Some of us are shaped by the choices we make, consciously or unconsciously, for better or worse. The choices we make come to define who we are and how we see ourselves. This is certainly true of people who choose to engage in illegal activity.
That doesn’t necessarily make them worse people than anyone else. We have all neglected or chosen not to follow the law at some time(s) in our lives. Technically, speeding make us all criminals, and if we choose to exceed the posted speed limit, we are criminals by choice.
Not all crimes are the same, obviously, and some carry greater penalties than others. Those who see themselves (or are seen) as criminals ore usually those who have committed more serious crimes.
Many people feel themselves to be above “criminals” on that basis, but it’s only a matter of degree. No criminal has gone too far for God to save from the fiery consequences of their own actions. God is near us, ready t save us from ourselves, no matter what we have done or where we find ourselves. Following are stories of God’s great acts of redemption in peoples’ lives who identify (or are identitied) as criminals:
Navigating by Faith 