Thank you for publishing this. I believe you’re right.

Cindy, would you consider publishing this on Facebook? There are many who would benefit from reading this. Perhaps you have already shared it. I found it very encouraging. God bless you as you serve Him!

Amen amen and amen.

Thank you so much for sharing. I couldn’t make a difference I tried. But hopefully your word will.

So well written and eloquent. It’s so refreshing to hear a sister in Christ affirming what I have had in my heart for a long time now. The Spirit is working in the world….the time is drawing near and we may be close to a time where our testimony may mean our death. Yes, at this time we need to rebuke evil and stand against it and when all is done…stand!

This is exactly what the Lord has been impressing upon my heart through His word. I commend you for standing on the Lord’s side, as I feel very few do these days. It encourages those who seek His righteousness, and makes ‘enemies’ of those who don’t have God first. I marvel at the painful yet sweet polarizing effect of following Jesus step by step. May the Lord find us faithful! You’re in our prayers. ?

Amen! God bless you Cindy! Thank you for sharing what God has laid on your heart. It is truth and it has really blessed me and convicted me.

Thanks so much Cindy for this beautiful message that speaks to the heart of what Christians need to hear these days! You should consider having seminars with a powerful post like this!! Pretty much sums up where I stand on this issue! Let’s get more involved in the outcry against abortion,child abuse,human trafficking,etc! God Bless your family in all you do in Jesus name!??

VERY WELL SAID!! THANKS for sharing!! I totally agree with everything you have said!!

Cindy, This was a most enlightening blog and you were able to express what has also been on my heart in a very coherent and understandable way. I appreciate what you wrote and pray God’s richest blessing and protection for your family!

Thank you for this timely insightful message. Being pulled in many directions causes the thought process to get muddled, and this clearly defines what my original foundation is. Even though we can know in our spirit what convictions are, it’s sometimes hard to convince even other believers.
I truly believe this situation has brought many, including myself, to a deeper prayer life and walk with the Lord. We, as a generation, have never been pressed to stand boldly for our faith, and have lived pretty securely within our communities. Let us press towards the mark( and not the one a ‘vaccine’ would require .

Wow! Totally agree…Bless you for speaking out!

Thank you! God has truly blessed you with the gift of writing and thank you for using it in this time when everyone has a differing opinion.

Couldn’t agree more! These are the exact things we would discuss in our homes. Good bless you for taking courage to publish something that you know may cause others to disagree on.

Thank you for a well written article and for explaining it so well. Our hearts long to follow Jesus and we see the evil so prevalent in our land. May God grant us all courage to follow His way.

Thank you for this, completely agree!

As I have studied several of the Scriptures that speak of our relationship to the governing authorities (Rom. 13, Titus 3, 1 Pet. 2), it appears to me that one of these authorities in place at the time these books were written was Nero. This raises some very sobering questions. I wonder in what way Paul thought he was instituted by God. I wonder what laws were in place that Peter said we should be subject to. What good would Paul and Peter have thought would be accomplished by obeying him? I expect there were many ways in which he was overstepping his authority.

Wow! Yes, yes and YESSSS! As I was reading this my head kept nodding in agreement. We were literally JUST talking about all this today, God works in mysterious ways, it is time to take a stand! Thank you so much Cindy!!

Amen sister!! Thank you so much for sharing

Thanks for thinking through tough questions. How does one deal with those powers being an occupying power, actively persecuting Christians, and eventually beheading the writer? From someone still sorting things out.

This is so well stated, and I couldn’t agree more!! A common-sense and Biblical response to what’s happening in our world…thank you for sharing this!! ?

Thank you for your courage in speaking out. I think that without a foundation of TRUTH we are helpless in making good choices for our families or in helping others.

Did Jesus or his disciples ever contest a law that the government passed? While I agree in some measure with what was said, Romans was written under a FAR more corrupt and authoritarian government than we have now. To say that we should not obey when the government is overreaching is ignoring the context in which Romans was written in order to make it say what I wish it to say. I believe it still holds that, even in government “overreach,” we must obey unless it violates our conscience, not just when it is unhandy.

