Introduction. Respect for authority is the glue that holds civilized societies together. The foundation of this respect is what God calls “righteousness”. It is the desire to treat others fairly and justly based on God’s laws. “Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God.” (Deut. 6:25). Once someone puts his own desires first, taking what belongs to another, they become an evildoer and must be stopped. If there is no discipline, including punishment for disobedience, the problem will grow and the founding principles of our nation will vanish: “All men are created equal and are by their Creator with certain unalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” If we want America to continue this great legacy, there must be discipline.
America’s sudden turn away from these things is deeply troubling. When police are held in contempt and law breakers are released without punishment the “unalienable rights” of all victims are set aside. Yet this is where we find ourselves. Evil, now praised as freedom, is called “good” while justice has been redefined as intolerance and prejudice (Isa. 5:20). Victims are punished by the evil doer, but the criminal is immediately released. God has warned that when a civil government fails to act, He will be forced to do so. God always punishes the evil doer. As 2 Pet. 2:4-9 reveals, “Angels that sinned in chains of darkness … a flood sent on the world of the ungodly … Sodom and Gomorrah left in ashes as an example … Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.” This is God’s answer to continued rebellion.
America’s sudden turn away from these things is deeply troubling. When police are held in contempt and law breakers are released without punishment the “unalienable rights” of all victims are set aside. Yet this is where we find ourselves. Evil, now praised as freedom, is called “good” while justice has been redefined as intolerance and prejudice (Isa. 5:20). Victims are punished by the evil doer, but the criminal is immediately released. God has warned that when a civil government fails to act, He will be forced to do so. God always punishes the evil doer. As 2 Pet. 2:4-9 reveals, “Angels that sinned in chains of darkness … a flood sent on the world of the ungodly … Sodom and Gomorrah left in ashes as an example … Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.” This is God’s answer to continued rebellion.
In times like these, it is wise remember Lot’s response and compare it to our own. God “delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the sensual conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds).” The fact that God called Lot “righteous” three times in this passage must not be overlooked. This is clearly how God wants the righteous to respond in such a nation.
God wanted it known that Lot’s response is an important part of being righteous. While many are concerned about the criminal, God is concerned for the innocent victim. The punishment must be fair and fit the crime, but there must be punishment. We see this general principle in Ex. 21:24-25: “you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” Fair and swift punishment creates fear. “Those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you.” (Deut. 19:20). Those with true faith in God and His word cannot help but feel as Lot as they see God’s demands for discipline ignored.
When a nation rejects these things by using their own wisdom, God has warned that grave consequences follow for their citizens. “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” (Eccl. 8:11). This is a universal axiom that works in every realm where authority is exercised over others. If this is not stopped and punishment reinstated, more and more hearts will be fully set to do evil.
It begins in the home. Parents are commanded to speedily execute discipline. If they fail to do so, God revealed that the outcome is always the same - hearts of children become fully set to do evil.
These passages and others like them are important to remember when living in an environment of indulgence and laxity toward rebellion: “Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from the grave.” (Pr. 23:13-14). Disciple works!
Parents instilling self-discipline bring great blessings both to their child and their nation. Unruly children not only disrupt classrooms, workplaces and the society, but they diminish their own chance for success. “He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.” (Pr. 15:32). Righteous parents seek to “train them up in the way they should go.” (Pr. 22:16), but the new permissive atmosphere of many schools and the influences of friends and entertainment greatly complicate this task. Parents must be vigilant “lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” (Heb. 12:15).
When those in authority ignore unfairness, respect for the rights of others begins to break down. God created civil government to bring stability, peace and safety to those in a nation. They are “God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” and “for the punishment of evildoers.” It is evident that some in our nation are no longer doing this. This doesn’t lessen the guilt of those who rebel because “whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” (Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:13-14). Hence, when a nation drifts toward unrighteousness and anarchy, Christians must resist the temptation to follow. They must follow Lot’s example in Sodom. They must carefully guard themselves against the excuse and temptation that “everyone else is doing it.”
Habakkuk was a prophet in Judah, a nation far worse than our own. Like Lot, He was also tormented.
God used Ezekiel to reveal His solution. First, “put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” Then came judgment: “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity.” But those like Lot were spared. “Do not come near anyone on whom is the mark.” (Ezek. 9:3-4). Does our response to the evil around us rise to a level to make us worthy of this mark?
While most of this is beyond our control, we must do what we can. We can’t change the criminal justice system or make the schools and workplace discipline the unruly. But we are in full control of our own home and the church where we attend. The maxim: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” (1 Cor. 15:33) operates whether we ignore it or not. As this rebellion creeps into the world, it can also creep into our homes and into the church. Such times require greater vigilance.
Our home needs to be a place of righteousness where all unruliness is dealt with speedily, with justice and mercy of course. But it can’t be ignored or we will find the same things happening in our home that we see in the world. It is not being restrictive, narrow minded, or intolerant to demand people respect one another, not covet their possessions and not harm them in any way.
The church must also follow all of God’s demands in discipline. Sin cannot be tolerated in the church. The unruly must be rebuked and the sinner must repent or that “little leaven leavens the whole lump.” (1 Cor. 5:6). Jesus made it very clear that both the individual and the church are charged to keep this command. Evil must be disciplined speedily lest it become the norm and grow.
