you think that was so?

Psalm 1.1-3 (Regent Square: Angels from the Realms of Glory)
Blessed the one who walks not in the counsel of ungodly men;
stands not in the path of sinners, joins not scorners in their sin.
But his joy is in the LORD’s law, and he meditates therein.

He shall flourish like a tree transplanted by the streams of grace;
rooted near life-giving waters, growing strong in this blessed place—
ever fruitful, never with’ring, prospering before God’s face.

T. M. Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

Need some help in reading and studying the Scriptures? Order your free copy of The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart and gain the skills and incentive you need for daily feeding on God’s Word.

Men, check out our Spring Men’s Reading Groups. Great reads, sound learning, warm fellowship.

Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision series on “The Church” we consider the vision of Church presented in Scripture. Our Read Moore podcast is working through our book, The Kingdom Turn. The focus of our Scriptorium daily study is on “Matthew: The Coming of the Kingdom.” Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.