Following God Rather Than Men

The longstanding principle of government is that people give up some rights for the protection of civil government. America was formed with limited government to supply protections enumerated in the Constitution that the people may be as free and safe as possible to live their lives as they see fit. Irrespective of whether one believes revisionist history or will delve into finding the truth, America’s founding fathers agreed that the Word of God was the foundational standard for this government of the people, by the people and for the people, hence the reference to rights endowed by the Creator. Laws were created to provide protection and order to society. This is the model God gave Moses. We are subject to this system.

Paul wrote in Romans 13:1, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” He goes on to say that rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Verses 7-8 say, “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.” He then writes about the laws found in the Commandments and how we must follow them. So many use these verses to say that we must submit to government whether it is evil or not because it is sovereign of God.

Herein lies a great mystery. In verse 12:21, the last verse before Romans 13:1, Paul writes, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” So what if a government is evil? Christ is the example. He subjected himself to the rulers and the government, but stood firm in the laws of God. His example revolutionized the world and its governments. Peter and the Apostles were told by the ruling authorities to not preach the Gospel. They did it anyway, saying in Acts 4:19, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye,” and in 5:29, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” So do you follow government and men even if they are evil, or follow God? Is silence/inaction approval?

The Prophets of the Bible point toward terrible things occurring as the world enters the end times. It seems that the US “president’s” policies supporting the death cult of Islam are part of the positioning of God’s end time plan. Yet many suffer horribly as it plays out. This does not mean that we do nothing against this evil, justifying our inaction as subjection to the sovereignty of God through government. We will not prevent God’s sovereign plan, especially by standing for what is right. Irrespective of what we do God will have his way. We are instructed to stand against evil, and having done all to stand, even while God’s plan is in motion. My conclusion: It is perilous for one to hide behind the “sovereignty of government” as an excuse to do nothing in the face of evil, i.e., when Christians are being slaughtered due to the policies of government.