Lawlessness Leads to Slavery

Aristotle said it best when he said, “At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.”

Have you ever been to a lawless land? I have – three of them to be exact. What you will find is a form of chaos that caters to fear and ruthless strength. It occurs whenever a strong central figure cannot control the outlands. We’ve seen it well portrayed in books and movies, but if you want to see the results of lawlessness, buy a plane ticket to Afghanistan – or maybe Oakland?

Why Oakland?

Gregg Re of FOX News recently reported that Oakland Chief of Police Anne Kirkpatrick, a 34-year veteran of law enforcement, is facing an internal affairs investigation for assisting federal authorities in arresting an illegal immigrant. That is correct. Oakland Internal Affairs is acting on a complaint by the City Commissioner and several “furious City Council members” because Chief Kirkpatrick assisted the United States Government in arresting someone for an illegal act. If you aren’t aware, Oakland is a sanctuary city.

Wait one while I validate Oakland’s authority over the US Government…hmm…US Constitution, Article I, Section 8.4 Congress shall have Power to…establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization…nope, not there…Article II – Executive…no…Article III – Judicial…no…okay it must be here, in Article IV – States’ Relations…hmm, nope. Oh, it has to be here – Amendment X to the US Constitution, Reserved Powers.

No, I didn’t find it there either. Let me know if you find a state-federal agreement that allows Oakland to usurp Congress’ authority to regulate immigration law.

In the meantime, consider what really happens when cities and even states buck the system. I’m not a fan of blind allegiance to federal powers, but I am a fan of a strong United States. I’ve seen and lived the consequences of a weakened central US authority. I’ll argue that the power and strength of the United States is resident in the Almighty God, but the authority given to the federal government comes from the People. When the People are divided, and start to reject the central authority, chaos reigns. That chaos extends outside our borders and impacts the very lives of citizens and soldiers anywhere in the world.

And we, as Christians, have reason to reject actions such as those by the Oakland City Council and Commissioner. Jesus himself said, “If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand. And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come.” (Mark 3:24-26, NIV)

We should and must challenge federal government overreach, but we should not, cannot, must not support open rebellion against a strong federal power. Such chaos is the product of the Deceiver whose goal is to destroy everything God has built. He twisted the words of God in the garden, when he challenged Christ in the wilderness and on the temple. He twists words and emotions today for the same reason – to destroy.

God created everything out of chaos – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep,” (Gen 1:1-2) Satan would love nothing more than to return us to that chaos.

So my challenge to you today is to be wise, to recognize when Satan is twisting the truth and using media, leaders, or even friends to destroy God’s order. Heed biblical warnings. Don’t be fooled by slick tongued snake charmers and snake oil salesmen.

“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted. An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies. Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed. Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble. The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness. Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.” (Prov 12:15-24, NLT)