So refreshing to hear! I wonder if we were not quarantined for so long how it would look if we could reason together and discuss things like this and get some perspective and move forward and occupy until He comes while on the same page:)

This is an interesting view to take on Christians in government. I was remembering the government leaders in Paul’s time, when he was writing the letters to the churches. The Romans were the overarching government of the time. History records that Nero, probably one of the more corrupt leaders of all time was responsible for setting fire to the city of Rome and then blaming it on the Christians. It was also under his rule that Paul was eventually beheaded. In Israel, the religious leaders of the day were very corrupt men as well. And it was in this setting that Paul wrote Romans 13:1-5. It seems clear to me that our obedience to the government, as long as it is not violating God’s law, is not based on how upright that government is. Secondly, in Matthew 23:1-4, Jesus teaches that we need to obey our authorities; even when it is hard. I think you are absolutely correct, Cindy, when you say that we as a church need to care for the hurting and feed the hungry and preach the gospel, and speak out against abortion and human trafficking; but I think that our attitude towards the government also goes a long way in our testimony to the world.

God bless you, Cindy! May the church be able to stand, have the stamina of Esther and the the consistency of Daniel! I pray that we will stand against the evil, for Jesus is with us! We will not lose!

thanks for writing . I agree with your post

Wow! I so agree, thanks for saying all of this! Praise God!

Amen! Thank you for taking the time to share this.

I said something similar recently to a minister and got rebuked for it. Thank you for what you wrote!

Thank you so much for sharing!!!! I strongly believe you are correct in your thoughts and motives of the situation. It’s time we as Christians actually stand up for what is Truth and walk in the Truth (putting into action what we truly believe)
May God bless you!!! ?

Thank you for using your gift of writing! These are exact words and thoughts I have had for years! Churches need to lay aside “differences” and be united to stand up for truth! And yes .. we are here “for such a time as this”

Thank you so much for sharing what is on your heart! I so agree with every word and I applaud you for being willing to speak it openly! I love how God is working in and through you, Duane and your family! So blessed to call you guys friends!! Many blessings to you and may God give you strength for each day.

So so true!!! Thanks so much for sharing! This is totally how we’re feeling about all this!! We need to stand up for what’s right! (For Jesus). Thanks again for sharing!!!!

I like what Martin, Kraig, and Beth said.

Thanks for sharing your position, but I can not fully agree. As several others have pointed out, anything we may be facing currently pales in comparison to the oppression the early church faced at the time the passages on our relationship to government were written. I believe your position on not obeying laws where the government has overstepped their bounds is quite valid from a legal perspective; but I’m not sure that we can bring the constitution into a conversation about spiritual matters. What do we do with Jesus’ command to go the extra mile? Roman law stated that a Roman soldier could force a Jew to carry the soldier’s pack for one mile. This was not a very just law, as it temporarily deprived the Jew of his freedom, stealing his time and labor without recompense. But what was Jesus’ command regarding this? He didn’t comment on the injustice of the law, but said go beyond what the law demands and carry the soldier’s pack 2 miles.
I do fully agree that our health and education are not the responsibility of the state; many of the social programs the state implements are needed as a result of the church not carrying out its responsibility to show Jesus’ love to the world in practical ways.

I appreciate the perspective. One thing that has helped me think through non-resistance and pacifism is our focus in it. Are we focused on protecting ourselves, or are we loving others around us?

If an enemy strikes YOU, turn the other cheek. What if the enemy strikes your wife, your children, or somebody else?

I want to be considering how I can love those around me, and I don’t believe that means standing by and doing nothing. I love the correlation you made to the Good Samaritan story in the Bible.

