A government governs by rules. In spiritual as well as social life, government is everything. Social anarchy results when people reject governmental rules and form their own. Those who are like-minded form groups which vie for supremacy. Spiritual anarchy is no different in that like-minded people reject God’s rules (commandments), make their own rules (church doctrines), form groups (denominations/ faiths, etc.) and vie for supremacy (proselytize).

Those who rebel against God’s rules “… have forsaken the right way” (2 Pet. 2:15) because they “… despise (God’s) Government” (2 Pet. 2:10)–His Lordship over their lives. These are “… workers of iniquity (Lawlessness) (Mat. 7:23) whom God compares to a dog who returns to his vomit and a sow that returns to her mire (2 Pet. 2:10-22). To reject any part of God’s Law, even the “… least commandment” (Mat. 5:19), is to reject the entire Law (Jam. 2:10-12), making one a “worker of iniquity” whom Jesus rejects (Mat. 7:23). According to God, the only cure for rebellion against His Lordship is true repent- ance proven by obedience to His Word/gospel (Mat.a 3:8). Heb. 4:7–“If you hear the gospel, harden not your hearts.” Mark 1:14,15–“Repent and believe the gospel.” Repent of what? Sin–the transgression of the Law (1 Jn. 3:4)–the instrument of God’s government (Jam. 2:11) which, if rebelled against in part or in whole (Jam. 2:10-12) will result in death (Rom. 6:23/Mat. 7:23).

“Be ye doers of the Word/gospel and not hearers only” (Jam. 1:22) because faith without obedience (works) is dead and cannot save (Jam. 2:14,17). The true repentant realizes that he is in rebellion against God (1 Jn. 3:4), confesses his sins (1 Jn. 1:4), repents of his sins (Acts 3:19,26), recognizes Christ as his Lord and exhibits godly sorrow, thus clearing himself of all sin. He is adamant against, indignant toward and zealous in his fight against sin as he purges himself (2 Cor. 7:9-11/Jam. 4:7-11). He cleanses his spiritual hands, purifies his heart, afflicts himself, mourns over his sins and is in heaviness over them, weeping over them. He does not judge the Law, but rather obeys it (Jam. 4:7-11).

The false repentant takes Jesus as his Savior but not his Lord/Governor. For him there is no Second Cor- inthians 7:9-11 or James 4:7-11 reaction to sin. Sin and repentance are as much a part of his religious life as going to church. And worse, he revels in his right to sin and get away with it in that either Mary or Grace takes care of his sins as quickly as he can repent of them.

But God knows the heart of the serial sinner/repenter and stores up His wrath toward him (Rom. 2:5). By continuing in his sin-repent cycle, the serial sinner nullifies Christ’s sacrifice, crucifies Him afresh with each sin, tramples Him under foot, counts the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified as worthless and insults the Spirit of grace. (Heb. 10:26,29). But all is well because he is “saved”–the fix is in.

The way to salvation is spelled out in God’s Word: repentance and conversion (Mat. 13:15) place one under God’s government/rulership (Isa. 9:6) where one obeys Him (1 Jn. 2:6), resulting in righteous- ness and holiness, which results in persecution (2 Tim. 3:12) which, if endured in holiness until the end, (Mat. 10:22) will result in salvation (Rom. 6:19,22). There are no shortcuts. All believers run the race, but only those who run according to God’s rules win the prize (1 Cor. 9:24/1 Pet. 4:17,18). The Counter- feit Church denies this, claiming that the prize is won before the race begins.

At judgment all shortcutters (followers of men) will call Jesus “Lord,” will recount all the wonderful things they had done in His name, and like the five foolish virgins (Mat.25:11), expect to marry the Lord. He will reject them (Mat. 7:23) because, though they called Him “Lord,” they refused to take Him as their Lord, refused to obey Him, professed Him with their lips but served men in their hearts (Lk. 6:46/ Mk. 7:6), claimed that His Law was dead, then demanded that it be publicly displayed. In so doing the church mocks God. God is not mocked. What she has sown, she shall reap (Gal. 6:7). L.J.