Religious Liberty and Bearing the Cross: It’s Always to Share the Message of the Cross

Word from the Center
Written By LCRL Staff

A blessed Good Friday. Christ has put death to death for you!
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A blessed Good Friday, Easter morning to you all!!

One of my favorite recurring guests on the “Liberty Action Alert” is Cal Thomas. He is a clear-thinking, fearlessly-engaging, Christian voice in the public square. His columns and commentary always give “public” Christians a lot to think about as they try to live out their faith lives in the particular vocations in the world in which they serve. He wrote this Good Friday piece about 3 years ago,

“The headline on a guest essay in yesterday’s New York Times read ‘This Passover, America needs a redemption narrative.’ It is accompanied by an artist’s rendering of Moses parting the Red Sea as the Israelites are redeemed from Egypt.

America already has a redemption narrative, and it is not found in the coming election, or the one after that. It is found in a person whose name is Jesus and whose title is the Christ. It is He who has the power to redeem people and nations, though his kingdom is not of this world.

On this day as we observe what has come to be called Good Friday and with all of the distractions in the world, it is good to pause and consider this ancient message. The God of the universe sent his son, who willingly left heaven because there was no other way to redeem humanity. He took upon himself the world’s sins—in fact, he took upon himself sin, itself—and offered to God the perfect sacrifice on a cross, in a place, in history that can be visited. The third day he rose from the dead, proving he was who he said he was.

That’s our and everyone’s redemptive message. Praise him for it. He is risen! I’m Cal Thomas.”[1]

Well said, Cal. But the inference from the Time’s essay doesn’t retreat that easily. When writers in the New York Times say things like “America needs a redemption narrative,” they usually mean a “political” redemption narrative. Yes, yes, I know…. that’s improperly mixing the work of the Church with the State, right? Indeed, it is, but for secular politicians and progressive churches,[2] that is actually the point. In fact, there are some who claim that the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is thoroughly political, or it is NO Gospel at all. James Cone, the godfather of Black Liberation Theology[3], a racial version of the various Liberation, Statist, political theologies of today, said this of the Gospel of the Bible,

“The hermeneutical principle for an exegesis of the Scriptures is the revelation of God in Christ as the Liberator of the oppressed from social oppression and to political struggle (emphasis mine), wherein the poor recognize that their fight against poverty and injustice is not only consistent with the Gospel but is the gospel of Jesus Christ.”[4]

So, while it is essential that we clearly point out that there is already a “beyond politics” redemption narrative in America—the cross of Jesus Christ—we must do more. We must also address the growing problem of politicians and government types thinking of their work in redemptive, benevolencing terms, which is no Gospel at all. Unfortunately, for many today, because of our arrogant, over-confidence in our technological, economic, and political powers,  the “essential” narrative of our salvation is not spiritual; it is political, or it is nothing.[5] (Next week, I’ll write about another version of this in my article called, “Overcoming Toxic, Political Empathy.”) We must publicly differentiate God’s merciful work in Christ from the coercive, political work of those who often mask their quest for cultural power under the cover of benevolence. I’m fairly sure that’s what the New York Times writer was after when he claims that America needs a “redemption narrative.” We’ll see.

So, this Good Friday, let’s joyfully receive the powerful proclamation of Christ crucified, “the Gospel of Christ, the power of God for salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16).” Let’s be thankful that we live in a country that properly differentiates (even if imperfectly) the realm and work of both the Church and the State, even politically scaling back “Caesar’s power,” protecting our religious liberty and freedom to worship, so that we can clearly, boldly proclaim the uniqueness of the person and work of Jesus for all, striving to live lives faithful to Him in service to our neighbor. Let’s be thankful for the First Amendment, which safeguards our efforts to humbly engage the culture with the curbing (political use) and repentance-calling (spiritual use) moral word of God’s Law FOR ALL, while also protecting our freedoms to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the victory that is the Cross of Christ so that all might hear and freely believe.