Thank you for your comment, Kraig. We believe Jesus always blessed the functions of the government (paying tribute to Caesar, etc) when they functioned within their ordained government roles. But we also believe Jesus recognized the specific roles of government, church and personal lives. For instance, there was a direct violation that happened within the temple and He certainly addressed. Why? Buying and selling wasn’t wrong, was it? However, this wasn’t the intended role of the church and should never have been done within the temple. Isn’t that why He addressed it? And wouldn’t Jesus have entered in and addressed the Romans if they would’ve been trying to take the role of the church in dealing with lepers, orphans and widows? Wouldn’t He have spoken out against the church if they were trying to overstep the government and control the taxes? We would tend to think He would. If I (Cindy) would ask our children to go against something my husband wants of them, who should they obey? Me or my husband? I believe they should disobey me and obey my husband’s wishes because God has given him the responsibility of the highest authority within our home. If they disobey me, should they be blamed for doing it simply because it is unhandy to them or because they are choosing to obey only what they want to obey? I truly believe our girls would obey Duane because they desire to be obedient and they would believe they are guilty of a greater sin if they obey me rather than a greater authority. I believe this is the heart of many believers as well, and it’s our choice whether we choose to see Jesus in them. No one wants to rebel and be disobedient. Everyone welcomed the guidance and were willing to comply to the “stay at home” restrictions. However, since it is obvious that this is not about a virus any more but is an attack on our President and religious liberties, this is why we are facing decisions on how we should handle it. We strongly felt led by God to share this message, but are also aware that we are fallible, broken individuals and greatly appreciate your prayers.

Thank you for your comment, Beth. We believe Jesus always blessed the functions of the government (paying tribute to Caesar, etc) when they functioned within their ordained government roles. But we also believe Jesus recognized the specific roles of government, church and personal lives. For instance, there was a direct violation that happened within the temple and He certainly addressed. Why? Buying and selling wasn’t wrong, was it? However, this wasn’t the intended role of the church and should never have been done within the temple. Isn’t that why He addressed it? And wouldn’t Jesus have entered in and addressed the Romans if they would’ve been trying to take the role of the church in dealing with lepers, orphans and widows? Wouldn’t He have spoken out against the church if they were trying to overstep the government and control the taxes? We would tend to think He would…And why was Paul actually beheaded? I think if he would’ve been obedient to the Romans, he would NOT have been imprisoned or beheaded. I also don’t believe any of the disciples would have been killed if they would’ve simply obeyed the government authority and rules of their day…If I (Cindy) would ask our children to go against something my husband wants of them, who should they obey? Me or my husband? I believe they should disobey me and obey my husband’s wishes because God has given him the responsibility of the highest authority within our home. If they disobey me, should they be blamed for doing it simply because it is unhandy to them or because they are choosing to obey only what they want to obey? I truly believe our girls would obey Duane because they desire to be obedient and they would believe they are guilty of a greater sin if they obey me rather than a greater authority. I believe this is the heart of many believers as well, and it’s our choice whether we choose to see Jesus in them. No one wants to rebel and be disobedient. Everyone welcomed the guidance and were willing to comply to the “stay at home” restrictions. However, since it is obvious that this is not about a virus any more but is an attack on our President and religious liberties, this is why we are facing decisions on how we should handle it. We strongly felt led by God to share this message, but are also aware that we are fallible, broken individuals and greatly appreciate your prayers.

Thank you for your comment, Jeremy. We believe Jesus always blessed the functions of the government (paying tribute to Caesar, etc) when they functioned within their ordained government roles. But we also believe Jesus recognized the specific roles of government, church and personal lives. For instance, there was a direct violation that happened within the temple and He certainly addressed. Why? Buying and selling wasn’t wrong, was it? However, this wasn’t the intended role of the church and should never have been done within the temple. Isn’t that why He addressed it? And wouldn’t Jesus have entered in and addressed the Romans if they would’ve been trying to take the role of the church in dealing with lepers, orphans and widows? Wouldn’t He have spoken out against the church if they were trying to overstep the government and control the taxes? We would tend to think He would…And why was Paul actually beheaded? I think if he would’ve been obedient to the Romans, he would NOT have been imprisoned or beheaded. I also don’t believe any of the disciples would have been killed if they would’ve simply obeyed the government authority and rules of their day…If I (Cindy) would ask our children to go against something my husband wants of them, who should they obey? Me or my husband? I believe they should disobey me and obey my husband’s wishes because God has given him the responsibility of the highest authority within our home. If they disobey me, should they be blamed for doing it simply because it is unhandy to them or because they are choosing to obey only what they want to obey? I truly believe our girls would obey Duane because they desire to be obedient and they would believe they are guilty of a greater sin if they obey me rather than a greater authority. I believe this is the heart of many believers as well, and it’s our choice whether we choose to see Jesus in them. No one wants to rebel and be disobedient. Everyone welcomed the guidance and were willing to comply to the “stay at home” restrictions. However, since it is obvious that this is not about a virus any more but is an attack on our President and religious liberties, this is why we are facing decisions on how we should handle it. We strongly felt led by God to share this message, but are also aware that we are fallible, broken individuals and greatly appreciate your prayers.

