Bible sanctioned excuses for ignoring rogue governments.
Johnny Reb: Surely you jest!
Dead Ringer: No. … and don’t call me Shirley.
Johnny Reb: But God can’t really expect us to obey a government that openly defies Him! The Bible’s got to have a loophole around Romans 13 (Post 012) for that!
Dead Ringer: Oh, but it does! Plenty of loopholes. The question is do you dare to use any of them given the trouble you can get into with God and men?
Johnny Reb: Well, I’m certainly not interested in any end-runs around God. But I’d sure like to know about any God-sanctioned loopholes around the galling laws of men! For example, will I really go to hell for not using my seatbelt?
Dead Ringer: It depends. No true believer in Jesus is going to hell, period. But the real question is (in the sense of the Half Carafe Test of Post 007), are you a true believer? Would a true believer rebel against a legitimate law written by a governing authority that God has appointed? Remember Romans 13 says, “whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God”.
Johnny Reb: Rats. If I have to wear a seatbelt just because God’s appointed government says so, then I probably have to buy health insurance and fund my employees’ abortions too! I suppose if they want me to get an RFID tag and a tattoo on my hand or forehead just to buy or sell, I’ll have to submit to that too!
Dead Ringer: Not so fast! I told you, there are loopholes! Critically important loopholes that every serious person should know about!
Johnny Reb: Ok. Now we’re talking! …er, like what?
Dead Ringer: Well, what did Peter and John say in Acts 4:18-20 when their local governing authorities forbid them to talk about Jesus?
So they called them and commanded them
not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John answered and said to them,
“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God,
you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
Johnny Reb: Got it! My “get out of jail free” card is simply to find a conflict between the commands of God and the laws of men!
Dead Ringer: Well, nobody said you would get out of jail free. But at least you can spend your time there with a clear conscience! Better to be in jail serving God than at large serving men!
Johnny Reb: But, but, but... what if a loathsome human law doesn’t actually conflict with God's commandments but still violates my God-given inalienable rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”?
Dead Ringer: Aye. There’s the rub…