In the past several months, YouTube has been showing me videos of people that call themselves "First Amendment Auditors". These people go into public places and record everything they see. In most of the cases, the police are called and conversations much like the comic are had.

What is interesting on the videos is the actions of all the people involved:

- The auditor seems to have done a lot of research on the laws pertaining to what they are doing. They are able to state what they are doing, why they are within the law, and know what can and cannot be asked of them by authorities.
- The building managers (if in a building) only know the policies put in place by whoever is in charge of the building. They are usually persistent on making sure that policy is upheld. These policies sometimes break the law by usually taking away rights of citizens and putting up extra rules that they feel should be abided by.
- The general public is usually oblivious to any of the laws or policies. If nearby when the auditor is confronted by the managers, they typically side with the manager. Even with both sides giving their references in relation to the incident.
- The police officers, surprisingly, don't know the laws surrounding these videos in public. It isn't until a supervisor is called that someone else is on the scene that seems to have knowledge about these laws. The supervisor will typically deescalate the situation, let the auditor go, and tell the building manager they are within their rights to be there, regardless of building policy.

Not all these interactions are great, and some of these auditors are not nice people. There are some that truly are trying to make sure that everyone's rights are upheld despite their own reputation and, sometimes, safety.

What does this have to do with anything? Well, I would like to draw a parallel.

We all know if we break the country's laws, there are consequences. We can be fined, we can go to jail. These laws includes things you don't do and things you do do. Looking at traffic laws: you don't go over the speed limit, you do put on a seat belt.

In the Bible, we have what has been translated as law. It is instructions on how to live our lives. If these are broken there are consequences. We may have to do a sacrifice, or we may get kicked out of the assembly. It includes things you don't do and things you do do. Looking at the 10 commandments: you don't steal, you do remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.

If you break the country's laws, you are a law-breaker, a criminal.
If you break the Biblical law, you are a law-breaker, a sinner.

1 John 3:4 tells us that everyone who sins breaks God's Law because ALL sin is contrary to God's Law.

However, much like what the auditor runs into in these videos, there are policies (traditions) setup in the church/mainstream Christianity that are held at the same or higher regard than God's Laws. Traditions such as the Law being only for the Jews, or it being done away with.

But those traditions are not God's Law. Breaking those traditions isn't sin. Using those traditions in any way that would break God's Law would be sinning. Because breaking God's law is sinning.

https://thestraightandnarrow.cfw.me/comics/695

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