This week a small town in South Carolina was ground zero for a major battle concerning religious freedom as the ACLU threatened to sue the Oconee County Council for opening their meetings with prayer. Of course, the central issue was praying in the name of Christ. The council’s practice in this regard has been commonplace in our land since our founding and in no way violates the Constitution or the rights of anyone. On the contrary, the right to engage in such activity is protected by the Constitution.

Michael Johnson, Senior Legal Counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (an organization that agreed to defend the Oconee County Council free of charge if the ACLU followed through on their threats), had been contacted by the Oconee Ministerial Association and drafted a policy for the Council’s adoption by vote that would set forth their prayer policy and ensure the continuation of opening their meetings with prayer and the freedom to do so.

“‘It’s amazing that, in a country founded on religious liberty, the right to open a public meeting with a prayer would be under attack,’ said Johnson. ‘But that is exactly what the ACLU is doing--using its favorite tactics of fear, intimidation, and disinformation to force municipalities into passive compliance with its agenda to eliminate our First Liberty, religious freedom.’”

What is even more amazing is the fact that the Council caved under pressure and voted to no longer open their meetings with public prayer but opted instead for a moment of silence despite earlier indications they would in fact adopt the policy. Much has been, should be, and will be said concerning the fact that we as Americans are allowing our freedoms to slip away. Of course, the Council is comprised of people who are ostensibly Christian and much has been, should be, and will be said concerning our obligation to stand for Christ.

At the same time, perhaps not enough is being said about the apparent inability of many Christians to stand for Christ. Whether they are unable or simply unwilling is in one sense irrelevant to the real issue for the church as the result is the same in either case. In another sense, the issue is critical for the church in that the sad reality is that some Christians are simply weak and others are Christian in name only. They have fallen short of closing with the Lord for salvation.

While the impetus may be different, we are in a situation not unlike those in the book of Hebrews. The author was concerned that many who had professed Christ did not know Him and were in danger of fully turning away from Him. American Christians must be challenged to not shrink back but go all the way with Christ. This dynamic is in large measure the central issue for the church today. Why must we go all the way with Christ?

First, we must go all the way with Christ because He is the One who said it all. The writer is primarily concerned with those Jewish believers who had committed to Christ but were in danger of falling back into Judaism and law keeping as a means of salvation. In some sense, they were in danger of looking to Moses for their salvation and not to Christ. As an antidote to this danger of apostasy, the writer, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, begins with the superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ over all things including the Old Testament prophets and the angels.