So we are going to go back and start with that word "sin." In the Greek, the word is anomia. Now we're not a Greek scholar, we want everybody to know that but once in a while we'll look up a word and this one is anomia, and it is in the Greek Dictionary that we have it is translated as lawless or lawlessness. Now stop and think for a moment. Isn’t that exactly what sin is all about apart from covetousness? The first step of sin is a mental act of rebellion against what God has said. That’s what it means to covet and tied to it is lawless. Now just think about that for a moment, that the sin that so easily besets us and that plagues the human race starts out as both covetousness and lawlessness. God has made certain provisions for the human race, He’s laid down certain instructions tied together with penalties, but what is the natural reaction to all of that? "I’m not going to! No, God."
You know, we always like to use Psalms 14, where the translators have added a word that kind of takes away the punch, we think, where "the fool has said in his heart there is no God." But when we take away what the translators added which are italicized back there and it is "there is," take that away, and we have, "The fool has said in his heart" what? "No, God!" See! We're not going to do what You are telling me. And what is that? That’s lawlessness! So, let’s go all the way back to Genesis, where it all began. No let’s go back even before that! Let’s go to old Lucifer a king, an allegory of Satan found in Isaiah chapter 14. We didn’t intend to do this, we were just going to go to Genesis, but the thought just struck us that we find the first act of covetousness and lawlessness, even before Adam and Eve, in Isaiah chapter 14. The very first act of covetousness and lawlessness - Sin. As it has bedraggled the human race from day one. Isaiah chapter 14 and we’ll just start at verse 12.
Before we get there there is another verse we should look at for in it and with its help we'll gain the knowledge which God intends us to acquire. This we'll find in 2 Corinthians chapter 10:
2Corinthians 10:5-6
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." For many will jump in with some other scripture verse before understanding what God is saying in the first and this is in effect being lawless because its not in obedience to God or our having the mind of Christ. Now Isaiah:
Isaiah 14:12a "How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer…." Now we know that a lot of our new translations don’t have Lucifer in there but our old King James still does. This kings throne was likened to the seat of God in the heavens by the writer as a figure of speech or of a type so his listeners could understand the symbolism and allegory.
Isaiah 14:12-14 "How are you fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!(the reference is to Venus the star of the early morning of dawn) how are you cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! For you, have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit upon the mount of the congregation (Zion), in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; (and here it comes) I will be like the most High." What this old king, Lucifer is saying? I am going to usurp God’s throne and His authority. Did God tell him to do that? No. So what is he, both lawless and covetous! He is going contrary to everything that God had stipulated and he is telling God in so many words, "I am going to take your place." So this is covetousness the beginning of lawlessness or sin (this is the same action that Satan took and had expressed, this is also within Nimrod and what he did and which the tower of Babel was all about) as we know it even in our own human experience. Alright, now then, let’s go back an pick it up in Genesis chapter 3 where we have the first evidence of this kind of human action – to covet and lawless. Or covetousness and lawlessness. And it is, of course, Satan tempting Eve back there in the garden. And let’s just jump right in to verse 6. I guess we really should remind ourselves, what had God told Adam earlier? Of that one tree in the garden, "you shalt not eat." That’s all He said! "You shalt not eat of it." Remember to that He said it to Adam as he was a complete perfect spiritual divine being and he was to tell it to woman even though she was at that time apart of Man. Now look what happens in verse 6 of Genesis 3.
Genesis 3:6a "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired (coveted) to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,…" What had God told them, as one being? "You shalt not." So what is she doing? She is becoming covetous and then lawless. She is disobeying the revealed will of God, and that’s what sin is. Oh, it wasn’t anything grossly immoral. She didn’t kill anybody, or rob anyone. She didn’t go out and tear down somebody’s personality with vile language. She made a simple act of plucking the fruit from the tree and eating it. But, what did it do? Not through Eve’s act, but the next part of the verse. Since she gives it to her husband who is with her, and he did eat, now as soon as Adam ate knowing what he was doing, what does he become? Lawless! Dead to God; And what does he introduce into the human race? Sin and death! And so sin has plagued the human race from that day forward. That by the way was given as a command, but because of the disobedience it becomes the first law of commandment because it also had the penalty attached to it, death. This death is spiritual separation from intercourse, fellowship or communion with God, as He can not see or hear sin. He does not look upon it. How do we know this by His calling for them in the Garden, they were hidden from His eyes. Not just because they had hidden themselves (their now awakened conscience was in shames grip), their innocents or glory had departed them, but also because He can not now look at or see sin.
Now let’s come all the way back up to Romans. Romans chapter 5, because as we can see, this is the whole idea of Scripture not only to give us the plan of salvation, (which includes our conversion into redemption as an inclusive action of God) but to give us the reason for the need of it. Why do we need redemption and salvation? Because without it we are lawless. Without it we are not obedient to the revealed Will of God. Natural man is in darkness which causes him to turn away from the light because he loves the darkness more. We are in constant opposition to it. Though we may have some knowledge of scripture we're still held in darkness because we've not leaned Christ nor have we heard Him say: "take all thoughts captive and in obedience of Christ" that is found in the cup and the cross. Alright, so how did it all begin? Romans chapter 5 and verse 12. Remember Paul is writing:
Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man, (Adam,) sin (lawlessness) entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" Or become lawless. Now, let us show another one in Romans chapter 8. And we know every time we read this verse we have to be amazed that the human race does as well as it does! Now we are going down the tube real fast, we all know that. But, it’s just amazing that the human race has held together for 6,000 plus years because look at our lot. Romans chapter 8 and let’s just start with verse 6.
Romans 8:6a "For to be carnally (or fleshly, earthly, materially) minded is death;…"
In other words, with no sign of a total salvation experience, they are still in their lawlessness. So to be carnally minded is death, spiritual death, in other words their church attendance has done them no earthly or heavenly good. Their doom is coming, like we saw. They are going to meet the Living God. Not as their Savior but as their Judge.
Romans 8:6-7a "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (This is brought about through conversion and redemption and here is the reason in verse 7.) Because the carnal mind (the saved? or unsaved person,) is enmity against God;…"
Now what is that? He’s lawless. He doesn’t do what God says, He doesn’t pay any attention to the precepts of God. He does it his own way, He’s lawless. And consequently then, he’s doomed. But look what the rest of the verse says.
Romans 8:7 "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."
Why not? Because he is lawless. He doesn’t pay any attention to the law, he’s a scoffer of "the law of God". Now we suppose that there are people in all of our communities who even treat the civil law the same way today. They don’t pay any attention to the civil law. They just do things their own way, but sooner or later it’s going to catch up with them. We know that. Alright now the same way here, in Spiritual things, the lost person in his lawlessness, well, he may get through this life. He just may skim through, but he’s not going to get through eternity. And so one day he’s going to come before the Righteous Judge and he’s going to be confronted with all of his years of lawlessness and he’s going to fall into the hands of the Living God. And the Living God is not going to be a God of mercy and Grace anymore. It’s going to be too late for that person. now we're not limiting this to just the none-converted person but it includes those who are still in the corral or under the tutor of the Law. As these people can also become snagged in their learning of Christ by the Holy Spirit. How? Paul addresses the ways throughout this Epistle and in Galatians. Do you see that? Now back to Hebrews chapter 3 and we will pick up the second phrase. Because you see they all tie together.
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