Government | Civil Government and Christianity

DISOBEYING THE GOVERNMENT / REVOLUTION

When should a Christian disobey the civil government? (Rom 13:7)

When a civil government refuses people the liberty to worship and obey God freely, it has lost its mandate of authority from God. Then the Christian should feel justified in disobeying.

Thomas Jefferson believed that when a government began to be tyrannical, it was the right and even the duty of the citizens to rebel against that government. The Christian, however, is called to bear with his government wherever possible. Jesus did not call for revolution against Rome even though it was an oppressive conqueror of Israel. On the other hand, the apostles refused to obey an order not to preach and teach in Jesus’ name (Acts 5: 27-29). Whenever the civil government forbids the practice of things that God has commanded us to do, or tells us to do things He has commanded us not to do, then, we are on solid ground in disobeying the government. Blind obedience to government is never right. However difficult or costly it may be, we all must reserve the right to say no to things that we consider oppressive or immoral.

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