And, finally, this Good Friday, let us be overwhelmed by the God who is even now at work in the world to preserve it so that that same world can also hear of how God, in Christ, has saved it. Cal Thomas says rightly that Good Friday is God’s effort ALONE on behalf of humanity. That Good News proclaims that the person and work of Jesus Christ, the one sent by the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit to save sinful humanity, is an “it is finished on behalf of ALL people” type of thing. For those who want to politicize the Gospel, we must ignore such efforts, if possible, deconstruct them when challenged, or even resist its political realization as the “false ‘gospel’ and worse politics” that it is. With the present blessing of our First Amendment protections we must even more boldly exercise our responsibility to proclaim the whole counsel of God without fear of government coercion or intimidation to the contrary (a blessing worth fighting for). Or, as we say here at the LCRL, we must learn again and again how to “put our temporal liberties to work for the sake of proclaiming the eternal liberties of Christ for all.”

On that first Good Friday, much like today, another politician, Pontius Pilate, overestimated his importance in the world when he snarled to Jesus, “Don’t you know that your life is in my hands?” In spite of Pilate’s arrogance, God accomplished His saving work on the cross. So, reflect on the events of Good Friday where the God-Man Jesus Christ had to die for the sins of the world, and be thankful for the gift of faith that trusts in Him alone for all things. And as we engage our culture, as we serve our nation, let us always be mindful of the reason that we do all that we do. If we fight for our religious liberty, if we proclaim God’s moral voice in culture, it is so that we can serve others in Christ’s name and ultimately share His message of grace on His terms. If “religious liberty” battles are even lost in the days to come (thankfully, we’ve been given a reprieve for a time), we pray for even greater courage to share boldly God’s Good News so that people might know of Jesus. Good Friday will always be Good Friday because its God’s work for all. Religious liberty or bearing the cross, it is always for the purpose of sharing the message of the cross for all. A blessed Good Friday/Easter Sunday to you always.

The Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz is the executive director of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty.

 

Be Informed
Can you believe it? Martin Luther had quite a bit to say on the blessing of marriage and its preservation and use among us. Rev. Matthew Wurm explains.

 

Be Equipped
Why do exclusively male-female unions matter? And as such, what are the reasons and merits for natural marriage as God intended it?

 

Be Encouraged
“Perhaps as our culture seems to be increasingly more challenging, it may help to think of hope as the complete opposite of despair. Hope is not optional for the believer. Our hope is secure because, as we all say again, ‘Christ is risen


[1] CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY APRIL 15, 2022, https://calthomas.com/2022/04/a-redemption-message/

[2] See John Stonestreet’s article “Progressive Christian Nationalism,” https://breakpoint.org/progressive-christian-nationalism/

[3] It should be noted that virtually all political theologies use the Exodus narrative as a “political” narrative of redemption. They fail to know the promise of Genesis 3, embodied in a people (Israel), for the blessing of all. They miss the context of Yahweh versus the gods of Egypt and reduce the whole biblical narrative to the oppressed/oppressor binary. Ironically, modern day Israelis are no longer “oppressed” but the “oppressors.” One wonders who gets to choose the categories.

[4] James Cone, God of the Oppressed. (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1975), p 74.

[5] I often speak with amazement of two things that define “American exceptionalism.” 1. The Founders believed that human beings, while possessing an inherent dignity as creatures of God, they also believed in the total depravity of all human beings, including themselves. 2. They limited and even separated the coercive powers of government because of that depravity. Autocrats, tyrants, oligarchs, and elitists teach and do the opposite. As such, they believed in the “power of the citizen” who was motivated by their FAITH IN GOD, directed by God’s moral teachings in the Bible, and who then was willing to be self-governing because of that. Amazing.

See Also
Religious Liberty and Bearing the Cross: It’s Always to Share the Message of the Cross
Religious Liberty and Bearing the Cross: It’s Always to Share the Message of the Cross

A blessed Good Friday, Easter morning to you all!!

