LAWLESSNESS:
The Greek word ANOMIA is a relatively rare, special word used in only 13 verses in the Bible, and it is often loosely translated as “LAWLESSNESS,” the very deadly sin warned about in Matthew 7:23: “…… I never knew you. Depart from me, you who are working LAWLESSNESS” (Modern Literal Version) and in terrifying Matthew 13:41,42: “…… angels …… gather…… all who scandalize and who violate the torah (ANOMIA is the original Greek for torah) 42 and cast them into a furnace of fire: and there becomes wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (exeGeses Companion Bible, parenthesized words added) The word “exeGeses” means a critical analysis.
Doomed, ANOMOS Christians will be crying and gnashing their teeth as they are thrown into what could be a type of “fire and brimstone” that the residents of Sodom were condemned to, where they will be mercilessly incinerated within seconds or minutes. The highly respected scientific journal Nature concluded in a recent, very technical September, 2021 article that a furnace like blast of the intensity of a HYDROGEN BOMB obliterated an ancient city thought to possibly/probably be Sodom since it matched the exact geographical location described in the Bible.
Hydrogen bombs are a thousand times more powerful than atomic bombs. The blast was so great that nearby towns, like Jericho, as far as 20 miles away were severely damaged. That is how much God hates sin. Concerning Sodom, the sin was primarily homosexuality. ANOMIA, of course, is publicized little by mainstream Christianity in its steadfast, almost rabid determination to evade obeying as many laws as possible that are still in force. ANOMIA is precisely defined as follows:
ANOMIA, the feminine noun, Strong’s number 458, is defined by THAYER’S GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON of the NEW TESTAMENT, 1896, March, 2005 seventh printing by Hendrickson Publishers, acclaimed by many as the world’s best such lexicon, on page 48: “1. prop. the condition of one without law, — either because ignorant of it or because violating it. 2. contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness ……..” ANOMIA in the Greek literally means “no torah” or “no law.” “A” means “no” or “without” and NOMIA, derived from NOMOS means “law,” or primarily the laws within the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Further analysis of the ANOMIA word provides even more conclusive proof that it really does refer to the Mosaic laws because ANOMIA IS DIRECTLY DERIVED FROM ANOMOS, Strong’s number 459, which is also the ADJECTIVE form of ANOMIA, AND ANOMOS REFERS PRIMARILY to the Old Testament, Mosaic laws. YES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, ANOMIA REALLY DOES REFER MOSTLY TO THE OLD TESTAMENT LAWS! ANOMOS on page 48 IS DEFINED AS “1. DESTITUTE OF (THE MOSAIC) LAW ……..” Thayer, not me, put in parentheses “THE MOSAIC.” ANOMOS itself is derived directly from the Greek word NOMOS, Strong’s number 3551, translated into the English “law,” and NOMOS appears in the New Testament well over 200 times, defined ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION AS THE MOSAIC LAW. NOMOS on page 427 is DEFINED AS “…….. a command, law; and 1. of any law whatsoever …….. 2. OF THE MOSAIC LAW …….” THE ADVERB form of ANOMIA is ANOMOS, Strong’s number 460, spelled like the adjective but pronounced differently, and it again REFERS PRIMARILY to the Mosaic laws! ANOMOS on page 48 is ALSO DEFINED AS “without the law …….., without a knowledge of the law …….. TO SIN IN IGNORANCE OF THE MOSAIC LAW ……..” THE HEBREW-GREEK KEY WORD STUDY BIBLE King James Version, copyright 1984, 1991 revised edition by AMG International, Inc., on page 1740 in the “Lexical Aids to the New Testament,” as well as other study aids, defines NOMOS basically as THE LAW GIVEN MOST FREQUENTLY BY MOSES.
The definition of ANOMIA also contains the idea of thinking about or of regarding established Old Testament laws WITH CONTEMPT as a separate sin in itself.
Did you see that ANOMIA (lawlessness) is derived from ANOMOS, defined as
“DESTITUTE OF THE MOSAIC LAW …… TO SIN IN IGNORANCE OF THE MOSAIC LAW”? DESTITUTE OF THE MOSAIC LAW, TO SIN IN IGNORANCE OF THE MOSAIC LAW!!!!
Have you really and fully comprehended the profound significance of that simple, short definition??
ANOMIE is an actual English word derived directly from the Greek word ANOMIA. Dictionaries basically define anomie, which gives us additional insight into the meaning of ANOMIA, as a COLLAPSE OF THE SOCIAL STRUCTURES REGULATING OR GOVERNING A SOCIETY OR SOCIAL INSTABILITY THAT RESULTED FROM A BREAKDOWN OF STANDARDS AND VALUES. Mainstream Christianity has obviously experienced a collapse of Mosaic law observance for the last 1,600+ years.
