Religious Liberty
Baptists have been champions of religious liberty since the 17th century — fighting for it when it cost them their freedom and sometimes their lives. The conviction is rooted in Scripture: God alone is Lord of the conscience. The state has no authority to compel belief, and no church should seek to use the state to impose its views. These ten passages establish the foundation.
What Scripture says
All quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
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Matthew 22:21
He said to them, "Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
Jesus distinguishes the realms. Both are real. Neither rules the other.
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Acts 5:29
But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men."
When the state and God conflict, God is supreme. The state's authority is real but limited.
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Romans 13:1-2
Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God. Therefore he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.
The state is from God. Obey it — until it commands what God forbids.
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John 18:36
Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I shouldn't be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here."
Christ's kingdom does not advance by political coercion. It never has.
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2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;
The Christian's weapons are spiritual. Not legislation, not force, not majorities.
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Galatians 5:1
Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don't be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Christ has made us free. Religious bondage — by the state or by a church — is incompatible with the gospel.
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James 4:12
Only one is the lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge another?
One Lawgiver. One Judge. He has not delegated that role to the state.
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1 Timothy 2:1-4
I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks, be made for all men: for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who desires all people to be saved and to come to full knowledge of the truth.
Pray for rulers. Live quietly. Make the gospel known. Persuasion, not compulsion.
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1 Peter 2:13-17
Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well... Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
Honor the king — but fear only God. The order matters.
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Matthew 13:24-30
He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds among the wheat... He said, No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest..."
Even Christ said: do not pull up the weeds in this age. The state cannot do what only the final judgment can.
A prayer
Father, You alone are Lord of the conscience. Help us to honor governing authorities without ever giving them what belongs only to You. Make our churches free, and our witness clear. Amen.