Bible Synapse
Should Christians obey God rather than men, or submit to human rulers?
Hard question · Acts and the letters · raised by 3 of the lists sceptics circulate
See the passages joined in the interactive mapThe passages
Forbidden to teach in Jesus’ name, the apostles answer, “We ought to obey God rather than men”.
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Every soul is to be subject to the authorities, for the ruler is “the minister of God to thee for good”.
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake”.
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
The midwives fear God and refuse Pharaoh’s order to kill the Hebrew boys.
But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
Daniel keeps praying three times a day despite the king’s decree.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
The objection
Romans 13 tells every Christian to be subject to the governing authorities and warns that whoever resists them resists God; 1 Peter says to submit to every human ordinance. Yet the apostles told the Jewish council, “We ought to obey God rather than men”, and the Bible praises the Hebrew midwives and Daniel for defying royal commands. The Gospels also show rulers condemning the innocent Jesus, though Romans says rulers “are not a terror to good works, but to the evil”.
The answer
The passages give a general rule and its limit, and the same apostles taught both. Peter, who told the council he must obey God rather than men, later wrote, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake” (1 Peter 2:13). Paul, who wrote Romans 13, was beaten and imprisoned by magistrates for his preaching and did not stop (Acts 16:22–24; 2 Corinthians 11:23–25).
Romans 13 grounds a ruler’s authority in God, “there is no power but of God”, and because that authority is given by God, it cannot oblige anyone to disobey God. Christians are to pay taxes, keep the laws and honour rulers, as Jesus said: “Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). When a ruler commands what God forbids, as when the council banned preaching about Jesus or Pharaoh ordered the killing of baby boys, God’s command comes first. Even then the apostles did not rebel; they went on preaching and accepted the punishment (Acts 5:40–41).
Romans 13:3–4 describes what government is for, punishing evil and praising good, not a promise that every ruler always lives up to it; Paul knew from his own beatings that rulers could act unjustly.
From the classic commentators
men, civil magistrates, and ecclesiastical rulers, are to be obeyed in things which are not repugnant to the will of God; but in things that are, God is to be obeyed, and not menJohn Gill, Exposition of the Bible, on Acts 5:29 (1746–1763)
It is of Magistracy in general, considered as a divine ordinance, that this is spoken: and the statement applies equally to all forms of government, from an unchecked despotism—such as flourished when this was written, under the Emperor Nero—to a pure democracy.Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary, on Romans 13:5 (1871)
Sources
- John Gill, Exposition of the Bible: Acts 5 (1746–1763), at Bible Hub
- Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary: Romans 13 (1871), at Bible Hub