It’s The Law

I’ve been looking for a solid church to go to for nearly a year which is why I was overwhelmed with joy when I learned a Pastor I respect out of Africa has a sister church not far from me. I called their office to ask a question I ask every church I visit since COVID-19 impacted our world.

“Do you all require masks?” I asked the person on the other line.

“Do we require masks? Of course, it’s the law.” Was the response I received.

My heart sank.   

I could have said a million things, but the one statement I wish I had responded with was, “whose law are you following?”

I have written very openly about my opinion on masks and the pandemic so today’s focus is questioning which law Christians should be following.

During the days of Daniel, a decree was made by King Darius:

“The king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den… So King Darius put the decree in writing.” -Daniel 6:7/9 (NIV)

The law of the land was that NO PERSON was allowed to worship anyone, man or god, other than the king for thirty days. Daniel’s immediate reaction was priceless, one of fierce faith and defiance.

“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” -Daniel 6:10 (NIV)

Man’s law did not impact God’s law, therefore Daniel changed nothing about his daily relationship with the Lord, regardless of the threat of persecution and death.

Daniel chose God’s law.

Under the rule of King Ahasuerus, Haman was second in power. Haman was given great influence and authority throughout the land and was treated with reverence by all he came in contact with…all other than Mordecai.

“And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.” -Esther 3:2

The law in the land was that Haman should be treated with the upmost respect and honor, but Mordecai refused. Why?

Haman is described as the son of an Agagite (Esther 3:1). While researching Haman, Dakes bible referred me to Exodus 17:16, where we read, “the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” Since “Agag” was a dynastic name of the kings of Amalek, we learn that Haman was a descendent of Amalek. Because of this, Mordecai knew he could not bow, regardless of rules and regulations, to someone who God was at war with.

Mordecai chose God’s law.

King Nebuchadnezzar commanded all the rulers of his province to bow to the golden image he created and declared that anyone who would not fall down and worship the image would be thrown into the furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, regardless of this declaration and threat, refused to bow.

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar…we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” -Daniel: 3:16-18

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, regardless of potential torture, chose God’s law.

Now, some of you may be thinking, “it’s totally different, we aren’t bowing to any false gods.” But, in a way, aren’t we?

Aren’t we bowing to the god of fear whenever we don’t do something out of dread of contracting the “virus”?

Aren’t we bowing to the god of sickness whenever we agree man knows best, therefore we will do and take whatever man tells us we need in order to avoid sickness?

Aren’t we bowing to the god of lies whenever we refuse to go to church because we have somehow bought into the propaganda that sickness and disease is allowed into God’s House?  

Aren’t we bowing to the god of control whenever we comply with whatever the government tells us to do, no questions asked, no independent research done and no deep dive into the Word to see what God says regarding the situation?  

This post has very little to do with masks or the virus. This post is questioning why Christian’s are so quick to do whatever man tells us to do and so slow to do what God tells us to do, this post is wondering how Christians, who say they are living a life after the Lord, could trust man more than they trust their Creator, and, finally, this post is meant to encourage people to ask themselves at what point will they say no to man in order to say yes to God.

Every single Apostle, and Christian, broke the law in the new testament. Yup, believe it or not, by proclaiming Jesus as Lord, instead of Caesar, Christians were breaking Roman law. Why do you think New Testament Christians had to worship in private and why do you believe such persecution followed every Apostle? Primarily because the devil wanted to stop the spread of the Good News but also because it was ILLEGAL for them to declare Jesus as King!

When Peter and other apostles were taken before the elders and ordered to stop speaking the name of Jesus, did they stop? Did they become silent?

“We ought to obey God rather than men.” -Acts 5:29

If you want to wear a mask, wear a mask.

If you want to take the vaccine, take the vaccine.

If you want to social distance, social distance.

If you want to stay home from church, stay home from church.

But, do these things in awareness that God sacrificed His Son in order for YOU to have total and complete authority over your life and health. Let us not judge one another on where our faith is but rather encourage one another to extend our faith farther.

I live under the law of Jesus.

Jesus died so I would have health.

Jesus died so I would have peace.

Jesus died so I would have joy.

Jesus died so I would have power.

Jesus died so I would have authority.

Jesus died so I would have freedom.

I have not and will not buckle and bow to the demands of the world.

Remnant, we have to remember what law we truly live under. God is infallible and stable, unchanging and consistent. Man is fallible and fluid, changing day by day, minute by minute, second by second. When man’s laws undermine, belittle, or question God’s law , the law of liberty, we must make a stand.

We are swiftly approaching a point in time where a line must be drawn between man and God. If we buckle and so easily accept the seemingly little inconsistencies, the small rules, regulations and norms that pull us away from the truth of the Word, how can we possibly stand strong when the big ones come long?

Now is the time and this is the season to truly ask yourself who your God is.

If He is who we believe Him to be then we all must make a decision to stand when others bow, speak when others are still and worship when the rest of the world stays silent.

I choose God’s law.

“We ought to obey God rather than men.” –Acts 5:29