There are certain aspects to America’s constitution which make this country exceptionally great, and the freedom of religion and freedom of speech that we all currently enjoy, play a critically important role in maintaining the genius of its government over a potpourri of peoples. It is indeed a great blessing and privilege to be able to speak freely, without the threat of intimidation or censure on the part of those who may differ from us in their ideas and opinions. This unique legacy must be carefully guarded at all times from being eroded by existential threats to our democracy.
When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them the inalienable freedom to choose to do good or evil, and this freedom of choice should be carefully protected, especially when it come to religious beliefs. The tendency to persecute those who are of different religious beliefs and persuasions, began with Cain, who hated and killed
his brother, simply because He was jealous of the favor shown by God to Abel, who had faithfully followed His instructions in bringing a lamb as a sacrifice for sin. Let’s read:
Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
If Cain was willing to comply as his younger brother did, he would then be accepted of God, but his disobedience put him at odds with the requirements of God, and for this reason he took his brother’s life. This habit and practice was then further developed into a principle of religious intolerance that has come down to us through the ages, and is what is being currently witnessed in the Middle east, certain parts of Africa, and in other distant lands where a national religion has been established and rigorously enforced by the reigning authorities, with penalties and even death being administered to those who dare to be different.
The author of the principle of religious intolerance is none other than satan, who hates the divine precepts and the very name of Christ, and thus those who have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior in some foreign
countries, have come under increasing attack for their faith. But here in America we still enjoy the freedom to practice our various religions, with the freedom to speak our convictions in private and in some public places. We hope and pray that these religious liberties will be kept in place for as long as time shall last, for our very existence and prosperity as a nation depend on them.
It is therefore necessary for us to study the nature of the principle of religious intolerance that is gaining steam in certain parts of the world, because we are in danger of importing the very same philosophies under the name of Christ. In Iraq and Syria, and in certain parts of Africa, Christians are being forced to adopt Islam as the national religion, and in many cases the death penalty is the result for non-compliance. What is worthy of note in this phenomena is that there are various strains of Islam emanating from the same common text of the Quran.
For instance there are moderate interpretations to the religious text, where those who understand the Quran a
certain way are very tolerant of other religions, and do not subscribe to the philosophy that teaches all other religious sects to be infidels. Then there is a much more extreme version of interpretation of the very same Quran, in which all who do not subscribe to Sharia law are deemed unfit to live, and as a result mass executions of both Christians and Muslims has ensued, resulting in violence and bloodshed of no ordinary character.
This more radical interpretation of the same Quran text, with the accompanying religious intolerance, is what has bred deep divisions within the general community of Muslim believers, and that’s why we now have Saudi Arabian Muslims fighting against Houthi and Iranian Muslims, all of whom read the same religious text, the Quran. The system of intolerance thus spawned is found to be diabolically opposed to what the Bible teaches on this point.
In ancient days, the Hebrews were sometimes instructed by God to eliminate certain nations, not because they were of different religious persuasions, but rather because their cup of iniquity was full, a fact that was always decided by God alone, since He reserves the singular right to execute judgment when He deems necessary, as was the case with Sodom and Gomorrah.
It is here worthy of note that ancient Israel was a theocracy, being governed directly by The God of heaven, and as such, all military expeditions against other nations on account of unbridled iniquity were to be ordered at His own discretion, and not by mortal man. In one instance for example, when the Hebrews had come across the descendants of the godless Esau, they were tempted to think that God would automatically eliminate them, since they were averse to His government and His laws. But instead, The Lord issued a stern warning to the Hebrews not to even think of meddling with them, for He had made provision for their existence, even though they would have nothing to do with Him. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 2:2 And the LORD spake unto me, saying,
2:3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
2:4 And command thou the people, saying, Ye [are] to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:
2:5 Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau [for] a possession.
2:6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.
Again, the principle that bears sway in the government of God, as it pertains to religious freedom, is that of free choice, with no coercion of the conscience against one’s own will being entertained. Hence the reason why Christ is represented in the book of Revelation as standing at our heart’s door knocking, seeking entrance only by invitation, for He is never to be found kicking down the door, as someone who we know often does. Let’s read:
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
1st Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
Luke 9:49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
9:50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid [him] not: for he
that is not against us is for us.
Thus we as Christians who follow in the footsteps of The Master are supposed to foster the same principles of freedom of religion and freedom of speech that is enjoined upon us by God Himself. In other words, Hindus Buddhists, Mormons, Catholics, Baptists, Seventh day Adventists, Atheists, Methodists and Evangelicals are all supposed to be able to live peaceably on the same street, here in America, with no bad feelings or ill-will towards one’s neighbors being cherished, because of stark differences in religious persuasion and practice.
And even though there may be very real or imaginary diversities as to beliefs and the validity of the various religions being represented in the same community, yet the due respect for our God-given freedoms should be the restraining force which prevents unwarranted antagonism and persecution, because of fundamental differences of opinions and practice. In other words, an atheist neighbor who does not believe in “Santa Claws” should not be forced to listen to Christmas carols, and similarly, a Muslim should not be forced to pray to the Christian’s God, through mandatory prayer in schools.
