Separation: That Which Makes America and Churches Strong
As we look forward to celebrating Veteran’s Day I should like to bring to your attention in these few lines a point in our heritage that has made us a nation and also as a church, strong. Observe these words from The March of Democracy, A History of The United States, Volume I, by James Truslow Adams: “The Puritans were made up of all sorts of minds, from those of great noblemen, like the Earl of Warwick, or thinkers, like Milton, to illiterate cobblers or farmhands. Their protests against tenets or ceremonies of the English Church and against the manners and morals of non-Puritans were of all degrees of intensity. Some wished to reform Church or society from within, others, the Separatists, felt they must withdraw entirely.” The passengers of the Mayflower that drew up The Mayflower Compact were Separatists. This was a group of people that believed that the way to rear their children and establish their laws was not to re-arrange from the inside but the answer was to "...come out from among them, and be ye separate...." (II Corinthians 6:17).
On Veteran’s Day it does us good to remember that we believe in America’s right to be separate so much that our forefathers were willing to sacrifice with their dying breath and last drop of blood the privilege to be “…one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Allow me to elaborate three ways separation has benefited us corporately as a nation and individually as a Christian people within this nation.
I. Our Willingness to Stand Alone as a Republic Has Strengthened Over
the Years.
As our country stands on the brink of possible conflict with Iraq in this continuing War on Terrorism, it will do us well to remember that we have been a people that did not depend upon other nations and peoples for our victory. The Bible says, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God" (Psalm 20:7). Even as a young nation, we held to the same belief the words of young David, "And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands" (I Samuel 17:47).
As a country, we can continue without the help of the United Nations, but we cannot make it without the Lord. Our willingness to be separate is not one that makes us an egotistical island on our own. It helps make us a people wholly dependent upon the Lord. We did not get here by our power; we stand as a nation formed and maintained by the Sovereign hand of God.
II. Our Willingness to Stand Alone as a Church Has Strengthened Us as
Christians.
Being an independent Baptist does not make us better than other denominationally structured churches, but it has increased our dependence upon God, thus increasing the capacity for more of His manifestation in our midst.
We are separatists in our conduct. For example, Friday morning of last week, I was listening to The John Matthews Show on the radio. It is a local radio station program that allows citizens of our fair city to call in. A couple of the callers were mothers, livid about the lewd dancing and immodest apparel tolerated and worn in the public school in recent days. A good way of making sure lewd dancing doesn’t take place is not to attend the dance to begin with. We, as Bible-believing assemblies have stood against the dance for centuries. For those of you that take issue, we are not talking about what David did in a celebratory method of praise because the ark of the Lord was returning home, "And David danced before the LORD with all his might..." (II Samuel 6:14). We are talking about the kind of dancing that is made to entice the opposite sex, the kind that cost John the Baptist, his head, "And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee" (Mark 6:22).
We believe that the visible Church of the Lord Jesus Christ has been here since our Lord instituted it by calling out His disciples on the sunny shores of blue Galilee. We believe that She (in the truest form) is not the product of reformation, She was here before Constantine married Her to the state and shall be here when Christ returns (Matthew 16:18)! We believe our doctrine has flourished and been blessed, not because of Her affiliation with society, but rather as Her separated-ness from society. We believe as did our forefathers on the Mayflower, who "...confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13). The very things that make us different are the things that make us strong!
In conclusion, let us remember that beneath those graves where “In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row,” (In Flanders Fields [1915], st. 1) lay the bodies of our faithful who as Washington said, “Is a people that would rather die on their feet than live on their knees.” May we also remember that the man who said those words was the same man that a young soldier who returned from Valley Forge and said, “Mother, I know we’re going to win this here war against the British, because I saw General Washington kneeling in the snow.”
On this Veteran’s Day remember what made America great! Let us pray for our President and newly elected men and women who make up our Senate and House of Representatives. God help us evermore to be as our Pilgrim forefathers longed and prayed for “A City on a Hill.” God bless America!
- Pastor Pope -