Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 5-6

Highlight verse:

““Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the Lord? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.””
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭5‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

According to the latest Pew Research study (2023/24), The percentage of people in the United States who claim to be Atheist is only 5%. Even if you include all those who identify as anything other than Christian, it is still a minority of 38%.

So why do the words of Pharaoh sound so familiar today?

The majority of those who have managed our system of education seem to think that the separation of church and state means that we have to deny any public mention of God.

I don’t wish to sound political, but this is just wrong.

While I would not draw a direct parallel with Pharaoh and the plagues that followed his refusal to recognize God, I will say that the institutional denial of the existence of God can only lead to terrible consequences.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we should have a state church or advocate one religion over another in schools and public functions.

But in trying to keep religion out of public life, we have institutionalized the religion of atheism.

Instead, we should allow the open honest discussion of religion in public, including schools.

If we are honest and not judgmental, people can judge for themselves.

I believe that the mercy and grace of Jesus would win the day when the truth is presented honestly.

Sorry for the departure from normal expository study of the Bible but I felt it had to be said before we end up like Pharaoh. I’ll step down from my soap box now.

Have you been able to share the Gospel in ways that have been accepted in public?
What can we do to foster the honest discussion of faith in public?