Political Dissent
As citizens of any nation, human beings have the right to associate with others in different ways in that society; or not associate if they so desire. In biblical terms we are to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” 1Th. 5:21. And in order to do this we possess by right a liberty which cannot be taken from us lawfully. We cannot be forced to take part in a form of government, for example, which is in rebellion against God.
A government has the right to withhold privileges from certain individuals in society. For example, it is widely accepted that criminals in prison should not be given the vote in general elections. But equally, everyone resident in a nation does not have to accept everything a government says and may, if he likes, stand outside society and refuse to take part in the political process. The Jews, for example, were just temporary residents, sojourners of Egypt: “And they said unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come” Gen. 47:4.
We also recognize that a British citizen who has not become a naturalized New Zealander can live and work in New Zealand and be entitled to all the human rights of a New Zealand-born citizen: “One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord” Numbers 15:15.
A temporary or expat resident need not fully integrate into a society and neither can the government force him to profess allegiance to that administration – especially a government which is atheistic.
It has been objected that Romans 13 says: “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” Rom 13:1. And that therefore we must submit to everything the government (as an ordinance of God) wants of us. A careful reading of Romans 13 yields a different conclusion: These powers are moral powers and not a brute power unrelated to the moral nature of the civil government. A Romans 13 government is one which is “a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well.” Governments which rebel against Christ are only ordained of God providentially, just as Satan is so ordained to have a place in world history. Ungodly governments are controlled by Satan and they are described in Scripture as “thrones of iniquity” (Ps 94:20) and organs of Satan (Rev. 13:12 and 12:9); for such governments are making war with the Lamb of God (Rev 17:4). As Rev. 13.2, teaches, ungodly “governments” are not only controlled by Satan, but their “authority” is actually declared in Scripture to be a “power” from the “dragon” and not from God.
God not only does not approve of such governments, but He wholly disapproves of them. Can it possibly be believed that God approves of wicked governors or rulers? “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice : but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Prov. 29:2 and “They have set up kings, but not by me : they have made princes, and I knew it not” Hos. 8: 4.
When such a regime is in power, as is the case here in New Zealand, we cannot promise allegiance to such a government which is in rebellion against Christ our Mediatorial King. To do so would be treachery against our God and Saviour.
This does not mean that we need not submit to a rebellious government in some sense even though it is an ordinance of Satan and not of God. We are to submit to a lawful authentic Rom 13 government for conscience’ sake; but to an unlawful government for wrath’s sake. In other words our submission is pragmatic and so we conform to the lawful demands of an unlawful government out of a commonsense desire to avoid the wrath of their tyranny.
And for the sake of peace and the order of society, we submit to such a government since that is the providential situation in which we find ourselves. We submit, however, only insofar as the government does not require us to offend against the Law of God. Our allegiance to our Mediatorial King always comes first. We must follow the advice of Jeremiah the Prophet: “Seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace” Jer. 29:4-7.
Our Duty Is To Dissent
We are, of course, to live a law-abiding and peaceable life, but we also have another duty towards God. We must practice political dissent towards an unlawful government. This is our duty because we must stand up for what is right and in the political realm this means a Romans 13 government which honours the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true Ruler of the nations: “That which you have already hold fast till I come; and he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power in the nations” Rev. 2: 25, 26. If we instead give credence to a corrupt anti-Christian entity by trying to reform it from within, the purity of our witness will be undermined. Since we have the pure “testimony” of the Lord concerning an authentic moral government in Romans 13 and the rest of Scripture, we must maintain that purity, which means we will not want to taint it by compromise. Joining in with an anti-Christian system automatically involves compromise.Furthermore, we must act as witnesses of the Lord (Isaiah 43:10 and Rev. 11:3), bearing the infallible testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rev.12:17). We must use God’s method and He tells us in Rev: 17:14: “These [the anti-Christ and the anti-Christian governments which embody Satan] shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful”. Since we know the truth about how civil government should be established and operate, we have the responsibility to bear witness to that uncontaminated truth as the Lord’s people. We must contend for the whole truth of God’s Word (Jude 1:3 and Acts 20:27). We are not seeking some short term political gain or recognition but for the victory of Christ the Lamb over the nations in His way, using His prescription.
William Roberts, who composed The Reformed Presbyterian Catechism An Analysis of the Covenanting Reformation Ideals, writes: ‘The witnesses in Revelation are raised up not only to testify against the ecclesiastical apostasy, “ The scarlet woman,” or Roman church-and “ the image of the beast," - the Papacy -but also against “ the seven-headed and ten-horned ” beast-or the civil powers - upon which the woman rides. The nations which sustain Antichrist, and are equally, with “the man of sin,” Antichristian, and are at war with the Lamb. See … Rev. xiii. 1, 2, xvii. 3-14, and xii. 11’.
Furthermore it is illicit for Christians to contradict their testimony. We should therefore strive to bear witness against all the evils in society and government, bringing the teaching of the Word of God to bear on these evils as we seek a true reformation of church and state. While we might feel disenfranchised and powerless to effect change outside the system, we must be as Moses, one of the heroes of the faith, who esteemed “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt” Heb. 11:26.
If we do engage in voting, swearing allegiance, and holding political office as part of the system, we will be giving tacit approval to the system itself: a system of rebellion – the system of anti-Christ.
Success Is Assured
Of course many will argue that if you do not become part of the system you will be unable to make a difference for good. In response we must say that as we bear witness to God’s truth in the public square, including practicing political dissent, we can be assured that our testimony will not be pointless. We will see both the evil one, and the anti-Christian political systems he controls, overcome. There is a promise that the kingdoms of the world will become the kingdoms of Christ (Rev. 11:15); and this will be brought about through the faithful witness of the Lord’s testifiers in a glorious millennial kingdom prophesied in Scripture:“And they overcame him, by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony ; and they loved not their lives unto the death” Rev. 12. 11; , “the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom” Dan 7:22; “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast [anti-Christian governments], neither his image [papacy], neither had received his mark upon their foreheads [given allegiance], or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” Rev 20:4.
Faithfulness to the Scriptures therefore requires political dissent in such a nation as New Zealand. But it means more than just not voting, or not becoming part of the political process. It requires a vigorous, public testimony against the beast and his agents and his immorality. Only then will we overcome by the Word of God.
Let us, then, from the Word of God energetically protest about all the anti-Christian activity of the secular government and bear testimony to what God requires as an authentic and lawful government, until such time as we live in a covenanted nation where the Lord Jesus truly rules in the hearts of men.
G.H.Milne.
