Religious Liberty
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” I John 5:3
The Declaration of Independence; July 4, 1776:
“… We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness …”
The US Bill of Rights – Amendment 1 to the US Constitution; 1791:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
As we approach Independence Day, I believe it’s important to revisit what this meant to our forefathers, and what it should still mean to us today. We are deeply blessed to live in America and should not take this blessing for granted. In 1776 brave men signed the Declaration of Independence, committing themselves to the “protection of divine Providence” and pledging themselves to struggle for liberty – or die trying. These signers believed passionately that they had been created by God, and as such were given certain rights by God. These rights:
- to live (and not be unjustly killed or imprisoned)
- to be free (and not be arbitrarily controlled as the subject of a king or tyrannical government acting in the place of God)
- to pursue a good life (and not be oppressed by the taxation of government to the point that their lives existed to forcibly enrich others – the work of their hands should first enrich their own lives as the fruit of their personal property)
These rights were not granted by a king and could not be taken away by a king. They are basic rights given to every person and we should not forget this. These rights translate into the basic Christian tenets of limited government. Limited government means that civil government was never meant to rule all our lives and fix all our problems. Civil government is one sphere of distinct authority in the world. The other two distinct spheres of authority are the Christian church and the family. All three of these spheres of authority must continue in their own distinct ways, playing the role God has designed for them in human existence.
Our forefathers declared their independence when the monarchy of civil government had grown up to oppress the family and the church. It’s of tremendous importance to note that when the war was won and the constitution signed into authority, the first amendment of the Bill of Rights speaks to religious liberty. Religious liberty is the first and most important liberty. The language of this amendment is particular and must be remembered. It states that civil government does not have the authority to pass any law to restrict the practice of religion. This speaks to the separation of authorities. Civil government does not have the authority to regulate God’s church. Instead, the church informs our conscience so that we might be good and peaceable citizens. The church does not serve the authority of government, but limited government is subject to the moral will of God.
The declaration also speaks to how no law should prohibit the free exercise of religion. This means that each citizen of these United States has the right to act on what they believe. Many today want to say a person has the right to believe what they choose but cannot act on that belief in the public square. If a person is forced to speak and act like a liberal secular humanist in the public square, then religious liberty has been lost. We must keep struggling for the liberty to act and speak openly as Christians. Jesus is clear that if we say we love Him, we must obey His commands. If we say we are followers of Jesus Christ, we must live according to His ways. This living according to the ways of Jesus is what has always brought Christians into conflict with non-Christian culture. We are not living under a strange or new conflict. We should not be seeking conflict, but never flinching to live a full and authentic biblical Christian life.
With the recent appointment of three distinctly constitutional Supreme Court justices, we are enjoying a re-birth of religious liberty in America. Let’s celebrate this renewed liberty this July 4, and re-double our efforts to see this first liberty never erode in our lifetimes. Let’s realize that without the first liberty of the free practice of church gathering and worship, government will grow without limit. If you want to see proper limits on government, begin with going to church this Sunday and setting your eyes on the King of Kings, giving your first allegiance to Jesus the Savior.
Let’s joyfully live in full obedience to Jesus, for His glory and our blessing,
Pastor Vic
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Notes from the sermon this past Sunday: “Fallen From Heaven – Isaiah 14:12-15”
Who is Satan?
- god of this world – 2 Corinthians 4:4
- ruler of this world – John 14:30, 16:11
- prince of this world – John 12:31
- has the power of death – Hebrews 2:14
- like a strong armed man – Luke 11:21
- given power over the air (this world) – Ephesians 2:2
- like a prowling lion – 1 Peter 5:8
- a sinner from the beginning – 1 John 3:8
- a liar and the father of lies – John 8:39-47
What should we expect from Him?
- Genesis 3 pattern of temptation:
- Doubt of God’s word
- Denial of God’s word
- Direct lies about God’s word
How should we react to this?
- expect spiritual struggle – 1 Peter 5:8
- submit yourself to God and resist the Devil – 1 Peter 5:9, James 4:7
- give no opportunity to evil in your life – Ephesians 4:7
- do not be careless or fearful or negligent in the things of God – 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
- be strong in the Lord, protected by His power – Ephesians 6:10-18
- pray for deliverance from evil and temptation as a part of your regular prayers – Matthew 6:13
What will be his end?
- Hell has been prepared for Satan’s sure punishment – Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:7-10
- For now must receive permission to act in a limited way – Job 1:6, 2:1
- In the end, soon enough, the Lord will crush Satan – Romans 16:20