Quaecumquae sunt vera
RESIST! This is quickly becoming the slogan of the American 'left' - those who feel that the current administration is trying to restrict the civil rights and the freedom of the most vulnerable in our nation. Of course, this slogan, and the goals and motives of this movement are called into question by many, even those within the church.
I have seen several posts on facebook that use the Bible to justify blind allegiance toward any government or authority. The scripture most commonly used is Romans 13:1-2 - 'Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.'
However, I believe that the key to interpreting this scripture comes much earlier in Paul's letter to the Romans. 'Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.' (Romans 2:12). The key part being: 'discern what is the will of God'. Paul believes that each person, each Christian, has received the power from the Holy Spirit to discern 'what is good and acceptable and perfect' and these standards need to be used when we evaluate which governing authorities we cooperate with and which we resist.
The first question we might ask is: Is all civil authority ordained by God? The Old Testament was full of examples of those rulers ordained by God: Saul, David, Solomon. But even those 'good' kings sometimes followed God's will, sometimes not. The Old Testament is also full of examples of kings who may or may not have been appointed by God, but who certainly didn't follow God's will - Ahaz, Joash, and pretty much all the kings of Israel. The prophet Hosea didn't believe that all authority was ordained by God and spoke for God saying, 'They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not; of their silver and gold have they made them idols that they may be cut off.' (Hosea 8:4)
So perhaps the better question to ask of any governing body or individual ruler is: Do they follow the will of God? And that, is a pretty big ask. No one, no government is perfect. No elected official, like all of us, can live up to the perfect standard of God. But, at the very least, we as Christians need to judge whether each policy reflects Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself? How does each policy treat the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society - those for whom Jesus had a preferential love?
If we judge that a particular policy, or elected official, does not have the best interests of the people at heart, then we have a duty to speak up, to work against or to resist. The Bible has plenty of examples of those who resisted - the Hebrew midwives who defied an order to kill Hebrew baby boys. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who refused to bow down to the image of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel who also refused to submit to the king. Even Paul himself who, despite his statements about obeying authorities, would not stop preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.
For me, I always go back to a scripture that has been meaningful for me for many years. It is the motto of my alma mater, Northwestern University, 'Quaecumque sunt vera' - 'Whatever things are true' and it comes from this excellent statement from Paul, 'Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.' (Philippians 4: 8.) When it comes to what I will personally resist - 'quaecumquae sunt vera.'
I have seen several posts on facebook that use the Bible to justify blind allegiance toward any government or authority. The scripture most commonly used is Romans 13:1-2 - 'Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.'
However, I believe that the key to interpreting this scripture comes much earlier in Paul's letter to the Romans. 'Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.' (Romans 2:12). The key part being: 'discern what is the will of God'. Paul believes that each person, each Christian, has received the power from the Holy Spirit to discern 'what is good and acceptable and perfect' and these standards need to be used when we evaluate which governing authorities we cooperate with and which we resist.
The first question we might ask is: Is all civil authority ordained by God? The Old Testament was full of examples of those rulers ordained by God: Saul, David, Solomon. But even those 'good' kings sometimes followed God's will, sometimes not. The Old Testament is also full of examples of kings who may or may not have been appointed by God, but who certainly didn't follow God's will - Ahaz, Joash, and pretty much all the kings of Israel. The prophet Hosea didn't believe that all authority was ordained by God and spoke for God saying, 'They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not; of their silver and gold have they made them idols that they may be cut off.' (Hosea 8:4)
So perhaps the better question to ask of any governing body or individual ruler is: Do they follow the will of God? And that, is a pretty big ask. No one, no government is perfect. No elected official, like all of us, can live up to the perfect standard of God. But, at the very least, we as Christians need to judge whether each policy reflects Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself? How does each policy treat the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society - those for whom Jesus had a preferential love?
If we judge that a particular policy, or elected official, does not have the best interests of the people at heart, then we have a duty to speak up, to work against or to resist. The Bible has plenty of examples of those who resisted - the Hebrew midwives who defied an order to kill Hebrew baby boys. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who refused to bow down to the image of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel who also refused to submit to the king. Even Paul himself who, despite his statements about obeying authorities, would not stop preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.
For me, I always go back to a scripture that has been meaningful for me for many years. It is the motto of my alma mater, Northwestern University, 'Quaecumque sunt vera' - 'Whatever things are true' and it comes from this excellent statement from Paul, 'Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.' (Philippians 4: 8.) When it comes to what I will personally resist - 'quaecumquae sunt vera.'
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