The question “Who should wield power and control?” has divided mankind throughout earth’s history.
On July 4, 2026, Americans will be celebrating 250 years since the signing of the declaration of Independence. All 56 signers committed a treasonous act against Britain—risking their lives and fortunes for the sake of freedom. These brave men believed that religion was a duty we owe our Creator, to Him we owe our very existence.
These founders of The United States understood that governments derive, “their just powers from the consent of the governed.” And furthermore, man’s relation to God cannot be delegated by man, but by God. We celebrate freedom today because men and women who went before us refused the dictates of priests, kings and magistrates, and choose instead the leadings of the providence of God.
Roger Williams
No conflict was anticipated when a likeminded Puritan Minister named Roger Williams sailed in the dead of winter aboard the Lyon, entering the Massachusetts Bay Colony on a cold and blustery day, 1631. Puritans considered themselves loyal to the king, but disagreed with what they regarded as corrupt practices by The Church of England. Yet, both the crown and the church were applying tremendous pressure upon them to comply against their consciences. They fled to New England seeking to honor a covenant with God, to create a ‘nation of saints’, a “City on a Hill.” They aimed to build a pure community free from any taint of corruption.
Roger Williams, a highly intelligent and benevolent man of deep religious conviction, was also a man who would not compromise. He believed there were errors in the governance of New England, and he was not willing to back down. When in England, King James had declared himself ruler by divine right and above the law. William’s mentor, Sir Edward Coke had defied the king and confronted him face to face. For that, King Charles rewarded Coke with a ‘room’ in the tower of London.
Rodger Williams clashed with the Massachusetts Bay leaders when they believed that the state must enforce all of the commandments of the decalogue. Williams believed instead that only the first four should be under the direction of the church- not the state. Williams’ ideas challenged both the government and the clergy- which were one and the same! He threatened their very vision—which they believed was also God’s vision. Although the Puritans had fled England due to religious persecution, they themselves could not see that their belief in religious liberty was for me, and not for thee!
Roger Williams stood almost entirely alone in his concern that imperfect humans could not properly apply God’s laws, and would inevitably err. He believed that forced worship, “stinks in Gods nostrils.”
Williams was considered dangerous. There was concern that his views could infect the entire colony and cause its descent into sin. Ironically, Williams lived an exemplary Christian life and had no theological divide with the leaders, however he must be dealt with severely to quell his influence. The divine right of kings that they abhorred in England, was manifested in their own desire for absolute power and control. Thus Williams was branded a heretic.
Kangaroo Court
The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay colony decided to banish Williams on October 6, 1635. If he did not comply, he would suffer flogging, branding, cutting off of his ears and his tongue. Ultimately, he could be executed. The Banishment included not sharing his ideas: in any colonies, in his community of Salem Massachusetts, and extended to his own home with family or friends.
Massachusetts authorities and Williams would have it out over their great dispute, but they would not settle it, nor is it settled today.
Two fault lines have run continuously throughout four hundred years of American History and are as relevant today as they were in Williams life time.
The first is What power and control is mankind’s responsibility— in regards to the church and the state?
The second is more subtle; American individualism and the proper relation between a free individual and the state.
Williams clashed with the leaders of the colony over his independent views. He was an ardent student of the Bible, and was also influenced in his study of both Daniel and Revelation. Roger Williams saw what his contemporaries didn’t see; how the Scriptures predicted a system of government that would compel all who refused to worship the beast—to suffer persecution.
Despite the enormous cost to Williams, he was unbending. Passionate supporters came to his home to receive encouragement and prayers from their teacher. He was betrayed. Word got back to the magistrates in Massachusetts that Williams was not honoring his ban. For this trespass, mercy was no longer granted to him, as he had broken his banishment. He received word that rough soldiers with brandished swords were coming to arrest him and execute him if he refused to return to England on a ship that was about to sail.
Bidding his family goodbye, he fled his home in a blizzard, stuffing his clothes with dried corn paste, and was swallowed by the forest. God sustained him miraculously; he was taken into the wigwams of (most likely) the Wampanoag Indians, of whom he had previously learned their language and customs. Ironically these so-called ‘barbarians’ showed more compassion to Williams than the ‘Christian’ believer’s in the Massachusetts Bay.
Rogger Williams understood unaliable rights. Unlike legal rights, governed by civil powers, unalienable rights are granted to each human being by God Himself, and exist independently of any government or legal authority. Williams, who coined the ‘wall of separation’ metaphor in 1644, argued that true worship must be voluntary, that a government who enforces religion is a ‘rape of the soul”.
Many of the freedoms we enjoy today are a direct result of Roger Williams’ influence.
Emperor Constantine
Williams pointed to the Roman Emperor Constantine as a greater enemy to Christianity than Nero, and showed how state sponsorship led to the corruption of the early church. In 321 AD, Constantine enacted the first civil edict mandating Sunday, “the venerable day of the sun” as a day of rest. This act of Constantine proved successful by almost universally obliterating the seventh day Sabbath of the early church. The results of his edict have persisted for 1,700 years.
Religious liberty, and what that means was not settled in Roger Williams’ day, and neither is it settled today. We see occasionally religious liberty eroding in the legislative halls of America. The issues that drove Williams into exile are very much alive today. We see our identity waning among Seventh-day Adventists as we have strayed from our liberty-loving roots as a church.
