The question many people keep asking is a good one: “Don’t we need to obey God rather than human beings?”
Peter and the apostles uttered those important words in Acts 5:29. “We must obey God rather than human beings.” But they are in response to a government mandate, issued in the previous verse. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in Jesus name.” To my knowledge, no American governor has ever said that to any American pastor. At least not yet.
But there is another set of cries that trouble me, coming from the lips, pens, and keyboards of Christians and Pastors. Things like, “We need Pastors with backbone!” Or “Churches must lead the way in demanding our FIrst Amendment rights!”, “This is war!”, and so many more.
The big idea is that Pastors and churches must demand their rights to assemble or else they are compromising their devotion to Jesus and selling out to the immoral acts of human governance. It is time to stand, demand to be heard, and fight, they say.
The problem is that I can’t find any of this attitude in Jesus or His disciples. I can’t see any rallying cry in the New Testament for demanding our rights and insisting on our rightful share of political power.
In fact, what we find is quite the opposite. Consider a few examples:
“If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”
“And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.”
“But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”
And the crown jewel of our guidance as Christians: “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
And, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
It turns out that the cross is not only the place where Jesus redeemed the world and overcame evil through suffering. It is also the place where God revealed His very nature - the One who suffers on behalf of His enemies.
God is the great enemy-lover!
Not only did he suffer for His enemies, but He also continues to suffer for His enemies, in His body on the earth right now - the Church. We continue to carry on the suffering servant hood of Jesus by being His Body on the earth in real time.
This could not be more opposite of demanding our rights and declaring war on political leaders and parties.
We are called to be His Body - to continue the suffering of Good Friday, through the power of Easter’s resurrection. This is how God and good overcome evil. This is how the gospel becomes powerfully clear in our culture.
As an American, I am appalled that our three branches of government are being ignored at the State level. I am determined to vote for leaders who defend our constitutional rights and insist on constitutional processes to suspend those rights.
But as a Jesus follower, I am determined to overcome evil with good and make up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of His Body.
I hope you will, too.