religious freedom

ALLEGIANCE TO CHRIST OR COUNTRY?

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

I have been a patriotic USA citizen all my life. I am unashamedly and unapologetically patriotic. I still get a lump in my throat and my eyes become moist when I stand for the National Anthem. I am one of those “deplorables” who thinks it is disrespectful to express contempt for the flag, and to not stand for the Anthem is dishonorable to all those who have sacrificed to see Old Glory fly. I must admit in my nearly 69 years, like many in the South, there has been at times a blending of Christian commit and love for country as almost being synonymous. American Christianity has been guilty of blurring the lines between Christianity and patriotism. The time has arrived that in regard to a Christian’s  allegiance between Christ and country, a clear distinction and choice must be made between the two.

With the announcement of a Biden-Harris administration soon to arise on a new horizon, the verse that has repeatedly come to mind is found in Acts 5. When the disciples were told by the Jewish authorities to stop speaking about Jesus, they replied, “We must obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29). It is my earnest prayer that Biden-Harris will not implement all they have vowed to do once in office.  However, just in case those promises materialize into reality, Christians must decide now which will be their number one allegiance, Christ or country?  As much as I love this country, if policies are enacted that go against the Word of God my first allegiance will be to obey Christ and the Word. That may be the one positive outcome of a Biden-Harris administration for the Church, is that it will result in the Christian Church elevating supreme allegiance to Christ over country…even in the face of penalty from the state.

Now it is my fervent prayer that the radical policies and Executive Orders that each have promised will not be enacted. However, if they are, the time to decide how as a Christian one will respond is not when those policies are implemented.  Our decision must be made before one is face to face with issues that challenge one’s faith.  Our first priority is not to please the kings of this world, but to please the King of kings and Lord of Lords. Like Daniel, Christians must be obedient  even if there consequences for defying laws that clearly oppose the Word of God.

Biden has pledged to sign legislation within the first 100 days  implementing the Equality Act which elevates LGBTQ rights over people of faith. What does this mean? The Equality Act will end the tax exemptions of Christian schools, churches, adoption agencies, food kitchens, homeless shelters, hospitals and any of its charitable services if they fail to conform to the LGBTQ “rights.”  Churches will no longer be able to hire someone based on their affinity with Christian beliefs, but you must hire someone even if their lives and beliefs are contradictory to the church’s beliefs.  The Equality Act will eliminate women’s rights, as all institutions, which includes churches, will have to allow “gender fluid” boys and men access to women’s restrooms and locker rooms.  Architects of the Equality Act want absolutely no religious rights or conscience protections left intact. Alliance Defending Freedom’s Sarah Kramer summed up the effects of the Act on people of faith by stating it plainly,  “Essentially, the Equality Act gives people of faith an ultimatum: Change your faith-based practices or face government punishment.”  Will the Church of Christ obey the law or unflinchingly obey God and defy such morally deviant orders regardless of the consequences?

In regard to religious liberty, it is no secret Harris has in the past been an outspoken opponent of religious liberty. Her contention is that it is ok to believe what you want to believe; however, the free exercise of religion is a right created by manmade statutes – not God – and is a “personal” thing that should be kept in an “inner sanctum.”  In other words, you are free to believe what want, you just aren’t free to practice it, as government mandates are more authoritative. Harris uses the term “freedom to worship,” but the First Amendment guarantees the “free exercise” of religion in public life, which is much more expansive than mere “worship.”    When more censorship and controls are enacted upon the Church, when preaching the moral precepts of the Bible are labeled as hate speech and subject to fines and/or imprisonment, will Christians acquiesce to such anti-constitutional and anti-biblical mandates or will we obey Christ rather than man regardless of the consequences imposed by the state?

When LGBTQ curriculum is expanded for the purpose of indoctrination of schoolchildren, and the nationwide push to legalize pedophilia and other deviant behavior becomes a reality, what will the Church do? Will the Church be accepting of  such perversion or will there be unwavering obedience to Christ and refusal to cooperate with governmental mandates?

