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Even though it’s not about seceding, below is something a friend sent me on Facebook, that I found interesting...

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Self-defense, against tyranny...

by Bo Perrin

Let me try to answer your question in three parts.

First, I want to deal with the author’s (see related article-The Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense By Pastor Ricky Kurth/bereanbiblesociety.org-ed.) contention that the government is to be obeyed even if it disobeys
the laws. The example he uses is when Paul was standing before the Jewish Sanhedrin and Ananias had Paul struck.

There are five things to keep in mind here. First, the Jewish Council was NOT the national government, Rome was. The extent of the Council’s authority was religious as Rome was considered the governing authority. Second, the law was the Jews’ religious law found in the Old Testament, NOT the law of the land. Third, in his retort Paul does not say that it was written that he must obey the High Priest when he does something unlawful rather he must not speak evil of such because in the Old Testament the High Priest was chosen by God through Levi to Aaron’s lineage. Additionally, there are many and I am one who believes that Paul was caving to the Ananias’ authority rather making a subtle religious point. In the Old Testament the High Priest had to be of the tribe of Levi and a descendent of Aaron. When a High Priest died he was replaced by one of his sons. There is a lot of evidence that Ananias was not of that lineage. In fact, during the early days of the church we know that the Romans maintained control over the High Priest position by giving it to the highest bidder. Additionally, if you study the Old Testament you will find that when Israel, God’s government, did not obey the laws of the land he destroyed the nation.

In fact, he permitted his people to actually overthrow the government when the Queen decided Israel was to worship a false god. Finally, there is a serious tension between the author’s conclusion and Scripture. Peter says we ought to obey God rather than man. Since Peter used the generic use of man rather than speaking directly to the Council his statement applies in all areas of life including the political. If I am to obey the government if it acts contrary to the law then that puts me in the position of possibly disobeying God. The proper governing authorities are endorsed by God (Romans 13). They are his servants to follow what is good and avenge what evil as God sees good and evil. God’s view of good and evil (virtue) is found in Scripture. Therefore, if I obey the government when it disobeys the laws then I end up disobeying God. So, for all it is worth I do not believe that this passage proves we are to obey the government when the government acts contrary to the law.

There are two other issues here as well. First, the author does provide a good overview of the passages which allow believers self-defense. He could have added Exodus 22:2 as well. The issues are (1) a believer is to obey the laws of the land if they are not contrary to God’s and (2) the laws of the land demand we protect the Republic.

I will begin with the second issue. Jesus argued we are to render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. Paul writes that God ordains the governing authorities as described in Romans 13. Peter argues that we are to honor the King. Notice that each title refers to the highest law in that area. In these cases the titles refers to individuals and this is where we must be careful in our interpretation. The highest law in the land was Caesar not the Senate at this time in Rome’s history. The Caesar was deity.

In America though the President nor Congress is the highest law of the land. The Declaration and the Constitution are the highest laws of the land and everything the President and Congress does must be accord with these legal documents. If they are not they are ruled unconstitutional and cast out. The President and Congress are not above these legal documents. This is important. A citizen of the Republic is under no Constitutional obligation to obey any law which a lawmaker creates that is contrary to the Declaration or Constitution. Our Caesar, governing authority and King is not a person but the Declaration and Constitution.

So, if a believer in America is going to fulfill God’s word then he must obey the Declaration and Constitution. Here is why this is important. The Declaration which is our national moral compass tells us, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.—Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. “ This includes not only the people in our present government but anyone they might aline with who wants to overthrow the law of this land. So, politically we are obligated by the law of the land to overthrow a tyrannical government.

The first issue is rather easy after understanding the second. The Declaration is not contrary to God’s word because if the need arose and it was necessary to overthrow the people who are acting contrary to the Declaration and Constitution we are in fact obeying God’s commands to obey our Caesar, governing authorities and King.

This is where so many fail in exegesis. Most writers apply the terms Caesar, governing authorities and King to the President or Congress in America. Now keep in mind that our American situation is different from other countries. So, they argue a believer cannot overthrow the President because he is our Caesar, governing authority or King. Constitutionally this flawed for the President is not “the head” of our nation and in fact, Congress has far more authority if they would only use it and properly. But in America the highest law of the land is the Declaration and Constitution and our allegiance is not to those we elect but to these legal documents. We can throw our allegiance behind our elected officials as long as they govern according to the Declaration and Constitution but the moment they fail to do so, we must remove our allegiance, remove them from office and elect those who have virtue.