Jesus outlines three steps. First every sin must be dealt with. When sin occurs brothers and sisters in Christ become concerned. They care about sinners. They want discipline to result in salvation. They must go quickly and discuss this sin. If they were wrong in their assessment or if the sinner repents and confesses, discipline reigns. If they won’t listen and become even more rebellious and stubborn, then one or two other Christians must go with them to try again. If the matter is resolved and the evil is removed, it is finished. But if they still refuse, Jesus demanded a final step. This is a step that schools and the criminal justice system have become very lax about, but the church cannot. If these steps have been taken and the sinner is still rebellious, he must be treated as a heathen and as a tax collector. As Paul later said, “put away from yourselves the evil person.” (1 Cor 5:13).
Conclusion. All righteous people who want a safe environment love and respect discipline. They feel oppressed and tormented when it is not administered because such is corrosive, further damaging the evil doer and bringing the society closer to anarchy. We applaud discipline as the righteous response to evil. If we can’t stop it in our nation, schools and workplace, we must not allow it to enter our home and the church where we attend.
God wanted it known that Lot’s response is an important part of being righteous. While many are concerned about the criminal, God is concerned for the innocent victim. The punishment must be fair and fit the crime, but there must be punishment. We see this general principle in Ex. 21:24-25: “you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” Fair and swift punishment creates fear. “Those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you.” (Deut. 19:20). Those with true faith in God and His word cannot help but feel as Lot as they see God’s demands for discipline ignored.
When a nation rejects these things by using their own wisdom, God has warned that grave consequences follow for their citizens. “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” (Eccl. 8:11). This is a universal axiom that works in every realm where authority is exercised over others. If this is not stopped and punishment reinstated, more and more hearts will be fully set to do evil.
- If Parents make rules they do not enforce, children will be fully set to do evil.
- If Teachers make rules they do not enforce, pupils will be fully set to do evil.
- If Coaches make rules they do not enforce, players will be fully set to do evil.
- If Employers make rules they do not enforce, employees will be fully set to do evil.
- If Legislature make rules Judges and DA’s don’t enforce, citizens will be fully set to do evil.
It begins in the home. Parents are commanded to speedily execute discipline. If they fail to do so, God revealed that the outcome is always the same - hearts of children become fully set to do evil.
- “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame ...” (Pr. 29:15).
- “He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.” (Pr. 13:24)
- “chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.” (Pr. 19:18).
These passages and others like them are important to remember when living in an environment of indulgence and laxity toward rebellion: “Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from the grave.” (Pr. 23:13-14). Disciple works!
Parents instilling self-discipline bring great blessings both to their child and their nation. Unruly children not only disrupt classrooms, workplaces and the society, but they diminish their own chance for success. “He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.” (Pr. 15:32). Righteous parents seek to “train them up in the way they should go.” (Pr. 22:16), but the new permissive atmosphere of many schools and the influences of friends and entertainment greatly complicate this task. Parents must be vigilant “lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” (Heb. 12:15).
When those in authority ignore unfairness, respect for the rights of others begins to break down. God created civil government to bring stability, peace and safety to those in a nation. They are “God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” and “for the punishment of evildoers.” It is evident that some in our nation are no longer doing this. This doesn’t lessen the guilt of those who rebel because “whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” (Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:13-14). Hence, when a nation drifts toward unrighteousness and anarchy, Christians must resist the temptation to follow. They must follow Lot’s example in Sodom. They must carefully guard themselves against the excuse and temptation that “everyone else is doing it.”
Habakkuk was a prophet in Judah, a nation far worse than our own. Like Lot, He was also tormented.
- “...plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.” (Hab. 1:3-8).
God used Ezekiel to reveal His solution. First, “put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” Then came judgment: “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity.” But those like Lot were spared. “Do not come near anyone on whom is the mark.” (Ezek. 9:3-4). Does our response to the evil around us rise to a level to make us worthy of this mark?
While most of this is beyond our control, we must do what we can. We can’t change the criminal justice system or make the schools and workplace discipline the unruly. But we are in full control of our own home and the church where we attend. The maxim: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” (1 Cor. 15:33) operates whether we ignore it or not. As this rebellion creeps into the world, it can also creep into our homes and into the church. Such times require greater vigilance.
Our home needs to be a place of righteousness where all unruliness is dealt with speedily, with justice and mercy of course. But it can’t be ignored or we will find the same things happening in our home that we see in the world. It is not being restrictive, narrow minded, or intolerant to demand people respect one another, not covet their possessions and not harm them in any way.
The church must also follow all of God’s demands in discipline. Sin cannot be tolerated in the church. The unruly must be rebuked and the sinner must repent or that “little leaven leavens the whole lump.” (1 Cor. 5:6). Jesus made it very clear that both the individual and the church are charged to keep this command. Evil must be disciplined speedily lest it become the norm and grow.
- "15 Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. (Mt. 18:15-17)
Jesus outlines three steps. First every sin must be dealt with. When sin occurs brothers and sisters in Christ become concerned. They care about sinners. They want discipline to result in salvation. They must go quickly and discuss this sin. If they were wrong in their assessment or if the sinner repents and confesses, discipline reigns. If they won’t listen and become even more rebellious and stubborn, then one or two other Christians must go with them to try again. If the matter is resolved and the evil is removed, it is finished. But if they still refuse, Jesus demanded a final step. This is a step that schools and the criminal justice system have become very lax about, but the church cannot. If these steps have been taken and the sinner is still rebellious, he must be treated as a heathen and as a tax collector. As Paul later said, “put away from yourselves the evil person.” (1 Cor 5:13).
Conclusion. All righteous people who want a safe environment love and respect discipline. They feel oppressed and tormented when it is not administered because such is corrosive, further damaging the evil doer and bringing the society closer to anarchy. We applaud discipline as the righteous response to evil. If we can’t stop it in our nation, schools and workplace, we must not allow it to enter our home and the church where we attend.