disobeying government?

When would it be proper to rebel against your own government? Well, according to the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident:
That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

So, possible rebellion is one of America’s foundational principles. What is less clear is when individuals oppose their government for sake of conscience. Especially in light of biblical passages like Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-17 which speak of obedience to government.

Perhaps the best guideline is we are to follow our government’s rule unless it forces us to disobey God (Acts 5:29). If the choice is disobey God or government, we go with disobeying government, always remembering we must be willing to suffer the consequences. Paul gives an example of what this willingness might look like.

Acts 25:9-11 (NLT)
Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, "Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?"
[10] But Paul replied, "No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty. [11] If I have done something worthy of death, I don't refuse to die. But if I am innocent, neither you nor anyone else has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!"

We commonly refer to disobeying government for reasons of conscience, “civil disobedience.” There are many issues at stake.

- What if you are wrong about what you disagree with? What if you don’t have your facts straight?
- Have you exhausted legitimate means to express your opposition?
- Are you harming others in your acts of disobedience as a byproduct of your cause?

An example tomorrow.