Maybe they don’t teach it as clearly in school today as they did in the past or parents don’t teach it as clearly today as before. Maybe churches don’t teach it as clearly today as they did in the past. For whatever reason, many people will enjoy a day off from work this week without a clue as to its significance.
Our ancestors who passionately fought and died for civil and religious liberty must be wondering what has happened. All liberty is rooted in spiritual freedom of conscience. Home, church, and public education must all know that by now. Yet little focus is given to maintaining freedom for all. Some, for political expediency, would even sacrifice spiritual freedom by bringing government and politics into the church. Politicians pretend to be churchmen. Churchmen scratch the backs of politicians for recognition and favors.
John Leland, a colonial Baptist preacher from Orange County, Virginia, once said “Experience has taught us that the fondness of the magistrates to foster Christianity has done it more harm than all the persecutions ever did. Persecution is like a lion; it tears the saints to death, but it leaves Christianity pure. State establishment of religion,though, is like a bear; it hugs the saints, but corrupts the Christianity.”
Clearly today, we have a generation of churchmen and politicians who have not read much history. Jesus said that we Christians should give to Caesar (the government) what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to god (Matthew 22:21) while living out our lives as the “salt of the earth and the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:13)
A government approved religion is worthless because Bible-based faith will always be contrary to the government and the culture. (think twice on that statement!) Just remember that the one period of history referred to as the “Dark Ages” was the time the church and the state got married.
“God of Grace and glory, thank You for making us to be free, free, free! Help
us not to give away our freedom or sell it to the highest bidder. Amen”
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