 However, this approach of course gives rise to a further question: namely, under what conditions should the Christian be committed to supporting the secular authorities, particularly when their power is made greater through Luther’s downgrading of the authority of the Church in temporal matters. This issue was made vivid for Luther in the context of the Peasants’ Revolt discussed above. On the one hand, Luther places limits on political obedience, as princes have no absolute authority but are merely the “masks” or larvae of God, and so are themselves constrained to act as God ordained, and so for the good of their people and in accordance with God’s word; the people of a prince who does wrong in these terms are therefore not required to obey  him.[43]  Moreover, such princes are not to compel their citizens on matters of faith, which do not fall under their  jurisdiction.[44]  On the other hand, as the individual Christian should ultimately have little concern for their own temporal interests, if the secular power acts against those interests, the Christian will not see this as giving them a right to rebel and overthrow the secular  power,[45]  while only God can act as its judge and inflict punishment upon those who  rule.[46]  It remains a matter of dispute whether Luther succeeded in striking a stable balance here, as on other issues discussed above.