Thomas Jefferson On Religious Freedom
There is no more complex man in American history than Thomas Jefferson. He issued conflicting comments on several issues. Some conclude he was hostile to Christianity. He was not. He was cool toward organized religion, but not Christianity. He left little doubt of this by writing: “I am a real Christian – that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ.”
Further evidence of this is his close friendship with Baptist minister John Leland, a dynamic voice in the issue of religious freedom. As Leland’s gratitude for Jefferson’s friendship and support for his endeavors on behalf of religious freedom Leland did a most uncommon thing. An ardent supporter of Thomas Jefferson, Leland became famous for his media-savvy strategy to signal the Baptists’ support of the newly elected president in 1801: the gift of a giant wheel of cheese. Reportedly made from the milk of 900 Republican cows, the cheese measured 4 feet in diameter, 13 feet in circumference, and weighed 1,235 pounds. Emblazoned on its red crust was Jefferson’s favorite motto: “Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.” As the giant cheese made the month-long journey from western Massachusetts to Washington, D. C., pundits lampooned, ridiculed and celebrated the “mammoth cheese.” On Jan. 1, 1802, Jefferson welcomed Leland and his flamboyant gift into the White House. Two days later, Leland delivered the Sunday sermon to the church which regularly met in the House of Representatives, with the president in attendance.
As an aside, Jefferson reputedly gave more money to more churches in Washington than anyone. He often attended the church that regularly met in the House of Representatives. Another church met regularly in the Supreme Court building.
Jefferson’s letter to the Baptists, of which Leland was one, was to assure them there would be no state supported church and all churches would be equal.
So much for separation of church and state.
Quoting Jefferson on the subject, he said: “God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever…”
Having freedom and not using it is little better than not having it. Having religious faith and not using it is little better than not having it.
Evaluate evidences of your faith by this exam. When did you last pray, when did you last engage in studiously reading the Bible, what is your current record of attending public worship?
Keep Your Eyes On Jesus
Scripture speaks of “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” Hebrews 12: 2.
When Giuseppe Verdi produced his first opera in Florence, he stood by himself in the shadows and kept his eye on the face of one man in the audience – the renowned Rossini, the world’s most famous opera composer of his era. It mattered not to Verdi whether the people in the hall were cheering him or jeering him; all he wanted was a smile of approval from the master musician.
So it was with Paul. He knew what it was to suffer for the gospel, but the approval or disapproval of men did not move him… Paul wanted only the approval of Jesus. So should we.
So it must be with us if we are to please Him. By keeping our eye on Jesus we are not likely to suffer spiritual setbacks resulting from the allure of others.
The idea in the verb is that of looking away from one thing to some other thing. We must always have some object before the eyes of our mind, and very often it is an object that will cause the natural man to stumble spiritually.
Well it has been said that in looking unto Jesus we see in Him a model, and we begin to imitate Him. We see in Him the doer of the Father’s will, and we learn to do that will as He did it. We see in Him a willing sufferer for others, and we learn willingly to suffer. We see in Him a man that pleased not Himself, and we learn not to please ourselves. We see in Him a pattern of all meekness, and submissiveness, and gentleness, and kindness, and we learn from Him to be meek, and lowly, and gentle, and submissive, and kind, and humble — and thus it is that in looking to Him we are changed into His image from “glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Thus it is that in looking away from other objects we are prevented from imbibing the evil influences to which they have too long subjected us; and in looking to Him we are brought under the efficacious power of higher, purer, nobler, diviner influences. But the great feature in which the apostle presents Christ to us is His faith. He showed us how to believe, and believe even on this earth where there is everything to tempt our faith and to cherish unbelief. He showed us how to live by faith upon the Father, even in a world like this, that has cast off the Father. Let us look to Him then and learn of Him, let us look to His footsteps and walk in them, following where He has led the way, and planting our feet where we find that His have been planted before us.
Look unto Jesus through the lens of faith. Put your confidence in what He taught and did, and endeavor to do likewise. Jesus is more than a model. He is our Master first and as such, our model. Let others see Jesus in you today as your model.
Life’s Constant
Life is not static. Life is like a line, not a straight line, a roller coaster line with ups and downs. All events are like a coin having a head or a tail side. Every event in life is either a blessing or a burden, an upper or a downer. Personal reaction to an event has a lot to do with which it is.
Many of the blessings that come our way do not come as a reward for things done, but to prepare us for things to come.
Where are you now, at the top of the curve or the bottom? Regardless as to which, you will not likely camp there. As sure as change has happened it is certain to happen.
There seems to always be a guarantee in life that change will happen. Change is something we tend to fear and become anxious about because we do not feel in control of life. The good news is that God is still on His throne and remains constant, He never changes.
Of Jesus it is said, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 He is our one constant in the good times and challenging times. The more you rely on Him the more He guides and blesses regardless of where you are on the scale.