Thank you for your comment, Josh. We believe Jesus always blessed the functions of the government (paying tribute to Caesar, etc) when they functioned within their ordained government roles. But we also believe Jesus recognized the specific roles of government, church and personal lives. For instance, there was a direct violation that happened within the temple and He certainly addressed. Why? Buying and selling wasn’t wrong, was it? However, this wasn’t the intended role of the church and should never have been done within the temple. Isn’t that why He addressed it? And wouldn’t Jesus have entered in and addressed the Romans if they would’ve been trying to take the role of the church in dealing with lepers, orphans and widows? Wouldn’t He have spoken out against the church if they were trying to overstep the government and control the taxes? We would tend to think He would…And why was Paul actually beheaded? I think if he would’ve been obedient to the Romans, he would NOT have been imprisoned or beheaded. I also don’t believe any of the disciples would have been killed if they would’ve simply obeyed the government authority and rules of their day…If I (Cindy) would ask our children to go against something my husband wants of them, who should they obey? Me or my husband? I believe they should disobey me and obey my husband’s wishes because God has given him the responsibility of the highest authority within our home. If they disobey me, should they be blamed for doing it simply because it is unhandy to them or because they are choosing to obey only what they want to obey? I truly believe our girls would obey Duane because they desire to be obedient and they would believe they are guilty of a greater sin if they obey me rather than a greater authority. I believe this is the heart of many believers as well, and it’s our choice whether we choose to see Jesus in them. No one wants to rebel and be disobedient. Everyone welcomed the guidance and were willing to comply to the “stay at home” restrictions. However, since it is obvious that this is not about a virus any more but is an attack on our President and religious liberties, this is why we are facing decisions on how we should handle it. We strongly felt led by God to share this message, but are also aware that we are fallible, broken individuals and greatly appreciate your prayers.

Thank you for your comment, Martin. We are certainly still learning and have more questions than answers…Yes, it is interesting to think of the disciples being imprisoned and also beheaded, crucified, etc. It seems logical to us to believe if they would’ve obeyed their authorities, they wouldn’t have faced what they did. I tend to think they were likely also accused of not always being in subjection to authority. They came to the place where they realized they needed to obey God’s greater authority in some areas. The same may come true for us. I believe their hearts and desires were to be submissive and obedient and that is our prayer as well.

Thank-you for this well written and thoughtful response to what is going on.
Paul used every legal and political advantage afforded to him in the midst of a tyrannical government. Why should we not do the same in a government that’s whole legal system is founded on being governed by us- not by a dictator.?

I know these are unprecedented times (for our generation), but I must respectfully disagree with you in this instance. And I acknowledge that there is much confusion right now as to who really is my secular authority? The President? or the Governor? or who?? They don’t always agree with each other! I don’t feel that being inactive in politics is ever wrong. Jesus said My Kingdom is not of this world, if it were, my servants would fight…….
I firmly believe we as Anabaptist Christians have a huge responsibility to PRAY fervently for our leaders in government, and I don’t believe that is inactivity.

Thank you for your comment, Charlotte. We also agree that praying is not being inactive. It should be our first line of defense. We believe the verse about Jesus’ kingdom regarding “not being of this world” means that His kingdom would not originate from the evil world system underlying today’s government. Jesus’ reign restores earth’s governments to God. As believers, we should be honoring our government, but never if it overrides what we believe goes against God’s word. We don’t believe this verse is implying we should not be involved. Our desire is to look at the entire life of Jesus and his disciples and not pulling a verse out of the context of the bigger passage. We see Jesus and His followers as being very involved in the world events and circumstances in their days.