The Apostles definitely did single out the sacrifice, circumcision, Levitical priesthood, and automatic death penalty laws as now abolished, but they NEVER DID single out remaining Old Testament laws like the safe meat, mostly prophetic festival, enriching tithing, and Saturday rest laws as annulled. So those and some other Mosaic laws MUST still be quite valid for modern day Christians. Ebola outbreaks in Africa, for example, might never occur again if those people there would simply stop eating monkeys and other “unclean” “bush meat,” which are thought to be vectors of that dreaded virus.
Matthew 13:41,42: “THE SON OF HUMANITY APOSTOLIZES HIS ANGELS, AND FROM HIS SOVEREIGNDOM THEY GATHER ALL WHO S-C-A-N-D-A-L-I-Z-E AND WHO V-I-O-L-A-T-E THE TORAH 42 AND CAST THEM INTO A FURNACE OF FIRE; AND THERE BECOMES WAILING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.” (ExeGeses Companion Bible) This particular translation is one of the more literal translations. Note the word “scandalize” in the above translation. Merely speaking contemptuously of established, sacred Old Testament laws, as well as breaking them, may also condemn you to death by incineration. In accordance with the full definition of ANOMIA, few people realize that just saying bad things about the holy Mosaic laws, especially those that still remain in force, is an extremely serious sin in itself.
Matthew 7:23, which is addressed to Christians: “…….. I NEVER KNEW YOU. DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO ARE WORKING LAWLESSNESS!” (MLV) The original Greek word for “working,” is ERGAZOMAI, Strong’s number 2038. The definition of ERGAZOMAI seems to imply that ANOMIA is not a sin that occurs by accident, or occurs unintentionally as through extreme temptation. Strong’s, Thayer’s, and the definitions of other experts indicate that ANOMIA is deliberate, sustained, and occurs regularly, and the English translation “working” implies that ANOMIA does not occur rarely. These definitions are consistent with the idea that OT law observance has been deliberately abandoned.
MATTHEW 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of the heavens …… 22 MANY (POLUS) will be saying to me in that day (Judgment Day which will occur after the Christian millennium), Lord, Lord, (desperately crying out fearing they may be rejected) did we not: prophesy (preach) in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and practice many miracles in your name? 23 And then I will confess to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who are working lawlessness (ANOMIA).” (MLV, parenthesized words added) Most Christians refuse to believe, in the assumption that the majority must be right, the real definition of ANOMIA translated loosely by often anti-OT leaning translators into the more deceptively general, less specific “lawlessness” or “iniquity.” The Greek word for MANY in the above verse 22 is POLUS which when used elsewhere in the Bible OFTEN MEANS NOT JUST THE MAJORITY, BUT OMINOUSLY THE VAST MAJORITY.
MATTHEW 7:21-23: “NOT EVERYONE ……. SHALL ENTER …… HEAVEN …… 22 MANY (POLUS) WILL SAY …… ‘LORD, LORD, (desperately crying out fearing rejection), HAVE WE NOT PROPHESIED (preached) IN YOUR NAME …… 23 AND THEN I WILL DECLARE TO THEM, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS (anomia)!’ ” (NKJV, parenthesized words added)
MATTHEW 23:27: “Woe to you ….. Because you are ….. full of ALL UNCLEANNESS.” (MLV) The Greek for “UNCLEANNESS” is AKATHARSIA, Strong’s 167, which is derived from the same Greek word AKATHARTOS, Strong’s 169, used in Acts 10:14 to describe the type of uncleanness of the forbidden foods listed in the MOSAIC LAWS.
MATTHEW 23:28: ”…… you indeed appear also righteous to men, but inside, you are full of hypocrisy and LAWLESSNESS.” (MLV) The Greek for “LAWLESSNESS” is ANOMIA, meaning “destitute of the MOSAIC LAW.”
GOD THE FATHER HAS NOT CHANGED (MALACHI 3:6, JAMES 1:17). THE DOCTRINES OF JESUS AND GOD THE FATHER ARE IDENTICAL. THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME. JOHN 7:16: “…… ‘MY TEACHING IS NOT MINE, BUT HIS WHO SENT ME.’ ” (WEB)
Matthew 7:23 ignoring churches also, of course, conveniently omit the last, DISOBEDIENCE part of
JOHN 3:36:
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever DISOBEYS the Son will never have life,” (Today’s English Version)
“…….. those who do not OBEY the Son will never have life ……..” (New Century Version)
Some English translations that include even the King James Version, dilute “disobeys” down to “does not believe,” “believeth not,” or similar words. The original Greek, though, specifically uses the word APEITHEO, 544, for “disobeys” which means to refuse belief AND OBEDIENCE! One more time, despite what your local, well credentialed, impressive minister says, AND OBEDIENCE!!
2 THESSALONIANS 1:7-9: “and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, 8 rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that OBEY NOT the [a]gospel of our Lord Jesus: 9 who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,” (ASV)
ROMANS 1:5: “Through whom, we received grace and apostleship into the OBEDIENCE of the faith ……” (MLV)
LUKE 13:5: “…… if you do not REPENT, you will all likewise perish.” (MLV) Repent means to stop sinning, defined by 1 John 3:4 as breaking Biblical laws, so the only way to stop breaking those laws is to obey them.