Freedom of religion and practice should be the watch words for all, once the violations of such freedom is not exercised by some who hold very deep convictions of their faith. In other words, even though we may speak passionately about The Lord Jesus Christ, and may even exercise our religious freedom in encouraging others to accept of His grace, yet no compulsion of conscience, or no heated, angry arguments in favor of our convictions should characterize our interactions with those of opposing beliefs.
However, there are growing calls for the establishment of a universal form of Christianity, where all the different denominations and evangelical institutions are given an equal seat at the negotiating table, with deliberate and concerted efforts being made to galvanize the different Christian creeds into one big universal conglomerate, with the common beliefs and interpretations that are most widely held, being the basis for the united order. This is increasingly being suggested in Christian circles, as a viable means to combat the growing threat of global terrorism.
But the same problems that Muslims have run into, with the many different strands of interpretation, will be inevitably duplicated in any universal conglomerate of Christianity, because within the world of Christendom, there are also vastly different interpretations of the same common text used. For instance, if someone were to ask a Sunday-keeping Baptist to substantiate his beliefs and views, he will reach for the Bible in order to give a reason for his faith. But if we were to ask a Jehovah’s witness to give us a reason for the hope he has within him, he too will also reach for the Bible. Thus the forced coalescing of various interpretations of the same sacred text is certain to breed religious intolerance between those who would acquiesce, and those who won’t.
And therefore, just as there are many variations of interpretation in the world of Islam, ranging from the moderate to the more extreme versions, just so there are many different adopted strands to Christianity which exist today, and even though the same sacred text is being used, the differences of interpretations are sometimes as far as the east is from the west. Hence the reason why we should never endeavor to import the principle of universal Christianity into our culture, lest the same spirit of intolerance bear sway on our very shores.
In lieu of the inevitable results of religious intolerance that has been manifested over the centuries, God has given to Bible believing Christians pertinent instructions as to how to navigate the potential minefields that are incident to religious bigotry, and these commands should be carefully followed by true Christians everywhere, especially given the volatile environment in which we now find ourselves living. We are called upon by God to exercise good judgment and sound discretion in our interaction with those of other faiths, and even though we are never to be found watering down the truth to please the clamors of sin-loving multitudes, yet the words of wisdom, given us by God should be adhered to.
(1) We are instructed to avoid the use of any and all inflammatory language, in regards to other religions, and especially as it pertains to the many gods that are now revered and worshiped by those who may not know better. This first instruction, which is repeated in several passages of scripture is of great relevance to the times in which we now live, and will go a very long way in diffusing the tensions and animosities which have developed between Christians and Muslims. Let’s read:
Exodus 22:28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he
that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
James 3:13 Who [is] a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish.
3:16 For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work.
3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
There is a growing tendency to respond in like currency
whenever incendiary speech or even acts of violence are committed against Christians in our day, but the Bible teaches us to take a different route, following in the footsteps of Christ. In other words, the proliferation of evil and religious extremism should not then cause us to adopt the very same principles in combating these elements, because the laws and principles of Christianity do not allow for such exercises, neither by precept nor in the example of Christ Himself.
If we were to ask any experienced fireman, he will tell us that fighting fire with fire will only breed more fire, for we have never seen any of them spraying flames from their hoses upon a burning building. What the Bible instead teaches us is that we should fight fire with water, because this is what God does, for when the fires of unbridled sin and iniquity are raging within our souls, He bids us be baptized and converted. Christ Himself set us the example for us to follow, and thus it is important that we adopt both His methods and principles as we move forward. Let’s read:
Matthew 27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
27:40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest [it] in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
27:41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking [him], with the scribes and elders, said,
27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the
cross, and we will believe him.
The response of Christ to this verbal abuse and heckling was not to respond with similar inflammatory speech, but rather to seek the best interest of His persecutors, thus setting us the example we are to follow when faced with such abusive situations. Let’s read:
Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
1st Peter 2:19 For this [is] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
2:20 For what glory [is it], if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it], ye take it patiently, this [is] acceptable with God.
2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously.
Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
9:52 And sent messengers before his face: and they
went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
9:53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save [them]. And they went to another village.
This then brings us to the second instruction given us by God in dealing with those who manifest deep animosity towards Christians. We are never to indulge the spirit of retaliation, for this principle does not originate with God. Now while it is true that Christians are to do all within their power to protect ourselves from harm and danger, yet we should never indulge a thirst for revenge, for if we do, we will place ourselves on the same spiritual side of the aggressor, and thus we will be found to be partaking of the very same spirit. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 32:35 To me [belongeth] vengeance, and recompense; their foot shall slide in [due] time: for the day of their calamity [is] at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil”….
12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but
[rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap
coals of fire on his head.
12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with
good.
In our day and in our own experiences, we will be faced with challenges to our faith, and forces that are opposed to true Christianity will be pitted against us for various reasons. This will be found to be especially true of those who keep all of the commandments of God, in a world of lawlessness, and therefore the necessary steps and preparations for the coming, final conflict, should now be made, not with the force of arms or other carnal weapons, but rather through prayer and supplication, while we behold the perfection of character exemplified in The Lord Jesus Christ.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which teaches us both the nature of the warfare, and the means whereby we may be victorious, and it is the will of God that in all situations and in all places, that we live according to what is written, rather than be driven by the devil to adopt principles and methods that are foreign to the kingdom of God. Let’s read:
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.
God bless!