Defanging The Law of Jante

22 Oct

Satan has always been the accuser of the brethren. He has never wanted anyone to be “more than a conqueror”… or to excel, unless it serves his ‘lower’ purpose of hate… hate for God and hate for humans. If at all possible, he’d love to keep us in such a ‘dumbed-down’ state that not only is our own growth stunted, but that we would become ‘police’ to prevent the growth of others. It doesn’t take much foresight to see that this produces a vicious circle where the enforcers become the people who are oppressed by it.

It works like this: When someone excels, insecure people begin to feel uncomfortable with the disruption in the status quo… the betterment that one person experiences becomes an indictment to the one who hasn’t changed. They may wish they had the courage or ability to change… but as an alternative to ‘kicking into gear’ and doing something about their discomfort with their own status quo, they salve these feelings by inflicting some sort of warning shot ‘over the bow’ of the excel-er. Then when the ‘police-er’ missteps in some manner, the new warning shot gets fired from a new ‘police-er’ to corral him back in line.

I wonder if this is akin to communism’s, ‘big brother’ is watching? Diablo himself has conned not only the demons of hell to assist him, but he’s conned many fragile and insecure ‘soldiers’ to round out his boldfaced, full-frontal attack on humanity.

James 4:1 says, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Aren’t they caused by the selfish desires that fight to control you?” (God’s Word version)

It requires Heaven’s help to break free when these mindsets and actions are deeply ingrained and broadly practiced. Any person or society that embraces this mentality effectively stops their further growth or healthy change. That society (or individual) begins to stagnate and become ingrown… and the first death-knell can be heard.

Now, I wonder who would originate such an atrocity upon a person or society? Can you say – the devil?

Case in point: I recently revisited the subject of Janteloven with a Norwegian friend (he lives in Norway) who not only affirmed its presence in their culture, but its diabolic nature and impact on their people. Janteloven, or The law of Jante (pronounced yente) is seldom spoken about but widely practiced in the Scandanavian countries. It works as a policing system so that if anyone should attempt to excel in the society they are immediately met with this:

The law of Jante ’10 commandments’

1. Thou shalt not believe thou art something.
2. Thou shalt not believe thou art as good as we.
3. Thou shalt not believe thou art more wise than we.
4. Thou shalt not fancy thyself better than we.
5. Thou shalt not believe thou knowest more than we.
6. Thou shalt not believe thou art greater than we.
7. Thou shalt not believe thou amountest to anything.
8. Thou shalt not laugh at us.
9. Thou shalt not believe that anyone is concerned with thee.
10. Thou shalt not believe thou canst teach us anything.

and sometimes an 11th one is added, if necessary, as a warning…

11. Maybe you don’t think I know a few things about you?

How’s that for encouragement! If a person’s own failures aren’t enough discouragement, then living under this oppressiveness would certainly finish you off. These heart-killing beliefs are embodiments of the devil’s mission to “rob, kill and destroy” any courage or incentive one may have. Just like Adam and Eve, many have unwittingly (at least initially) succumbed to this ‘ministry of condemnation and accusation’… or worse yet become instruments of its propagation.

But thanks be to God who sent Jesus to set the captives free!!!

Grace sets us free from the “law of sin and death” (Rms 8:2)… and from the “ministry of condemnation” (II Cor 3:9). Grace is God’s answer to the enemy’s barrage of accusation. We quickly acknowledge our failings, and just as quickly reaffirm our righteousness in Jesus. Righteousness through Grace lifts us up above the fray… up above our own negative self-introspection… up above the devil’s ministry of condemnation. We must “set our affections on things above, not on things of this earth” (Col 3:2), where Christ (and we) sit at the right hand of God.

So, let it be known that we now hereby present and embrace these upgraded perspectives and truths which directly trump the devil’s condemnation. (Each one is a superior truth to overcome the lies of Jante.)

Grace’s 10 hope-filled truths

1.    You are the righteousness of God in Christ
2.    You are the apple of God’s eye
3.    You have the mind of Christ
4.    You’ve been given all things freely to enjoy
5.    The Anointing teaches you all things
6.    You are more than a conqueror
7.    God’s plans hope and a good future for you
8.    Your gentleness will be evident to all
9.    Kings will come to the brightness of your rising
10. The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom