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Kingdom values have helped bring radical transformation in society precisely when Christians understood their calling to be salt and light in the public square.
“This kind of precedent is highly frightening and raises the question of who’s next”, says Evangelical-Baptist leader Vitaly Vlasenko.
A view of Moscow, Russia. / Mariusz Lluzniak (Flickr, CC)
In a statement published by Moscow’s “Portal-Credo” news service on 24 March, Rev. Vitaly Vlasenko, the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists’ “Director for External Church Affairs” since 2006, brands the very recent de-legalisation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses as an “unreasonable and dangerous step.”
“The Russian constitution guarantees every citizen the free profession of his/her faith. It does not state which faith is correct or incorrect. This kind of precedent is therefore highly frightening and raises the question of who’s next.”
He continued: The Ministry of Justice “is beginning to distinguish between proper and improper believers. What will prevent these same officials tomorrow from condemning, say, the Evangelical Christians-Baptists, (Orthodox) Old Believers or Catholics? I think this approach is fundamentally wrong.”
Nearly all Protestant denominations have condemned the new legislation.
Russia’s Jehovah’s Witnesses number roughly 165.000. The Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists boasts less than 80.000 members.
The term “gazelle” appears on numerous occasions in the Bible, especially in relation to the Jewish peoples nutritional prescriptions. But it also appears as a symbol of lightness of foot and speed.
Self-sufficiency weakens us, deprives us from support which we might have benefitted from, and widens the gap between our public persona and our private struggles.
The Bible teaches that blessings and curses cannot spring from the same source.
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Opinions expressed are those of their respective contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of Evangelical Focus.
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