This is a second take on Mark Jones recent article about Pastoring during a Pandemic. Previously I addressed how some have come across to those on the other side in their replies to Mark Jones. I must admit I read through Pastor Jones' article very speedily when I first read it. Having reread it slowly I noticed quips with it myself too be honest.
My issue is not with trying to present the Romans 13 means Obey the government interpretation. As I have said I know lots of Christian Brothers and Sisters that have and still do believe it teaches just that. Where I had issues was with not addressing the reason the resist Government side had for holding their view. There was no showing the reasons that resisters view the Bible as teaching what happened was an over reach to be resisted.
As someone whom is on the resist side of this, but, does not talk about it often let me present the other side. Romans 13 not only mentions obeying the government. It also states that The Government is to be rewarding the good and punishing evil. There is only one source to know what is good or evil. That is The Holy Bible. Which means you get what the State is supposed to be doing from The Bible. There is nowhere in The Bibles mandate for a Civil Government where it gets the ability to tell The Church what to do. Such as telling them what to wear or not in Worship (masks). Or whether it can be open or not (lockdowns).
According to The Belgic Confession (Article 36); The Government has a duty to protect The Churches ability to do Her part in society.
"Their office is not only to have regard unto and watch for the welfare of the civil state, but also to protect the sacred ministry,* that the kingdom of Christ may thus be promoted. They must therefore countenance the preaching of the Word of the gospel everywhere, that God may be honored and worshipped by every one, as He commands in His Word."
This would mean that The Civil Magistrate cannot tell The Church how to do Her business in society. Such as mandating them to lockdown or mandating a Churches congregation to wear a mask. Or force its members to take a vaccine to attend the Church building. All of the very things Protestant Resistance Theory promoters were against the Government doing and refused to obey. The resist side is not a new thing in Protestant History that just came about because of Covid. It has long sense existed as an Orthodox view of the Reformed Faith as well as within Presbyterian History. If anything, the Covid stuff simply helped bring to the surface what was already there lingering.
