If I had lived during the time of the American Revolution, I would be a loyalist on the side of the British Empire.
It’s not that I prefer to side with the monarchy of Great Britain, nor do I lack pride for the achievements of my colonial underdog predecessors. Rather, my commitment to the Lord Christ and conviction from timeless Scripture are what compel me to confess- I would submit rather than rebel.
This would apparently make me a minority among the colonists. In the case of the Anglican church, there was an even split between those who revised their prayer books to read “Congress” instead of “King”, and the ardent others who chose to give up their ministry rather than go back on their vows of loyalty
Overwhelmingly for other denominations, Christianity seemed to clearly justify a divine right for resisting tyrants and abolishing the monarchy that so often failed for Israel. Sermons identified the colonies with the prophesied millennial kingdom of Christ, and the movement was seen as an extension of the Reformation’s attempts to purify His Church from political influence and authoritative hierarchy.
Add all of this theological rhetoric to the mounting public hostility against redcoats and King George III, and I can be sure of my fate for claiming God’s Word says otherwise. Neighbors would spread the word through town, and then a mob would drive me out of it with searing tar, feathers, and mocking laughter.
Of course, as it did happen, a war was fought and won on the side of the Americans. I believe God dispensed judgment as well as grace through this new independent nation. We have constitutional rights today which were not promised before, and our theological understanding of the church as it relates to the state is likely improved because of this movement. God works all things together for good… but that doesn’t excuse all things as good.
Consequently, I would still choose to repeat the clear instruction of the apostle Paul:
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
-Romans 13:1-7 (ESV)
Note the historical context this was written in-- only a few decades before it, the only innocent human our world knew was tortured and executed through unjust processes… while less than a decade after this letter, one of the most infamous persecutors of the Church would use Christians as biofuel for public lighting and animal chew toys for society’s amusement.
If anyone had a “right” to resist a tyrant, it was this generation of believers, and yet they surrendered that right and call us to do the same. In contrast, my revolutionary ancestors considered the privilege of “no taxation without representation” worth going to war over. Carrying this Biblical knowledge, how could I not make a stand against their actions?
Granted, the passage I quoted from Romans is no easy pill to swallow. It describes a government upholding the righteous and punishing the wicked, which the Neros, Hitlers, and Pol Pots of our world surely fall short of. Then again, no leader has ever fulfilled this ideal perfectly. Paul’s command and summary of the government’s function is not based on the integrity of any one leader, but on God’s sovereignty over every human regime.
Dietrich Boenhoffer, a pastor during the Nazi control of Germany, participated in an assassination attempt against Adolf Hitler… filled not with certainty and zeal, but reluctance and humility. The attempt ended in failure, and Boenhoffer’s initiative rested solely on God’s grace to cover him.
If the day ever comes where an authority so vile provokes rebellion, we should reject Zionist fervor which claims God as our political ally, and act only after adopting the very same meek faith that clings firstly to the example and Lordship of Jesus.
Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
-1 Peter 2:13-25 (ESV)
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