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Before I was saved at age 23, I was a rebel and a lawbreaker. I was disrespectful to all authority, beginning with my own father.
When I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour in the summer of 1973, I was changed from the inside out. My heart was changed. My attitude toward authority was changed, beginning with my attitude toward God. I became a law-abiding citizen. Before I was a thief, now I was honest. Before I borrowed and didn’t return, now I paid my debts. Before I hitchhiked around the country, of no benefit to anyone but myself, building nothing, giving to no one, contributing to nothing, working only enough for my own belly. Now I obeyed God’s Word, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28).
Before I cursed policemen and ran from them, now I obeyed and honored them. I have often told policemen that I am thankful for their labor, and I am going to double down on that in these days.
I don’t honor the law enforcers because they are perfectly good and just. There is no such thing in this present fallen world. I do it because God is perfectly good and just and I want to honor Him. I will not be a rebel, because God has told me not to be a rebel, and I want to please the one who has loved my soul and paid my redemption. Let others be rebels, and let them pay the price of a rebel, which is a very heavy price.
I honor law-enforcement officers because I don’t want to live in anarchy. That is what happens in this wicked world when men are free to do as they please without the restraint of law and order. No one is safe. No property is safe. This was the condition before Noah’s Flood.
“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11).
That is a description of every community, every city, every nation, without law and order, which comes by effective law enforcement. I am thankful for men and women who stand as a wall against lawlessness and anarchy. It is a difficult, dangerous, often thankless task, but it is incredibly important.
Let law enforcers take heed to themselves that they exercise their power with justice honesty, equity, and wisdom. Otherwise, they play into the hands of anarchists.
And law enforcers will do well to protect those individuals and churches that preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, because only the gospel has the power to change hearts and to create true law-abiding citizens. Law enforcers will do well to remember that those who preach the gospel are their best friends.
For my part, I will “render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour” (Romans 13:7).
I want to say to law enforcers at the local, county, state, and federal level, thank you. You are in our prayers.
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