To Obey Or Not Obey - That Is The Question
“And they began to
accuse him, saying, ‘We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us
to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king’” (Luke
23:2 ESV).
These
perverse men thought Jesus forbad obedience to the government. If He forbids us
to pay taxes, He must forbid us to obey anything that’s offensive to our
liberty. They could not discern the difference between rendering to Caesar what
belongs to Caesar and rendering to God what belongs to God. Tyranny belongs to
Caesar and the Ten Commandments belong to God.
It
is true that “Tyrants do not have a right to rule,” but God is the one that
raises them up as a punishment for sin. The tyrant Nebuchadnezzar was called
“Lucifer,” but God also called him, “My servant.” Tyrants may not have a right to rule, but neither do tyrants
have a right to overthrow tyrants. And God has a right to put tyrants in power.
The Jewish tyrants rebelled against Rome and God destroyed them. When Peter
used the sword, Jesus said, “No more of this” (Luke 22:51 ESV).
The only way to overthrow tyrants is the way English Parliament did
it in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the way American Colonies did it. In
both cases the lesser magistrate did it. The lesser magistrate has both
a right and a duty to obey God rather than man. The lesser magistrate has a
right to raise an army and resist tyranny because the sole duty of law is to
protect the public from plunder.
When
Daniel purposed in his heart to not defile himself with the king’s food, did he
demand his rights or did he humbly request permission? The Bible says, “he
requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (Dan
1:8). When the time came to rebuild the temple, did the Jews demand their
rights or did they submit to the king? When Nehemiah wanted to rebuild
Jerusalem, did he demand his right or did he ask permission? He first prayed
that God would cause the king to give him permission. Then he said, “If it
pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that
you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it”
(Neh 1:5).
The
only time for individuals to disobey Caesar is when Caesar commands us to sin.
Rebellious hearts cannot discern the difference between submitting to being
slapped and submitting to sin. If Caesar slaps us, we are to turn the cheek
just like Jesus did. If Caesar commands us to carry 100 pounds for a mile, we
are to go the second mile. That is not a sin. It is obedience to the law of
Christ. But rebels cannot draw the analogy. Their rebellious hearts will not
allow it.
When
the government commanded the three Hebrew children to bow it was time to
disobey because it is sin to bow to an idol. When the government commanded
Daniel to not pray, it was time to disobey because it is a sin not to pray and
it is a sin to hide our light under a bushel. When the rulers commanded the
apostles not to preach in Jesus’ name, they obeyed God rather than man. To flee
persecution is not the same as sassing cops and wrestling with them. If the cop
is breaking the law, do what Paul did. Appeal to the magistrate, not to the cop
(Acts 16:36-37). Rebels cannot discern between good and evil. “But solid food
belongs to those who are of full age, that
is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both
good and evil” (Heb 5:14).
