Sinless Crimes

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 23, 1912

Sinless Crimes.—A human law may be good or evil; its violation is a crime. But the violation of an evil law may not be a sin. Daniel was cast into the den of lions for the violation of the king's decree (see Daniel 6) that men should worship no other being than the king for thirty days. Daniel went on as "aforetime," and three times a day bowed before the God of heaven. He was guilty of a crime, but he was not a sinner. The three Hebrews (Daniel 3) were criminals, doomed to death, but they did not thereby sin. Both they and Daniel would have sinned if they had observed the evil decrees. Jesus Christ was executed as a criminal, but He "did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth." When human law seeks to transcend divine law, when it seeks to put the human in the place of God, it is sin to obey it. Loyalty to God demands its transgression. These distinctions it is well for legislators, lawyers, and judges to know.