A Community of Faith - part 20
A Free Church in a Free State
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned how much good Christianity has done for this world, despite the growing belief of religious skepticism. A particularly ironic gift Christianity has blessed the world with is religious freedom. The very freedom the skeptic has to speak against religion in general, and Christianity specifically, has come down to us through Christian thinkers.
Though one may find traces of arguments for freedom of particular religious systems prior to Christianity, the notion that a civil government should allow for liberty of belief begins with a Christian. Prior to the Common Era, civic and religious authority were one and the same. A nation was ruled by both king and religion, and if a king decided to follow a different system, the nation would have to follow suit. Detractors may argue for their own religious desires, but the argument was always based on their own system. It was not until Lactantius in the early 4th century that a scholar would argue for religious freedom based on the notion of free will. Wallace summarizes it well:
Lactantius insisted that genuine religious devotion must be voluntary. “There is no need of force and injury,” he wrote, “because religion cannot be forced. It is a matter that must be managed by words rather than blows, so that it may be voluntary.” Force and violence only defile religion and produce hypocrisy.
- E. Gregory Wallace, “The Birth of Religious Freedom in Early Christianity“
In fact, prior to Lactantius, Christians operated under a very important religious principle—no one can be forced to be a Christian. Jesus taught us the true problem for any person is the heart and its corruption by sin. Without the person’s willingness to surrender and the transformation brought about by the Holy Spirit, nothing can force a person to be saved. Even if someone were to act like a Christian following its rituals, if they did not actually believe what they practiced, they would still be lost. Thus, Christians understood religious freedom is inherent to the Christian faith.
Religious freedom is inherently required in the Christian faith simply because no one can be forced to be a true Christian.
Centuries later, a brilliant thinker by the name of Roger Williams left England with the desire to try an experiment. He landed in what is now Rhode Island with a charter to begin a new colony that would not have an official religion. The story of how he was able to achieve such a goal is long, but well worth the read in Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul.
Essentially, Williams argued much the same as Lactantius did 1200 years before. He summarized forced worship by saying it “stinks in God’s nostrils.” He also argued there should be a hedge between church and state (generations before Thomas Jefferson) in order to protect the church. Interestingly, history books tend to credit Jefferson with this idea, because Jefferson wanted to keep churches out of the affairs of state. Williams said there should be a separation to keep the corruption of the state out of the church.
However historians want to dress it up, the plain fact is that religious freedom exists in the United States, and other parts of the world, because Christians fought for such freedoms.
This same fight continues on today, and it is a good time to re-examine what the Bible has to say about the matter.
Freedom of Conscience
God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. Church and state should be separate. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more than others.
XVII. Religious Freedom
The first principle of religious freedom we must accept if we are to move ahead is stated in the first line of the Baptist Faith & Message. “God alone is Lord of the conscience.” There is a place for the government in the life of a nation, of course, and Paul summarizes its place in Romans 13.
Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.
Romans 13:1-7
The proper place for the government is enforcing the law, which ideally encourages the good while punishing the bad. Of course, governments sometimes get those confused, but ideally that is the case. When the government allows for freedom of conscience and Christians submit to governing authorities, it creates a balanced ecosystem in which each can prosper. The United States is proof such a synchronous balance can exist, but it is also proof that such a balance is precarious in even the best of times.
A balance of separated power between Church and State is an immense blessing for a nation’s populace, but it is always a fragile balance.
For Christians, maintaining this fragile balance requires us to uphold our civic obligations of voting and utilizing the system we have to aid leaders who seek this balance while warning against those who would subvert it. It also requires us to uphold our religious obligations by living out the Gospel proclaiming it to the lost and persuading them the Truth about Jesus.
Unfortunately, history has also demonstrated how Christians can be enticed away from this ideal balance with temptations of power or wealth. Any time the Church and State get in bed together it ends horribly for the Church. That’s why Roger Williams argued for a hedge between Church and State. He believed the Church belonged to Jesus alone, and to seek the State’s authority to force worship was tantamount to spiritual adultery.
Jesus says much the same thing in Matthew 6.
“No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Matthew 6:24
Christians must always be careful of anyone with worldly power who offers favors, authority, or some other worldly good. The devil always presents himself as an angel of light.
