7 Responses to “Is Civil Disobedience Ever Christian?”

1. Dez
   September 30th, 2008 @ 4:06 pm

   I haven’t heard the broadcast for this topic… but I would say “Yes.”

   Shua and Puah disobeyed Pharaoh concerning the killing of Hebrew children.
   Rachab’s civil disobedience saved two notable Hebrew spies in Jericho.
   Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not bow down to worship the king’s golden image.
   Daniel prayed openly, though he knew the king’s decree would condemn him.
   David and Johnathan conspired to lie to Saul, that they could know Saul’s heart and save David’s life.
   Peter and others were strictly told not to preach of Jesus and were beaten and worse for doing so… and the ekklesia grew because of it.
   Some of the prophets, including Elijah and John the Baptist, disobeyed their civil authorities that the people would turn back to God.

   However, civil disobedience is not always necessary.

   Moses did not need to disobey Pharaoh, as God provided the deliverance.
   Paul embraced his Roman citizenship, enabling him to witness to more of the lost.
   Had Jesus resisted the Roman authority, He would have not been an innocent man laying down His life for many.

2. Dez
   September 30th, 2008 @ 4:45 pm

   I did not hear the broadcast, but I would say “Yes.” There are many examples of civil disobedience in Scripture:

   Shua and Puah disobeyed Pharaoh, saving the lives of Hebrew children.
   Rachab’s disobedience saved the lives of two notable Hebrew spies in Jericho.
   Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down and worship the king’s golden image.
   Daniel prayed openly, knowing that it could cost him his life.
   Johnathan and David conspired to lie to Saul so that they could learn Saul’s heart and save David’s life.
   Elijah, John the Baptist, and other prophets disobeyed the civil authorities in order to turn the people back to God.
   Peter and others disobeyed the restrictions of teaching about Jesus, causing them to be beaten and worse… and growing the ekklesia.

   However, civil disobedience is not always necessary:

   Moses did not need to disobey Pharaoh, as God provided the deliverance.
   Paul embraced his Roman citizenship, giving him access to a greater audience.
   Had Jesus disobeyed/resisted the Roman authority he would not have been an innocent, laying down his life for many.

3. Dez
   September 30th, 2008 @ 4:46 pm

   Hmm… I left a response, but it did not post.

4. Ewan
   September 30th, 2008 @ 10:06 pm

   What has happened to the podcast for this show?

5. Dez
   October 1st, 2008 @ 6:49 am

   Sorry folks, The doubling of responses was not intended. I thought, because of a failure to post, that I would need to attempt to post again… oops

6. Marcus French
   October 1st, 2008 @ 2:39 pm

   FYI: We’ll be moving to our own servers here in the next few weeks, so we’ll be able to have more control of things there, and there will be less confusion with regard to posts.

   Marcus French
   Line of Fire Moderator

7. Dez
   October 1st, 2008 @ 3:48 pm

   Wow… I’ve had a chance to listen… very good ending, well stated Dr. Brown.

   As I was listening to the show, and before you asked the question concerning a guiding principle, I couldn’t help but think that we seem to have the obedience issue backwards. It seems that some are looking for justification for civil disobedience, instead of (as you aptly put it) Biblical obedience. I was wondering why one doesn’t start from a perspective of God’s law… and at the end of the show, you and the caller (Ryan) summed up the guiding principle. I really liked this show. It brought clarity on a sticky subject.

Leave a Reply