The person who said “Crime doesn’t pay” wasn’t being honest. They were just trying to protect a lucrative industry. Of course crime pays. These days you can get away with murder. Out of every thousand murders in the United States, only 500 are solved. Many people really do get away with murder, and much of today’s crime pays big dividends. Each year many criminals get away with millions of dollars, cars and other possessions. All crime pays in different ways. Please carefully consider the following story.

Daylight was just beginning to break over the horizon as the first police cruiser quietly pulled up into the driveway. One at a time other police officers arrived. Some positioned their cars in the street, some parked near the house in the alley while others even pulled right up onto the front lawn. Each officer quietly exited their cruisers and assumed their prescribed positions with their guns drawn and at the ready.

Tony was upstairs in the house sleeping off a late night of heavy drinking and drug use. The silk sheets, designer clothes in the closet and the large and expensive jewelry on his dresser was evidence of Tony’s affluent lifestyle. A loaded revolver, his car keys and a large roll of cash lay next to him on the night stand.

Tony was in his early thirties and had been involved in organized crime and drug trafficking since his late teens. He had never been found guilty of any crimes by the authorities even though he had committed multiple murders and many other heinous crimes. Because of this Tony had developed a reputation of being a very shrewd and ingenious criminal. To those who knew him, he always seemed one step ahead of everyone, especially the authorities. Over time Tony developed a very arrogant attitude and an invincible perception of himself. Tony lived a life of pleasure and ease and never imagined that one day he would have to stand before a judge and receive the just punishment for his crimes.

Little did Tony know that over the past year or so the authorities knew very well what he was involved in. A surveillance team had gone completely unnoticed by Tony as they had followed and documented his every move. By now there were boxes of videos, pictures and written records of Tony’s actions and crimes that awaited his trial and the opportunity to accuse him and pronounce his guilt. Enough evidence had been gathered to assure Tony of the death penalty. For all intents and purposes, on this calm morning, Tony was a condemned man!

Even though this is a fictitious story, tragically it symbolizes a very real scenario for many people. Maybe even for you.

Today most people live their lives with the same arrogance and feeling of invincibility that Tony had. They decide their own rules, morals and ethical standards. For the moment they feel free and see no need to worry about judgment. Little do they realize that evidence of their crimes is being gathered and an appointment has already been set for their eternal judgment. In the Bible God has said, “…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment…” Hebrews 9:27. Most people do not realize that enough evidence has already been gathered to condemn them to eternal punishment in hell. Here is the evidence of your guilt and crimes.

God had declared that everyone has sinned (Romans 3:23). Sin is defined in the Bible as violating God’s Law (I John 3:4). God’s Law is the Ten Commandments. Let’s go through God’s Law and see if you are guilty or innocent.

1. You shall have no other gods before me
Has God always been first in your priorities and affections? Have you ever valued anything more than God in your life, possibly your family, job, pleasures or possessions? Are you innocent or guilty?

2. You shall not make for yourself an idol
This means that we shouldn’t make a god to suit ourselves, either with our hands or our minds. Do you believe in a god that is different from the God of the Bible? Do you have a belief in a god that overlooks your sins and will not count them against you? If you do then you have made an idol in your mind and no idolater can enter the kingdom of heaven (I Corinthians 6:9-10).

3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God
Have you ever used the name of God or Jesus to swear or express disgust? Have you ever used the name of God like a four-letter filth word? If you have done this you are guilty of blasphemy and will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy
Have you always set aside one day out of seven to honor and praise God? Are you guilty of breaking this commandment?

5. Honor your father and mother
Have you always honored and respected your parents? Ask God to remind you of the sins of your youth. You may have forgotten them but God has not.

6. You shall not commit murder
This commandment does not only mean the taking of a person’s physical life. Jesus taught that if a person hates someone else they are guilty of the sin of murder (I John 3:15). We can violate God’s Law by attitude and intent as well as by our actions.
7. You shall not commit adultery

Have you always had pure thoughts? Jesus said that if we look at a person and have sexual lust and thoughts in our mind then we are guilty of the sin of adultery (Matthew 5:27-28). The Bible tells us that the impure, fornicators (those who have sex before marriage) and adulterers will not enter heaven.

8. You shall not steal
Have you ever taken anything that belonged to someone else, irrespective of its value? Regardless of the value of what was stolen, you are a thief and are guilty.

9. You shall not lie
Have you ever told a lie? Then you are a liar. How many times do you have to tell a lie to be a liar? Just once. The Bible warns that all liars will have a place in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). You may not think that deceitfulness is a serious sin, but God does!

10. You shall not covet
This means that we shouldn’t desire anything that belongs to another person. The covetous will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Well, now that the evidence has been presented would you be declared innocent or guilty? Please do not think that any of your violations of God’s Law have gone unnoticed. Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Even though you might feel “free” do you now see yourself as you really are – condemned? Do you understand that if you were to stand in the courtroom of heaven, after having this evidence presented, that God would be completely right and just to bring down the gavel of eternal justice and condemn you to hell for all eternity because of your crimes?

Do you now understand why God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world (John 3:16)? Do you now understand why Jesus, even though He never once violated any of the Ten Commandments, willingly chose to suffer and die on a cross, a form of Roman capital punishment reserved only for criminals? Jesus died a criminal’s death not because He had broken the Law, but because you had! What incredible love and mercy to save you from justified incredible wrath and punishment! Consider what God says about people who repent and turn from their sins and put their total faith in Jesus Christ:

• John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
  
• Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

The only thing that would satisfy the demands of eternal Law was the suffering death of the sinless Son of God. What love God must have for you (Romans 5:8)! Jesus suffered unspeakable agony, so that you wouldn’t have to be punished for your sins. His sacrificial death and resurrection mean that you no longer have to be in debt to the Law, and God can grant you everlasting life if you obey Him – death no longer has a legal hold on people who belong to Jesus Christ!

What should you do? Be honest with God and confess your sins to Him – be specific. Repent, turn from those sins and put your complete trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Put your faith in Jesus the same way you would put your faith in a parachute if you had to jump from a plane in midair. You wouldn’t just “believe” it would benefit you, you would actually trust yourself to it by putting it on. Don’t put this off until tomorrow. Your appointment for judgment may be much sooner than you think! If you judge yourself now then God won’t have do it later (I Corinthians 11:31).

Once you have made peace with God begin to read the Bible daily and obey what you read. God will never fail you. Begin to share what has happened in your life with others helping them to realize that CRIME DOES PAY!

$5.00 – 50 tracts per pack
3 ½” x 5” folded; 14” x 5” unfolded