Above the law?

Someone recently commented on one my articles with these words: "Nobody is above the law.  Not even pastors."  She was responding to my comments about James Coates.  

I found the comment very interesting.  And then a number of days later I saw someone suggest that since Faith Presbyterian Church didn't follow covid regulations we couldn't be trusted to lawfully handle other matters.   

Fascinating logic...

But, are we above the law?  I guess it depends on what is meant by the question.  The irony, of course, is that Christians are generally some of the most law abiding citizens in the country.  We are taught to obey our magistrates and pray for them.  The Bible is our rule of faith and practice, and we are told there by God to obey governing authorities.

But of course every Christian knows the exception.  There is a higher authority.  It is God who told us to obey our magistrates, and so we obey them for His sake.  Their authority (according to Romans 13) is borrowed.  Actually Romans 13 - the favourite text of the compromised majority - is full of qualifications:

 

• For rulers are not a terror to good works [as defined by God], but to the evil [as defined by  God]. 
• Do that which is good [as defined by God], and thou shalt have praise of the same:
• For he is the minister of God to thee for good [as defined by God]. 
• But if thou do that which is evil [as defined by God], be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: 
• for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil [as defined by God].
• Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

So, the magistrate is under God.  His laws, then, are subject to God's laws.  And his role is to reward the good (as defined by God) and punish the evil (as defined by God).  This, of course, ties in nicely with the exception every Christian is familiar with: "we must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29)."  

No wonder, then, that the author of Romans 13 was repeatedly in trouble with the law and spent time in four separate prisons!

So is the pastor above the law?  Are Christians above the law?  Again, it depends on what is meant by the question.

When rulers function as they ought (per Romans 13) they are only a terror to the evil.   A terror – in other words – to those who break the 10 commandments.  Similarly, then, as Paul puts it, those who do good shall have the praise of the same!  Praise – in other words – for those who keep the 10 commandments.  

But when rulers become a terror to good, the good must still do good!   Like Daniel we don’t stop praying to God – even temporarily – just because the magistrate tells us.  We don’t even modify our praying habits.  We go on praying just as we did before.  In such things the magistrate has no authority.  

When rulers forbid what God has commanded or command what God has forbidden they must be disobeyed.  Similarly, when rulers leave their lane (their sphere) and begin meddling in those things which do not belong to them they must be ignored.  There is but one Head of the Church, and He is Jesus.  He alone governs what goes on when we gather.  He alone decides who can come in and who must be put out. 

So, let’s think this through practically…

When a pastor (or any Christian for that matter) steals he should be punished.  Why?  Because the magistrate’s mandate under God is to be a terror to evil and God forbids stealing.  When a pastor (or another Christian) is guilty of sexual assault he should be punished.  Why?  Because God calls such acts abominations and commands us to preserve life.  It is proper in such cases for lawbreakers (whatever their place in the Church) to be handed over to the authorities.   They must be dealt with by the church court and civil court... separately.  

But - 

when a Christian living in Nazi Germany is asked by civil authorities whether the neighbour is hiding Jews he is not obliged to answer.  Actually, to betray the Jews hiding next door - and the neighbour doing the hiding - would be criminal in the sight of God even if required by civil law.    Why?  Because God has said we must preserve life!   And no one would say to that Christian who hid the Jews and was now facing time in a concentration camp that he was getting what he deserved… minus perhaps the Nazi collaborator who turned him in.  Certainly, no one today would say to such a man, suffering for righteousness, “no one is above the law.”  What an insult!  

In the same way when a pastor gathers his congregation for worship he must not to be punished for doing so.  He is doing good.  In gathering the congregation he is observing the first 4 commandments.  And of course, it isn’t the magistrate’s business anyway.  Our forefathers rightly rejected Erastianism as a wicked invasion of the crown rights of King Jesus.  The government has no authority in the Church.  They cannot tell us how to worship, and if they cannot tell us how to worship they certainly cannot take away worship altogether. 

So, is the pastor above the law?  Depends whose law you’re referring to.  

The pastor – like you – has but one Master.  All authority has been given to Him.  Which simply means that that pastor’s allegiance belongs to his Lord.  He must go on doing good (as defined by God) no matter the consequences.  He must, similarly, shun evil (as defined by God) no matter the consequences. 

The truth is quite simple: 

No one, not even the Canadian government, is above God’s law; and every authority on earth no matter how high owes its allegiance and obedience to Him.  There are kings but He is the King of kings.  

And so the Bible says that one day every knee shall bow before Him, and every man give an answer for the deeds done in the body.  

Let this be a warning to those who have:

• rejected the commandments of God in favour of the traditions of men, 
• imprisoned God’s anointed, 
• and punished the good while rewarding the evil.

Let every authority on earth, every sworn officer of the law, every magistrate take note:  God “pleadeth the cause of his people.”  Beware "lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."

- Steve Richardson