All Civil Authority Is under—and Limited by—Christ

Jesus Christ is at the top of the chain of command of civil government. The only reason that we are to obey anyone is because we are to obey Him. If government is wicked, we will often have to disobey in order to obey Jesus. "Rebellion" must always come out of an obedient spirit unto Christ, not a contrarian spirit against men—and in this way can be done out of love rather than fear.

A lesser magistrate will often have to countermand the directive or action of someone above him, in order properly to fulfill the authority and care entrusted to him by the One at the head of the chain and command. If we love our neighbors, we ought to be training up men to be in the positions of these lesser magistrates by whom Christ's appointed good in the civil magistrate may be done.

Only Christ's law can determine what is good and evil, a law that is written on men's hearts and observable in creation and providence, but is most plainly and fully detailed in the Scriptures.