How do we know the Truth in Law, in a Lawless Land?
We live in a moment when many Americans are asking a profound and troubling question: How do we know the truth in law when our own land seems lawless? It's almost like the wild west lawlessness of yesteryear.
How do we discern what is just when the very institutions entrusted with upholding justice appear to twist, manipulate, or selectively apply the law? In some cases we even have justices making law on the bench!
For those of us who believe both in the laws of our land and in the higher law of God, this question carries weight beyond politics. It touches the essence of who we are as a people, citizens of a republic that is designed to honor liberty and believers who must remain faithful to a higher moral standard.
The Crisis of Lawlessness
In the United States today, many sense that the rule of law has eroded. Laws exist, but they are not applied equally. Some individuals, businesses, and politicians find themselves crushed under the full weight of prosecution for minor infractions, while others escape scrutiny despite committing grave violations.
We see laws bent or ignored to serve political ends. We see selective enforcement. We see prosecutors more interested in pursuing headlines than justice. And we see a disturbing trend: the use of lawfare.
What is lawfare?
Lawfare is the weaponization of legal systems to silence, punish, or destroy opponents. Instead of law being a shield to protect the innocent, it becomes a sword wielded for partisan or ideological gain.
Entrepreneurs have faced frivolous lawsuits designed not to seek justice, but to bleed them dry in court fees. Business leaders have endured regulatory attacks not because they violated the law, but because they resisted political pressure. Politicians, especially those who challenge entrenched powers, have been dragged through endless investigations.
And at the highest level, even a sitting President, Donald J. Trump, has faced relentless legal battles that often look more like political theater than the pursuit of justice.
Lawfare undermines trust in the system because it makes the law appear arbitrary. When laws are applied unequally, when some are punished for the smallest infractions and others escape even serious charges, ordinary citizens begin to wonder: Does law still mean anything at all?
god's law vs. man's law
For Christians, this tension is not new. Scripture teaches that God’s law is eternal and perfect. Man’s law, by contrast, is fallible and prone to corruption. Romans 13 reminds us to submit to governing authorities, for they are instituted by God to maintain order. But Acts 5:29 reminds us that when man’s law contradicts God’s law, we must obey God rather than men.
This tension requires wisdom. Blind obedience to corrupt systems can make us complicit in evil, but anarchy is not the answer either. We are called to honor just laws, to respect rightful authority, but also to resist unrighteous decrees.
How Do We Discern the Truth in Law?
When our legal system falters, we must return to three guiding principles:
- Measure Man’s Law Against God’s Law
Any law or ruling that contradicts God’s eternal truth is not legitimate in the ultimate sense. For example, laws that destroy life, try to redefine morality, or reward dishonesty cannot be reconciled with God’s Word. We should vigorously resist any such laws, and do all within our power to have them repealed.
- Hold Fast to the Principle of Equal Justice
True law does not play favorites. Whether rich or poor, powerful or weak, justice should apply the same. True and just law is adjudicated without regard for race, creed, or political posture. When we see laws applied unequally, we must call it what it is: corruption.
- Seek Truth Beyond the Noise
Media narratives, political rhetoric, and partisan spin often cloud what the law actually says. To know the truth in law, we must read, research, ponder, and understand the plain text of the law itself. Seek God's guidance through prayer. His Spirit will lead you to make the right decision.
What Can Ordinary Citizens Do?
It is easy to be disheartened in the face of corruption. But despair is not an option for people of faith. Here are steps we can take to ensure that laws are enforced for the betterment of all:
1. Educate Ourselves and Others
Ignorance is a tool of tyranny. Citizens who do not know their rights cannot defend them. Read the Constitution. Study the Bill of Rights. Understand your state and local laws. Share this knowledge with your children and community.
2. Engage Peacefully but Boldly
Attend town halls. Write to representatives. Support candidates who uphold both the Constitution and biblical values. Silence allows corruption to grow unchecked; our voices must be heard.
3. Support Honest Leaders
Pray for leaders who value truth, and support them with votes, finances, and encouragement. When honest men and women refuse to serve because of corruption, only the corrupt remain.
4. Stand With the Persecuted
When lawfare is used against individuals, whether they are entrepreneurs, business leaders, or politicians like President Trump, we must not turn a blind eye. We must speak out, even when unpopular, because injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
5. Pray and Act with Integrity
Ultimately, we cannot fix lawlessness by becoming lawless ourselves. We must model integrity in our own lives, in our businesses, and in our communities. And we must pray fervently, for our leaders, for our nation, and for God’s justice to prevail. Let us not forget what the apostle James reminds us of: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16
A Call to Courage
We are living in times that demand courage. The path of least resistance, silence, compliance, compromise may be tempting, but if we care about truth, freedom, and justice, we cannot shrink back.
The Founders of this nation believed in natural rights given by God. They enshrined those rights into a Constitution designed to restrain the power of government and protect the liberty of the people.
When we defend the rule of law, rightly applied, we are not merely defending a political system, we are defending a vision rooted in God’s truth about human dignity and freedom.
truth will prevail!
The truth in law is not found in the shifting sands of political power. It is found in the eternal word of God, the Bible, and in the enduring principles of justice, fairness, and liberty.
Yes, we live in a land that feels lawless at times. Yes, lawfare has been unleashed against individuals, businesses, and leaders, including President Trump.
But we are not helpless. We can pray. We can act. We can demand accountability.
We can teach our children the truth. And we can live by God’s law while working to restore justice to man’s law.
In the end, the truth will prevail, not because of the schemes of men, but because the author of truth, even our Creator, reigns over all.
Our duty is to remain faithful, to speak boldly, and to live uprightly, so that when future generations look back, they will say: They did not lose heart. They stood for truth. They kept the faith!