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X.
Christian Liberty
Chapter 105
:
Individual Accountability
WHAT is religion?
"The recognition of God as an object
of worship, love, and obedience."-
Webster. Other definitions equally good are:
"The duty which we owe to our Creator, and the
manner of discharging it." "Man's personal
relation of faith and obedience to God."
2. In religious things,
whom alone did Christ say we should recognize as
Father?
"And call no man your father upon the
earth: for one is your Father, which is in
heaven." Matt. 23:9.
3. When tempted to fall
down and worship Satan, what Scripture command
did Christ cite in justification of His refusal
to do this?
"Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee
hence, Satan: for it
is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy
God, and Him only shalt thou serve." Matt.
4:10. See Deut. 6:13; 10:20.
4. To whom alone, then,
is each one accountable in religious things?
"So then every one of us shall give
account of himself to
God." Rom. 14:12.
NOTE.-With this agree the words of
Washington : "Every man who conducts himself
as a good citizen, is accountable alone to
God for his religious faith, and should be
protected in worshiping God according to the
dictates of his own conscience."- Reply
to Virginia Baptits, in 1789.
5. What do those do,
therefore, who make men accountable to them in
religious affairs?
They put themselves in the place of
God. See 2 Thess. 2;3,4.
6. Why, in religious
matters, did Christ say men should not be called
masters?
"Neither be ye called masters: for
one is your Master, even Christ." Matt.
23:10.
NOTE.-Every one, therefore, who acts as
master in Christ's church, or lords it over
God's heritage (1 Peter 5:3), puts himself
in the place of Christ.
7. To whom, then, as
servants, are we responsible in matters of faith
and worship?
"Who art thou that judgest another
man's servant? to his own master he standeth
or falleth." Rom. 14:4.
8. Whose servants are
we not to be?
" Ye are bought with a price; be
not ye the servants of men." 1 Cor. 7:23.
NOTE.-"Satan's methods ever tend to one
end,- to make men the slaves of men," and
thus separate them, from God, destroy faith
in God, and so expose men to temptation and
Sin. Christ's work is to set men free, to
renew faith, and to lead to willing and
loyal obedience to God. Says Luther: "It is
contrary to the will of God that man should
be subject to man in that which pertains to
eternal life. Subjection in spirituals
is a real worship, and should be rendered
only to the Creator."-
D' Aubigne's
"History of the Reformation," edited by M.
Laird Simons, book 7, chap. 11.
9. Where must all
finally appear to render up their account?
"For we must all appear before the
judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may
receive the things done in his body, according
to that he hath done, whether it be good or
bad." 2 Cor. 5:10.
NOTE.-Inasmuch, then, as religion is an
individual matter, and each individual must
give account of himself to God, it follows
that there should be no human constraint nor
compulsion in religious affairs.
DARE
to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone;
Dare to have a purpose firm,
Dare to make it known.
P. P. BLISS. |