Biden has stated the he supports legislation making nationally taxpayer-funded on-demand abortion mandatory throughout the entire gestational cycle.  Harris is also a radical  pro-abortionist,  believing every institution or business, regardless of its religious faith, should be forced to  pay for contraceptives in their health care coverage.   Biden has stated, “If I am elected, I will restore the Obama-Biden policy that existed before the Hobby Lobby ruling: providing an exemption for houses of worship and an accommodation for nonprofit organizations with religious missions,”   Such policies totally disregard conscience protection. What will the Christian do, put allegiance to country first and  embrace mandates that uphold a culture of death or hold supreme allegiance to Christ and the Word of God know penalties are forth coming?

While I fervently pray the Lord will change their hearts and they will not follow through with such destructive promises, these are just some of the issues the Church will more than likely be facing and needs to prepare for coming to pass. As a Christian our loyalty must first be to Jesus Christ and His Word. Now is the time to decide where you will stand. Now is the time to decide, will our love for Jesus Christ trump our love for country? When faced with a choice, will we obey the Lord who gave His life for us or knuckle under to governmental pressure? Will our allegiance be unwaveringly to Christ even if it means taking an opposing position held by authorities that are contrary to God’s Word?

I pray each Christian will vow with Joshua, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

A WIN FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 2 Comments

I thought I heard the cheers of our Founding Fathers when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of religious liberty in the Hobby Lobby Case. The decision dealt a blow to the overreaching hand of the current administration who wants to dictate to citizens that government mandates triumph over one’s religious convictions. This current administration has been chipping away at religious freedom, at least for the Christian faith, at an alarming rate. The Supreme Court has at last made a decision that has slowed down the anti-Christian and secularization train of the government.  relgliberty

It will be interesting to see the ramifications of this decision, but the Supreme Court ruled that closely held corporations can be true to their religious objections to abortion inducing contraceptives and opt out of the governments mandate to provide these contraceptives for women. Why should anyone have to provide contraceptives for others anyway? If they want them let them go purchase them for themselves. The government has no right  to tell me or anyone else they must provide contraceptives for others. But such is the ideals of the current socialistic agenda.

The First Amendment guarantees religious freedom, but the government wanted the Supreme Court to rule you can hold religious beliefs but if your religious convictions conflict with the government then governmental mandates trump your religious beliefs. That goes against the very principles on which this great country was founded. One who is truly dedicated to their faith doesn’t divide their deeply held convictions into the sacred and secular. A person of faith doesn’t hold deeply held beliefs then checks them at the door when they report to work on Monday morning. That is what the government wanted the owners of Hobby Lobby to do.

What the current anti-religious administration doesn’t understand is that one who deeply embraces faith it is more than privately held beliefs, but their faith influences their everyday lifestyle and extends into their workplace. We have seen in recent years a government that wants to have a sterilized society free from religious expression in everyday life. This current administration wants one’s faith to be subjected to what the government deems is best for society. They believe in freedom from religion not freedom of religion as the Constitution guarantees.

One whose life is shaped by faith cannot relegate their faith to just private practice, but such faith shapes their public practice as well. Faith is more than a private matter; it shapes one’s worldview, their morals, their decisions, their conscience and their lifestyle. Thankfully,  the Supreme Court ruled that one doesn’t have to surrender their conscience at the altar of an overreaching government.

Those who seek to suppress religious liberty can deny it all they want, but this country was built on a Judeo-Christian foundation and belief in the sacredness of life and that a Higher Providence rules in the affairs of man and we are to be subject to Him. Our Founding Fathers never meant for one of faith to have to choose between living their faith in private and public and surrendering those convictions to the government. Thankfully, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of religious liberty and sent a message to the government that a person of faith doesn’t have to sacrifice their beliefs at the altar of  godless governmental mandates.

Let us thank the Lord the Supreme Court got it right this time and upheld the freedom granted us by the Constitution. Thank God for those Christians who took a stand and didn’t knuckle-under to the anti-constitutional government mandates. As we approach the 238th birthday of this great nation let us endeavor to follow in the footsteps and embrace the convictions of those 56 brave men who signed the Declaration of Independence, who did so in order that we might live out our faith not just in private but in the public arena.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan