With all the recent uproar about vaccine and mask mandates; the “insurrection” at the Capital on January 6; and the accusations against parents as “domestic terrorists” for confronting school boards about improper education of their children, it time to look at what Scripture teaches about civil disobedience.

Do we, as Christians have the right to disobey the civil government? If so, what is the extent of that right? How far are we permitted to go in that disobedience? What must be the situation before we can legitimately (Scripturally) disobey the law? If we are not permitted to disobey, what recourse, if any, do we have against a tyrannical/ungodly government?

Scripture states very plainly that we must “…be in subjection to the governing authorities (the civil government). For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves” (Romans 13:1, 2 NASB).

This appears, at first, to settle the question. However, many have pointed out that there are cases in Scripture where God’s people have disobeyed the civil government and were apparently commended for their disobedience. Among the cases mentioned are those of Rahab of Jericho; the Egyptian midwives; and Ehud, the left-handed judge.

Leaving those cases aside, I believe we can better address the issue of civil disobedience by focusing upon what God tells us in His Word about obedience to authority. We need also to consider the whole of Scriptural teaching rather than concentrating our attention on specific cases.

It is very clear in Scripture that if a Christian is required by a civil government to do something contrary to God’s Word, the Christian has a biblical responsibility to disobey man and obey God. Virtually all Christians will agree on that point. Among Scripture passages that teach such disobedience are Daniel 3:1-27; Daniel 6:4-24; and Acts 4:18, 19.

What is not so clear to many, is whether we have a right to actively seek to disobey a civil government which is passing laws that do not specifically contradict Scripture. Is a mandate by the government that every person including children take a vaccination contrary to Scripture? Is an Executive Order from the President that everyone in some circumstances wear a mask contrary to Scripture? Do we, as Christians, have the right to disobey laws that do not clearly contradict God’s Word in Scripture? I have come to the personal conclusion that Scripture teaches that we have no such rights. That decision is based on the following considerations.

First, although it is an argument from silence and therefore relatively weak; G.I. Williamson has pointed out in The Westminster Confession of Faith For Study Classes, “There is no evidence that the apostles or the apostolic church intermeddled in civil affairs.” Williamson has further stated that “Christ…made no effort to wield political power or to influence directly political events by making pronouncements on civil matters.” (pp. 250-251). This, even though the Roman government was clearly opposed to God and His people and, in fact, assisted in the crucifixion of the Lord of Glory.

Second, if the civil government is indeed “established by God”, then, as Calvin has rightly put it, “We owe” an“attitude of reverence…toward all our rulers in the highest decree, whatever they may be like.” (Institutes,p. 1516). This “attitude of reverence” must be held toward the government, not because it is a godly government or because we agree with its pronouncements and programs, but because it has been established and given its authority by God.

By the way, an “attitude of reverence toward our rulers in the highest degree” should prevent Christians from making disparaging remarks about our leaders and particularly about leaders with whom we disagree.

We cannot argue that we should obey only godly governments or only godly laws. Calvin eliminates that argument when he states that, “if you conclude…that service ought to be rendered only to just governors, you are reasoning foolishly. For husbands are also bound to their wives and parents to the children, by mutual responsibilities (as the government and the citizen are). Suppose parents and husbands depart from their duty. Suppose parents show themselves so hard and intractable to their children, whom they are forbidden to provoke to anger [Eph. 6:4], that by their rigor they tire them beyond measure. Suppose husbands most despitefully use their wives, whom they are commanded to love [Eph. 5:25] and to spare as weaker vessels [I Peter 3:7]. Shall either children be less obedient to their parents or wives to their husbands? They are still subject even to those who are wicked and undutiful.” (Institutes, p. 1516).

Calvin has presented an extremely telling argument! He has reminded us that God has set up an authority structure in the world. As Christ is the Head of the Church; as the man is the head of the wife; as the parents are the head of the child; so too the government is the head of the people. Just as we owe Christ obedience; just as the wife owes the husband obedience; just as the children owe the parents obedience; so too, we owe obedience to the civil government – to the extent that it does not require us to do something contrary to God’s Law.

A final argument from Scripture is the example of Daniel in Daniel 6:6ff. In that passage, King Darius made a proclamation that “anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides” the king “for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den.” Although Daniel knew of the proclamation (vs. 10), he refused to pray to King Darius and continued his daily petitions to his God (vs. 10). Daniel did not, however, make any attempt to prevent others from praying, even though he knew their continued worship of Darius would surely result in their eternal destruction. It is important for us to see that Daniel made no attempt to stop others from sin except by his personal example of piety. Nor did Daniel break any other laws of the land to change what was surely an ungodly law of the king.

God has clearly placed the civil government in authority over us, but He has not given that government the right to take advantage of its position of authority. If the civil government makes laws that allow homosexual marriage; if it makes laws that regulate where and when we can shop; if it makes laws that incovenience us, the government has clearly surpassed the authority with which God has entrusted it. Even if the civil government abuses their position of authority, do we have the right to disobey the authority that God has placed over us? According to the argument of God’s authority structure, I believe the clear answer is no.

We may, and should, courageously proclaim from Scripture that particular laws and mandates are outside the bounds of the authority God has granted to the government. We must remind the civil authorities they are to be a minister of God for good to Christians and a minister of God for wrath upon the one who practices evil (Romans 13:4). Yet, at the same time, we must obey laws that do not require us to disobey God; even laws with which we disagree.