Recently I heard an interesting definition of the term, “Freedom of Religion.” Wish I knew who said it first, but the one quoting the definition didn’t say. Freedom of Religion is not the separation of Church and State; it is the freedom to do what God is telling you to do, but not the freedom to force others to do what God is telling you to do. In essence that is to say, “We all have a choice to serve God or not to serve God.” We should not condemn a person, kill a person, or imprison a person who does not worship God the way we believe is the way to worship God (or one who refuses to worship God). Freedom is the spirit of an environment that allows one to worship God according to ones faith. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:6-8). Our part is to live according to our faith as an example, and not to force feed our faith to others.
Let’s take a look at a very interesting passage of scripture that has influenced some ministers’ faith. And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business” (Luke 2:49)? That passage is used by some we call “Prosperity Ministers” to validate the “business” of ministry. When we examine (study) the scriptures more closely, we find that the passage is miss quoted. “Did you not know that I would be in my Father’s house?” may be a better quotation of what Jesus answered His parents. The quote concerning “business” may lead some to have faith in business practices instead of the promises of God. Why did some ministries start big and then fade away, while others continue to grow? Is it because of poor business practices or because of God’s times and seasons? Does glory go to the practices of people (our works) or to God? I believe Jesus was asking His parents, “Why were you looking (and worrying); don’t you remember the promises of God; didn’t you know my Father would be caring for me?” It is not my place to force others to believe what I believe that verse is saying, but to live by the example I believe Jesus was setting.
If you disagree with the definition quoted above of “Freedom of Religion,” think of it this way: “The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels” (Matthew 13:38-39). “The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn”” (Matthew 13:28b-30). Some Christians believe they have a right to live in a country or gather at a building free from those who believe differently about things than they do. Jesus said the sons of the enemy would be planted in the same fields with the sons of the kingdom. Jesus instructed us to love our enemy. We cannot have peace in our fields, if we hate those planted with us in the same fields. It is not my place to force others to believe in loving our enemy, it is my place to live what I believe.
There are still others who reject the word “Religion” all together. Does that mean none of this has anything to do with them? Some say, “Following Christ is not a Religion; it is a way of life.” Religion is a commitment or devotion to faith. If you are devoted to following Christ in faith, you are Religious; no matter how spiritual you get or believe yourself to be. Because of the misunderstanding of what freedom and religion mean, people have practiced their devotion to faith in such a way as to condemn, spiritually kill, and imprison others. Religion isn’t the issue, it is the living (application) of the devotion to faith that is the issue. Be free in your devotion to the faith in you, without forcing your beliefs on others (do not take away their freedom). Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1). For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (Galatians 5:13). Again, it is not my place to force others to believe; my place is to live what I believe as an example.
God is God. It is God who will determine who was faithful in their service to Him. It is the master of the fields who will send His angels to remove the sons of the enemy. We all were among the sons of the enemy once – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) – the freedom Jesus purchased for us is the freedom to return as sons of God into the family of God. Don’t pull up the tares, they may be sons of God in the making (you may pull up wheat) – God may be drawing up the adoption papers right now. Or did God have the adoption papers all along, signed with the blood of Jesus, waiting for His sons to return? “Freedom of Religion” is the freedom to believe and to return to God according to God’s timing. The power of the blood is forgiveness – give what is needed in advance (before). Forgiveness (God’s grace manifested (revealed) in us) has set us free. Practicing forgiveness (loving one another) will elevate our freedom to a place where we can be an example to others. That is the meaning of “Freedom of Religion.”
© 2010, Tim D. Coulter Sr.