- Because all Earthly governing authorities are established by God we are - commanded to be subject to them, but not above God, to avoid God's wrath - and for good conscience. Regardless of the persecution, burden, - injustice, we are never to take vengeance into our own hands “Vengeance - is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” We are called to respond to evil - not with more evil (including war, violence, killing, torture, slander, - riots, black-mailing, hatred, etc.) but blessings, peace, love, - hospitality “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give - him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on - his head.” We are called to follow Jesus's example, overcoming evil with - good (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, - gentleness, self-control) offering our bodies as a living sacrifice holy - and pleasing to the Lord, unto our own death if it comes to it. In light - of evil laws we must obey God rather than men unto our own detriment as - we are individually responsible for our actions before the Lord when - judgment day comes. -
-- We publicly denounce movements inciting rebellion against tyrannical - governments. Governments like these are no different than those that - brutally murdered and persecuted the Apostles and early Christian - Church. Jesus and the Apostles never patterned for us to organize as - militia, mercenaries in response to tyranny. We denounce the taking up - of physical weapons and instead take up spiritual weapons as scripture - commands us because our battle is not against flesh and blood, but - against spiritual forces of evil. We denounce movements that mirror the - Zealots during Jesus' lifetime. These include Christian Nationalism, - Dominion theology, Theonomy, Christian Reconstructionism, Dominion Now. -
- (The NASB95 Bible: Romans 12-13, Matthew 17:24-27, Matthew 5:38-40, - Phillippians 1:12-26, Acts 5:29, Ephesians 6, Luke 22:49-51, Daniel - 3)