Distinct! Soul Freedom and Religious Liberty
January 22, 2020 Speaker: Ryan Brice Series: Distinct!
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Distinct!
Soul Freedom and Religious Liberty
Opening Group Discussion:
How should we respond to our government denying a building permit to a group of muslims desiring to build a mosque?
I. Soul Freedom
- The Baptist Position on Soul Freedom
- Each person is competent under God to make his own moral and religious decisions and is responsible to God in all matters of moral and religious duty.
- Humans as Image Bearers
- Humans as Conscious Decision Makers
- Humans as Wholly Accountable Individuals
- Dangers of the Doctrine if Misapplied
- Experientialism
- Hyper-Individualism
- Open Theism
- Each person is competent under God to make his own moral and religious decisions and is responsible to God in all matters of moral and religious duty.
II. Religious Liberty
- The Baptist Positioin of Religious LIberty
- 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... 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 reight 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 intereference by the civil power. (Baptist Faith & Message 2000, article 17)
- Religious Freedom from the State
- Religious Freedom For Everyone
- 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... 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 reight 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 intereference by the civil power. (Baptist Faith & Message 2000, article 17)
- The Importance of Defending Religious Liberty for All
- The Gospel Reason
- The Pragmatic Reason
Closing Group Discussion:
How should the knowledge that everyone will stand accountable before the Lord for their beliefs and actions influence our evangelism efforts?
