Just heard of another example of Christianity being persecuted by the elites in our culture. This time it happened at Florida Atlantic University, where professor Deandre Poole told the students to write the name “Jesus” on a piece of paper, put it on the floor, and then stomp on it.
One student refused. He was suspended. And the university is standing behind the professor. Read more here.
Mr. Poole and administrators at Florida Atlantic University, let me remind you of the First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.Perhaps you’ve never heard this before. Perhaps you simply choose to ignore it. But it is not in your power to prohibit the free exercise of religion. This includes, but is not limited to, Christianity.
Here are a few things the Triune God says about the name given to Jesus Christ:
“She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” [Matthew 1:21]
“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” [Acts 4:12]
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” [Philippians 2:5-11]
You have the freedom not to believe this. You can curse the name of Jesus is you want. But someday—whether you like it or not—you will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. I hope and pray you confess it as one of the baptized, as one of the faithful, as one of those who died in Christ and thus lives eternally in Him.
“She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” [Matthew 1:21]
“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” [Acts 4:12]
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” [Philippians 2:5-11]
You have the freedom not to believe this. You can curse the name of Jesus is you want. But someday—whether you like it or not—you will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. I hope and pray you confess it as one of the baptized, as one of the faithful, as one of those who died in Christ and thus lives eternally in Him.
Persecute us if you want. Use the power of your vocation to belittle those who disagree with you. But try as you may, you cannot rob us of the joy of being in Christ. By God’s grace, I hope and pray you come to know that same joy. For it is the most liberating thing there is.
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