Is It Ever Okay to Disobey?

Participation of Christians in civil disobedience will customarily involve unlawful activity. Therefore, it will involve disobedience to civil law or a recognized authority. Response to this issue is important since the growth of government should be a concern to all Christians. For example, the twentieth century alone demonstrates death by government to an astonishing degree. R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii, documented these facts in his book Death by Government (1994). Death by government was a great wickedness of the twentieth century, but history demonstrates it cannot be regarded as new phenomenon. For example, 1 Sam 8 records republican Israel’s growth of government and accurately describes the relationship that would develop between the people and governmental bureaucracy.
First Samuel 8 is an accurate account of the great personal sacrifices when demand is made for the growth of government. Essentially, God warned the people that the government would seize their freedom, persons, and property. Although government was created by God to protect individual freedom, it does not always function in that fashion. Big government invariably exerts greater sovereignty over the people, which will lead to even more wrongdoing. The rise of totalitarian civil government is reminiscent of the godless rulers over Israel. Civil government is restricted to its God-given purpose of punishing wrongdoing (Rom 13); however, Christians have no other choice than disobedience when laws are made that violate God’s law.

If Christians ever engage in unlawful activity (civil disobedience) it must always be based on what Scripture teaches. Romans 13:1-12 teaches that the legal ordinances and statutes of the state must be obeyed because the powers are ordained by God. However, it would appear that Paul was referring to legitimate governments and just laws. There are illegitimate governments and unjust laws so that obedience to corrupt or immoral practices is not an option for a Christian. Obedience to the law of God may require participation in civil disobedience, and the Christian must be willing to accept the consequences of disobedience to the authority of the state. However, it must be undeniable that the only means of faithfulness to God is an act of civil disobedience.

God has commanded submission of the church to government regulations that undoubtedly propose to protect public health and safety (e.g. emergency power, fire extinguishers, vehicle emissions testing, etc.). However, God has not established the government to control or impede the beliefs and practices of His church, which would also include any of its ministries. God created the church and state with specific responsibilities; therefore, each is to function within the particular area that He has determined.