One of the longest running shows on television, now streaming, is the series Law and Order. Every episode describes a crime, the detective work that bring a perpetrator to justice, the lawyers who adjudicate the proceedings, and the justice system that tries to come to a right conclusion about the case. Apart from the excellent writing, acting, and directing, there is a reason why people watch the show: there is a general appreciation of and desire for, law and order. And the key to maintaining order is a foundation of law for which a nation can provide stability for its people.
Proverbs 28:2 suggests the template for such stability: understanding and knowledge. Where does a nation find that fount of wisdom? Scripture is clear that the righteous standards of God provide a steady strength for any country. What is the alternative? The first part of Proverbs 28:2 says, “When a land transgresses, it has many rulers.” When there is no universal benchmark, no sure foundation of law, then anarchy rules. The book of Judges explains such lawlessness with the phrase, “Everyone does what is right in their own eyes.” The alternative to order and stability for a country is anarchy and volatility.
One of the earliest lessons of life is that someone or something is going to tell us what to do. We have to look no farther than corner stop signs to make the point. The question for America, Americans, or any people group around the globe remains the same, “If you take away law and order, with what will you replace it?” Listen to and learn from God’s Word. If you want stability, if you want law and order, God’s fundamental principles of objective Truth from Scripture, applied to real life, must be kept. Continuing our summer series for the Comenius Institute, this is Dr. Mark Eckel, Executive Director of the Center for Biblical Integration at Liberty University, personally seeking truth wherever it’s found. [First published at MarkEckel.com]
I know how my brain works, and maybe I have an idea of how yours works too, but I can’t explain it. All I know is that we humans sometimes see patterns. And when we recognize and understand these patterns, we can unlock the secrets to victory.
What happens when a negligent mayor leaves rioters in charge of six blocks of prime urban real estate? Maybe she’s unwilling to protect the citizens of Seattle from the lawless rape and robbery on full display in the CHAZ and jamming her 911 lines, but the Blaze is coming to the defense of the LGBT Capitol Hill neighborhood.
As citizens of the United States, we share so much. We were born in the light of greatness, or have voluntarily chosen to adopt this country as our own. We are the beneficiaries of a great tradition of freedom, men and women who risked their lives to sever ties with England and start anew. It was a daring task, a risky endeavor that is unique in human history. The men and women who took these steps knew that the establishment of a Republic would be fragile, that it would be subject to the whims and power grabs of people who care little for liberty and only relish and are obsessed with the opportunities to expand their own personal power. Those people have betrayed the Founders and affronted the sacrifices that were made to create a new nation.
It’s been a lousy few months for everyone, especially for the black community. You’ve experienced more illness from COVID-19 than almost any other group. You lost your jobs right after the economy expanded and gave you work. Then you were stuck at home for weeks on end. And then George Floyd was killed. And your world exploded.
Everyone is familiar with the Klu Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and White Supremacists. They have been marching in rallies, trying to spread their hate for decades. They hide in the shadows, pull out their polyester hoods every once in a while to make a statement, and are largely ignored. But who made up the counter-protestors? The names of these groups in attendance in Charlottesville may be new to some, but their ideology is also hateful.
