Individual Soul Liberty

Introduction

This next doctrine that we are going to be looking at we often take for granted in our day an age, but it has not always been assumed within Christianity. That doctrine is the doctrine of individual soul liberty and it is tied to the belief in the separation of church and state and religious liberty here in America. Even when our nation was first beginning this doctrine was not in place. Baptists have always held to this doctrine largely because we have never been in power. Baptists have never wielded political power to force their way of thinking on others. In fact, most of the time, Baptists have been the ones killed and persecuted for their beliefs by other Christians.

Early America was a mixed bag. While some colonies like Pennsylvania and Rhode Island had religious freedom or toleration at least; most of the Colonies did not. Each had their own state sponsored church. Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire were congregational; Virginia the Church of England, Maryland was Catholic. These state churches were funded by the state and observance was mandatory. Baptists were jailed for holding services outside the state churches, fined, beaten and sometimes killed. Sometime we will watch As with Roses, the story of Obadiah Holmes who was beaten and persecuted at this time.

So Baptists have always had a strong belief that no one can force you to believe or practice a certain way. It was Baptists who lobbied Patrick Henry and James Madison to include the bill of rights. John Leland a baptist preacher in virginia gathered together the baptists to discuss ratifying the constitution. They all agreed that it was missing something which they called a bill of rights. He then wrote a pamphlet that was distributed called Objections to the Constitution. Finally, they thought it important enough that he ran for office. His opponent was a friend of his James Madison. Madison made Leland a promise that if he won, a bill of rights would be added to the constitution. Today, we assume religious liberty and freedom of speech, but it was because of the Baptist belief in Individual Soul Liberty that we have those rights in America.

The Definition of Soul Liberty

Individual Soul Liberty is the belief that God grants every individual the inherent right and responsibility to make personal decision regarding matters of faith and conscience.

Baptists believe that no one should be coerced to believe a certain way. Spurgeon maintained in light of controversy

"I am not the slave of the denomination, nor of the brethren, nor of the church; I belong to Christ. I must follow my Lord wherever he leads me, and if that should cause me to run counter to all and sundry, I cannot help it."

As individual created by God with self-determination we have the right to make personal decisions. I must study the word of God to determine my beliefs. I must seek to have a personal relationship with God. My parents can’t do it for me, my pastor can’t do it for me, my country can’t do it for me and for sure society should not do it for me.

But I also have a responsibility to make personal decisions of faith and conscience. I will someday have to give an account to God for what I believed and practiced. No one else is going to do that for me. So not only do I have a right, the freedom to do it, but I must do it. Many times in churches their is a spiritual laziness which depends on the opinions of the pastor or what we have always heard rather than studying out scripture for ourselves. You cannot form your opinions on the basis of the many or relegate that authority to someone else.

This all sounds very American right, but is it bible?

The Biblical Basis of Soul Liberty

Every man is individually accountable in matters of faith and practice.

Romans 14 is about issues of questionable debate in the church. It isn’t dealing with issues that are settled revealed truth in scripture. Within the church, we are told in Romans 14:1 “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.” to receive those we may disagree with over non-essentials. That isn’t always easy. We want people to agree with us and there are some people that no matter how much proof you give them, they will never agree. Paul is saying that we are still to receive them; but not to arguments.

From passages like this we get the adage, that we must agree to disagree. There are somethings we will never see eye to eye on. Anytime you get two thinking people together there is bound to be some disagreement somewhere.

Paul basis his argument on the fact that we will all give an account of ourselves to God. Romans 14:11–12 “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” If I am going to give an account, I can’t just trust someone else with what I believe. I can’t also force someone else to agree with me. The stakes are too high.

2. God has given us liberty from bondage

A second pillar of this doctrine is the fact that we have been given liberty. In Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Paul is primarily concerned that their conscience is being brough back under bondage by false teachers telling them they must be circumcized. Paul wants them to stand in their liberty and not be brought under the bondage these false teachers would place them under.

Later in 2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” In this text, Paul is contrasting the old covenant with the Christian. For the Jews, they have a veil when they read. They can’t understand. So the liberty in this text is liberty from condemnation for sure, but it is also the ability to read and understand with the Spirits help. Each of us has the Holy Spirit to guide us and teach us.

