The Lord commands his people to obey the civil authorities in all things lawful since the government is ordained by God, and is used by him for the ordering of society.
But there is a limit to a Christian’s civil obedience. In the record of the early church there is an episode where the Apostles are arrested for preaching Christ, and warned to stop. When they are released they go right back to preaching. After being arrested again they are told, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching.” Peter’s reply was, “We must obey God rather than men.”
When a civil magistrate of any kind commands us to do something that God forbids or forbids us to do what God commands, we must humbly, gently, but firmly obey God rather than men and be willing to accept the consequences.
But there is a limit to a Christian’s civil obedience. In the record of the early church there is an episode where the Apostles are arrested for preaching Christ, and warned to stop. When they are released they go right back to preaching. After being arrested again they are told, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching.” Peter’s reply was, “We must obey God rather than men.”
When a civil magistrate of any kind commands us to do something that God forbids or forbids us to do what God commands, we must humbly, gently, but firmly obey God rather than men and be willing to accept the consequences.
RSS Feed