Sin vs. Crime |
| “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” — 1John 3:4 |
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You could also say that whosoever commits a crime transgresses the law, but you are then, speaking of a different law. When God declares that transgression of the law is Sin, He is refering to the transgression of His Law the and, when mankind declares that someone has transgressed the law is called crime. Why is this so? Simply stated, mankind cannot punish a sin or sins, because Sin is an issue between God and man, not man and man. It is a problem
When viewed from a worldly, humanistic perspective, Sin exists only in the minds of deluded individuals. To them, Sin is a figment of the imagination that is supported by an, equally ill-conceived element called faith. In this realm, Christians, or any other God-professing individual, is to be tolarated, but not taken seriously. If Sin can not be called by its right name, what can be done, except to give it another name. The name that mankind have given, in place of Sin, God's chosen word, is Crime. There are a number of reasons why this MUST be so. |
| There is a distinction between the secular and the Divine, in matters of law.
Throughout history, and particularly in the establishment of democratic, or federal forms of government such as the United States, a separation between church and state has been deemed necessary. There are exceptions such as the Vatican, which IS a Church State, and there are many nations that do, indeed, base their laws on the principles and teachings of a particular religion, but, speaking in general, some degree of separation is usually evident. Although many are challenging this fact, today, the Constitution of the United States was based on Godly principles and I believe that God ordained it to be so. The Constitution, itself, establishes this when it says that man is “...endowed by his Creator with certain unalienable rights...” in the process of establishing this nation, specific protection is given to religious beliefs and the right of the citizenry to exercise them. There has been a general recognition that, in matters of law, it is necessary that there be a separation between the religious beliefs of the citizenry and the governmental system, by which crimes are punished. Why? Because, if you study law, in general, you will find that there is a definite distinction between the secular and the Divine. The distinction is that secular/civil law is not based on the principle, “breaking the law = sin,” but rather, “breaking the law = crime.” There can be no moral justice in a civil system of law; there can only be civil justice. Although a level of justice can be found within the system of civil, man-made laws — according to man's standards and with his available evidence, moral justice can only be rendered by God, Who has ALL the evidence. Man's laws can punish people for crimes they have commited, but only God can mete out the punishment for sin(s). A judge can pardon a person for a crime that he or she has commited, but he cannot forgive a person's sin on behalf of society — a secular judge does not have that power. One individual can forgive another, who has sinned against them, but whether that person is a judge or not, they cannot represent the forgiveness that only God can give. An earthly judge, rendering civil law can only mete out the punishment prescribed by, and limited to, civil law. We are told in Jesus told us that His Kingdom was not of this World, and although this was, and is, a 100% true statement, it is equally true that “The Kingdom of God is within..." each and every soul that allows Jesus to draw them to Himself. God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, so that everyone that chooses to believe in Him shall have everlasting life. (See John 18:36, Luke 17:21, John 12:32 and John 3:16.) This reality is at the foundation of every Christian belief. It is paramount to salvation. However, in accepting and believing these things, we also have to accept the fact that the Bible teaches that, “...thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”Jesus did not die to save us from our crimes. While this may seem trifling, it is important to recognize that, if He were able to save us (mankind) from our sin, He would have, consequently, eliminated many crimes that might otherwise have been commited. For instance: If a person accepts Christ as his or her personal saviour early in life, the odds are increased that they will not become criminals. This does not mean that they will never sin, although this, too, is God's desire and His ultimate purpose, in sacrificing His Son on Golgotha, was to deliver us “from” our sin. This kind of thinking is outside the realm of secular thought, regarding the law. When law is referred to in a secular setting, it is the law based on the Constitution, in America (or the foundational document of other nations/governments). Each crime is given a name and is accompanied with a penalty. This is what is commonly referred to as civil law. This kind of law is applied differently from country to country, from state to state and from city to city. This is a man-made law and it is applied according to man's standards. God's law is rightfully known as the moral law. When considered in its realm, it is universal, all encompassing and not limited to people who have commited a crime or crimes. This law exposes the root reason(s) regarding WHY people commit crimes and it does not break each sin down and give it a name. Sin is Sin You will seldom hear a law inforcement officer, judge or attorney use the term transgression of the law, except when dealing with laws and statutes that stipulate specific acts (crimes) to be “transgressions.” |
| You are not a Criminal, until you commit a crime, nor a sinner, until you sin.
That is where the similarity between Sin and crime, ends. That you must commit a crime to be considered a criminal, is accepted by most to be evident. There are criminals in the world, however, who have not yet been caught. They are criminals, nonetheless — they just haven't been arrested and labled. Today, the word “criminal” is being phased out and replaced by the term “offender.” Instead of referring to someone as having commited a crime, the term “commited an offense” is usually applied. This change was fostered by a belief that there was a need to de-criminalize the public opinion regarding criminals and make it easier for them to reenter society and gain employment. To a degree it has succeeded, but, regardless of what you might call a person that has commited a crime, commiting a crime is breaking the law (or, if you prefer, offending the law). But, again, this is the law of the land — civil law. Many things are hidden from the eyes of man. We can't see into one another minds. A person can commit a crime and not be found out, and, therefore, go unpunished. While it is true that a person is not a sinner, until they sin, the Bible also teaches that “...all have gone astray...” and “...fall sort of the glory of God.” but they |
| Below is a listing from Seslisozluk, the English ~ Turkish ~ German Dictionary, regarding the word Crime:
View Source |
Crime ~ noun
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| [Origin: 1200–50; ME < AF, OF < L crimin- (s. of crimen) charge, crime]
—Related forms crimeless, adjective crime·less·ness, noun Synonyms
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) ~ Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. View Source. |
Title A person may not have commited any crimes (for which they have been caught), but they are, nonetheless, sinners. |
| misdemeanors: 1. Ill behavior; evil conduct; fault. 2. A crime less than a felony. a crime less serious than a felony. |
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