God or the Government

Q: We are told that we should obey the government. The question is can Christian’s be in an opposition party? Is it against the bible?

A: The Bible says, "Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial (1 Cor 6:12)." Therefore, it is okay for Christians to be in the opposition party. However, the question each Christian must ask themselves is "is it profitable and consistent with your faith to do so?" Here in this world, Christians are both citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20) and their countries. The Bible tells me that God controls the government (Rom 13:1), to obey the government (Rom 13:1,5), to pray for kings and others in authority (1 Tim 2:2) and to submit to the government (Titus 3:1). Therefore, whoever is in leadership I will give them the respect due to them and submit to their authority as the leader of the country. However, the Bible also says "We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29)." Therefore, if the leader, or anybody in a leadership capacity over me, is acting in a way inconsistent with the Word of God, I am obligated to obey God rather than the government.

For example, here in the United States President Obama claims to be a Christian and yet supports things like abortion, homosexual marriage and denies that Jesus is the only means of salvation. I am obligated to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1)." And when it is clear that Presidential decisions and proclamations are inconsistent with God's Word it is time to obey God rather than men. Therefore, I am free to exercise my right to free speech and to public assembly, as a citizen of the United States, in order to voice my opinions in an effort to persuade the government to act in a manner more consistent with my beliefs as a Christian. No matter how I may feel about a particular President, ultimately, my allegiance is not to a politician, a political platform, a political Party or an ethnic identity. I also must remember that this is not heaven. There will be no perfect President's, or leaders, ever to lead this or any country. As a Christian, the Bible encourages us to "keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry (2 Tim 4:5)." We are here to be witnesses to the world of the salvation offered to mankind through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sadly, not all Christians live in countries with the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States. Depending on your particular situation it may be more difficult and even unsafe to voice your opposition to those in power. Therefore, I cannot tell you to what degree, if any, you should express your faith to oppose the beliefs and laws imposed on you by your government. Thankfully, whatever you choose to do you can rest assured that your God is there with you in the midst of your situation. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23).” It should bring you comfort to know that your God, who indwells you for eternity, is with you right now as you endure the struggles this life has put upon you. Embrace that struggle because it will bring you to a greater trust and dependency on the Lord. “But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).”

You can rest in the knowledge that you can belong to the opposition party and that it does not go against the Bible. If the leadership of your country advances an agenda that is in direct opposition to the values and beliefs you hold as a Christian, then you are within your rights to express your dissatisfaction. Regardless of what decision you make, and God forbid any suffering you endure for that decision, remember this truth: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. "So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me (Hebrews 13:5-6)?" Keep the faith in the midst of your struggle and believe that God will see you through it. The outcome may not be certain, but His love and faithfulness is certain. Focus on this truth as you go through your current situation. May God continue to reveal to you the blessings you already have in Christ Jesus.