FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
IF YOU PLAN ON DISOBEYING THE GOVERNMENT
Sometimes I have to process an issue in my DAWG.
Can you relate?
I mean you wake up and an issue is on your mind, someone else’s problem looms larger than your own problems and you want to get God’s mind on that problem. So you search the Scriptures and seek to learn from God how you ought to approach the issue.
Problem: A friend of mine is planning on disobeying a law.
Here’s what I might have the opportunity to say to him:
“You know what you’re planning on doing is in clear violation of the law. If you plan on going ahead and violating that law/statute/ordinance I’ve got a couple of questions for you:
What is the price if you’re caught?
Are you willing to bear the consequences if caught?
How will those consequences impact your family?
How will YOU being caught impact your testimony as the deeply beloved and redeemed son of the Most High God? How will your conviction/penalty reflect on your Lord Jesus Christ and His Church? How will it reflect on the reputation of your Father in Heaven?
Do you care? In not, why not?”
So that’s what I could and probably should and most likely WILL say to him.
Here are the Scriptures that prompt my questions:
Romans 13:1-7
13 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. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Galatians 6:7-8
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
1 Peter 2:12-15
12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
1 Peter 4:14-16
14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
1 Peter 3:8-17
8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For
“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
There are more Scriptures than that which address the issue at hand. The Bible is full of them!
Conclusion: If the government is not demanding that you do something ungodly and unbiblical, we are to a large degree called to submit when they, through due process, establish a law, as difficult as it may be for us to desire to submit.
(Disclosure: In recent times our government put a full court press on people to be vaxxed. I did not comply. It was not a law that I do so. If it had been a law, I would still, on conscience and Biblical grounds to be a good steward of the body God gave me, have not complied, and borne the consequences for my disobedience to government.)
So, the Apostles modeled how to properly disobey government. Check out Acts 4:1-22 & 5:17-32. Ya, they did it right. For Christians, there is a time to disobey government. It might be around the corner.
But choose your battles wisely.
You take it to heart,
Pete Alwinson
