Is it ever okay to disobey government?

This week we are asking the questions "Where did government come from? What is the purpose of government?" Yesterday, we looked at a section of the very first letter that is recorded for us in the Bible, where we saw the foundational principles for the establishment of government. In Genesis 9:5-7, we see the Lord delegate to human beings throughout history the responsibility to carry out the punishment of evil and to protect the common good of society.

And because of that reality, one of the purposes of government is that government has been given the responsibility to punish evil and encourage good. Today, we will see this reality reinforced in a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Romans. So let’s look at that together, beginning in Romans 13:1:

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the members of the church at Rome by revealing for us the reality that followers of Jesus are to practice a lifestyle of submission to government.  In Romans 13:1-7, we see Paul reveal three reasons why followers of Jesus are to practice a lifestyle of submission to government.

First, we see that we must submit to government because God designed government as an authority over us. In verse 1, we see Paul reveal to us the reality that government has its ultimate design and establishment by God. The word establish, in the language this letter was originally written in, literally means to put into place. Paul is explaining to the members of the church at Rome, and followers of Jesus throughout history, that government derives its authority because of the fact that it is established and put into place by the Lord Himself.

And because of that reality, as citizens, we should be subject to the government and obey the laws of the government. Paul also states in verse 2 that the very act of opposing government is to place ourselves in opposition to God. Paul’s point here is that when we choose to oppose the government that choice places us in a position to be punished and judged by government as God’s instrument of justice on earth.  We see Paul unpack this reality in Romans 13:3:

For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake.

Here we see Paul reveals for us a second reason why we are to practice a lifestyle of submission to government in that government’s divine design and purpose is to punish evil and promote justice on earth. Government was put into place by God as an intermediary, or representative, of God to promote justice for those who do well and to punish evil by responding with righteousness and justice to wrongdoing and injustice. When Paul uses the phrase “do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same,” he is pointing out two powerful principles.

First, Paul is pointing out the principle that government was divinely designed by God to execute justice and defend the weak. In addition, when Paul states “But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing;” he is revealing for us the reality that a purpose of government is to create structures that execute swift punishment for crime so as to be a deterrent to crime.

Second, Paul points out the principle that government was divinely designed to serve the people and seek the good of the people, not the rulers. That is why, in the very first part of verse 4, Paul states that government is a “minister of God to you for good.”  And because of that reality, governments would exist even in a sinless world because a purpose of government is to promote the good of the people who are under that government. Governments have been designed by God in such a way that they have a responsibility to safeguard and promote human liberty.

Now, a natural question and objection that often arises here is “But what about governments who do not do operate according to God’s design? What about governments who fail to punish evil and promote justice?” In Romans 13:5, we see Paul explain to us that we are to submit to government even if government is either unwilling or unable to punish evil and promote justice.

Paul states that we are to submit to government not only because it is designed to punish evil; we are also to submit to government because of conscience’s sake. Now our conscience is one’s inward faculty for determining right and wrong. What Paul is communicating by this phrase is that we are to submit to government, whether good or bad, because ultimately, all governments are placed into authority by God as His representative on earth.

Now some of you may be thinking, “But what about evil governments? What about the Nazi’s in WW II or China or Iran today? Are we, as followers of Jesus, supposed to obey evil governments?” It is important to understand that God designs and establishes all governments, even though some governments do not follow His commands or desires. So, if it is the case that some governments do not follow His commands or desires, is it ever okay to disobey government? 

When we read the letters that make up the Bible, we discover that followers of Jesus can express direct civil disobedience, which is when a government attempts to force us to disobey God’s clear commands. When government attempts to force us to disobey God we are to choose to disobey government and obey God. And our attitude in expressing civil disobedience is just as important as the act of disobedience itself.

If we refuse to obey government for religious reasons, we should not be rebellious in our attitude and be prepared to accept whatever consequences that the government imposes. We see this in an event from history recorded for us in Daniel 3 involving three Jewish exiles and a fiery furnace. We also see this in Acts 5:27-29 when early followers of Jesus were told to quit spreading the gospel message. However, the letters that make up the Bible do not condone indirect civil disobedience, which is when we choose to disobey government to protest government violations against someone else.

To illustrate and apply this principle, let’s take the issue of abortion. Currently in America it is legal to get an abortion. And while it is legal to get an abortion, as Christians we believe that abortion violates God’s moral law. And, in America, Americans are not compelled, or forced, to get abortions as a result of being pregnant. In China, however, with its one child policy, Chinese citizens are compelled to receive abortions.

So, from a Biblical perspective, Chinese Christians are permitted to express civil disobedience due to the fact that they are being compelled or forced to violate God’s clear command to not murder by getting an abortion. In America, however, civil disobedience regarding abortion would not be permissible as it would be indirect civil disobedience.

As followers of Jesus, we can express a Christian worldview and promote policies that would change the law regarding abortion, but we are not permitted to violate the laws of the land to do so. It is against Biblical principles to blow up abortion clinics, refuse to pay taxes, or violate any other government law in order to protest government policy. We are permitted to express direct civil disobedience only against a law that compels or forces us to disobey God’s clear commands.

Friday, we will see Paul provide a third reason why followers of Jesus are to practice a lifestyle of submission to government and answer the question of the origin and purpose of government...