Christianity and Slavery

Christianity and Slavery

In response to my blog last week, The U.S. Constitution: A Light About to be Extinguished, an online follower posted the following on our Facebook page:

If I have misread what’s posted on this site, I apologize, but these are my thoughts: Blogs on this site paint a rosy picture of the USA in general, and Christianity, in particular– as if they have historically stood for the right, for morality and justice, and for the oppressed instead of the oppressor.

Didn’t Christians, including the Catholic hierarchy and the Seventh-day Adventist hierarchy, support Hitler? — After all, he was a “Christian” and a vegetarian, to boot. One common myth about the relationship between religion and slavery is that faith leaders spoke early and often about the evils of enslavement.

Actually, Christians who spoke against slavery, such as the Quakers, were few and far between.

Instead, Christians, by and large, used the Bible to justify the institution of slavery and its perpetuation. The use of religion to defend slavery grew when denominations were successful recruiting in the South.

The relationship between religion and slavery is not as flattering as many contemporary Christians assume.

Thank you for your post. I believe your concerns are so important and helpful that I wanted to highlight them here and address them.

Your point is excellent and poignant, and something our entire website is focused on exposing – the difference between religion and the kingdom of God.

God is the Creator, and His laws (gravity, health, and moral) are design protocols for life – how life actually operates. Thus, God’s kingdom is based upon love, truth, and liberty.

As created beings, sinful humans cannot create. We cannot build reality – space, time, matter, energy, life – and thus our laws are not the laws of God that reality operates upon. What we do is make up rules, which we call laws, and then enforce those rules with threats of punishments. This is the human-law model or method and stands in sharp contrast to the Creator’s design laws and methods.

Religions embrace the human-law model – the false idea that God’s law functions like human law and that justice is inflicting punishment upon lawbreakers. Thus, religions have taught and continue to teach that it is righteous to inflict punishment on others and use power over others to enforce one’s way. This false belief system naturally leads to the very abuses you have referenced, including slavery and the use of the Bible to support it.

The history of what I documented in my blog is still true, however. There is a battle within Christianity (as well as the world at large) over these two views of law and, thus, over two views of God and two views of justice. Jesus Himself battled against this same issue when He opposed the religious leaders of His day. He consistently taught that God’s kingdom is the kingdom of love built upon design law; He rejected the imposed-law view of humans. In my blog, Parables of Jesus – The Overarching Theme, I reveal how every one (100%) of Jesus’ parables teaches design law and exposes the fallacy that God’s government operates like human governments – upon imposed law.

This battle is between the true principles of God’s kingdom (love, truth, freedom) and the principles that drive the systems of this world (selfishness, lies, coercion).

When the Bible was translated into the language of the people, it brought God’s truths to the masses, and it was the Christians who embraced God’s principles of liberty and equality that formed the abolitionist movements in Europe and America. But those Christians who rejected God’s principles and embraced imperial law (just like the Jewish leaders in Christ’s day) used the Bible to justify their continued biases, prejudices, and exploitation of others, including slavery.

The founding documents of the United States were designed to restrict or limit the power of the few (government itself, the aristocracy, and religious organizations) over the masses and create a government that protected liberty – but such documents could not change hearts; only Jesus can do that. It is by restricting the power of the few to coerce and control the many that an atmosphere of freedom is created in which truths can advance and, thus, change hearts.

So, I love your point and want to affirm it as long as we differentiate those Christians who embrace what Jesus actually taught from those who embrace the imperial/human-law model of religion.

We must also recognize that Revelation teaches that before Christ returns, those Christians who have rejected design law and embraced imposed law will join with state powers to form a beastly system that will coerce others and once again take away liberty. The freedoms written into the U.S. Constitution will be removed – and you are right, they will be removed by those who call themselves Christian. But understand, these are the ones that Jesus describes here:

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21–23 NIV84).

Come and Reason’s goal is to present the truth about God’s kingdom – His design laws and methods – effectively so that people can reject the beastly system of force and coercion, which is based entirely upon imposed law, and be sealed by the Holy Spirit to be just like Jesus in character.


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Testimony 56

I cannot thank you enough for opening my understanding to the beautiful truth of God’s Law of Love and how it applies to everything. I have been a Christian for over forty years, but I feel like I am only now seeing with my eyes open. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

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T. Banda, Malawi, Africa

 

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I have found your Bible study class lectures to be very inspiring and useful as I prepare to teach class every other week. I subscribe to the podcast and download your notes on the weeks I teach. The audio and notes are such a great help in preparing. My own understanding of God’s character has grown as I teach the class. Commendations on the thought-provoking and well-prepared material Come and Reason provides. Personally, I get excited by the tie you make between the spiritual and mental/physical domains.