3. Paul appealed to men’s consciences

Paul’s primary method of communication was appealing to men’s consciences. 2 Corinthians 4:2 “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” Contrary to Islam, and Catholicism at times, we believe that men must be influenced at the heart level, not by force. The old adage is true a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still. We seek to teach, convince; but we cannot force.

4. Jesus refused to use force to comply belief

This ties in with Jesus words to Peter in the garden of gethsemene. Matthew 26:52 “Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” Peter wanted to fight for the kingdom literally, but Jesus refused.

5. Our highest authority is God

Finally, even though there are authorities in our lives if they contradict what God says, we must obey God. Acts 5:29 “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” God is a higher authority than any other authority. If my parents go off into heresy, I don’t have to follow them. If my pastor goes off into heresy, I don’t have to follow him.

The Dangers of Soul Liberty

American culture has led to some distortions of this doctrine. The doctrine was intended to say I have a responsibility to study for myself and no one can force me to believe something against my conscience. But that has taken on a new form today.

Individualism- Individualism is the idea that I don’t need anyone else. So now instead of me being responsible for what I believe, now I am the only one who can know truth. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says. This is not what God intended. We still must listen to God appointed teachers and preachers. There is still wisdom in the multitude of counselors. Others see things you may not see. The book of Hebrews ends with challenges that remind us that we need each other in the church.

This type of attitude is exactly what God condemned in Judges 17:6 “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

Private interpretation- Another error to avoid is thinking that you are the only one who has the truth. 2 Peter 1:20 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” What this verse means is that these men didn’t come up with scripture from their own personal opinions. We must be careful when our interpretation of scripture is unique. What I mean by that is that no one else in all of Christianity has ever held this. Such a view shows that you think God hid truth from the rest of the church and only revealed it to you. There is pride here.

That there are no authorities in your life- Hebrews 13:17 “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” God has placed Pastors in your life as a form of authority. They take oversight in 1 Peter 5 and must give an account not just for themselves but also for you.

Allowing my liberty to destroy the church- Back in Paul cautioned that we not let our liberty destroy the work of God. Romans 14:20 “For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.” There are somethings which I might have liberty to do or believe but I must not cause divisions or attack others over them.

The idea that there are no consequences for variant beliefs- Romans 16:17 “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” Not everything is a matter of liberty. Some things cause church discipline. While we can agree to disagree on somethings we cannot on everything.

Conclusion

So many Christians take their faith too haphazardly. Usually, what they believe is determined by the first preacher they heard preaching on a topic. They never go back to scriptures to study for themselves. We have lost the Spirit of the Bereans. One thing my day made me do when I was in high school was write a paper proving the Trinity. This forced me to research and think deeper about what I said I believed. It set in motion the search for scriptural understanding that has made me who I am today. Another influence that led me to study for myself was the realization that men I loved and respected disagreed on certain topics. I could not let my beliefs be determined by my dad, my pastor or my teachers because I would give an account to God for myself. That doesn’t mean I ignored those men. I asked questions, sought out their answers; but sometimes I had to reject their answers because they didn’t hold water. Tonight I want to give you an individual challenge to search out the scriptures. Seek out help, but study for yourself.

Secondly, Independent Baptist Churches in many circles have completely forgotten this doctrine. I was once in a church where you were not allowed to disagree on anything. If you wife wore hooped earrings that was decided by the church. Could you wear toe nail polish or shop at target? Every little detail was settled by the church. My question to the pastor was what was left for me to decided for my family. The answer was nothing. There needs to be a place in churches were we can agree to disagree on somethings; otherwise, this liberty is completely erased. That doesn’t mean the church can never choose to disfellowship with someone who has latched onto heresy or is living in sin, but there needs to be some margin for disagreement. Its one thing to say we believe in individual soul liberty and another altogether to practice it. It would have been so much easier for Paul to say push the weaker brother out of the church because he isn’t towing the line. His disagreements are too much of a hastle in the church. What about doctrinal unity? But that wasn’t the way Paul addressed that doctrinal disagreement.