Skip to main content

THE RIGHTS OF MAN - 3

1. In the First Witness or Old Testament, the Right to serve God is presented as the supreme Right or the First Right. Deuteronomy 6:4-6.
2. In the Second Witness or New Testament, Jesus 
presented this Right as the supreme Right or 
First Right. Mark 12:28-30.

3. This Right, when translated into a social law is called Religious Liberty. This is the very first Right on the American Bill of Rights. It states in part:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …” The Constitution of the United States and The Declaration of Independence, p. 21.
4. This clause which is the foundation stone of 
Republicanism since it is the real test of what is a Republic, does not speak about separation of church and state.

a. What it teaches is the Separation of Religion and Legislation.
b. While the state can have any religion operating publicly in all its borders, what it is not to do is to legislate any:
i. Religion
ii. Religious dogma or
iii. Religious practice.

c. This is to facilitate the government not forcing any religion on the people of the state as was done in the past and as is currently done in Islamic states.
d. The clause also facilitates that the government is not to legislate against any:
i. Religion
ii. Religious dogma
iii. Religious practice.

e. This is meant to allow all and everyone, even 
minorities, to practice their religion without 
persecution from any group or class in society, or from government. It is also meant to protect from any form of state interference.

5. The First Right therefore tells government that they have no control over religion either by:
a. Enforcement,
b. Prohibition, or
c. Regulation.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WHAT OUR INQUIRY ABOUT OURSELVES SHOULD BE?

WHAT OUR INQUIRY ABOUT OURSELVES  SHOULD BE? We are in the very last days, we are told that the last controversy will be very short. “We are standing on the threshold of great and solemn events. Prophecies are fulfilling. The last great conflict will be short, but terrible. Old controversies will be revived. New controversies will arise. We have a great work to do. Our ministerial work must not cease. The last warning must be given to the world. There is a special power in the presentation of the truth at the present time. How long will it last? Only a little while.” Ellen G. White, Selected Messages bk. 3, pg. 419. And in view of the lateness of time, what should be the inquiry of everyone? We are told: “The inquiry of everyone should be ‘whose am I? To whom do I owe allegiance? Is my heart renewed? Is my soul reformed? Are my sins forgiven? Will they be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come?” Ibid, pg. 419. We must needs examine ourselves to see if we...
Post a Comment
Read more

MRS WHITE QUOTES ON THE 1888 MESSAGE REJECTION

1. “The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones.” — TM p. 91. 2. “God gave to His servants a testimony that presented the truth as it is in Jesus, which is the third angel’s message, in clear distinct lines” — TM p. 93. 3. “The message of the gospel of His grace was to be given to the church in clear and distinct lines, that the world should no longer say that Seventh-Day Adventists talk the law, the law, but do not teach or believe Christ. The efficacy of the blood of Christ was to be presented to the people with freshness and power.” — TM p. 92. 4. “This is the very work which the Lord designs that the message He has given His servants, shall perform in the heart and mind of every human agent….God gave to His messengers just what the people needed.” — TM p. 95. 5. “The Lord would have these grand themes studied in our churches, and if every church member shall give entrance to the word of God it will give light and...
Post a Comment
Read more

EGW QUOTE ON SINFUL NATURE

We are told that Jesus had our “sinful nature.” “He took upon Him our sinful nature.” Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, 7/30/02. “In him was no guile nor sinfulness,….yet He took upon Him our sinful nature.” Ibid. From what we have just read, we see that the term “sinful nature” for Mrs. White does not mean that the person has sin for she says that Jesus was sinfree. But what does sinful nature mean that the person? A. It means human nature affected by sin not infected with  sin. B. It means human nature weakened by sin, but not resided by sin. C. This is the Mind, Emotions/Passions, Flesh and Experience weakened by sin, but not necessarily indwelt by sin. D. It is quite true that man’s sinful nature, a nature weakened by sin, in the average sinner may have sin in it. So sinful nature for the sinner in sin is a nature weakened by sin, but the man has sin in this nature. E. This means the man has sin in his Mind, Passions/Emotions, Experience, and sin in his flesh is sin in his Mi...
Post a Comment
Read more