Right To Resist

Recently someone said that God never calls someone to act in anger. If that’s so we must ignore the fact that in John 2:15 Jesus, himself got angry at the money changers in the temple and made a whip and overturning tables started driving people out of the temple :

And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; -John 2:15
Although the Bible teaches that anger without cause is akin to murder. Anger is not a sin. If so, then Jesus sinned in the temple that day and God the Father sinned, as the Bible is replete with testimony of God’s anger and the expression of His wrath. But that anger was not without cause. There was a REASON for that anger. There is a right to resist oppression inherent in our nature to be free. It should make us angry when abuses, usurpations, and oppressions remove the Liberty that has been given to us by God. The framers of this nation knew this, and so did David when he fought Goliath, Elijah when he got angry at King Ahab for stealing Naboth’s vineyard, Nathan when he got angry at King David for his sin with Bathsheba, Samuel when he got angry at King Saul for his disobedience to God. So did the Hebrew nursemaids when they refused to carry out government mandated abortions, Daniel when he refused to eat the Kings meat or to stop praying, the Hebrew boys when they resisted the executive order to bow to idols, the Apostles when they refused the local authorities’ order to stop preaching the Gospel.

Resistance to Tyranny is the DUTY of Liberty Loving People. I simply have to sigh at the premise offered by some in positions of authority and influence when they attempt to appear knowledgeable about certain events in history or certain perspectives of the framers and yet profess that revolution or secession or resistance is a form of anarchy. The notion that those who are taking a stand are godless rebels seems to me to ignore the numerous examples of resistance to civil authority we find in the Scripture. God did not make it a sin to resist tyranny. God made it clear he wants us to submit to LAWFUL AUTHORITY not to tyranny. I don’t believe the resistance we see today is an attempt to violently overthrow the lawful authority. I see people taking a stand and not backing up, even if it means being tazed or body-slammed. The people have had enough of heavy handed federal overreach. It may mean we go into the fire like the three Hebrew boys in Daniel, but we’ve made up our minds, we WILL NOT BOW.

Patrick Henry, in his wisdom asked these questions, “Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done, to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne…Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?”

Samuel Adams reminded us in 1772 that “Among the natural rights of the Colonists are these: First, a right to life; Secondly, to liberty; Thirdly, to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can.” We believe as our founders did that we have a NATURAL RIGHT to defend life, liberty and property from oppressive and tyrannical governments.
I don’t believe the following men and women were godless provocateurs. On the contrary, I believe they were God-fearing patriots committed to standing for what was right, regardless of the consequences, even if it meant their friends and fellow countrymen mocked them and disowned them. They knew they had a duty to God to resist unlawful authority as a testimony of the Righteousness of God.

Here are series of statements from the founders of our nation and other wise men and women. Consider the following direct statements, old British spelling and all:

Declaration of Independence: That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it…

Alexander Hamilton: Is it not better, I ask, to suffer a few present inconveniences, than to put yourselves in the way of losing every thing that is precious? Your lives, your property, your religion, are all at stake. I do my duty. I warn you of your danger. If you should still be so mad as to bring destruction upon yourselves; if you still neglect what you owe to God and man, you cannot plead ignorance in your excuse. Your consciences will reproach you for your folly; and your children’s children will curse you.

Justice Blackstone: To vindicate these rights when actually violated or attack’d, the subjects of England are entitled first to the regular administration and free course of justice in the courts of law—next to the right of petitioning the King and parliament for redress of grievances-and lastly, to the right of having and using arms for self-preservation and defence.”

Samuel Adams: Every one knows that the exercise of the military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that have been offer’d to private subjects, and the last week, even to a magistrate in the execution of his office!- Such violences are no more than might have been expected from military troops: A power, which is apt enough at all times to take a wanton lead, even when in the midst of civil society; but more especially so, when they are led to believe that they are become necessary, to awe a spirit of rebellion, and preserve peace and good order. But there are some persons, who would, if possibly they could, perswade the people never to make use of their constitutional rights or terrify them from doing it.

Alexander Hamilton again: If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no resource left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defence, which is paramount to all positive forms of government…

James Madison: But ambitious encroachments of the Foederal Government, on the authority of the State governments, would not excite the opposition of a single State or of a few States only. They would be signals of general alarm. Every Government would espouse the common cause. A correspondence would be opened. Plans of resistance would be concerted. One spirit would animate and conduct the whole…But what degree of madness could ever drive the Foederal Government to such an extremity?

Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams Feb 22, 1787: The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the Atmosphere.

Samuel Adams, Speech [1771] Let us contemplate our forefathers, and posterity, and resolve to maintain the rights bequeathed to us from the former, for the sake of the latter. The necessity of the times, more than ever, calls for our utmost circumspection, deliberation, fortitude and perseverance. Let us remember that “if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom.” It is a very serious consideration … that millions yet unborn may be the miserable sharers of the event.

Noah Webster “An Examination into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution,” 1787: “Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any bands of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive. ”

Patrick Henry, June 5, 1788: “The honorable gentleman who presides told us that, to prevent abuses in our government, we will assemble in Convention, recall our delegated powers, and punish our servants for abusing the trust reposed in them. O sir, we should have fine times, indeed, if, to punish tyrants, it were only sufficient to assemble the people! Your arms, wherewith you could defend yourselves, are gone… Did you ever read of any revolution in a nation, brought about by the punishment of those in power, inflicted by those who had no power at all?”

Mercy Otis Warren: May nothing ever check that glorious spirit of freedom which inspires the patriot in the cabinet, and the hero in the field, with courage to maintain their righteous cause, and to endeavor to transmit the claim to posterity, even if they must seal the rich conveyance to their children with their own blood.” “The principles of the revolution ought ever to be the pole-star of the statesmen, respected by the rising generation.”

Patrick Henry: Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”