HEBREWS 5:9: “…… he became to all of those who OBEY him the author of eternal salvation.” (WEB)
The major, respected website studybible.info further defines APEITHEO:
G544 – Strong’s Greek Lexicon Number
LSJ Gloss: to be disobedient, refuse compliance
Dodson: disobey, rebel, am disloyal, refuse conformity
Strong’s: to disbelieve (willfully and perversely)
GRACE:
Understanding what grace IS NOT is just as important as understanding what grace is. Grace is not freedom from law keeping as dramatically emphasized in the following Romans and other verses:
ROMANS 3:31: “Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law.” (WEB)
ROMANS 6:1,2: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?” (WEB)
ROMANS 6:15: “What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? May it never be!” (WEB) Remember, 1 JOHN 3:4 defines sin as breaking the law, the remaining general law such as the safe meat, mostly prophetic festival, Saturday rest, and enriching tithing laws.
MATTHEW 7:23: “…… I never knew you. Depart from me, you who are working lawlessness.” (MLV)
Please read the must read page ROMANS 6:14: “…… YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE.” ACTS 2:38 AND ROMANS 6:15 SHOW THAT VERSE 14 DOES NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO PROVING THAT MOST OT LAWS CAN BE ABANDONED.
Grace is merely the forgiveness of breaking one or more of God’s laws if and only if one has sincerely repented of breaking that law, as shown by the Biblical definition of GRACE defined as follows: ROMANS 3:24,25: “…… GRACE, through …… Jesus: …… 25 in His pity God let the SINS OF EARLIER TIMES GO UNPUNISHED” (Bible in Basic English). The words “SINS OF EARLIER TIMES” mean “past sins,” and past sins only, not future or post baptismal, un-repented of sins. Despite what some verse skipping, popular, mainstream churches fanatically preach, grace is not an unlimited license to sin after initial repentance of sinning, defined as breaking Biblical laws. TO QUALIFY FOR AND TO REMAIN UNDER GRACE, YOU NEED TO POSSESS THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OBEY THE LAW, STEADFASTLY. PERIOD!! END OF DISCUSSION!! CASE CLOSED!! ACTS 2:38: “And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your SINFUL ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Amplified Bible)
TURN AWAY FROM YOUR SINS MEANS TO STOP SINNING. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP SINNING, BIBLICALLY DEFINED AS BREAKING THE LAW (1 JOHN 3:4), IS TO STOP BREAKING THE LAW. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP BREAKING THE LAW IS TO OBEY THE LAW!!
TO REMAIN UNDER GRACE, WHICH IS A TYPE OF PARDON FOR PAST SINS, YOU MUST STOP SINNING SINCE GRACE COVERS ONLY PAST, PRE-BAPTISMAL SINS REPENTED OF AND FUTURE SINS COMMITTED ACCIDENTALLY OR THROUGH EXTREME TEMPTATION OR CARELESSNESS, IF SINCERELY REPENTED OF. 1 John 2:1 shows that we now have Jesus Christ as our Mediator to intervene and forgive sins committed after conversion. A state governor, for example, usually will not, of course, pardon and free an imprisoned, unrepentant murderer who openly admits that he cannot guarantee that he will not murder again.
ACTS 5:32: “…… The HOLY SPIRIT, which God gave to those who OBEY Him ……” (New Simplified Bible)
Rock solid proof that grace is highly conditional upon continued law keeping is the following verse. 1 CORINTHIANS 9:27: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become DISQUALIFIED.” (NKJV)
PAUL ADMITS THAT HE HIMSELF COULD FAIL TO BE SAVED!
The Greek word for “DISQUALIFIED” is adokimos, Strong’s 96, defined as unapproved, rejected, worthless, castaway, and reprobate. 2 Corinthians 13:5: “….. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are DISQUALIFIED.” (NKJV) The very same Greek word adokimos also appears in 2 Corinthians 13:5 as the original Greek word for “DISQUALIFIED,” very strongly implying that Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:27 was admitting that he could lose his salvation by no longer having “Jesus in him” if his sins were serious and prolonged enough to “disqualify” him. Titus 1:16: “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and DISQUALIFIED for every good work.” Adokimos in verse 16 again appears in the Greek for the word “DISQUALIFIED.” Therefore deliberate, sustained failure to obey NT as well as OT laws can still cost Christians their salvation. Concerning sins committed after our repentance and baptism, however, Jesus is also our “mediator.” 1 John 2:1 reveals that when we sin, we can further repent and confess our sins in prayer, and Jesus can then plead our case with God the Father.
GALATIANS 5:18 reveals that the ONLY people not “under” the old mega law of sin and death (Romans 8:2), the sacrifice, circumcision, and the Levitical priesthood laws are Christians who HAVE the Holy Spirit, and are led by it.