Christians, unlike other groups, have only a secondary allegiance to our country. Also unlike other groups that does not mean that we are in any way unpatriotic, or lacking gratitude for the nation in which we live. It also does not mean that we condone disobedience to the laws of the land, either civilly or criminally.
Secondary allegiance for us remains a serious matter. This is because it is what God expects of us. Consider what Peter said in 1 Peter 2:13-17, “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men — as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
It is also why it is so important for us to pray to the Lord for our country, as Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” As our country becomes ever more secular, re: ungodly, it makes us vulnerable to conflict and reprisals. While it may have been easy to live as a Christian 50-75 years ago, times have greatly changed. The faith of our children are continually challenged, the culture becomes more and more unpalatable and unfamiliar to us, and the probabilities of our faith becoming a reason for personal persecution rises.
And yet, that is the way it was in the first century as well. Rome was profane, but Jesus said, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).
As the apostles clearly showed, the exception to obeying the laws of the land is only if such obedience conflicts with God’s law for us. “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men’” (Acts 5:29). Fortunately, in our nation it has always been easy to live as a faithful Christian without being persecuted or imprisoned for our faith. We pray it continues. Everyday.
Until it changes, Paul wrote, “Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience sake” (Romans 13:5). This must continue unless our civil leaders compel us to no longer primarily obey God. Then, we must obey God rather than men!
