Pastor James Coates final sermon before being arrested, and he remains in custody (a must see solid sermon)

Ever since this “pandemic” began, we have seen a majority of local churches, pastors, and professing Christians crumple in fear and cowardness. Some even to the point of shutting down their churches for a period. Though most have reopened, many of them never publicly admitted how wrong that was. And frankly, using pragmatic live-streaming or zoom as an alternative for worship, is straight from the pit of hell.

However, pastor James Coates of GraceLife Church of Edmonton Canada has Biblically resisted this antibiblical tyranny. In his below sermon he gives his church (and every Christian watching) a call to action. And it does not come without consequence, as he was arrested shortly thereafter. Sadly, the courts denied Coates bail, and so he still remains in custody.

While teaching through Romans 13:1-5, Coates identifies the causes of the aforementioned compromises, including but not limited to;

• A deficient theology of persecution
• A deficient ecclesiology.

He also states that civil disobedience is necessary when,

• When the government forbids what God commands
• When the government commands what God forbids
• When the Government commands what isn’t theirs to command (i.e., the terms of worship).

As Coates stated,

“Now it’s important to understand that as we look at what we’re doing as a local church. It’s obedience to Christ that’s driving us. It’s Theology that’s driving us. It’s ecclesiology that’s driving us. Jesus is the head of the church. He is the Supreme authority over the church. And He governs His church by His Word, and our responsibility is to ensure that His Word governs His church.”

Interestingly at the end of this solid sermon, you will see him respectfully call law enforcement to repentance. As it’s been said of other men. If armed with only a squirt gun, I would stand at the gates of hell with this Pastor.  

One of these days I will talk more about how the Los Angeles Police Department misapplied Romans 13, permanently crippling pro-life people during the height of the Operation Rescue days. Why? Because our second in command was an Elder at a megachurch in Sun Valley, who wrongfully taught an unbiblical view of Romans 13, that fostered an environment of tyranny.

If the embedded video below doesn’t work, then please click on this link here.

DISCLAIMER: I do not share all doctrinal or political views of James Coates.