There are times when it feels as though right and wrong have become difficult to recognize. Things that once seemed obviously wrong can become normal, while standing for truth can make you feel uncomfortable or even alone.
Jesus knew this would happen. When He spoke about the future, He warned that lawlessness would increase and the love of many would grow cold (Matthew 24:12). But Jesus did not give this warning so His followers would live in fear. He wanted them to remain awake, faithful, loving, and firmly rooted in God. To understand the broader biblical meaning of lawlessness and the warnings Scripture gives about it, read our guide to the nature of lawlessness in Scripture.
So what exactly did Jesus say about lawlessness? And what does His teaching mean for us today?
What Does Lawlessness Mean?
Biblically, lawlessness is more than breaking the laws of a country. It is rebellion against God's righteous authority. First John 3:4 gives a direct definition:
“Sin is lawlessness.”
Lawlessness happens when people reject God's ways and choose their own desires instead. It can appear through open rebellion, sinful behavior, hypocrisy, hatred, pride, dishonesty, or simply refusing to submit to God's truth. This is why the subject is deeply personal. It is easy to look at society and identify lawlessness. But Jesus also calls us to examine our own hearts.
Are there areas where I know what God wants but continue choosing my own way? That question can lead us toward repentance rather than simply criticism of others.
Jesus Warned That Lawlessness Would Increase
One of Jesus' clearest statements about lawlessness appears in Matthew 24:12:
“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.”
Jesus was describing conditions surrounding the last days. He spoke about deception, persecution, wars, famines, earthquakes, and false prophets. In the middle of these warnings, He mentioned increasing lawlessness.
Notice something important: Jesus connected lawlessness with love growing cold. Sin does not only affect behavior. It can affect the heart. When people repeatedly choose selfishness over love, forgiveness can become difficult. Compassion can disappear. Bitterness can take root. People may become comfortable with hatred, dishonesty, revenge, and cruelty.
That is why Jesus' warning is so relevant. The danger is not only that the world becomes more lawless. The danger is that we become cold because of the lawlessness around us.
Jesus Calls Us to Endure
Immediately after warning about increasing lawlessness, Jesus said:
“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:13
Jesus' answer to difficult times was not panic. It was endurance. There may be moments when doing what is right becomes difficult. You may be mocked for your faith. You may feel pressured to compromise. You may see people around you celebrating things Scripture warns against. Jesus says: Keep going.
- Keep trusting God.
- Keep loving people.
- Keep praying.
- Keep obeying.
- Keep your heart tender.
Faithfulness matters even when faithfulness is unpopular.
Jesus Warned About Practicing Lawlessness
One of Jesus' most serious warnings appears in Matthew 7:21–23. He explained that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Then He spoke about people who performed religious works but did not truly belong to Him.
Jesus says:
“I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew 7:23
These words should cause every believer to pause. Jesus was showing that religious appearance is not the same as genuine obedience.
- A person can know Christian language without surrendering their life to Christ.
- Someone can attend church while carrying hatred in their heart.
- Someone can speak about holiness while secretly embracing sin.
- Someone can know Scripture but refuse to obey what it teaches.
Jesus wants more than outward religious activity. He wants a relationship with Him that produces a transformed life.
Jesus Condemned Religious Hypocrisy
Jesus also confronted religious leaders who looked righteous outwardly but were corrupt inwardly. In Matthew 23:27–28, He compared them to beautifully decorated graves. They appeared righteous to people, but inside they were filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
This teaches us something uncomfortable: lawlessness can hide behind religion. It is possible to look spiritual while resisting God in the heart. Jesus cares about what happens inside us.
- He sees our motives.
- He sees our private decisions.
- He sees what nobody else sees.
That is why following Christ cannot simply be about maintaining a good appearance. God wants truth in the inward parts.
Jesus Did Not Abolish God's Law
Jesus' teaching about lawlessness should not be separated from His teaching about God's law. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus said:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Jesus did not teach His followers to live as though God's righteous standards no longer mattered. Instead, He showed that obedience begins deeper than outward behavior.
In Matthew 5, Jesus addressed anger, lust, divorce, retaliation, love for enemies, and other matters of the heart. He took righteousness beyond external rules and brought it into the inner life.
God does not merely want our hands to behave differently. He wants our hearts to be transformed.
Love Is Not the Opposite of Obedience
Jesus connected love and obedience. He said:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15
This is important because some people think obedience to God is simply about following rules. Jesus presents something deeper. We obey because we love Him.
True love for Christ changes our choices. When we love Jesus, we begin to care about what He cares about. We become more willing to forgive. We become more careful with our words. We resist temptation. We pursue holiness. We learn to put God's will above our own.
Obedience is not a way of purchasing God's love. It is a response to the love we have received from Him.
Jesus Taught Us to Love God and Others
When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He pointed to love for God and love for our neighbor (Matthew 22:37–40).
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
Then He added that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. This helps us understand Matthew 24:12. When lawlessness increases, love grows cold. But followers of Jesus are called to go in the opposite direction.
- When others become hateful, we can remain loving.
- When others become selfish, we can remain generous.
- When others seek revenge, we can choose forgiveness.
- When others compromise truth, we can remain faithful.
The darker the surroundings become, the more important it is for Christians to reflect the character of Christ.
How Should Christians Respond to Lawlessness?
Jesus' warnings should change how we live.
1. Guard Your Heart
Do not allow the sins you repeatedly see around you to become normal in your own heart.
Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all vigilance.”
Pay attention to what you watch, listen to, celebrate, and allow to influence you.
2. Remain in God's Word
Jesus said:
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Matthew 24:35
Culture changes. Opinions change. Trends change. God's Word remains dependable. Stay close to Scripture so you can recognize truth when deception comes.
3. Keep Your Love Alive
Matthew 24:12 is a warning against becoming spiritually cold.
- Don't let somebody else's wickedness turn you into a bitter person.
- Don't let disappointment destroy your compassion.
- Don't let the behavior of others determine the character you display.
Stay close to Jesus, the source of genuine love.
4. Refuse to Compromise
Following Jesus will sometimes require difficult choices.
- You may have to say no when everyone else says yes.
- You may have to stand for truth when it costs you popularity.
- You may have to walk away from something that feels enjoyable but dishonors God.
Obedience is not always easy, but Jesus is worth following.
Jesus Has the Final Victory Over Lawlessness
The story does not end with lawlessness. Jesus warned about it, but He also promised victory. Matthew 24:13 reminds us to endure. And Scripture ultimately points toward Christ's triumph over evil.
- Lawlessness may increase.
- Deception may spread.
- Hearts may grow cold.
But Jesus remains Lord. That means Christians do not have to live hopelessly. We can face a troubled world with confidence because our hope is not built on the behavior of society. Our hope is built on Christ.
Conclusion: Keep Your Heart Faithful to Jesus
Jesus' teaching about lawlessness is both a warning and an invitation. He warned that lawlessness would increase and that the love of many would grow cold. He warned about religious hypocrisy and people who would practice lawlessness while claiming His name. Yet He also called His followers to endure, remain faithful, obey His Word, and continue walking in love.
The answer to a lawless world is not fear. It is faithfulness. We cannot control everything happening around us, but we can ask God to control what is happening within us. So when lawlessness increases, don't let your love grow cold.
Stay close to Jesus. Stand firmly on God's Word. Walk in obedience. Love people. Reject compromise. And keep enduring until the end. The world may become darker, but those who remain close to Christ can continue to shine His light.
Related Bible Teaching:
Comments
Post a Comment