“But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’”
Acts 5:2
Today as we celebrate our American independence; let us give thanks for the most important liberty that we enjoy – religious liberty! When our colonial American forefathers declared independence from England they stated with beauty and clarity that all people are created equal and are endowed with rights from God that cannot be taken away. These are the rights to life (to live), liberty (freedom to live), and the pursuit of happiness (freedom to seek one’s own happiness in living). The government established by these United States was established to make sure these rights were secured and would endure for future generations.
In the Bill of Rights (the first amendments to the US Constitution), the very first clearly enumerated right is the right to religious freedom. Amendment number one reads, “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 …” This does not mean that anything can be permitted in the name of religion. It does mean that the practice of biblical Christianity, by far the dominant form of religion in colonial America when this amendment was written, is to have the assurance of free practice without any government interference. Please note that our wise and often God-fearing forefathers understood the need to include the word “exercise.” This means that we have the enshrined religious freedom to not only believe as we choose about God but also to live out our belief in the public square, and that government has no say in the matter.
These founding documents recognize the reformed doctrine of sphere sovereignty. This doctrine relates to the biblical teaching that there are three final seats of authority in the world that cannot be mixed or combined without society crumbling: civil government, the church, and the family. Each sphere of authority is designed by God for a purpose and to play a distinct role in society, and neither can substitute for the other without catastrophe ensuing. God has ordained the local church to exist for the purpose of right worship of God and religious instruction of people to know Jesus Christ and His will for living. God has ordained that government be delegated authority from God to create just and lawful order in the world for the common good of people living in various countries. Lastly, God has ordained that families exist by marriage between a biological man and biological woman to bear and raise children.
The government should not dictate worship and cannot raise children. The church should not be given authority to “bear the sword” and enforce law. The family should not displace the gathered church as the seat of God’s work or attempt to live in isolation apart from government. In these spheres of authority, the greatest competition is always between the church and the state. Secular government tends toward corrupted absolute power that does not want to recognize the power of God. The Bible teaches that secular government receives its authority to govern from God – the ultimate authority. But paradoxically, part of that authority is to be used to protect the right of the church to worship Jesus Christ and teach His word.
It is right for the state to preserve the free practice of pluralistic religion in our society. True belief in Jesus Christ cannot, and should not, be coerced by government threat or coaxed by government incentive. Every man, woman, and child that comes to salvation in Jesus must come by freely chosen personal decision. We are not helping people come to salvation by attempting to force them through the narrow gate that leads to life.
We should truly REJOICE this fourth of July over the current broad state of religious liberty in America. The recent change of laws and current panel of Supreme Court justices have repeatedly rolled back encroachments on 1st Amendment religious liberty. This recent mercy should encourage us to always remain hopeful for the future and urge us to remember recent pandemic restrictions and how quickly religious liberty can be lost. While religious liberty is broad, we must press forward to push back the darkness around us. We must overtly preach the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, calling those around us to repentance and faith. We should move forward to plant new biblical churches with a sense of urgency to displace corrupted and dying liberal institutions. We should call for, fund, and send missionaries to the unreached people groups of the world. We should gladly associate and cooperate with other faithful Christians to accomplish the Great Commission work of discipleship. We must live with authentic Christian holiness, love, and joy before the watching world.
This fourth of July, let us resolve to never give up religious liberty! Let us resolve to never give up doing what God has commanded us to do as individuals and as the local church together. Let us live for Jesus with a full heart doing what God has commanded for the good of our fellow countrymen.
May God bless America,
Pastor Vic