Basic Truth #31 - God's Laws Superior To Man's Law

Please find in this forum the forty (40) Basic, Elementary Truths taught by all Jehovah's Witnesses world wide. Also, please find a brief description of each teaching, with biblical substantiation for each tenet believed, which constitutes this nation as God's Name People, Modern-Day "Israel" of Bible Prophecy.

Also, read the bible completely through in one (1) year! Yes, as a subforum, we have provided a Daily Bible Reading Schedule for your convenience in this particular forum. The schedule is so easy to follow ... Enjoy!

Moderator: SNS Administration

Post Reply
bejay

Basic Truth #31 - God's Laws Superior To Man's Law

Post by bejay »

Basic Truth #31 – God’s Laws Takes Precedence Over Man’s Laws

The Bible makes plain that the Christian’s first obligation is to obey Jehovah’s laws. When Jehovah gave the nation of Israel a body of laws in the form of the Law Covenant, there was no need for them to add anything to these laws, as they were complete for governing their everyday lives. Nothing that they needed to know was lacking; everything was taken into consideration. The Mosaic Law included the sacred as well as the secular laws that the nation would need to follow in order to please Jehovah. This was possible because Israel lived on her own land and was not originally under the subjection of any foreign nation and Jehovah was her ruler. The laws that He gave them would serve to teach them all that they needed to know to have productive lives.

But when it became necessary to put the Mosaic Law aside and a new covenant was mediated for the nation, their situation had changed. They no longer had control of their own land and were now under the rulership of foreign nations. This new covenant could not then serve in the same capacity as the previous covenant had. Those who would adhere to the laws of this new covenant lived under many different and varied nations that had their own particular laws that they expected their citizens to obey. This meant that the Christian would now be obligated to submit to a different set of laws that had nothing to do with his religious life.

Jesus illustrated this fact when the religious leaders of the nation asked him if it was proper to pay taxes to Rome. His answer is recorded in Matthew 22:20, 21. He said to them: “Whose image and inscription is this (referring to the Roman coin)? They said ‘Caesars.’ Then he said to them: ‘Pay back therefore, Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.” Israel was at that time living under the authority of the Roman government who was providing necessary services and required its subjects to pay taxes for these services. The Christian was then under necessity to pay these taxes as this did not conflict with any law of Jehovah that they were to obey.

In fact, being obedient to the laws of the land would be a credit to the Christian and would bring honor to the name of Jehovah. At 1 Peter 2:12, we read: “Maintain your conduct fine among the nations, that, in the thing in which they are speaking against you as evildoers, they may as a result of your fine works of which they are eyewitnesses glorify God in the day for his inspection.” (See also 1 Peter 4:15)

Therefore, the Christian in being obedient to Jehovah will also obey the laws of the nation in which he lives because, as Paul wrote in Romans 13:1, 2, these governments exist by permission of Jehovah for an express purpose. But these laws will not supercede the laws of Jehovah. In all things, obedience to Jehovah is the main aim of each servant of Jehovah. When the disciples of Jesus were ordered by the Jewish high court to stop preaching in the name of Jesus, something that Jehovah wanted them to do, they chose to obey Jehovah. They said, as recorded at Acts 5:29, this: “We must obey God as ruler rather than man.” Although this act was viewed as an act of civil disobedience by this body, the disciples showed that for them Jehovah’s law was superior to man’s law and their choice proved to be correct. We would certainly do well to follow their example if we want to gain Jehovah’s approval.
Post Reply