One of my favorite recurring guests on the “Liberty Action Alert” is Cal Thomas. He is a clear-thinking, fearlessly-engaging, Christian voice in the public square. His columns and commentary always give “public” Christians a lot to think about as they try to live out their faith lives in the particular vocations in the world in which they serve. He wrote this Good Friday piece about 3 years ago,

Sacrificial, Unconditional, Incarnational: A Biblical View of Marriage
Sacrificial, Unconditional, Incarnational: A Biblical View of Marriage

I recently began a wedding sermon addressing the couple, “Your marriage is going to be tough! It’s going to be filled with conflict and suffering and sorrow and pain. And, if you do it right, you’ll eventually get to watch each other get old, have more pain, carry more grief and watch each other move toward death.”

Their eyes got as big as saucers, and their huge smiles started to waver. I paused for a bit with a very serious look on my face, because it is all, sadly, true. I then continued, “However, you’re about to enter one of the most beautiful experiences you can ever have on earth. You’ll have glimpses of heaven that most will never see. You’ll delight in the love of Jesus overflowing to you from your spouse. When you fall, you’ll have each other to speak words of forgiveness and renewal. Your joy will grow and overflow to everyone. And I can say this with certainty.”

The Common Order of Christian Love
The Common Order of Christian Love

According to Luther’s teachings about the Christian life, the good works God desires of us are carried out in our vocations. That is to say, the Christian life does not necessarily involve heroic accomplishments and dramatic deeds. Rather, God calls us to love and serve our neighbors in our ordinary interactions with the members of our families, our coworkers and our fellow citizens.

Making the Case for Life
Making the Case for Life

It’s easy to talk about your pro-life beliefs with your Christian friends. You’re all coming from the same source: the Bible. But what happens when you chat with friends or teachers who aren’t Christian, who don’t see the Bible as anything at all? How can you stand up for life in a pro-choice world?

Don't Be Political
Don't Be Political

Don't speak against abortion, though it will undermine everything you say about the sanctity of life and the Incarnation, our Lord who made His life in the womb. Oh, and babies will be killed. Don't be political and speak the truth of marriage, though God gave it for the sake of all children, so that they might have a mom and dad. Whatever you do, don't get into the whole male and female debate. Let the confused kids fend for themselves. Don't go out of your way, like some Good Samaritan to help them. Don't stand in the way of the predator wielding the knife.

Being for the Family
Being for the Family

“What is marriage?” It seems like a silly question. But it’s one our society is vigorously fighting about. For thousands of years, and for all of recorded history prior to the year 2000, societies around the world recognized that marriage was an exclusive relationship of faithful permanence between one man and one woman, who vowed to remain together until death parts them.

However, in a matter of a few short years (in the scope of human history), the institution of marriage has gone from being exclusively defined between one man and one woman, to being debated by society (it’s now at the highest court in our land), to consider if it might also be applicable to two homosexual men or two homosexual women.

Trust Not In Princes
Trust Not In Princes

“Trust not in princes?” Of course not. But be politically active to defend the unborn, remembering that the aborted child will never be baptized. Trust not in princes, though we don't really have princes, because the Constitution is what governs us. Trust not in princes, but elect the kind of people bold enough to ban males from the sports of females. Trust not in princes, but rejoice when our national laws are in congruence with the higher law. Trust not in firefighters, police officers, or soldiers, but work to create a system where they do their duty for the sake of the common good. Trust not in doctors, but find a good one.

THE GOD OF CREATION
THE GOD OF CREATION

The order for Confession and Absolution often begins with these words: “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” It is a plea lifted from Psalm 124. But it prompts some questions. Why are we invoking help from God as Creator rather than as Savior? Why not plead for spiritual deliverance? Why are we looking for help from the God of creation?

