In an age of angry demonstrations, violent uprisings, and bitter political divisions, what kind of protest does the world need to see from Christians? John Piper, drawing from Romans 13:1–7, presents a radical proposition: the most powerful "no" to injustice shows tears, not anger. This isn't weakness masquerading as strength—it's divine love confronting earthly powers with a weapon they cannot understand or defeat.
Understanding Christian Submission to Authority
Romans 13:1-7 begins with a statement that has challenged believers throughout history: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." This seems to suggest complete compliance with government, but a deeper examination reveals a more nuanced truth.
"The Christian's primary allegiance is always to God, but this doesn't negate our responsibility to respect earthly authorities as instruments of His sovereign rule."
Paul wrote these words while living under Roman rule—a government that was often corrupt, oppressive, and hostile to Christianity. Yet he recognized that even imperfect human governments serve God's purposes in maintaining order and justice, however imperfectly they may fulfill this role.
The Limits of Submission
However, Christian submission to earthly powers is not absolute. Scripture provides clear examples of godly resistance when human authorities contradict divine commands:
The Hebrew Midwives: Shiphrah and Puah disobeyed Pharaoh's command to kill Hebrew babies, "because they feared God" (Exodus 1:17). Their civil disobedience saved countless lives.
Daniel and His Friends: They refused to compromise their worship practices despite royal decrees, choosing to face lions and furnaces rather than betray their God (Daniel 3, 6).
Peter and John: When commanded to stop preaching about Jesus, they replied, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge" (Acts 4:19).
Love-Driven Resistance
What distinguished these biblical examples of resistance was not anger, hatred, or vengeance, but love—love for God, love for truth, and love for those being oppressed. This kind of resistance operates from entirely different motivations than worldly protest movements.
When Christians confront injustice, our resistance should be characterized by:
Tears, Not Anger: Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44), showing that godly resistance to evil comes from a heart broken over sin and its consequences, not from rage seeking revenge.
Prayer, Not Violence: Our primary weapon against injustice is prayer, appealing to the ultimate Judge who sees all and will make all things right.
Truth, Not Propaganda: We speak truth even when it's inconvenient, refusing to distort facts or demonize opponents to advance our cause.
Hope, Not Despair: We resist evil while maintaining hope in God's ultimate victory over all injustice.
The Example of Jesus
Christ Himself provides the perfect model of how love confronts earthly powers. When facing Pontius Pilate, Jesus didn't organize protests, incite rebellion, or appeal to popular opinion. Instead, He spoke truth calmly and submitted to unjust execution, knowing that His Father would vindicate Him through resurrection.
"When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:23)
This wasn't passive acceptance of evil but active trust in God's justice. Jesus' submission to earthly authorities, even corrupt ones, served God's greater purpose of redemption for humanity.
The Power of Sacrificial Love
The most powerful protests in human history have often been led by those who understood this principle. Consider these examples:
Early Christian Martyrs: They conquered the Roman Empire not through violence but through their willingness to die rather than deny their faith. Their love for Christ and their enemies transformed the very empire that persecuted them.
William Wilberforce: His decades-long campaign against slavery in the British Empire was motivated by Christian love and conducted through legal, peaceful means.
Martin Luther King Jr.: His civil rights leadership drew explicitly from Christian principles, emphasizing love for enemies and peaceful resistance to injustice.
When Christians Must Say "No"
There are times when Christian conscience demands resistance to earthly authorities. But this resistance must be carefully considered and motivated by love rather than self-interest or anger:
When God's Clear Commands Are Contradicted: If government requires us to sin or prohibits us from obeying God, we must choose faithfulness to our ultimate authority.
When the Innocent Are Being Harmed: Love compels us to protect the vulnerable, even when earthly powers sanction their oppression.
When Truth Is Being Suppressed: Christians have a responsibility to speak truth, especially when powerful forces seek to silence or distort it.
The Manner of Christian Resistance
How we resist matters as much as why we resist. Christian protest should be marked by:
Humility: Recognizing our own sinfulness and the possibility that we might be wrong about specific issues.
Respectfulness: Honoring the office even when we cannot support particular policies or officials.
Prayerfulness: Seeking God's wisdom and strength rather than relying on human strategies alone.
Peacefulness: Avoiding violence and hatred, even when confronting violent and hateful systems.
Willingness to Suffer: Being prepared to bear the consequences of our convictions without demanding others pay the price.
The Tears of Love
Piper's emphasis on tears rather than anger reflects the heart of God toward human rebellion and injustice. God takes no pleasure in judgment but desires repentance and restoration. When Christians protest injustice with tears, we reflect God's own heart.
"Weep with those who weep" (Romans 12:15) - our resistance to injustice should be motivated by genuine sorrow over suffering, not by political calculations or personal grievances.
Tears indicate several important truths:
• We're personally affected by the suffering of others
• We recognize the complexity and tragedy of human sin
• We're motivated by love rather than hatred
• We trust God to ultimately make things right
Practical Applications
How does this look in practice for Christians today?
In Politics: We can advocate for just policies while maintaining respect for those with whom we disagree, seeking common ground where possible.
In Social Issues: We can work for justice while refusing to demonize our opponents, recognizing that they too are made in God's image.
In Community Conflicts: We can speak truth about wrongs while maintaining hope for reconciliation and restoration.
In Personal Relationships: We can confront sin and injustice while demonstrating the love that seeks the best for everyone involved.
The Ultimate Victory
Christians can engage in this kind of love-driven resistance because we know the end of the story. God will ultimately judge all injustice and vindicate all who have suffered wrongly. This doesn't make us passive in the present, but it frees us from the anger and desperation that often drive worldly protest movements.
We don't need to win every battle because we know who wins the war. We don't need to defeat our enemies because our God specializes in transforming enemies into friends. We don't need to see immediate results because we serve an eternal God who works across generations and millennia.
The Call to Faithful Witness
The world needs to see a different kind of protest from Christians—one marked by truth-telling love rather than hate-filled rhetoric, by sacrificial service rather than selfish demands, by hope-filled action rather than despair-driven destruction.
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35)
When love confronts earthly powers, it doesn't always win immediate victories, but it always leaves a lasting impact. The tears of love have a power that the anger of hatred can never match—they reflect the heart of God Himself, who weeps over human sin while working tirelessly for human redemption.
In a world filled with angry protests and violent uprisings, Christians are called to demonstrate a better way: resistance motivated by love, protest accompanied by tears, and confrontation tempered by hope in God's ultimate justice.
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