Christians’ first duty is to God and must be wary of anything that would draw them away.
Freedom in Duty
Civil government being ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God. The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion.
XVII. Religious Freedom
As I stated before, the notion of a free state offering religious freedom is foreign before Christianity, and given that Christianity began as a persecuted sect, it is no wonder the biblical writers do not mention something like these last lines in the BFM.
That said, however, notice we have already read from Romans about the Christian duty to “render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God.” And then, there is the next line, “The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work.” I have emboldened that line in the text above because I believe the American Church has failed in this regard.
We have delegated the responsibility of caring for the poor, the immigrant, the young and the elderly to the government. For those who lament the growth of the Welfare System, just know that it is today what it is because Christians failed to “love their neighbor as himself.” I’ll give you one more name from history—Walter Rauschenbusch. Rauschenbusch is not a name you hear in conservative baptist circles much, but it is one more baptists should study. He began what has become known as “The Social Gospel,” and though it became what we would certainly call heresy, it started with godly intentions.
Rauschenbusch watched as his fellow Christians would worship in their extravagant churches in their well-dressed attire alongside brothers and sisters in Christ who lived in deplorable circumstances. He attended enough funerals for children that he became disgusted with religious leaders who saw no connection between the Gospel and bettering the lives of their fellow humans. It is most unfortunate that his writings were embraced by liberal movements and shunned by conservatives, because now he is known to help further liberalism and socialism within Christian circles rather than simply being known as a theologian who exhorted his brothers and sisters to let their walk match their talk.
Jesus said:
So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.
John 8:36
He did not say, “If the government sets you free” or “If the socialists set you free”. Only the Son of God can truly set someone free, but how are they to believe in the Son when Christians allow the government to take over?
Paul picks up this idea of freedom in Galatians.
For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.
…
For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
Galatians 5:1,13
The problem for Christians in Rauschenbusch’s day is the same problem for many Christians today. Though Christ has set them free from sin, they have submitted to the yoke of slavery by using that freedom “as an opportunity for the flesh.” They say fat and happy while their brothers and sisters in Christ died from preventable causes.
Today, we have reaped what they had sown. Christians sit back and let the government do the job God called us to do, and then we have the audacity to complain how bad the government does the job. But there is a simple solution. Read Galatians 5:13 again.
Christians can take back their duties from governmental authorities by serving one another through love once again.
It seems almost too idealistic, and yet that is exactly what Jesus told us to do. Love God and love people.
Freedom in Ideal and less than ideal
A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power.
XVII. Religious Liberty
We have already dissected the precarious balance necessary for a free church in a free state, but now I would like to address the question, “What do Christians do when we are not a free church in a free state?”
The answer is for us to look back at Christianity’s beginnings, because she existed for roughly 300 years before gaining liberty.
First, we remember what Paul told the Philippians.
Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:20
This is also a good principle to remember before we are tempted by the trappings of politicians. But regardless, we must always remember:
Good and bad governments are all temporary—only the Kingdom of God is eternal.
Second, we must remember to pray for those in authority.
First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
1 Timothy 2:1-2
Notice why Paul urges prayers and petitions—“so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life.” We must continue to pray for those in authority for two reasons. 1) Prayers for them to make wise decisions and 2) prayers for us to respond “in all godliness an dignity.”
Remember the inherent nature of religious freedom within Christianity. We cannot force anyone, especially politicians, to be a true Christian. Thus, we must continually pray for them so that we walk in godliness and dignity while God works on their heart.
A tranquil life begins in prayer and continues through godliness and dignity.
Last, we must remember that how we respond to persecution displays our true faith. If our faith is genuine and strong, we will respond with honor. Peter says it this way:
Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
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For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves. Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
1 Peter 2:12, 15-17
Christians can expect slander and persecution. Jesus told us to not be surprised when the world hates us, because it first hated Him. We are called to live to such a high standard of virtue that even our opponents cannot help but acknowledge the Truth of Christian Virtue. And, though they are enemies of the Gospel now, there is still hope for them to surrender to Christ—but not if they cannot see the difference in Christians.
Evangelism in times of persecution requires a high degree of Virtue.
So if we are to suffer under persecuting authorities, let’s remember Peter’s summation in 1 Peter 4:
So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.
1 Peter 4:19