Two Threads, One Blessing: A Tale of Harmony and Salvation
Two Threads, One Blessing: A Tale of Harmony and Salvation

Jesus said a very interesting thing in Luke 20:25, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are Gods.” And later to Pontus Pilate, the governor of Judea, who claimed that he had authority over Jesus himself, Jesus responded, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11). Wow! God is at work. He saves the world through the person and work of Jesus; that’s the main message of the Bible.

A Strange World
A Strange World

We live in a very strange world. It is world that says men and women are the same. In fact, they are so much the same, that a man can decide he is a woman, or a woman can decide she is a man, and everyone around that individual is supposed to act like this is just the way things are. It is asserted that men and women are completely interchangeable, and so marriage can occur between a man and a woman or between two men or between two women.

2025 TO DO LIST
2025 TO DO LIST

What might we, as a people, wish to accomplish in the coming year? Most of it has to do with gaining our voice, and then putting our words into action. That means cultivating courage.

First, we should deal with a constellation of issues revolving around gender. Of course, men should not be allowed to participate in women's sports. Speak up, boycott, act like you mean it. Likewise, let us keep males out of the public bathrooms of women. Protest. Let them know you care about your daughters. Along with that we must begin once again to speak the truth and to reclaim the language. Do not call Rachel Levine a woman, for he is not. Mock those who cannot answer the question, "What is a woman?" And, for heaven's sake, never speak of gender affirming care. Call out such surgery for the barbarism that it is, resulting in irreversible damage, bodily mutilation, a lifetime of misery. Make such treatment illegal everywhere. Instead, help our young people become comfortable in their own bodies.

Fight the Good Fight
Fight the Good Fight

 

We are told to be at peace, for Jesus is Lord. I get that. But don't let it be the kind of peace that serves as a sedative, the kind of peace that puts you to sleep while it is still day, and there is work to do. Christ remains on the throne, but that fact should stir us all the more to do good, and that means, on a day like today, in the political arena. The fact that Jesus is King should not lead us to complacency, but to the boldness that our Lord has our backs, now and into eternity. Knowing that our future is secure, here and now we defend our neighbor, including our littlest neighbor in the womb.

Christian Families Can’t Save the World, but They Can Confess the Faith
Christian Families Can’t Save the World, but They Can Confess the Faith

On my bookshelf is a picture book from 1980 that tells children how babies come into being. The text says, “Since a family is happier with children, your mother and father wanted a baby. They wanted you … to love and to care for.” Thirty years ago, it was normal to assume that getting married and having children made life better. 

Creation and the Foundation of Marriage
Creation and the Foundation of Marriage

“Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh,” the man exclaimed, “she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Gen. 2:23). God had put the man to sleep, made the woman from his rib and presented her to the man (Gen. 2:21–22). The man’s response expresses the profundity and joy that he had discovered in her sameness; he is also clearly filled with relief. In her, he found rest and a true fulfillment of his godly desire (sexual, emotional, intellectual).

Pro-Death Penalty, Pro-Life
Pro-Death Penalty, Pro-Life

The Lord says, "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man" (Genesis 9:6). Speaking of earthly rulers, St. Paul writes, "But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer" (Romans 13:4). So it is, a functioning society must impose penalties upon criminals. A man may serve ten or twenty years for armed robbery or rape. Circumstances matter, so sentencing varies. Prisons are said to be reformatories, especially when it comes to youth who may not have understood the ramifications of their actions. Prisons do well to incorporate rehabilitation to reduce recidivism. But time in jail is more than a time-out, and a reformed person cannot reverse the consequences of harmful deeds, and for that there is justice.

What Did You Go Out to See?
What Did You Go Out to See?

A reed shaken by the wind? What do you seek in a church? The Roman Catholics, back in 1940s, endorsed the higher critical method (Divino Afflante Spiritu), which allows for Scripture not to mean what it means, just like liberal Protestantism. Perhaps it's not so strange to think a little yeast can leaven many a lump. To what then is the church moored? Tradition is not enough, unless, of course, you think the truth is so pliable as to be reinterpreted for each successive generation. Unless, like the once great biblical scholar Richard Hayes, you can now endorse gay marriage under the umbrella of "the widening of God's mercy."

