Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Obeying God when obeying isn’t easy”
Our Bible verse for today: “For government is God’s servant for your good … Therefore you must submit.” Romans 13:4-5 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “God requires us to both obey and to disobey civil authorities.”
I once knew a Christian man who cheated on his tax returns and attempted to justify it by claiming that the taxes were excessive and therefore he was engaging in an act of civil disobedience. When I pointed out to him that he was essentially stealing from the government and therefore violating the eighth commandment, he got angry with me and ended the conversation.
I am also aware of Christians in China who willfully disobey the government by worshiping in unauthorized churches. In China there are only certain churches approved by the government. The pastors are told what they can preach, there are certain Biblical doctrines which are forbidden, and the activities of the church are supervised by government officials. Those who worship in the unauthorized churches are breaking the law and are routinely arrested and imprisoned.
Both of the examples cited above are similar in that in both cases, the Christians involved are breaking the laws of the land they live in. They are also similar in that obeying God in each of those situations poses some difficulties for the individuals involved. But that’s where the similarities end. In the first case, the man might feel as if the tax burden is unfair and creates a financial hardship on him, but Biblically he’s required to pay those taxes anyway. If he doesn’t like the law then he is free to work within the framework of the established legislative process to try to get the law changed. But he is not free to disobey the law.
In the second case the Christians involved have to disobey the civil authorities because obeying that law would require them to disobey God. Their situation is exactly like that of the early disciples in Acts chapter five. In that case the religious authorities were demanding that the Apostles stop preaching teaching and practicing the Christian faith. Otherwise they would be arrested, beaten, imprisoned, and maybe worse. But the Apostles responded “We must obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29
That’s the standard for us. We must obey God rather than men. And we must do it whether doing so is easy or hard. As long as the laws of the land do not conflict with the laws of God, then we must obey them whether we like it or not and whether doing so is easy or difficult. But if the laws of the land do conflict with the laws of God, then we must disobey them, and we must do so whether standing with God is easy or hard and whether we like it or not.
Most of the time God requires us to obey civil authority, but at other times He requires us to disobey civil authority. The determining factor is always what the Bible says, not our personal feelings or desires.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 