Inalienable Rights or Faith in Christ

Recently there has been a lot of news regarding religious freedom. Whether it's a floral shop in Washington, a cake shop in Colorado, or a home schooled family in Arkansas, from the out-side looking in one might conclude that the government is "out to get us!" In this post I will try my best to avoid taking sides and I will admit that because of my background I have an unavoidable bias. Yet, this post is less about who is right and more so about how we as Christians should respond.

The typical knee-jerk reaction to threats to freedom of religion is to run back to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. These are masterfully written documents  worthy of great respect. But they can't save us. We should and ought to defend the original, and historical context in which they were written, but we should also be prepared to face the reality that they can and will be used against us.

We often shake our fists against Congress and the Department of Justice for forcing their misinterpretations on us. Yes, I will also say that we ought to keep our legislatures accountable to a right and true interpretation of these documents. Yet, let us also not deny that there are powers working against Christ and his followers. Therefore let us not be taken off-guard when injustice knocks at our door.

Now then, how shall we as Christ's followers respond when our shops face bankruptcy or our kids are forced into public schools. Is it to latch onto our our "God Given Rights," as granted through our Founding Documents and cry out for justice? Well, yes, indeed we should not just bow our heads in defeat to the powers and principalities that oppose us. But, I believe it should be coupled with a more powerful response. What is this response?

Recently a group of Christ's followers were executed in Libya for one thing and one thing alone. They served Christ, and they refused to bow to anything else. It has been recorded that they sang praises to Jesus as they gave their lives.

Brothers and Sisters, we are blessed beyond measure to have the freedoms that God and our Founding Fathers laid out for us. Though we must fight, let us also remember that to suffer on account of our Faith is an indication that we are counted worthy of the eternal rewards Christ has in store for us. Let us stand for a right and true interpretation of founding documents, but let us also remember that to suffer for Christ's Name is a vital part of our Faith. Let us also remember that Christ has also overcome the injustices we will face in this world. May I repeat the words of Jesus himself, "yet, when the Son of Man returns, will he find FAITH on the earth?"

Where is our faith? The Constitution, or Christ himself? What speaks the truth of the Gospel more; Creating a Youtube Video describing our plight, or singing praises to God despite of what this world throws at us?