If you ever have any doubts, let me be very clear: Southern Evangelical Seminary and Bible College believes in religious freedom. We also believe that our government owes its citizens the security and protection necessary to fully practice our faith not only inside our places of worship but also in the public square.
Scripture tells us that the primary issue for believers when it comes to good government is the freedom to spread the gospel message in its entirety. This freedom to exercise our faith emanates from Almighty God, but also from the very first words written in our magnificent Bill of Rights. For you history buffs, two states, Rhode Island and my home state, North Carolina, are the two states that have not ratified the Constitution and refused to be bound by this unique and respectful document until ‘for the Bill of Rights to be added.
England and Canada do not have a specific Bill of Rights in their constitution nor is there freedom of religion written and articulated in their founding document, and it appears that this is now working to their detriment. It turns out that our American Revolution was well founded, and North Carolina and Rhode Island succeeded at least this time! Without this God-given freedom, the proclamation of the Gospel is in grave danger, as is true Christianity from a national perspective. At SES, this is one of the hills we are prepared to die on, and we urge our supporters to vote for candidates and parties that seek, fundamentally, to protect this inalienable and necessary right in a completely free democracy. Our ancestors recognized the need, and so do we.
That being said, this precious freedom of religion that we hold so dear has been under attack in our country and around the world in recent days and weeks. Last December, based on a new “buffer zone” law designed to protect the legal killing of defenseless babies, a woman in the United Kingdom was arrested for saying she “could” praying silently in front of an abortion clinic, even though the clinic was not open at the time due to its operating hours. While awaiting trial, she was arrested again in March for having these “deviant thoughts.” Ultimately, she was acquitted, but it took a long time before the police could apologize for taking so long to dismiss the second charge after the decision in the original case. At the same time, many parliamentarians have been disconcerted that their attempt to isolate and destroy religious freedom has failed and are now trying to find a way to strengthen the law to prohibit “terrorist” acts like praying in audience. even if no words are spoken out loud.
Receive our latest news for FREE
Subscribe to receive daily/weekly emails with the best stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.
Not to be outdone by the Motherland, it appears that Canada, through its Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as Parliament, is continuing its “scorched earth” efforts to destroy freedom of expression in this country. This is especially true if the speech supports a point of view that aligns with Christian ideals. In a purely Marxist attempt to make his secular vision of culture the norm in his country, Mr. Trudeau was determined to pass a law banning free speech anywhere and at all times. Perhaps you remember the brutality with which the Canadian government behaved towards the convoy of truckers a few months ago. If you can, you may also remember that it was Pastor Arthur Pawlowsky who received an active 60-day prison sentence for preaching to truckers protesting the government’s draconian COVID measures -19 and who had the audacity to denounce the Canadian government. government.
As if that were not enough, reports are now coming in from Canada that Mr. Trudeau and his followers are proposing legislation known as Bill C-367, which is an amendment to the Criminal Code that prohibits anyone from expressing “an opinion based on a belief in a religious text. The bill aims to pave the way for the arrest of people who quote the Bible, or any other religious text, on Canadian soil. Why would Mr. Trudeau and his government seek to make such a despicable decision? This is obviously about curbing anti-Semitism of course! At least that’s the public figure portrayed.
As the old saying goes: “It’s their story, and they stick to it.” Never mind that Mr. Trudeau and Parliament recently celebrated a notorious Nazi war criminal with a standing ovation in their chamber. By the way, they want you to ignore the fact that the “anti-Semitic” law can be targeted against Jews, just as it will be used to deter followers of Christ. Don’t make a mistake; it is a real offensive against religion, in particular against Christianity. Why does this happen? Because believers are obstructing what they want the government to be: Marxist in its composition. Europe, Canada and many other countries are becoming more and more secular, more and more atheistic, and their governmental interests are being manipulated by elitist conspirators who seek to impose rules on the masses that they do not have. intending to impose on themselves or their friends. In other words, this is a pitched battle for control of the servants of darkness, and true followers of Christ are in the crosshairs.
Many prognosticators say that what is happening in Europe and Canada is a preview of what will happen in the United States. Furthermore, there is an adage that as California evolves today, so will America in 10 years. As we face this crossroads of faith and democracy in America, there are only two things that can prevent this wildfire of persecution from fully sweeping through our nation.
God’s grace has enabled America to be the shining light of the world. His favor has shone upon this nation and has been a shield for us against our enemies. But as we as a people push God and His moral structure further and further from the market, how long will God refrain from preventing the total destruction of our nation? It was Billy Graham who once said, “If God doesn’t destroy America, then he will have to go back into history and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.” » Reverend Graham’s words are difficult to hear, but they speak the truth to a culture that is on its way to its own oblivion.
As we stand on the precipice between good and evil, God’s people must once again turn to the source of our faith. But this is a serious problem. The reality of our appalling conundrum has apparently fallen on deaf ears among those who make up the Church of Christ. In fact, a recent article reminded us that secular intolerance actually has an intentional chilling and deleterious effect on most Christians. When challenged, believers somehow feel the need to succumb to some form of self-censorship rather than the desired effect of standing firm in the truth. This reaction is concerning on at least two levels.
First, in an age of so-called tolerance, how can such blatant intolerance of faith achieve such status and credibility? How absurd it is to say that we only tolerate whatever we agree with. But this is, in essence, what our culture is apparently saying to Christianity today.
Second, and perhaps even more incredulous, is the idea that so-called Christians are willing to blend into the culture and disappear like vaporized ghosts. Never forget that it was with the burned bodies of the first Christians that the Roman roads were lit. Are we so willing to give up what so many fought and died for without so much as a whimper? Could it really be that the American Church has been asleep in the arms of the wicked one? If this is true, is it any wonder that average Christians have become such wandering souls?
At Southern Evangelical Seminary, we proclaim that the failure of the Church of Christ to enlighten our culture is not acceptable. How can we claim that we are spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ when we hide behind the skirts of our rebellion and then have the audacity to call it religion? So when it comes to defending the traditional Christian faith and the Holy Word of God, let word spread today that the battle line is forming behind Southern Evangelical Seminary. As the Scripture so eloquently says in Psalm 20:7, “Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” They are brought to their knees and fall, but we get up and stand firm!
It is high time that true followers of Christ stand up across America and proclaim that enough is enough. We must, in a civil but unyielding manner, let Satan’s servants know that we are not willing to surrender our precious children to their pernicious indoctrinations. We will no longer stand idly by while socialists and Marxists take over our nation and turn it into a hellhole of godless abominations. It is time for us to let the whole world know that we do not intend to enter quietly into their night of despair. As we face the uncertainty of these days, let us go into battle in the full armor of God, proclaiming a God who so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die for our sins . Then, with the glory of Easter before us, we will continue to stand in the power of Christ’s resurrection. There is no safer place, no matter what arrows are aimed among us. Then, and only then, will we proclaim the only truth that matters.
As for our beloved country, may the freedom of religion enshrined in the First Amendment to our Constitution one day be adopted in this great country we love so much, even if it requires another revolution of thought and action.
After a distinguished career as a lawyer and judge, Judge Phil Ginn retired as the Senior Resident Judge of the Superior Court of the 24th Judicial District of North Carolina. During his 22-year judicial career, he had the privilege of serving in nearly 50 percent of North Carolina’s county seats. Currently, Justice Ginn serves as president of Southern Evangelical Seminary.
