Rebel with a (Biblical) Cause

Exodus 1:15-21 - Rebelling Biblically

Today, in my morning Bible study, the conversation around "what happens when you can't comply with a law?" came up in the conversation. Included in this talk was Titus 3:1 which states:

"Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work."

This is 99.9% of the time what we are called to do. Romans 13 is also very clear that we are to submit to the authority of the government. However, as we have seen in history and in the Bible, there are cases where God's people are required to righteously rebel. Here are a few Biblical cases:

1. Peter stands before the Sanhedrin and after (again) preaching and teaching in the temple after being told the the authorities (these guys) to shut his pie hole, Peter responds, in a tribunal nonetheless

"Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!" - Acts 4:19

2. Daniel, upon hearing an edict that no-one is to pray to any god other than to King Darius, goes to his house, opens the windows to face Jerusalem and prays to Yahweh just as he's always done, in open defiance to the king's order. (Daniel 6:10)

3. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse to bow down to the golden statue of Nebuchadnezzar when ordered to do so. (Daniel 3:8-18)

4. Rahab hid the two Israelite spies who came to scout out Jericho and LIED to the city officials when asked about their whereabouts. (Joshua 2:3-7)

5. The Hebrew midwives, upon receiving an order from Pharoah to abort any Hebrew boy when they see them come out of the womb, not only ignored the order but then LIED to Pharoah with this tall tale about the virality of Hebrew women. (Exodus 1:15-21)

Each of these cases would, by any reasonable person, be considered breaking the law, yet each of these persons was not only exonerated for what they did, they were commended for what they did.

Why? For this instance, I think we need to go to Romans 13, because while it is the passage that many who say we should follow the government's orders, even if the law is unjust, it also gives us the order for how we should think about authority.

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer." - Romans 13:1-4

Notice here, that the government reports to God. The government is subject to the authority of God.

"For there is no authority except from God."

"what God has appointed" -

"for he is God's servant."

There is an order of authority here, and spheres of authority that God has instituted.

1. The civil magistrate (the government)

2. The family

3. The church

Each of these authorities receive their authority from God, and are accountable TO God.

So, to quote Peter and John, when a rule of the civil authority requires you to sin against God, then who do you follow?

This isn't a trick answer. You obey God rather than men. Respectfully, honorably, and accountably.

I would argue that in our own day that these instances are rare, but in the past 100 years there have been examples, such as.

Christians hiding Jews in their homes from the Nazis and lying to SS officials who inquired at their homes.

Churches opening up for worship services during 2020, not requiring certain mandates, etc. (I really encourage you to watch The Essential Church movie... it was really awesome and tells the stories of three churches that incurred a lot of persecution because of these decisions). Another great read is Grace Church's statement "Christ, not Caesar, is the head of the Church" (Linked HERE)

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So, what are we to do, based on the examples above of people commended by God when they rebelled?

First, we need to be certain that we are in the will of God when we make these decisions. We can't ignore a law just because we don't like it. We need to know that we are in a "obey God rather than man" situation. We're not really rebelling, we are obeying our God and King, who is superior to the earthly authority.

Second, we accept the consequences of our decision, and leave the results up to God. We don't act like rebels... we appeal to a higher authority. For example:

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went peacefully into the fiery furnace.

Daniel went peacefully into the lion's den.

Peter didn't raise up a sword against the Sanhedrin.

Rahab placed a scarlet chord on her door in faith that she would be rescued.

The Hebrew midwives (I'm sure) prayed that Pharoah would buy their BS story.

Additionally... The early Christians accepted their fates when they refused to follow the Imperial cult and acknowledge Caesar as Lord (God), and instead acknowledged that "Jesus is Lord." (Romans 10:19)

... and they left the earthly results up to God, who is the ultimate judge.

Daniel and his friends walked out alive. Rahab was rescued. The Hebrew midwives were blessed.

Many of the early Christians were martyred. Christians who protected Jews under Nazi Germany were sent to the Concentration Camps.

In each case, they willingly accepted their fate and trusted God for the ultimate outcome. Jesus is a good King, and He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. They were, even in these circumstances, model citizens. This is our witness, and Jesus modeled it perfectly as He went to the cross to die for our sins when He was before Pilate.

At the end of the day, our respect for authority and their rule is one of our best witnesses... even when we disagree... even when what they are asking us to do is sin and we have to respectfully say "no."

"make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." - 1 Thess 4:11-12

As Christians, "rebellion" should not be what marks us, but that of living a quiet life of obedience to God AND to the authorities that God places over us, which includes an imperfect government. These examples of rebelling, I believe, are exceptions, not rules. A quiet life equals one that is at peace with those around us, and especially those that disagree with us. Let us be people who exude that kind of life and peace in our dealings with people.