Contending for the faith | Making Disciples | Equipping the Saints for Ministry

Q:I just would like your opinion of the controversy surrounding Christians obeying governors and mayors who demand that believers must wear masks due to the instructions of Romans 13:1-2.”

       A: It is clear why there is so much conflict. It is much like the one that the church has over the matter of law and grace. The dispensation of grace never did away with the law, while our faith establishes the law, which was to serve as a mentor and schoolmaster that points us to the finished work of redemption (Galatians 3:24). The question is what law is the Apostle Paul making reference to in Romans 3:31? Paul made mention to the law of faith (Romans 3:27), the law of Moses (613 laws known as Torah) (1 Corinthians 9:9), the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2), the Talmud or Oral Law of the Jews which Jesus referred to as being the traditions of men (1 Corinthians 14:34; Matthew 15:1-20), and the law of sin and death which is also known as the Law of Sinai or the ten commandments (Romans 8:2 refer to Romans 13:8-10).

       The ten commandments served as the moral code of the law of Moses. All laws were to line up to the principle, intent, and moral integrity of the commandments to be considered legitimate. In other words, the 613 laws of Moses had to maintain the integrity of the Ten Commandments to be permitted, and a law that did not was prohibited. Some of these laws became obsolete due to the environment and times, while the shadows of others were fulfilled in Jesus (Galatians 4:9-11; Colossians 2:14-17).

       This brings us to America. We have something known as the Law of the Land. It is called the Constitution. All leaders and judges in this country take an oath to uphold this Law and if any law is made outside of this law it is basically considered unlawful or prohibited. Now with this in mind, the so-called “laws” concerning masks are not laws but edicts or proclamations that have no real teeth unless people act as if they are binding laws. They are at best suggestions but outside of being suggestions, the only power they hold in our lives is the power we give them. Only our senators and representatives in a lawful assembly have the power to pass binding laws that the citizenry are required to abide by, and if they do not line up to the Constitution of the United States, can be challenged in a court of law.

       These edicts from governors and mayors are not laws. They were not passed by those who represent the interests of the people. For officials to threat them as a “law” reveals they are being unlawful. They are undermining the integrity of the Constitution and abusing the trust and the authority they were given.

       This brings us to Christians who maintain they must wear the masks because of Romans 13:1-2. It is clear they do not understand what constitutes the real law of the land that we are all responsible for upholding. The law of this land does not require us to give in to unlawful edicts that would undermine the freedoms that the Constitution has guaranteed us.

       As Christians, we are to obey God if there is point of disagreement when it comes to other laws. At this time and at this place in history, we must recognize that it is becoming clearer and clearer that the masks are part of wicked agendas that have been in place for years. If you don’t believe me, consider what is happening right now to our churches and in communities.

       Our Constitution protects free speech and our religious freedoms and yet what is under attack? What do the fruits reveal about the spirit, agenda, and priorities of these so-called “laws” that we are told to blindly obey? Churches are under attack, the law-abiding people are being shamed for not playing nicely in the sandbox of control, conformity, and insanity, lawlessness is reigning, homes are falling apart, and our communities are under siege.    

       Some Christians need to educate themselves about what is really going on, others need to understand what is what, and some need to simply face the evil in operation. As American citizens, we have been given a right, and in a sense, an obligation to stand against tyrannical, abusive control, in order to maintain sacred liberties for all, and as citizens of heaven we need to stand against evil with truth and withstand against wickedness with righteousness. It is true that for evil men to triumph, good men simply need to remain silent and do nothing while hiding behind wishful thinking that all will turn out well in the end.

       Jesus tells us we can know something by its fruits and the fruits of these edicts are godless and wicked.   It is clear that Christians who continue to ignorantly hide behind Romans 13:1-2 in compliance with these tyrannical edicts will find themselves on the wrong side of both the law of this land and the righteousness of God.