Through Isaiah God said to His prophet, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” Isaiah 43: 16. He does not say there will be no new things, no wildernesses, or wastelands. He does promise He will be there to guide us through them. We are not to camp there. He is in the process of making a way. He is like a refreshing stream to people in a wasteland. That is analogous to a difficult time.
To Joshua and through Him to his followers God in a very difficult time said, “ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9. Whether you are at the pinnacle or in the depth of a deep and dark valley He is with you, your constant. Scripture notes this reassuring virtue of God, “I the Lord do not change” Malachi 3:6.
As Joshua said to his people in a down time that appeared to be getting deeper: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” Deuteronomy 31:6.
In light of these realities will you not say, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” Psalm 18: 2.
Keep Your Cool
A mother came home and was surprised to see her four children huddled around what she knew must have been something special. She was alarmed to see it was four baby skunks. Frantically she shouted, “Run children, get out of here, hurry, run.” Each child grabbed a baby skunk and ran.
Like that mother we often make things worse than they were by being alarmed and over reacting.
Composure shows when a person bears with composure one heavy load after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he has a Spirit controlled temperament.
A rubber band is made for only one purpose. That purpose is to be stretched so it can hold something together. If it is not stretched, it is not fulfilling its purpose. Christians are much like the rubber band, we are often stretched. Those moments when stretched out of our comfort zone afford the opportunity to show that though we are stretched we are fulfilling our purpose. It is to hold things together. If we lose our composure we make things worse than they were.
Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Mission, used to hang in his home a plaque with two Hebrew words on it: EBENEZER & JEHOVAH JIREH. The first word means “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us”and the second, “The Lord will see to it or provide.” Knowing that enables a person to be patient and evidence composure.
Jesus is our exemplar of composure. It is said of Him, “who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously…” (I Peter 2: 23). Meaning, He did not lose His cool, He remained composed.
He was accused of being a seditious man; spoken of as a deceiver; charged with being in league with Beelzebub, the “prince of the devils,” and condemned as a blasphemer against God. And He remained composed.
He used no harsh language. He showed no anger. He called for no revenge. He prayed that they might be forgiven. He calmly stood and bore it all, for he came to endure all kinds of suffering in order that he might set an example, and make an atonement for our sins.
Though He could have inflicted any kind of punishment on his persecutors, yet to give us, in this respect also, an example that we should follow his steps, He committed his cause to Him who is the righteous Judge. To avoid evil tempers, and the uneasiness and danger of avenging ourselves, it is a great advantage in all such cases to commit ourselves to the Lord. This stimulates confidence and composure. To lose your composure is to lose your cause – – – and your witness.
What causes Jesus suffering at times more than the cruelty of His persecutors must be the failure of His followers to follow His example. It was our sins for which He died. Is it too much to expect of us to live for Him?
Old Age
Ninety-two years have lapsed since the year of my birth. There is not a person alive who can attest to that, but I know I was because here I am. I knew I was getting older, but I had no idea it would happen so fast.
For years I have dreamed of getting more mature, not realizing it comes from the passage of time.
As a youth I questioned whether I would live long enough to see the year 2000. Now that is so far past I barely remember that millennial night when folks sat up all night with their shotgun across their lap to protect their bottle water.
I am physically blessed for my age except for a few hitches in my giddy-up. I am not going to complain about those. A few years ago one of our sons-in-law, who is a physician, showed me a medical book over an inch thick listing most of the possible human ailments. Rather than complain about the few I have, I thank the Lord for the many I don’t have. It’s a wonderful life.
As many of our faculties decline our faith has the greater opportunity of growing stronger and enriching our life. Job properly noted, “With long life is understanding.” He further declared “… increased years should teach wisdom.”
Years wrinkle our bodies, but only to stop dreaming, imagining, hoping, and aspiring wrinkles the soul. The belief that youth is the happiest time of life is founded on a fallacy. We grow happier by giving ourselves to something bigger than ourselves. I did and still do. The happiest people are those who think the most uplifting thoughts.
Two varied sources of wisdom deserve to be heard on aging. The wise old baseball pitcher Satchel Paige asked, “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you was?” Well?
Abraham Lincoln reputedly said, “You are as old as your fears, and as young as your faith.”
Getting old is a blessing, not everyone gets to so why complain about being blessed. There really is a fountain of youth. Spain’s Ponce De Leon popularized the idea of a magic spring to be found somewhere in the New World. He was looking in the wrong place. It is within each of us. It is refreshed by the people we love, the talent we share, the giving of ourselves to the advantage of others. Drink deeply of it.
Being weighed down by “stuff” robs one of contentment. The most fulfilled person is the one preoccupied with laying up treasure “where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
The Jewish Torah shares this wisdom, “Spiritual aging causes one to become stagnant, and evaporates vitality and pleasure. It causes withering ….” To avoid such stagnation I want to perpetually keep seeking wisdom and knowledge. To do this I must “Study to show myself approved unto God … rightly dividing the Word of God” II Timothy 2:15.
When the time comes, as it surely will, that I draw my last breath may it be said of me as it was of Abraham, “Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life…” Genesis 25: 8.