In cases of doubt obedience is required. . . . If government violates or exceeds its commission at any point, for example by making itself master over the belief of the congregation, then at this point, indeed, obedience is to be refused, for conscience's sake, for the Lord's sake. It is not, however, permissible to generalize from this offense and to conclude that this government now possesses no claim to obedience in some of its other demands, or even in all its demands. Disobedience can never be anything but a concrete decision in a single particular case.
Generalizations lead to an apocalyptic diabolization of government.
Even an anti-Christian government is still in a certain sense government. . . . Even in cases where the guilt of the government is extremely obvious, due consideration must still be given to the guilt which has given rise to this guilt. The refusal of obedience must . In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law. . . . This would lead to anarchy.