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In the movie The Devil's Advocate (1997) Kevin Lomax is a defense lawyer who specializes in jury selection. Even though he is appalled by the actions of his clients and allows witnesses to lie on the stand, he is driven, not by justice, but by a motivation to always win. Realizing his success, John Milton, the senior partner in a New York City law firm, entices Lomax to relocate in the city with a huge financial package including many perks. Lomax's wife, Mary Ann, is at first excited about the opportunities that the Big Apple has to offer, but she slowly becomes disillusioned and desires to return home to Gainesville, Florida. Her husband refuses, because he is riveted by the big cases he is assigned and his ability to continue to win.
As the movie progresses, and after Mary Ann suffers many personal disappointments and tragedies, causing her to commit suicide, the audience learns that John Milton is Satan. In the closing scene Lomax and Milton have a violent confrontation when he learns who the senior partner really is. In the exchange of dialogue Milton says that the greatest sin he uses is "vanity." Even though he is Satan, he cannot overcome free will. But what he can do is create situations where the vanity of an individual empowers them to do wrong. Milton says in the movie, "Vanity, definitely my favorite sin." Realizing this, Milton says all that he has to do is "set the stage," and an individual's vanity, a desire for success and notoriety, will lead him/her to personal destruction. In the case of Lomax, vanity caused him to forsake the intimacy that Mary Ann craved so he could continue a winning law practice.
Paul says, "To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." As we can learn from the life of Kevin Lomax and so many others, a life that is not focused on Christ will be lived in the torment of vanity, absent of spiritual peace.
As the movie progresses, and after Mary Ann suffers many personal disappointments and tragedies, causing her to commit suicide, the audience learns that John Milton is Satan. In the closing scene Lomax and Milton have a violent confrontation when he learns who the senior partner really is. In the exchange of dialogue Milton says that the greatest sin he uses is "vanity." Even though he is Satan, he cannot overcome free will. But what he can do is create situations where the vanity of an individual empowers them to do wrong. Milton says in the movie, "Vanity, definitely my favorite sin." Realizing this, Milton says all that he has to do is "set the stage," and an individual's vanity, a desire for success and notoriety, will lead him/her to personal destruction. In the case of Lomax, vanity caused him to forsake the intimacy that Mary Ann craved so he could continue a winning law practice.
Paul says, "To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." As we can learn from the life of Kevin Lomax and so many others, a life that is not focused on Christ will be lived in the torment of vanity, absent of spiritual peace.
