Should Christians Protest Civil Laws?

bayarealawyers.com

You can study the Bible from cover to cover and you will not find one instance where one of God’s servants ever led a protest against a human government. The apostle Paul wrote, “Let every [person] be subject unto [obey] the higher powers”(Rom. 13:1). The Revised Standard version translates it: “Let every person be subject tot he governing authorities.”

No matter what country you live in, you are to obey the governing authorities in everything. – except, of course, any requirement to disobey God’s higher law. Thus we are to comply with all laws, even traffic laws and income tax laws, that don’t cause us to disobey one of God’s laws.

As the apostle Peter told the Jewish authorities of his day, “We ought to obey God, rather than men.” (Acts 5:29).

Regarding the paying of taxes, true Christians are to obey the established tax laws of the land, no matter how seemingly unfair. In principle, we should claim every tax exemption the government allows – but we should never protest taxation by refusing to pay what is required.

Jesus Christ set us an example to follow. The people of His day detested the Roman tax system. But Jesus Christ paid His taxes (Matt. 17:24-27). He taught: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things which are God’s” (Matt. 22:21).

True Christians are subject to the government of man and no government should find occasion to find them guilty of not obeying its laws.