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The Bible
Support for civil disobedience in cases of tyranny
Acts 4:18 (KJV)
18And
they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the
name of Jesus.
Acts 4:19 (KJV)
19But
Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the
sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
Acts 5:27 - 28 (KJV)
27And
when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and
the high priest asked them,
28Saying,
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.
Acts 5:40 (KJV)
and
when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded
that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Acts 5:29 (KJV)
29Then
Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey
God rather than men.
Acts 5:41 - 42 (KJV)
41And
they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
42And
daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and
preach Jesus Christ.
Please
read all of Acts to obtain a better understanding of why and when the
apostles disobeyed certain laws.
Commands against blatant disobedience to
authority - the teachings of Our Lord Jesus, Paul and Peter
Jesus' Teaching
John 19:8 - 13 (KJV)
8When
Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;
9And
went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou?
But Jesus gave him no answer.
10Then
saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I
have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
11Jesus
answered, Thou couldest have no power at all
against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that
delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
12And
from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out,
saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever
maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
13When
Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down
in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the
Hebrew, Gabbatha.
Paul's Teaching
Romans 13:1
- 14 (KJV)
1Let
every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of
God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2Whosoever
therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they
that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3For
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:
4For
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.
5Wherefore ye
must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6For
for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers,
attending continually upon this very thing.
7Render
therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom
to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
8Owe
no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath
fulfilled the law.
9For
this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not
steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there
be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying,
namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10Love
worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling
of the law.
11And
that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of
sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12The
night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the
works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13Let
us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in
chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14But
put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil
the lusts thereof.
Peter's
Teaching
1 Peter 2:13 - 25 (KJV)
13Submit
yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to
the king, as supreme;
14Or
unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of
evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15For
so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the
ignorance of foolish men:
16As
free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but
as the servants of God.
17Honour
all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
18Servants, be
subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and
gentle, but also to the froward.
19For
this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure
grief, suffering wrongfully.
20For
what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall
take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye
take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21For
even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving
us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22Who
did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23Who,
when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened
not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
24Who
his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being
dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were
healed.
25For
ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and
Bishop of your souls.
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