Chapter 57—Our Relations to Civil Rulers and Laws
The apostle plainly outlined the attitude that believers should sus-
tain toward the civil authorities: “Submit yourselves to every ordinance
of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or
unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment
of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the
will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance
of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of ma-
liciousness, but as the servants of God. Honor all men. Love the
brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
1 Peter 2:13-17
We have men placed over us for rulers, and laws to govern the
people. Were it not for these laws, the condition of the world would
be worse than it is now. Some of these laws are good, others are bad.
The bad have been increasing, and we are yet to be brought into strait
places. But God will sustain His people in being firm and living up to
the principles of His Word
I saw that it is our duty in every case to obey the laws of our land,
unless they conflict with the higher law which God spoke with an
audible voice from Sinai, and afterward engraved on stone with His
own finger. “I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their
hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people.”
He who has God’s law written in the heart will obey God rather than
men, and will sooner disobey all men than deviate in the least from
the commandment of God. God’s people, taught by the inspiration of
truth, and led by a good conscience to live by every word of God, will
take His law, written in their hearts, as the only authority which they
can acknowledge or consent to obey. The wisdom and authority of the
divine law are supreme
The government under which Jesus lived was corrupt and oppres-
sive; on every hand were crying abuses—extortion, intolerance, and
563
The Acts of the Apostles, 522
564
Testimonies for the Church 1:201
565
Testimonies for the Church 1:361
406