I have titled this article ‘Man’s Law vs God’s Law’ because recently I was listening to a radio program on BBC London; this is something I do regularly when I am driving to and from my different work assignments. On this particular morning, the radio program I was listening to was the Vanessa Feltz show. The Vanessa Feltz show is a morning radio show that discusses London’s talking points for that day. The show invites people to call in and air their views and opinions on any of the topics.
One of the talking points on this very day was “RADICALISATION”; the emphasis was on extreme Muslims interpretation of the Koran in relation to British law. As usual, a lot of people called in to air their views on the topic. However, there was one caller who caught my attention; it was a gentleman who claimed to be a very spiritual Christian. He made a statement I found very difficult to accept, which was, “you know that no one is as spiritual as I am.” He went on to describe how spiritual he was and how he tries’ very much to live his life according to Christian values.
Then Vanessa asked him what his relationship with the bible was? He found it very difficult to answer the question. She asked, if the bible says he should do something that is contrary to the British law what will he do? He said he won’t do it; he will only act on the bible he feels that will enable him to live in accordance to British law. He said that British law should always come before the bible so if there is anything in the bible that goes against the law he won’t do it. Then Vanessa said that she thought as a Christian he was meant to do everything the bible says, he said no! If at anytime the bible contradicts British law, he feels that it is more important for Christians to choose to obey the British law.
Is he right? Can the British law or the law of any country be more important than the bible? After all the bible does command us to obey the law of the land.
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. (Romans 13:1 NLT)
Or can we say that in some areas that he is doing the right thing by choosing British law over what the bible says? If we read further to verse 2 of Romans 13 it also tells us that those placed in authority have been placed there by God and anyone who rebels against the authority God has put in place is rebelling against God.
So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. (Romans 13:2 NLT)
So if we find ourselves in a situation where we are required to choose either to obey the law of the land or the bible, which should we choose? To help us decide, let us look at some more scriptures.
For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. (Romans 13:3-5 NLT)
For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right. (1 Peter 2:13-14 NLT)
The bible is very clear about Christians obeying the laws of the land and all human authority. However, my dilemma is that many of the laws that is being passed today is contrary to the word of God. For example gay marriages go against everything the bible stands for in regards to marriages and yet the governing authorities say we should accept it.
Recently, on the news there was a case of a Christian who was fired from the nursery she worked at for misconduct. She had a lesbian colleague who was trying to have a Christian wedding. Her colleague asked her how God feels about same-sex marriage. The Christian answered honestly; she said that if she says that God accept same-sex marriage, she is lying. However, if she says that God hates her because she is lesbian, she is also lying. As a result of her answer, she was fired from her job. However, she took them to court and won the case against them for unlawful dismissal.
We are living in an environment where the law is making it more and more difficult to express our Christian values. I was listening to this topic being discussed on another radio program and many people who called in to air their views blamed the Christian for being insensitive to her gay colleague and also that she was prejudice towards her. Even the radio host who was supposed to be neutral was biased against the Christian.
So what do we do when the law makes it difficult for us to express our Christian values? To answer this question, I believe we should take our qui from some of the bibles greatest characters, start with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego faced a similar dilemma. They had to choose whether to obey the law of the land or to obey the word of God
King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command! When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” (Daniel 3:1-6 NLT)
The bible tells us they chose to obey God
But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:12 NLT)
Let us also look at the account of Daniel
So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” So King Darius signed the law. (Daniel 6:6-9 NLT)
A law was passed by the government of the time. It was put in place to prevent Daniel from praying to God. The law instead wanted him to pray to the king of the time, Darius. Daniel chose to continue praying to God at the risk of his life.
But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. (Daniel 6:10 NLT)
Let us take another example, this time from the New Testament. The bible tells us in the book of Acts of the Apostles, chapter 5 verses 17 – 29 of how the apostles went about performing many miracles. This caused the High Priest and his officers who were Sadducees to become jealous and this resulted in them being arrested and put in jail.
The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. (Acts of the Apostles 5:17-18 NLT)
However, God had other plans for them, he sent an angel by night to set them free. The angel instructed them to go back into the temple to preach, they obeyed.
But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!” S
o at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching. When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council —the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. (Acts of the Apostles 5:19-21 NLT)
As we can see from the above verses that the apostles were thrown in jail for acting upon the word of God, which were not in line with the law of the human authorities and the law of the land. Let’s read farther to see how the apostles dealt with the issue.
But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!” When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!” The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!” But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. (Acts of the Apostles 5:22-29 NLT)
The apostles chose to obey the word of God.
In all three examples we find that the children of God all chose to obey the word of God. Why is that? The answer lays in Romans 13: 1 and 1 Peter 2: 14, which is the fact that everyone who is or has ever been in authority comes from God and was placed there by him. I know it might be difficult to comprehend especially when there have been leaders like Hitler, Idi Amin and President Robert Mugabe, to name a few. But that’s what the bible says.
Saint Paul the apostle in the book of Romans 1: 28-30, warned us of a time when the world views would be in conflict with our views as Christians. This includes many of the laws that are being passed at this time.
Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. (Romans 1:28-30 NLT)
A few months ago in the news, there was a report that stated that ‘Cases of children abusing their parents has soared by 60% in two years.’
Why it was even an issue was that the report came at a time when budget cuts is affecting the police force. The police were complaining that they are using their limited resources to deal with these kinds of issues instead of focusing on more serious issues. The report blamed weak parenting as the cause.
In my opinion, I believe that the blame cannot rest solely on the parents but also on a nation that has chosen to pass laws that has taken power away from the parents that allows the discipline of children.
Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. (Proverbs 13:24 NLT)
Don’t fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won’t kill them. Physical discipline may well save them from death. (Proverbs 23:13-14 NLT)
This was once a nation that took Christianity to more than half of the world, but now has chosen a circular world view in place of its once Christian world view. This is a nation that is now trying to pass a law that would make it compulsory to teach children sex education from primary school. Many parents who have viewed the video have complained that it seems to encourage sex instead of acting as a deterrent. They say it is more about encouraging children to wear a condom.
My final thoughts, should we obey the laws of the land? Yes we should! God is the one who has placed the law makers in power. However, when the law is in conflict with the word of God, like the saints of old we should always obey his word because his word supersedes the laws of any nation. In the words of Joshua, “I and my house will serve the Lord”.
What about you? What will you do? Please leave a comment down below. Also if this article has been helpful or you have any questions you can leave them down below.
You may also have decided after reading this article that you what to be a partaker of God’s glory Click Here.
The post Man’s Law vs God’s Law appeared first on believedeeply.com.