SilverWook said:
The impression I got is the Resistance is a covert army fighting the New Order on behalf of the Republic, they don’t publicly sanction the Resistance, but are probably funding them secretly. It’s the worst kept secret of the Cold War era the galaxy is in a the beginning of the film. The New Order is the splintered remains of the old Empire regrouped and reformed under the leadership of this Snoke guy.

Some quotes from “Before The Awakening”:

“Have you heard of the Resistance, Poe?” “Rumors, mostly.” “Such as?” “Such as there’s a splinter of the Republic military that…that feels the Republic isn’t taking certain threats as seriously as they maybe ought to be taking them. Specifically the threat posed by the First Order.” “That’s a very diplomatic way to put it, but not an entirely inaccurate one.”

Republic space and First Order space were separated by a buffer zone of neutral systems, and the peace that had been negotiated—a peace that many, including Poe, believed existed in name only—meant that military action taken by one side upon the other was considered an overt act of war.