Miserable Covid
A shift took place during the COVID crisis. In collaboration with the federal and state governments, (during covid lockdowns in 2020), the government imposed bans on peaceful assembly, and/or restricted limitations on people gathering for worship—including restrictions for religious gatherings in ones own home. Free speech was limited and denied in some cases. Many were also de-platformed on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube) for sharing medical information from distinguished medical doctors. Fact checkers deemed truth as misinformation or disinformation. Those who dared to post anything contrary to the standard narrative were silenced, demonized and cancelled.
Dr. Frank Ulrich Montgomery, Chair of the counsel of the World Medical Association—a leading voice addressing the COVID-19 strategies said, “We are currently experiencing a tyranny of the unvaccinated.”
Coercion
Many were coerced to accept an experimental gene therapy, or suffer the loss of employment. Students were denied enrollment in academia, (including some of our institutions) if they failed to comply with the mandates. Some believed these ‘vaccines’ were neither safe, nor effective, and preferred to wait a year to observe the outcome. Some individuals refused the mandates—claiming that their bodies are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19).
The majority trusted the standard narrative and agreed to receive the COVID injection, and we support their freedom of choice to do so. Unfortunately, they did not support our choice—to trust in God’s immune system.
Nevertheless, other stalwart souls stood alone. Families were torn apart. These sought refuge in their church—appealing for a religious exemption. No exemption was granted, due to a decree from the GC in their Re-Affirmation Statement. Some called it ignorance, others selfishness to refuse the vax.
To those who refused, at their own peril suffered the loss of: reputation, career advancement, employment, etc. They were neither ignorant nor selfish. Many were marginalized by family and ‘friends’ who placed their loyalties under the banner of state/church unity—in regards to the COVID injection, believing that a true Christian should take the vax for the ‘common good.’ The pressure on people to be compliant and subservient was tremendous.
Just when many needed their church to advocate for them, they were denied, disappointed, and demonized. The unvaccinated became the ‘new heretics.’ On April 22, 2022 The Adventist Review reinforced the churches stand on their unproven policies by saying, “It’s time for all Adventists to oppose anti-vax information with the same rigor and energy we oppose theological errors,” Viral Lies by James Standish.
The question remains. Is it the right of the institutional church to override the consciences of their members?
“We are left to wonder, if the SDA church believes that to vaccinate or not, is a person’s individual choice, why would they refuse to provide an official exemption for those members who have a sincerely held belief? ”
Church leadership stated in the reaffirmation statement, (in regards to COVID-19), that ‘vaccines’ were not a matter of theological or religious liberty for the Seventh-day-Adventist Church, reaffirming the church’s earlier response to the COVID-19 statement from 2015, which was again reaffirmed in 2021. At the 2025 GC Session of the General Conference, members requested to rescind the 2021 reaffirmation statement, arguing that it was used to deny members religious exemption. No discussion took place on the floor, President Ted Wilson took to the microphone with a strong and direct appeal to the delegates not to discuss the 2021 reaffirmation statement. He shut it down. The idea of just powers coming from the consent of the governed was quelled-again.
We are left to wonder, if the SDA church believes that to vaccinate or not, is a person’s individual choice, why would they refuse to provide an official exemption for those members who have a sincerely held belief? Adventist affiliated healthcare systems implemented vaccine mandates, fortunately the courts overturned them when the legal system recognized civil rights were violated. Vindication came too late for many.
Why is Church Institutional Loyalty Waning?
Many individuals have come to understand that kingly power that seeks to override the promptings of the Holy Spirit, is not the spirit of Christ, but the spirit of Rome. Our first loyalty is to our Creator and His Word, which is not necessarily the same as the 501 (c)(3) church institution. We choose to respect the institutions of the state, and church when they are in harmony with the principles of Scripture. If, or when, these institutions seek to override the consciences of their members, we endorse no blank check.
Who Decides What is Truth?
The magistrates in Roger Williams time were convinced they were correct in their view, and as a result they believed that gave them the right to weld their power.
The officers of the General Conference were convinced they were right in regards to COVID protocols- issued from the government, which made them believe that they acted correctly.
The rulers of this world will also believe they are right to boycott those who refuse mandates to honor a spurious sabbath.
Ecclesiastical overreach always results in some form of persecution when they give to themselves supreme authority, requiring everyone without question to acknowledge their claims. Being right isn’t the same as being righteous! And might doesn’t make right!!!
What is the Answer?
The answer lies in Scripture. Our sole purpose is to reflect Christ. His law is to be written in our hearts (Hebrew 10:16). We are to carry the torch of the reformers to the world. Christ, our leader, did only those things that His heavenly Father asked of Him. We are to follow His example. He was free from the unholy dictates of the religious leaders of His time. Christ’s apostles stood for the right and refused to stop preaching Christ and Him crucified.
We read in Acts 5:27-29;
“And the hight priest asked them, saying, ‘Did not we straightly command you that ye should not teach in this name? And, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.’ Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Conclusion
When champions are few, we too must be unmoved by the power and control of erring men.
We must refuse to be delayed, discouraged or distracted from giving the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14: 6-12, and the 4th angel of Revelation 18:1-2.
God’s true Adventists will not be bribed, seduced or terrified.
Roger Williams demonstrated his marked departure from man’s attempt to override his conscience. His resolve was so pronounced that the words of John Quincy Adams, (not meant as a compliment) said, “He was altogether revolutionary.”
What one man like Roger Williams can do in God’s strength, another man can also do.
So help us God!
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Text Reference: John M. Barry, (2012), Rodger Williams And The Creation Of The American Soul- Church, State, And The Birth Of Liberty. NY,NY, Penguin Group.