Criminal Christians

Who are they? Where are they? Why haven't they been arrested for their crimes? The simple truth is that law-breaking Christians are everywhere! They number into the millions. Everywhere you turn there are Christians committing criminal acts. Why is this happening? What laws are they violating?

Christians violate (break) traffic laws!

The fastest growing lawbreaking among Christians is violating traffic laws. Christians are speeding, running stop signs and traffic lights, illegally parking, and the list goes on. Christian, do you violate traffic law? For example, when you pass any one of these signs, how fast are you going?

Do you even know how fast you are driving? Is your excuse that you were only driving the speed others were driving? Do you think GOD accepts that excuse? Do not say that you did not know that you were speeding. What do you do when you see a law enforcement officer checking traffic with radar? Exactly! You quickly put your foot on your brake and slow down. Why? Because YOU were speeding, you were violating the law AND YOU KNEW IT. By the way, when does a change in speed become the law? The simple truth is that, in most cases, it is at the sign. If the speed limit is decreasing, you should be at or below the lower speed limit by the time you pass the sign, not start slowing down after you pass the sign. If the speed limit is increasing, the new speed limit does not become effective until you PASS the sign, not as soon as you can see the sign ahead so you start increasing speed early. Trying to stretch the law to satisfy your own greed is breaking the law nonetheless!

Oh, you did not think that obeying traffic laws was an expectation of a Christian? After all, when you ride with other Christians, even ministers, they do not pay attention to the speed limit signs so why should you? Are you a follower of them, or are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Do you really know Jesus? Is He just your Savior and not the Lord of your life? Is He just 'fire insurance' to keep you out of hell so you can act and live as sinful as you want to here on earth?

If Jesus was driving a car along a street, road, or highway today, what speed would He be going? Seems like I have heard that the word Christian means Christ-like. Therefore, why does a driver who claims to be a Christian, drive in violation of the law? Speeding, never at or under the posted speed limit unless there is a law enforcement officer watching. Add to that the act of rolling through stop lights and stop signs, never coming to a complete stop unless there is a law enforcement officer watching. Why does it take the presence of a law enforcement officer to motivate them to obey the law? Isn't their faith in GOD enough?

And, we are not just talking about speed limit signs here. For example, when you come to a STOP sign or a RED traffic light in the course of your driving, do you come to a COMPLETE STOP as the law specifies, or do you just slow down and go on by without really stopping at all? Rolling a stop sign as it is called is failing to stop which is a clear violation of the law. There are numerous other traffic laws that Christians violate. Any sign that displays a legal requirement should be taken very seriously! Traffic law is LAW none-the-less, and violating the law is violating the law. It does not matter what others are doing! You are accountable for YOUR actions. Just because others are speeding and rolling stop signs does not make it right for you to do the same.

Christians violate (break) tax laws!

The second most common type of laws that Christians violate are income tax laws and other forms of tax law. Christian, do you cheat on your income tax forms? Do you lie? When you sign the document affirming that all the above information is true, are you not violating the law by submitting a tax form with incomplete or incorrect information? Were the amounts you entered for earned income true and complete? Did you intentionally leave out money you earned but thought you could get by not reporting it? When you sign the form affirming that the above information is true and complete WHEN YOU KNOW THAT IT IS NOT, you are both violating the law and signing a big, fat lie when you do!

If Jesus was living in the United States of America (or anywhere else that requires its citizens to pay taxes), would Jesus truthfully fill out all the required forms and pay all the taxes due? Or, would Jesus seek out ways to cheat and steal from the government?

What does it matter you may ask?

It matters much more than you think. Christian, GOD expects YOU to obey the law! Jesus Christ was not a lawbreaker. And, NO Christian has the right to break the law either! Jesus Christ did not violate Roman law, even laws that were considered trivial in that day. If Jesus had violated any Roman law, even the trivial ones, the Roman government would have had just cause to arrest Him and put Him in prison. Do you think that was an accident, a coincidence. It was neither! Jesus was not a lawbreaker. Did Jesus obey the law only when the authorities were watching? Did Jesus demonstrate His contempt for the law by His words and/or actions? Did Jesus encourage others to violate the law? Did Jesus complain and outwardly rebuke those who obeyed the law? Why was obeying the law of the governing authority so important to Jesus? Why is obeying the law of the governing authority so unimportant to Christians? Where do Christians think they get the right to violate the law any time they feel like it? You claim to be a Christian, which means a follower of Jesus. Then starting acting like one. Obey the law! Be an example to others!

You and I are accountable to GOD for our conduct. The law enforcement officer may not pull you over and write you a ticket for breaking the law BUT, that does not give you the right to go on breaking traffic law day after day. The IRS may not knock on your door with an arrest warrant to take you to jail for cheating on your taxes BUT, that does not give you the right to continue filing false tax returns and not paying the taxes you owe. And, when we violate traffic laws or tax laws or any other laws which are not in conflict with GOD's soverignty, we are personally disobeying and dishonoring GOD! And, that is SIN! Violating the law is SIN, and YOU ARE SINNING everytime you speed, cheat on your taxes, lie, or any other act which is in disobedience to GOD. Stop adding more sin burden upon Jesus on the Cross!

SO STOP VIOLATING THE LAW! Start being a true Christian. The world has plenty of hypocrites. Don't be one yourself. Christian hypocrites are causing people to turn away from GOD and Christ's salvation. Do not be the cause of anyone going to hell. One place to start is in living your faith through all you say and do, including driving according to the law and honestly paying all the taxes you should be paying. Let your light shine!

GOD bless!

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