Baptist Distinctive 6 - Religious Freedom

Rev. David Holwick

Ledgewood Baptist Church



       BAPTIST DISTINCTIVES #6 & #7:  RELIGIOUS FREEDOM


I. Separation of Church and State.     #6


     A. All people should be free to worship as they choose.

         1) No one can force a person to believe.              John 1:12

         2) This doesn't mean that they will chose the right way, but

               that coercing them will always result in the wrong way.


     B. Governments should not encourage or restrict religion, but let

          it operate on its own.

         1) When government meddles in religion, both suffer.

             a) The "Holy Roman Empire" shows the dangers of combining

                   religion and politics.

             b) Historically, government intrusion has been harder on

                   minority faiths like Baptists.

                                  Esther 3:1-6; Daniel 3:10-12; Acts 4:18

         2) Early American Baptists were instrumental in getting the First

              Amendment and "freedom of religion" in the Constitution.


     C. Questions to think about:


         1) Should America be considered a "Christian nation"?

         2) Should school prayers be allowed?

         3) Should churches pay taxes like everyone else?

         4) Are national days of prayer legitimate?

         5) Should our money say, "In God we trust"?

         6) Should Muslims be allowed to put a mosque in our neighborhood?


II. Soul Freedom of individuals within the church.    #7


     A. Christians must be free to find God as he reveals himself to them.

         1) Even the best Christian has only a partial view of God.

             a) We are corrupted by sin like everyone else.

             b) Therefore we can be wrong in our doctrine.

         2) Comment by early American Puritan, Thomas Hooker:


            "We doubt not what we practice.  But it is beyond all doubt

             that all men are liars and we are in the company of these

             poor feeble men.  Either we do or may make mistakes, though

             we do not know it.  What we have learned we do profess, and

             yet profess still to live that we may learn."


     B. Religious freedom is a political freedom.


           It is a freedom from any compulsion by the state in matters

           of religion.  It is not an unlimited freedom within the

           church.  To hold otherwise, would be for a church to forsake

           its duty of obedience and to drift into indifference.

         1) Basic Christian truths must be accepted.

         2) It is important to have and stress religious convictions.


     C. Questions:


         1) If someone in our church had doubts that Jesus is divine,

               should they be allowed to remain a member?

         2) If someone who wanted to join our church thought some parts

               of the Bible were fables, should they be allowed to

               become a member?

         3) Which beliefs should we exclude?

         4) Which beliefs should we allow or tolerate?

         5) Which beliefs are absolutely required?



Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick

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