How should a Christian view fascism?

Faith is being sorely tested today. Whichever way one looks there is room for much disquietude. If we had been told ten years ago that Germany, the home of the Reformation, the land of Martin Luther, should call upon the pastors of that land to sign a document in which Germany is put before God, nationalism before Christ, and a dictator’s edicts before the Bible, and submit to state dictation of a pagan nature, in order to retain their posts, we should have said it was not possible. Yet, so it is.

We are seeing this worked out just now in German prisons and concentration camps. German pastors have been flung into strict confinement, not because of any crime against the state, but because of their loyalty to their Lord. They have refused to substitute Hitler for Christ as Head of the church. They have dared to stand for the truth, and now “it is given them to suffer for His sake.” It is no new experience, as they have freshly found out.

Supposing we got a measure of tyranny. Supposing things don't get better but worse, and the idea prevails of a totalitarian state — the State claiming to control the life of the individual in totality, not even religion excluded from its grasp — and you have to bow down or suffer. We have not got that yet, but if we did we should be a good deal more together, the line of demarcation between the world and the church would be much more definitely drawn. But the present tendency is to utter disintegration within. We fall apart and fight, the world meanwhile sitting by with a very broad sneer on its face, while we are in easy surroundings.

This attitude of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego defines with exactitude, as already remarked, the true position of the believer in relation to the powers that be. Everywhere in the New Testament submission to these is enjoined, and such is to be the path of the Christian in the midst of political agitations and confusions. He is neither to raise questions, nor to examine the lawfulness of constituted authorities. It is enough for him that they are in power, and he pursues his way in peace as he renders the required obedience. But if these authorities, whether they be emperors, kings, or magistrates, travel outside of their own province, as Nebuchadnezzar did, and seek to substitute their will for the word of God, and to impose that will on the consciences of their subjects — putting themselves, in fact, in the place of God — then, in very faithfulness to God, like these three children of the captivity, and at whatever cost, the believer is bound to disobey. The limit of his obedience to kings is obedience to God in obeying them. The moment he is called upon to disobey God by yielding to a monarch's demands, he must, if he would retain a good conscience towards God, refuse the demanded subjection, even at the cost of life. Such was the ground taken in this conflict between Nebuchadnezzar and these three subjects of his realm.

This attitude of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego defines with exactitude, as already remarked, the true position of the believer in relation to the powers that be. Everywhere in the New Testament submission to these is enjoined, and such is to be the path of the Christian in the midst of political agitations and confusions. He is neither to raise questions, nor to examine the lawfulness of constituted authorities. It is enough for him that they are in power, and he pursues his way in peace as he renders the required obedience. But if these authorities, whether they be emperors, kings, or magistrates, travel outside of their own province, as Nebuchadnezzar did, and seek to substitute their will for the word of God, and to impose that will on the consciences of their subjects — putting themselves, in fact, in the place of God — then, in very faithfulness to God, like these three children of the captivity, and at whatever cost, the believer is bound to disobey. The limit of his obedience to kings is obedience to God in obeying them. The moment he is called upon to disobey God by yielding to a monarch's demands, he must, if he would retain a good conscience towards God, refuse the demanded subjection, even at the cost of life. Such was the ground taken in this conflict between Nebuchadnezzar and these three subjects of his realm.

Though truly thankful to God that we are privileged to live under a form of government which gives us fullest freedom, we have no quarrel with absolute monarchy. But while God enjoins subjection to the powers that be, tyranny over the souls and bodies of men is nowhere countenanced in His word; and rulers who attempt it must learn the results to their cost. There are many proofs of this in Scripture, as in history. Government is of God, and therefore of divine appointment; but God's frown is upon all abuse of power.

It is important to see the bearing of this Scripture. It definitely asserts that the authority to govern has been given by God. It does not say that the particular individuals who exercise the authority are of God, or that the way they may use their authority is of God. Those who exercise authority may be, and often are, thoroughly wicked men, who may abuse the power for their own ends. The fact, however, remains, that the authority they wield had been instituted of God.

Recognising that authority to govern is an ordinance of God, the only right course for the believer is to submit to those in authority.

Though we are not of this world, as the blessed hope of Chapter 2:13 reminds us, yet while in it, our relationships toward it are to bear true Christian character. God has Himself constituted proper authority in the world's govern­ment: therefore the Christian is to be subject to it, whether or not he feels it is acting rightly or wisely, and though he may suffer from it materially. Of course, if in any given case such subjection would involve disobedience to God, then it is God, and not man, he must obey. Along with the character of subjection, however, is the virtue of being prepared to every good work, so that, when occasion arises, the goodness in meeting the occasion will be spontaneous.

Kings and all who are in authority are specially singled out as to this. It is God who has put them in this place, whatever the form of government may be, or whatever abuses of true government may appear. Elsewhere we are told to obey those who are in authority, but never told to use our influence in reference to who should rule, or how he should do it. Of course, obedience to God is supreme above all obedience to government; and there may be occasions when one must deliberately disobey the government in order to obey God. But in the main, a spirit of obedience to God will be seen in an attitude obedient to government. Add to this prayer and giving of thanks, and the tendency will always be toward our leading a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty. No doubt abnormal conditions may exist where government is viciously determined to destroy Christianity; but here a more normal condition of things is contemplated.

This chapter is as clear as can be in its teaching: nothing but a spirit of rebellion could find difficulty with it — except possibly in the matter of how far this subjection to government is to extend. Plainly, if matters are simply governmental, even though their requirements are in our estimation unjust and discriminatory, detrimental to our personal comfort or welfare, the honorable Christian attitude is submission. Anything else is resistance of God's established order, and we may expect to suffer for it. Everyone knows that the governments of the day, whatever form they may take, are not guided by pure truth, honesty, and fairness, but this is in no way to affect the Christian attitude of subjection. God has set up the authority — not the particular form of it, nor the abuses of it. The only alternative, if authority were removed, is an indescribable state of anarchy, every man free to indulge his evil will to the full. Which of us would choose this?

“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.” This is certainly the normal state. There is a point surely beyond which we must render no obedience either to rulers or anyone else except God. If they were to demand of us what is due only to God — worship, for instance, as in the case of Daniel with Darius, or his three friends with Nebuchadnezzar — we must firmly refuse. If they require us to definitely sin against God, it is for us to boldly use the language of Peter — “We ought to obey God rather than men.” But this is far different even than unjust statutes or practices that are hard and oppressive. So long as a good conscience toward God is not compromised, it is better that we suffer in subjection, and commit the keeping of our souls to God, as unto a faithful Creator. We must remember that “the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: He turneth it whithersoever He will.”