Should a Christian Protest?

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So what do you say to your Christian indigenous friends when their whole community joins the national strike? Should they participate?

THE CHURCH AND THE GOVERNMENT


Romans 13:1-7 God has established civil authorities and we should submit to their authority. Yet in a democracy, protesting is not only a civil right, but a civil responsibility. If we disagree with a law, we should make our opinion known, and protest.
Yet when a protest turns violent, what should we do?
The government’s responsibility is to punish wrongdoers. Romans 13:3-4
If protestors are damaging property and infringing on other’s rights, such as blocking roads and cutting off food supplies, the government’s responsibility is to punish such persons.

1 Timothy 2:1-7 The church’s responsibility is to pray for the civil authorities so that we can live in peace and security. Implicit here is the government’s responsibility to maintain peace and order. If protests turn violent, the government has to step in and restore order. The church’s responsibility is to proclaim Christ Jesus as a ransom for all men. The government maintains order. The church, through Jesus Christ, transforms persons.


JESUS AND THE ROMANS


In Jesus’ day, the Romans governed over the Jews. Many Jews wanted to overthrow the Romans and establish a Jewish government. They expected the Messiah to re-establish David’s kingdom, as the prophets predicted, by leading a rebellion against the Roman government.

Matthew 26:52-55
When Jesus was arrested, his disciples expected him to fight and resist. He could have, and he would have won, but God’s plan, in the Scriptures, was different. Overthrowing the present government was not God’s plan. Jesus stated that violence provokes violence. Violence and civil rebellion are not God’s plan.

Juan 18:36
Jesus came to install a new government, but not a worldly one. If so, he and his disciples would have fought. But his government is a spiritual one.

Juan 19:11
Jesus knew that all civil authorities have to give account to God. God puts them in office and removes them from office as He so chooses. We submit to authorities, because we know that God is in control over them.

Luke 17:21
Jesus’ government is spiritual. Where He controls a person’s heart and mind, He governs. The civil authorities govern by laws and force. Jesus governs winning over a person’s will.

Thus, to my friends:
If you need to protest, do so. If the protest turns violent, separate from those protestors. But remember that God’s solution to our problems is not to change the government, but to change human hearts.