Should We Comply with or Defy Government Restrictions on Gathering to Worship?

Is compliance with government restrictions regarding Covid-19 on church gatherings disobedience to the commands of God? Should churches defy local restrictions and gather together for worship as they have in the past? Some high-profile leaders answer with a strong, “yes.” Compliance with government constitutes disobedience to Jesus the Lord of the church. Is that strong, defiant position correct? Or, are there other considerations that need to be addressed?

We are now more than twenty weeks into the Covid-19 restrictions. That means about forty percent of the year has passed with churches essentially unable to gather as they have prior to Covid-19. But now, in response to government restrictions on gathering as a church, high profile church leaders are publicly defying that restriction and providing a basis for their defiance. Here is one example of that defiance.

“Christ is Lord of all. He is the one true head of the church (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18). He is also King of kings—sovereign over every earthly authority (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16). ___________ Church has always stood immovably on those biblical principles. As His people, we are subject to His will and commands as revealed in Scripture. Therefore, we cannot and will not acquiesce to a government-imposed moratorium on our weekly congregational worship or other regular corporate gatherings. Compliance would be disobedience to our Lord’s clear commands…

Therefore, in response to the recent state order requiring churches in _____ to limit or suspend all meetings indefinitely, we, the pastors and elders of ___________ Church, respectfully inform our civic leaders that they have exceeded their legitimate jurisdiction, and faithfulness to Christ prohibits us from observing the restrictions they want to impose on our corporate worship services.” End of quote.

Does that statement and the position it represents accurately reflect what the Lord Jesus would have us do during Covid-19? Should we inform our own civic leaders that they have exceeded their legitimate jurisdiction and that in faithfulness to Jesus as Lord, we will gather together for worship and other purposes just as we have done in the past? Is this a matter of obeying Caesar or Jesus Christ?

We’ll address this controversial issue tomorrow morning at Redeemer Bible Church as we continue to unpack Luke’s Gospel.