If Christ is Lord Why Are You Speeding?

This is a question that really is near and dear to my heart. If there is anything that makes me sick about Christian witness it is that Christians rarely think about seemingly insignificant things like this. I say seemingly insignificant because, really, how fast you go on the road is a dead give away to how you feel about submitting to authority and the authority of the state. What makes me further disgusted is that terms such as driving like a "grandma"are often projected onto myself and others when we obediently attempt to go the speed limit. I do say attempt because I am by no means immune to driving a bit faster than I ought; usually when I get into the car angry.

Now, I must explain why this is so dear to me. I began to come to a realization that loving Christ meant obeying all of His commands as zealously as possible (by His zeal and not my own of course) while I had a job delivering pizzas. Pizza delivery is by far one of the best jobs on the planet but there is one problem: you need to get pizzas delivered quickly. So quickly that most cops understandingly ignore everything you do between 10 and 15 MPH over the speed limit. I occasionally passed cops who were clocking me at well over 15 MPH above the posted limits without them even batting an eye. I thought at the time that it was the coolest thing ever and proceeded to blaze around town all day every day. I distinctly remember driving 75 in a 45 or pushing that 25 limit to 30 as often as possible.

I also happened to street race on a consistent basis.

I am well acquainted with the temptation to speed.

But I began to realize that defying the laws of the state was the equivalent of defying the clear statement of Paul in Romans 13:1, "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." It is very straight-forward: any defiance to the laws of the state, assuming those laws don't violate human dignity or God's command to worship Him alone, amount to a defiance of Holy Scripture's teaching concerning obedience to governmental institutions.

Think about that the next time you let your lead foot weigh heavy on the pedal. The state that upholds and sets a speed limit was instituted by God. Thus the speed limit is rightly upheld by a government, however apostate, that is sanctioned and appointed by God.

Breaking the speed limit (or blatantly defying any state appointed law) amounts to breaking God's law and presents a witness to the world that we believe that God is a rebellious, lying hypocrite. If Christianity is truth for all of life this extends deep into the realm of the Christian's relation to state and demands our attention now. Even 1 MPH over the speed limit is a defiance of God sanctioned law.

Conclusion? Let us be wise on the roads and in our relation to the state!

Loving Christ with you friends,

R. D. Thompson

p.s. See my message on the sidebar entitled "Obey Authorities" for a verbal exposition of that text in Romans 13. It may be worth your time :-)