God calls us to obey the ____ of our country insofar as they are not in conflict with obedience to God.

• A. Traditions
• B. Laws
• C. Decrees
• D. Customs

Answer: (B)

Obeying civil authority through the laws of the land is the principle being tested. Christians are called to submit to the governing authorities and to follow the laws of the country, because those laws provide the formal framework by which society is governed. This obedience is conditional: it applies as long as the laws do not force us to violate God’s commands. When a law asks us to disobey God, obedience to God must take precedence.

Traditions, decrees, and customs describe practices or orders at times, but they do not represent the binding legal structure for national conduct in the same way that laws do. Traditions are cultural or religious practices, decrees are specific orders from authorities that may not always reflect the broader legal system, and customs are habitual ways of acting. The key idea here is alignment with the state’s legal rules, hence the best fit is laws.