So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
Acts 4:18-20
Last time we said that the disagreements we Christians may have over the virus and the government’s handling of it must not be allowed to divide the body of Christ. We also warned that there are issues so clearly defined in Scripture that we not only must disobey the government but separate from alleged “Christians” who oppose scripture. One such matter is the LGBTQ agenda—specifically if the government were to demand the Church and/or ministers to perform homosexual marriages.
If or when that happens, a key question will be, “how” do we disobey and/or separate from those who claim to be Christians but embrace a clearly unbiblical position on the matter? I think Peter and John’s example is instructive. They were respectful. They pointed to the fact that every party must answer ultimately to God.
They were respectful. They didn’t resort to name-calling, much less calling for violence. Even when the authorities are dead wrong, let us be respectful. And when believers are wrong to the degree that we must separate, let us remember Jesus telling us to treat them as non-believers (Matthew 18:15-17). We are not to hate non-believers. We are, rather, to love them and long for their conversion. Go back and read how Jesus acted when on trial, before both the religious and civil leaders, prior to His crucifixion. He was right and they were wrong; yet He was respectful.
They pointed to the fact that every party must answer ultimately to God. Peter and John stated the facts of the case and allowed their opponents to decide for themselves, since they would answer to God (not to Peter and John) in the matter.
Wow! Five blog posts on the matter of civil disobedience in light of two crucial matters: The virus and the LGBTQ agenda. Was that overkill? I do not think so. Christian civil disobedience is an important matter for believers to consider—before we must decide. And regardless of what we decide, how we do what we do is equally important. Let us be Christlike in what we do and in how we do it.