A.A. Corrales, NM, USA

 

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My husband is a pastor and I listen to your lesson almost every week. Thank you for helping me in my study life and to help me love the “real” God more.

C. F., NC, USA

 

Testimony 32

The message [of Come And Reason Ministries is] for all Christians (and those who may become Christians) and not just Adventists or any other group. It is difficult to imagine why any [anyone] with intellectual and spiritual honesty could find fault with the way you explained the healing substitution concepts and the truth about God’s character, though I know some will reject and criticize. On behalf of those in our group near Tacoma, WA, thank you and your staff for all of the hard work and for sharing the Gospel in this manner. God’s message of healing love will be carried to the whole world and then Jesus will come – He promised it.

Terry U., Tacoma, WA, USA

 

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I just want to say thank you so much for your conversations via YouTube. I regularly tune in to your lectures, “Let’s Talk” sessions, and many others. Through these I’ve found greater depth and meaning to God’s word. Thanks for all that you do and please continue. I’m currently working in the middle of Silicon Valley at Stanford University. I feel like God really has me in the right place right now and I’m sensing that your teachings might be part of it.

B. F., Silicon Valley, CA, USA

 

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I Love This Ministry!!!!!!! I see first hand how this message is desperately needed, how erroneous beliefs about God and His Character negatively affect humanity at every level. I thank God for your ministry, as I was searching on my own and was discovering some of your same beliefs and was blown away when I found your ministry. I know you hear it all the time, but it is truly life changing. May God continue to reveal His Will to you and Bless you!

Eric S., Sanford, FL, USA

 

Testimony 49

I came into the church at 21, but that is as far as it went. I was so confused about what love is. I couldn’t find it in the bible, because I am not a person that can read between the lines. I have no logic. I have read many, many books; trying to figure out the crux of the matter. They were helpful, but something was still missing. I have become very frustrated to the point of crying out to God, “Where can I go?”  I needed some basics.

I found two books, written by Timothy Jennings, MD, to be very helpful. God showed me that I had lived my whole life in fear. I didn’t even see it. Now, I do. God is so good.  I discovered the “The Remedy”  Dr. Jennings new book, “The God-Shaped Heart!” Oh, I was so excited, I purchased them right away.

I can get rid of most of my books, because “The Remedy” brings the Love of God out so clearly, even I can’t miss it. Now, I want to sit and read my Bible. Wow, what a revelation! It is just simply Awesome! I am so grateful to Jehovah Almighty for hearing my prayer for more understanding! I am so encouraged!

Jackie S.

 

Testimony 29

Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

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The blessings of clarity and understanding you and your class inspire me to take from the word of God have impressed upon me so greatly the true, loving character of our Creator. I have found amazing freedom and joy through building a stronger, more intentional relationship with Him. What is new is that this is now a relationship built on love, reverence and respect rather than fear and obligation, and as such my eyes have been slammed OPEN as I am continually impressed by the manifestations of God’s true character in His provisions for fallen man.

T.E.H., Salt Lake City, UT, USA

 

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I have been sharing Come And Reason Ministries Bible study lessons with several folk. You have such a beautiful view of the plan of salvation. If we had this message preached when I was young, my generation would still all be in church.

H. R., New Zealand

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA

 

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Daniel T., Easley, SC, USA

 

Testimony 46

Over the past couple of years God has been expanding my view of Himself and His character. Along my approximately 40-year journey, I have often had questions, but was hesitant to voice these and step outside the traditionally accepted thinking, for fear of admitting that I may in fact be eternally lost. In the recesses of my thinking has been the thought – if one blindly accepts (which is widely regarded as “real faith”) and does not question, is this really ‘truth?’ I often find it challenging to grapple with very theological ‘speak,’ but Dr. Jennings has a real gift of explaining spiritual concepts with clear practical examples. The weekly discussions are growing my Christian experience and slowly changing my view of how to live as a child of God in today’s complex world. Finally the whole Old Testament sanctuary teaching moved in my mind from fantasy to reality!

Beverly S., South Africa

 

Testimony 18

The Healing the Mind DVD set tarted me on a journey that has changed my relationship with our loving God more significantly than any other study, and brought me to your book and Bible study podcasts, which I now listen to daily, thanks to the availability of archived content on your site and on iTunes.

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