Counsel #3 — Individual Conscience

Picture: Counsel #3 — Individual ConscienceCCW 111.1

Religious liberty reflects the very nature of God's rule, built upon the foundation of free will. Just as God chose to create us, He gave us the power to choose our own path (Deuteronomy 30:15, 19).CCW 111.2

Throughout history, the human spirit has yearned for the freedom to explore the deepest questions of existence: What is your purpose? What lies beyond this life? Finding answers to these questions in the Bible allows you to forge a connection with God, shaping your beliefs and practices. Coercion in matters of faith undermines the very essence of this connection, creating a hollow and inauthentic form of worship.CCW 111.3

This fundamental right — the right to religious liberty — stands as a pillar of just societies. Because our relationship with God is a personal one, no human institution should hold dominion over an individual's spiritual beliefs.^{[168]https://www.adventistliberty.org/babylon-and-freedom-of-conscience}CCW 111.4

“Choose you this day whom you will serve.” Joshua 24:15 NKJVCCW 111.5

“[God] has commanded all men to worship Him and obey His precepts, and this command applies to each individual personally; but has He ever commanded any man or set of men to compel others to worship Him, or to act even outwardly as if they worshiped Him? To ask these questions is to answer them emphatically in the negative.” Ellen White in Spirit of Prophecy Counsels Relating To Church-State Relationships, 27.2CCW 111.6

Reflect: The quote above mentions that God compels no one to worship Him. How does this concept contrast with the idea of forced religious compliance or persecution?CCW 111.7