Religious Liberty
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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. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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.
Religious liberty has always been a Baptist principle and a Baptist passion.
“Religious liberty is the mother of all true freedom.”
“Religious liberty is the mother of all true freedom.”
Our commitment is to religious liberty for ALL peoples, not just for Baptists, because we believe that every human being is created in God’s image and possesses full rights and freedoms granted by the Creator, as well as full accountability.
MOSQUE IN DEER CREEK
LORD OF THE CONSCIENCE
Religious liberty is not a gift of the US Constitution but the gift of God.
Religious liberty is not a gift of the US Constitution but the gift of God.
The very fact that God created humans as moral and spiritual beings, possessing a moral conscience, indicates that God intends for His human creatures to be both free and responsible.
Religious liberty is not mere legal toleration. Instead, it is the recognition that the very nature of humanity implies respect for this right and liberty. No government has the right to claim coercive power over any individual’s conscience in matters of faith and religious belief.
GEORGE TRUETT
The Baptist Faith & Message begins with the affirmation that “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.” This statement introduces a very important fact:
We are not free from the commandments and doctrines of God’s Word but from the dictates and commandments of earthly powers that are in any way contrary to God’s Word.
We are not free from the commandments and doctrines of God’s Word but from the dictates and commandments of earthly powers that are in any way contrary to God’s Word.
In other words, human beings are not really autonomous. We will one day answer to God for our beliefs, actions, thoughts, and words.
Our modern culture, especially in the developed nations, increasingly sees humanity as fully autonomous, with every individual totally free to define his or her own existence. This is not a biblical understanding of human freedom. Although the Bible charges Christians to respect governing authorities, government has no right to demand ultimate allegiance. But God does.
In July 1651 John Clarke, Obadiah Holmes, and another man traveled 80 miles to Lynn, MA, to see a blind, aged fellow Baptist. While conducting a worship service in the man’s home, the three men were rudely arrested and sent to Boston for trial. They were ordered either to pay a consi
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Romans 22:21
A FREE CHURCH IN A FREE STATE
The BF&M asserts that church and state should be separate. This is an institutional principle that protects both church and state.
Baptists resist the idea of a state church and have resisted and rejected the idea that the church should rely on the state to accomplish its gospel mandate and ministry.
Baptists resist the idea of a state church and have resisted and rejected the idea that the church should rely on the state to accomplish its gospel mandate and ministry.
“We…hold with unshaken confidence to the age-long contention of Baptists that there must be absolute separation between church and state, and that the right of civil and religious liberty is, in the sight of God, the inalienable and indefeasible right of every human being.”
“We…hold with unshaken confidence to the age-long contention of Baptists that there must be absolute separation between church and state, and that the right of civil and religious liberty is, in the sight of God, the inalienable and indefeasible right of every human being.”
JB Gambrell
“Baptists have, in every age, stood stoutly and fearlessly and, at times, sacrificially, for religious liberty and its inevitable corollary, the complete separation of church and state.”
“Baptists have, in every age, stood stoutly and fearlessly and, at times, sacrificially, for religious liberty and its inevitable corollary, the complete separation of church and state.”
Louie D Newton
The modern idea generally described in the larger culture as the separation of church and state most often means an artificial exclusion of all religious belief and expression from the public square.
Some courts and other authorities have imposed an open hostility toward religion, often driven by advocates of a radical form of secularism.
Baptists must insist that the church should be independent of the state, but we must also insist that the state must not be hostile to the church or to the free and full participation of all citizens - including Christians - in the public life of the nation.
Baptists must insist that the church should be independent of the state, but we must also insist that the state must not be hostile to the church or to the free and full participation of all citizens - including Christians - in the public life of the nation.
Baptists must counter any hostility toward religious expression on the basis of historic Baptist principles. Christians must be free to bring their biblically informed understanding of moral truth to the nation’s public policy debates as the salt and the light that Christ commanded them to be. even as they contend for full religious liberty for all citizens, whatever their faith.
ARTICLE
The rights of all religious groups must be respected and protected - even the rights of religious minorities and unpopular religious movements.
The rights of all religious groups must be respected and protected - even the rights of religious minorities and unpopular religious movements.
No church is to be preferred over another. Because Baptists suffered persecution under governments that had established state-privileged churches, we have been ardent proponents of true, non-preferential religious liberty.
“The magistrate is not by virtue of his office to meddle with religion, or matters of conscience.”
“The magistrate is not by virtue of his office to meddle with religion, or matters of conscience.”
John Smyth
One record indicates that Smyth spent time in an English prison because of his refusal to conform his views to the teachings of the Church of England.
Thomas Helwys (1550-1616) worked with Smyth to form the first Baptist church in modern history. In 1612 Helwys returned to England and began the first Baptist church on English soil. Helwys an ardent supporter of religious freedom also suffered imprisonment for his stand.
“Men’s religion to God, is betwixt God and themselves; the King shall not answer for it, neither may the King be judge between God and man.”
“Men’s religion to God, is betwixt God and themselves; the King shall not answer for it, neither may the King be judge between God and man.”
Thomas Helwys
LOYAL OBEDIENCE
Religious liberty also requires that Christian citizens obey the government and its laws. This means that Christians, like other citizens, must pay taxes and obey the laws of the state.
Paul...
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
He explains that governing authorities serve God by requiring obedience to law and respect for authority...
Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
The government has a right to tax, as well as a right and responsibility to maintain order and to protect its citizens. But no government has the right to coerce the conscience or to persecute citizens because of their religious convictions.
We should pray for civil authorities...
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
We should honor civil authorities
Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
THANK GOD FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM