Civil Obedience and Political Neutrality on the Mission Field
How should missionaries balance obedience to civil authorities with faithfulness to Christ in politically volatile contexts?
Hale frames civil obedience for missionaries by appeal to the apostles’ conduct before the Sanhedrin. Peter and John modeled a posture of real submission to governing authorities, yet when commanded to disobey God, they famously answered, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Missionaries should obey the laws of the land to the same degree and in the same spirit. They honor the state’s legitimate authority whenever possible, but they refuse to compromise clear obedience to Christ.
This biblical pattern becomes especially important where politics is unstable. Hale counsels missionaries to remain neutral regarding political factions. The temptation to “back” a group that appears righteous or aligned with Western values is strong, but the danger is greater still. In many nations, today’s persecuted minority may become tomorrow’s ruling party, adopting policies and practices far different from what outsiders expected. Missionaries who tie their witness to any party risk being swept into partisan conflict and losing credibility with those on the “other side.”
Missionaries who tie their witness to any party risk being swept into partisan conflict and losing credibility with those on the “other side.”
Reckless political involvement carries heavy consequences. Hale warns that such actions may implicate the local church and subject believers to persecution, while the foreign worker faces, at worst, expulsion (Hale, On Being a Missionary, 178–180). Even well-meaning advocacy can split congregations, dilute gospel focus, and entangle pastors and members in struggles they are not called to fight.
Wise missionaries, therefore, cultivate a posture of principled obedience to law, anchored in the example of Peter and John, while steadfastly refusing to become partisan actors. They remember that their calling is not to rescue a particular political order, but to preach Christ and build up His church.
Missionaries honor civil authorities and obey just laws, yet they refuse partisan entanglements and disobedience to Christ, trusting that gospel faithfulness matters more than political victories.
Disclaimer: Information in my “slip-box” doesn’t necessarily reflect my agreement with the source or all its content. Recording diverse perspectives helps strengthen one’s position beyond the echo chamber of like-minded thinkers. By documenting alternative viewpoints, we engage in the intellectual wrestling match that ultimately deepens our understanding.
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Pastor Dan Patrick, raised in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., holds both a Bible degree and a Master’s of Divinity. He has ministered across five states from coast to coast, serving in various capacities, including pastoral leadership. Dan’s primary mission is to help people love God’s Word and find their purpose in God’s work.
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