RESISTING TYRANNY: A Christian Response to Government Overreach

Collected works by TOBIAS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

Including an article by DR. JOHN MACARTHUR and a foreword by DR.

JAMES WHITE

Pastor Tobias has served the church tremendously well in thinking both clearly and robustly concerning all that has taken place in recent times. He has also demonstrated the kind of pastoral graciousness that is so needed in addressing such difficult matters, providing the kind of leadership and pastoral care that have been so lacking. Should the church in Germany and abroad take her queue from him, she will press on both resolvedly and triumphantly in faithfulness to her Lord. I believe the content of this work will have lasting relevance for many years to come. May the head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ, increase the influence of Pastor Tobias in both Germany and beyond, for the glory of God!

– Dr. James Coates Pastor of GraceLife Church, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

In this book Tobias Riemenschneider articulates truth that must be heard by the church today. The worldwide reaction to COVID-19 has forced the church to go back to the word and crystalize the role of church and state, and how they relate to one another. I’m convinced that the contents of this book will serve the church well as the western world continues in its rebellion against God. May you be blessed and Christ be magnified through this work.

– Tim Stephens Pastor of Fairview Baptist Church, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Pastor Tobias Riemenschneider’s work is the burst of a golden flare across the black languishing night of European apostasy. May this awaken the European continent towards a new reformation and revival, as she desperately needs.

– Jacob Reaume Pastor of Trinity Bible Chapel, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

The Covid season uncovered a pre-existing deep divide in the fundamental commitments and assumptions of Western Christians. Although the shunning and cancelling of leaders resisting state overreach was a sadly common theme, one of my greatest joys of the past few years has been to meet and have fellowship with pastors and leaders whose lives and ministries testify to the conviction that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, is absolute Head of His church, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Pastor Tobias Riemenschneider is one such man. This work is both insightful and scriptural, but Tobias is no armchair theologian. His record of faithful, courageous leadership in standing for Christian liberty and shepherding the people under his care give added weight to his challenging words. I commend this book to you.

– Rev. Dr. Joseph Boot Founder and President, Ezra Institute

Over these past few years, we have witnessed an unprecedented display of tyranny all over the world. In the West, many of us assumed our way of life was immune to such draconian measures. We were wrong. Lockdowns, masking, and vaccine mandates became the norm. It has been immensely challenging to take a stand in America. It was all but impossible to take a stand in Germany.

Tobias Riemenschneider is one of the only Christian pastors who refused to comply. His biblical exegesis and application regarding Covid represents the best material I’ve read on the subject.

– Joel Webbon President of Right Response Ministries; Senior Pastor of Covenant Bible Church, Georgetown, Texas

We are living through a period of church history where the vast majority of local churches and denominations have followed the counsel of the world and looked to adapt Scripture accordingly. The alarming misinterpretation and misapplication of topics such as the role of government and ‘love your neighbor’ has left Christians around the world disillusioned and spiritually abandoned by their leaders, in a time when they needed them to stand up the most. This is why I am thankful for my dear brother and friend, Tobias, who has put together this excellent resource filled with Biblical truth in relation to this Covid situation, which is also a testimony of its application in the life of his church.

– John-William Noble Pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Aberdeen, Scotland, U.K.

Published by Ezra Press

P.O. Box 9, STN Main, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada L3M 4G1

© 2023 Tobias Riemenschneider. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publishers.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.

All rights reserved.

Book design by Rachel Eras

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 978-1-989169-24-7

Foreword

Dr. James White

Inthe providence of God, I began fellowshipping with the fine folks at the Reformed Baptist Church of Frankfurt, Germany, during my world travels. For a number of years, I visited the church annually. Then the Covid pandemic hit, and everything changed. I continued my relationship at a distance, teaching church history classes on a regular basis via the Internet. This allowed me to keep up to date with the challenges the saints were facing in Germany. I realized quickly that I was deeply blessed to live in the United States. I learned firsthand about the draconian actions of the German government from men and women I considered dear and precious. I had to pray regularly for them, and at the same time, to give thanks for my freedoms, though I well knew many in my own country wanted to be just as severe in their actions as the German government.

Tobias Riemenschneider together with his fellow pastor Peter Schild had to struggle with the many questions that faced the church in the West for the first time in our lives. We spoke often, and I did all I could to be of encouragement, including reading drafts of statements, providing what guidance or help I could. I am one of the pastors of Apologia Church in Mesa, Arizona, and we made the decision at the beginning to not shut down but to continue meeting for worship. We addressed our reasons from the pulpit, and sought to encourage others struggling with the same challenges.

Over the past few years Tobias has led the believing, churchbased, Christ-exalting movement in Germany and, in these pages, he provides a summary of the reasoning and argumentation he and his church have been presenting to the broader Christian community. They have received a tremendous amount of resistance, which is hardly surprising. We all sense that there will be more challenges ahead. But we must take the time now to lay a firm foundation before the waters of persecution and trouble rise again.

The American church has been an encouragement to our brothers overseas, but likewise, we have much to learn from them as well. May Tobias’ conclusions, hammered out on the anvil of distressing times in Germany, provide light and insight to all of us as we seek to honor Christ in all that we do.

– Dr. James White Pastor of Apologia Church, Mesa, Arizona, USA; Director of Alpha and Omega Ministries