Freedom is a priceless but also dangerous thing. A few weeks ago we celebrated 240 years of freedom from British rule. Less than a month ago Great Britain voted to be free from the European Union. Freedom is contagious. After the Brexit vote, many other countries in the European Union began discussions to host their own referendum on European membership and here in America, Texan secessionist began pushing even harder for what is called a “Texit.”
With freedom comes great responsibility and also some scary dangers. We saw immediately after the Brexit vote that the markets around the world tanked and investors lost billions. Freedom and independence is a risky business. But some risks are worth taking, as we saw with the Brexit vote and as the United States understood, but still decided to face, when the Deceleration of Independence was signed in 1776.
I am an American and I love my freedom. I am so thankful for the men and women who fought to gift us this freedom and the many more throughout these 240 years who have given their all to protect our freedom. Even more than an American I am a Christian. Jesus Christ died on a cross so that I might be free in Him, free from the bondage to sin. Jesus, being the Truth, has set me free forever. I love freedom and I sure love Jesus Christ.
America has provided an essential freedom and that is the freedom of religion. The very first amendment to the US Constitution establishes this freedom. Our freedom of religion is one thing that has set us apart from many other nations and was one of the driving forces of the Pilgrims who came to America. We must always be grateful for this freedom and defend it with our own very lives. If we were to lose this freedom, we lose all other freedoms.
Unfortunately, American Christianity is in grave danger today. The majority of Christians at one time in America pretty much agreed that their authority for life, faith, and practice was the Bible; the Word of God. God says in speaking through the Apostle Paul, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof for correction and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) Every word in the Bible from “In” (Genesis 1:1) to “Amen” (Revelation 22:21) is “breathed out by God” and “profitable” for everything.
The danger today is that many Christians no longer hold to scripture being the very words of God breathed out by Him. Christians today cut and paste from the Bible that which benefits their views and thus have watered down the Word of God and also rejected God’s authority over them. These Christians have stated that they have the freedom to do as they please with the Word of God. This is not the case at all. Most disappointing to me are certain Baptists in America.
Baptists historically have held to a concept called “Soul Liberty.” This term originally applied to how Baptist practiced their faith. Today, the term “soul liberty” has been used to justify and defend a multitude of theological views, many of which have no foundation in scripture. The argument from many Baptists is that they have the “liberty” for their “soul” to choose which portions of scripture are authoritative and which ones are suggestive. This has led to a complete secularization of many Baptist Churches including a Baptist Church in Washington DC which ordained the first transgendered pastor.
As a Christian, American and a Baptist pastor, I am extremely sad about the condition of the main stream Baptist Church. I am concerned about the low and non-authoritative view of scripture among historic main line Christian denominations in America. Many Protestant Christians have forgotten that one of the goals of the Reformation was to reestablish the Word of God as the sole authority for a Christian’s life, faith and practice.
Martin Luther, father of the Reformation, said this about scripture: “I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other. My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.”
I agree with Martin Luther and I would add that the more Christians move away from the Word of God being their authority, the more dangerous it will become for them and by extension the safety and freedom of America is also at stake.
In the words of George Washington, “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”
America continues to systematically remove references to God from the public arena and now Christians themselves are removing the Bible from the church. If this continues we will not be able to rightly govern this nation nor will we have a free nation much longer.
About Rev. Marcos O. Almonte
Rev. Marcos O. Almonte is senior pastor at Brandywine Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist Church west of Philadelphia. Pastor Marcos is a graduate of Palmer Theological Seminary with more than 10 years working with families with an expertise in theology, trauma and addictions. Pastor Marcos and his wife Mary have three children, Carmen, Joseph, and Lincoln.
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