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Submitting To Unjust Governments

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Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles

A querist asks, “How are we supposed to submit to unjust governments?”

According to the Scriptures, we are to “be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained [ordered] of God” (Romans 13:1). Basically, Peter tells us the same thing in 1 Peter 2:13-14. However, as Christians, we are not to submit to government when that government’s actions are contrary to God’s law (Acts 4:1-22; Acts 5:17-29).

For example, (1) a gospel preacher or missionary may ignore government regulations prohibiting the distribution of the Scriptures because that edict would violate Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; (2) A Christian teacher must never submit to a state requirement that he/she teach the dogma of evolution as scientific truth when that teaching is contrary to biblical teaching (Genesis 1-2; Acts 14:15; Acts 17:24-25); (3) A government that upholds abortion runs contrary to God’s teaching (Psalm 139:11-16; Proverbs 6:17; Isaiah 49:1,5; Jeremiah 1:4-5; Luke 1:41,44; 1 Corinthians 12:18; Gal. 1:15); (4) The promotion of homosexuality as an “alternate lifestyle” is contrary and foreign to biblical teaching (cf. Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10).

Eventually, a government that abuses its divinely ordered authority and power to deter evil and re-enforce good, will be called to account for any abuse of that power. Such authorities will one day reckon with the God of heaven (Job 12:17-19; Psalm 9:16-17; Psalm 75:1-8; Daniel 2:21; Daniel 4:17).

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