By Dr. Bill Bennett, Crystal Cathedral Pastor
For freedom did Christ set us free; stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage." - Galatians 5:1 (ASV).
The separation of church and state finds its scriptural basis in Mark 12:17 in the declaration of Jesus: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's". The point where our church and the state come together is our commitment to freedom.
The force that compelled our forefathers to come to America was not only their love for God, but their desire for freedom, as well. Just as freedom was one of the inalienable rights mentioned by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, likewise, commitment to freedom is at the heart of biblical faith. In the Old Testament the command given to Pharaoh was to "let My people go," and, in the New Testament, Jesus pronounced freedom as the purpose of His life when He personified the Old Testament scripture, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom to the captives (Luke 4:18). Jesus further proclaimed freedom to be the focus of His ministry when He said, "For you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free"(John 8:32). And, the Apostle Paul stated that, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free." So, we see that the central element of Christian faith and the constitutional mandate of our government is to provide and guarantee freedom. It is at that point, in the support of personal and religious freedom, that church and state come together.
So today we thank God for the freedom that we have: to live in a democratic country, to have freedom of worship wherever and with whomever we wish, to have food on our table and a roof over our head, to have freedom of expression, and to have a government which is established to protect us and our loved ones. We must recognize our duty to support freedom for all people, especially the freedom to worship as they please, and, always remember that, "it was for freedom that Christ set us free."
Dr. Bennett is an ordained RCA minister, who serves as the Lead Pastor for the Crystal Cathedral Sunday Evening Service.
