"Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves." Romans 13:1-2
This is a question I've wrestled with since surrendering to Christ. I still have not totally resolved this issue. Is speeding a sin or would it be a sin if I am caught speeding and get upset or argue about the ticket?
What is speeding? If the posted speed limit is 60 and I go 61, is that speeding? Or do we rationalize and say that the cops really won't pull me over unless I'm going X (I've heard 4, 5, 7, 8) over the limit? Therefore, I'm only speeding if I've exceeded some mythical speed at which, if a cop were monitoring, I'd be pulled over.
Is it speeding if I go along with traffic? After all, if I'm slower than everyone else, isn't that a traffic hazard, thus causing a more dangerous situation than if I stay with everyone else? The Apostle Paul said, "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable All things are lawful, but not all things edify." 1Corinthians 10:23. Could speeding in this situation be profitable, as it causes a less dangerous situation?
If I'm speeding, am I resisting authority, as in the verse above? Or does the resistance to authority only come if I'm pulled over and argue with the trooper?
Colossians 3:25 says, "For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality."
Therefore, if I speed, knowing that if I get caught, I'll have to pay a ticket, and I accept that consequence, is that okay?
As you can see, I have lots of questions, but no answers. Not even an opinion. When I owned my RX/8, this was a much more burning question. Now that I have a crossover, it's still and issue, but my foot doesn't seem quite as heavy.
But, I will end with this, Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,"
Let me know what you think.
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Here's a related thought ... if I go 35 in a 30 and get pulled over, I probably think the "cop" is trying to fill a quota, and will likely reflect on all the people who go 45 in the same area and don't get pulled over. I will probably feel unfairly singled out. However, regardless of what anybody else is doing, I am still wrong and deserve my ticket for going over the posted speed.
ReplyDeleteIn the same way, most of us generally see our sins as being "not so bad" when compared to, say, Adolph Hitler or Pol Pot or Osama bin Laden. Those are the really bad guys ... going 250 in a 30! Yet my sin, including my "35 in a 30", is still sin, and is worthy of wrath. And while I never go 250, I certainly spend far more time over the spiritual speed limit than I dare to admit or consider ...