Christian Citizenship
Christian Citizenship

Let not one say that this “cannot be the purpose of the Church.” We know that it is not the purpose of the Church to influence culture. The Church is distinct in origin and purpose from the civilization in which we live and of which we are a part. The question is whether Christians as citizens shall bear an equal share with the rest of the population in fashioning the character of the American community. The question is whether we shall leave, for instance, the avenues of the daily press, the policies by which journalism is governed, to men of no spiritual understanding, of nothing but material interests, of nothing but carnal ambitions, governed by desire for praise and the love of power, more dangerous than a wild beast, more destructive than a pestilence, if imbued with an atheistic or communistic attitude; or whether the Christian, the Lutheran, shall use the potent influence of journalism to mold and guide public opinion.

The Gift He Was; The Gift He Is
The Gift He Was; The Gift He Is

A blessed Christmas to all of you next Tuesday!  For “on that Day (many years ago) in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (Luke 2:11-12).” The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus came as a blessing to the world even though the world didn’t deserve it and even worse, was unreceptive to receiving Him as the gift that He was for them (see John 1:10-13). Increasingly, the world in which we live today seems very unreceptive to that same Gospel, a message that has been such a blessing to the world for over two millennia. Instead of receiving the good news of Jesus like Mary and Joseph, the wisemen, or the shepherds, the world in which we live is violently suspicious of the message of the Messiah like Herod in Matthew 2. In a speech several years ago, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito warned our nation:

On ‘The Last Battle’: Hope in an Age of Political Woe
On ‘The Last Battle’: Hope in an Age of Political Woe

A charlatan sits in power. Division and cynicism have won the hearts of the people. Foes at home and abroad are cunning. The nation feels sullied. Such is the situation facing Tirian, the last king of Narnia.

In C.S. Lewis’s The Last Battle, the beloved land of the famed children’s series is under attack.  Narnia’s enemies, the Calormenes, have taken over the country. Through treachery, they have fooled loyal Narnians into believing that Aslan — Narnia’s Christ figure — is on their side. Fear and confusion prevent Narnians from coming to Tirian’s aid.

On the Election
On the Election

As citizens of this great nation, we use our God-given reason to elect men and women who we believe will most closely rule according to God’s will and Word. But we also know that the U.S. has maintained a perfect record of electing sinners to be presidents and senators and representatives: every single one of them.

As citizens of this great nation, we use our God-given reason to elect men and women who we believe will most closely rule according to God’s will and Word. But we also know that the U.S. has maintained a perfect record of electing sinners to be presidents and senators and representatives: every single one of them.

Getting Involved
Getting Involved

Is it alright for Christians to be involved with politics?

The Bible contains no specific command that either requires or forbids Christian involvement with politics. However, through the prophet Jeremiah, God teaches His people that they should, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf” (Jer. 29:57). In other places, God teaches that Christians should obey and pray for those in positions of civil authority (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:17; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13). These passages, together with the general biblical teaching that Christians should care for and promote the welfare of their neighbor, would suggest that Christians should participate in the process of deciding how we, as a nation, shall live.

Abortion Is a Biblical/Political Issue
Abortion Is a Biblical/Political Issue

Soft people in the church, those who are double minded and wish to run from the truth, will tell pastors not to preach about abortion. The disconnect is real, surely in the LCMS too. These folks will tell pastors not to bring political issues into the pulpit, and far too many otherwise faithful pastors comply. But, of course, as a popular meme says, abortion is distinctly a biblical issue.

Facts, Fiction, and the Media: Reading and Watching the News as a Lutheran
Facts, Fiction, and the Media: Reading and Watching the News as a Lutheran

As Christians, we live as strangers even in our own land. We live in a tension between being a Christian and an American. Our aims and the country’s aims will sometimes diverge. But God also calls us to work for the good of our neighbors, as far as we are able. In America, where citizens participate in the task of bringing about just government, Christians have a vocation to participate in the political life of the nation.

Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips

This morning I sip coffee from one of his mugs: "Masterpiece Cakeshop: Yeah . . . that cakeshop." What cakeshop? If you don't know, you're not informed, and you're watching the wrong news. Jack has been embroiled in legal battles since 2012, when the baker declined to use his talents to create a custom cake celebrating a so-called gay marriage. Phillips, mind you, served all people, no matter what. But he did not wish to use his time and talents to commemorate that which he believed was wrong. This is what the First Amendment is all about, freedom of speech, which means the freedom from compelled speech, along with the free exercise of religion.

TIME TO VOTE – SO EXERCISE YOUR GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILTY
TIME TO VOTE – SO EXERCISE YOUR GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILTY

What do these things have in common and why does it matter for us this election? The “Sinicization movement” in China towards religion, the Bishop Johanna Pohjola trial in Finland, and the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act” law in America? All these are examples of a growing, secular statism growing abroad and now—here. When people ask me, “For whom or for what should I vote this election?” Amidst all the rhetoric and rancor, my main advice is that you vote for the platform that limits government’s coercive power, and the platform that more clearly defines a more limited role of government in the lives of ALL Americans.

GUIDELINES FOR YOUR VOTE – VOTE PRINCIPLES, PLATFORMS, NOT PEOPLE
GUIDELINES FOR YOUR VOTE – VOTE PRINCIPLES, PLATFORMS, NOT PEOPLE

Is it alright for Christians to be involved with politics?

The Bible contains no specific command that either requires or forbids Christian involvement with politics. However, through the prophet Jeremiah, God teaches His people that they should, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf” (Jer. 29:57). In other places, God teaches that Christians should obey and pray for those in positions of civil authority (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:17; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13).

Reformation Reflections about Liberty and Freedom: They Still Matter!
Reformation Reflections about Liberty and Freedom: They Still Matter!

Every year on October 31, Christians from around the world are reminded of a “reforming” movement that brought back to light the central message of the Bible, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Freedom, life, and salvation were again heard as God’s gifts offered to sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Martin Luther’s rediscovery of the uniqueness of the freedom of the Gospel as God’s saving work in the world for all shook the foundations of the medieval world. It ushered in many of the precious freedoms that we enjoy in this world today. It clearly identified and distinguished the uniqueness of the eternal freedom that comes from knowing and trusting in God’s gracious work in Jesus from the cultural/political freedoms that come from public policy, citizenship, and good government. Distinguishing, cherishing, and engaging both freedoms is part of what it means to be a Christian citizen in the world for the sake of the culture and the mission of the Church.

Abortion Exceptions
Abortion Exceptions

Former President Donald Trump has come out in favor of the rape and incest exception [with regard to abortion], and that's a pity. And yet a friend says we need to have abortion precisely because some women are raped or are victims of incest. What that shows is that people are not listening or are confused by the propaganda press, which is the only press half the country ever gets.

Beyond the Booth
Beyond the Booth

One of the cherished notions that typically guides the lives of Americans is that politics and religion do not mix. Of course, there are some areas of overlap that Americans accept and even expect, like a prayer at a presidential inauguration or candidates ending speeches with “God bless America.” But, on the whole, it is taken for granted that there needs to be a clear distinction or even a wall of separation between church and state. People do not want the government telling them what to believe about God, and they do not want the church telling them how to vote. Actually, they do not want anyone telling them how to vote.

How Can You Call Yourself Pro-Life
How Can You Call Yourself Pro-Life

How can you call yourself pro-life and not support free lunches, open borders, socialized healthcare? Well, you fill in the blank. First, off, such talk is a diversionary tactic, disingenuous. Can we simply agree that we ought not to be killing babies, whether they are in the womb or have been born? It really is that simple.

LCRL Staff
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WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW – CHRIST’S “SPIRITUAL FIRST RESPONDERS!”