03. Las leyes no pueden transformar el corazón humano
Twelve Compelling Reasons We Must Make Disciples · Part 03
A nation can change its laws without changing its heart.
Good laws matter. They can protect the innocent, restrain evil, establish justice, punish wrongdoing, and defend the vulnerable. We should be grateful for righteous laws, and work for laws that reflect truth, justice, and compassion.
But we must never expect legislation to accomplish what only Jesus can do.
A law can prohibit hatred. It cannot produce love.
A law can punish violence. It cannot create peace within the human soul.
A law can condemn discrimination. It cannot remove pride, prejudice, or bitterness from the heart.
A law can require honest behavior. It cannot make someone a person of integrity.
A law can define marriage. It cannot produce faithfulness, sacrifice, forgiveness, or enduring love within a home.
A law can regulate outward conduct. It cannot transform inward desires.
Jesus taught that our greatest problems do not begin in government, education, economics, or culture. They begin in the human heart.
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.”. Matthew 15:19 WEB
The brokenness we see around us is the outward expression of what is happening within people. That is why changing policies alone will never be enough. We do not merely need better-behaved people. We need new people. We need people whose hearts have been changed by Jesus.
God promised:
“I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”. Ezekiel 36:26 WEB
That is transformation.
When Jesus changes a heart, enemies can forgive one another. The dishonest become trustworthy. The selfish become generous. The immoral become pure. The violent become peacemakers. The proud become humble. The bitter become compassionate. The hopeless discover purpose.
This is why disciple-making matters to the future of a culture. Disciple-making does not simply teach people to agree with Christian ideas. It teaches people to follow Jesus, obey His commands, surrender their desires, love their neighbors, forgive their enemies, serve the vulnerable, and help others do the same.
Imagine what would happen if transformed disciples began multiplying throughout every part of society.
Transformed parents would shape different families.
Transformed business leaders would build different workplaces.
Transformed teachers would influence different classrooms.
Transformed neighbors would create different communities.
Transformed citizens would help form a different culture.
Politics has an important role. Laws have an important role. Institutions have an important role. But none of them can replace the transforming power of the gospel.
We cannot legislate revival. We cannot regulate people into righteousness. We cannot pass enough laws to create a new heart. Only Jesus can do that.
And Jesus has entrusted His disciples with the mission of carrying His gospel to people and teaching them to obey everything He commanded.
Therefore, our greatest hope for cultural transformation is not merely winning the next election, passing the next law, or changing the next policy. Our greatest hope is ordinary followers of Jesus making disciples who make disciples.
Good laws may restrain darkness. Transformed disciples carry the light.
The culture will not truly change until people do. And people are changed from the inside out when they encounter Jesus.
Are we placing more confidence in legislation than we are in the transforming power of the gospel?
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