SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE,
WHERE SHOULD A CHRISTIAN STAND?

By: Pastor Rick Bickelhaupt


The school year has ended and the heat of summer has begun. As we start the month of July, many are thinking of vacations, spending a little more time with the family, and of course, planning for July 4th celebrations. It amazes me when I talk to people about the meaning of holidays. Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and even the 4th of July, has lost its real meaning in today's society. Most of us forget the blood that was shed, lives that were sacrificed, and families that were torn apart, so we might enjoy the liberties that we have in America.

In about 8 weeks our children will begin their new school year and you can be assured that many will be taught unscriptural values, and corrupted historical positions. The youth of America for the most part will not be taught what the 4th of July is really all about. Nor will they be taught moral absolutes. For years “so called” professional educators have taught young people that God is dead, or non-existent, and we have evolved from some prim-mortal slime. On top of that, when ever a Christian will stand up in the public school system for Biblical values, many times they are treated as second class citizens and are scoffed and ridiculed. The Christian is told they are not allow to express their religious beliefs because of the Separation of Church and State. Is this what the 4th of July is all about? Is this what our founding fathers wanted? Is this what many gave their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor for? I think not. Either professional educators are ignorant of the true historical facts, or they are purposely lying to their students!

Ask almost any American if he believes in the "Separation of Church and State" and most will tell you they do. When asked why, they say, "It's in the Constitution". But the fact is, it is not in the Constitution, nor is it in any of the founding documents of the United States of America. Actually the term "Separation of Church and State" came from a personal letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to a group of Baptist. On January 1, 1802, Thomas Jefferson was responding to a group of Baptists in Danbury Connecticut that had called him an "infidel". Certainly they labeled him correctly, for he was indeed an infidel. He did not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ, nor did he believe the Bible was the Word of God. But he did believe that if he were to be re-elected, he would have to win the conservative Christian vote. (Sounds like Bill Clinton & Bob Dole, a couple of years ago, doesn't it!). You see, Baptist were not a part of any State religious establishment. They resented the fact that they had to pay taxes that went to support State Churches. So Thomas Jefferson wrote this letter to try to regain their confidence. His letter reads as follows:

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach action only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' ."

The First Amendment was added to the Constitution to protect the Church from a national establishment of religion. Remember, the phrase "Separation of Church and State" comes from a personal letter written by Thomas Jefferson to a group of Baptists, and Jefferson had nothing to do with the drafting of the First Amendment. If you would study the founding documents of this nation you would find overwhelming evidence that they did not try to keep God or the church out of the establishment of the government, but just the opposite, the government was not to control, or run the Church.

THE FIRST CHARTER OF VIRGINIA - 1606 - "We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may by the Province of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagation of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true knowledge and Worship of God..." Did you notice why the pilgrims came to this land; it was for the propagation of "Christian Religion".

THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT OF 1620 - On Nov. 11, 1620, as their ship set off the coast of New England, before they set foot on this new continent, they joined together and signed the Mayflower Compact. This compact of the first settlement of this new land begins with these words: "In the name of God, Amen." It continues, "Having undertaken for the glory of God, and advancements of the Christian faith,... covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politick..."

THE FUNDAMENTAL ORDERS OF CONNECTICUT - 1639 This first constitution written in America, includes these words: "Forasmuch as it hath pleased the Almighty God by the wise disposition of his divine providence so to Order and dispose of things..." It continues: "And well knowing where a people are gathered together the word of God requires that to maintain the peace and union of such people there should be an orderly and decent Government ESTABLISHED ACCORDING TO GOD..."

Space will not permit me, but I would encourage you to read the following documents, THE NEW ENGLAND CONFEDERATION OF 1643; THE PENNSYLVANIA CHARTER OF PRIVILEGES; THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, every founding document, every State Constitution all mention reliance upon "Divine Providence" or "Almighty God."
So why is it that we here so much about Separation of Church & State? I personally believe that it's for two main reasons. 1). It's because of ignorance of true historical facts. 2). Also because of the hardness of peoples hearts. Every time someone cries, "Separation of Church and State", they basically are saying, "Don't preach to me God's set of Biblical Standards".
Just what should our involvement be? Many have gone in extreme direction both ways. Some Christians believe in complete abstinence from governmental affairs. Others believe in total involvement to the point they forget the Greatest Commission that the Lord Jesus gave his followers, and that was not to reform the world through political involvement, but rather through the preaching of the Gospel, leading lost soul's to Christ, and disciplining them so they might fulfill God's divine purpose, "... bear much fruit", Jn 15:7.

The Bible says we are to pray for our leaders, II Tim. 2:1-2. We are to persuade our leaders, Prov. 25:15. We are to render to the government what is due to the government, Matt. 22:21. We are to stand up for what is right when the government is in the wrong, Dan. 1:8, Dan. 3:1-18; Dan. 6:1-10, Acts 4:17-20, Acts 5:28-29, Acts. 5:40-42. (Please take time to read these scriptures). We are also to be "salt and light" in this dark ungodly world in which we live according to Matt. 5:13-16.

So the next time someone uses the term "Separation of Church and State, in order to try to repress you from declaring your personal beliefs, understand that they are doing so either out of deliberate deception, or out of personal ignorance of the true historical facts. So meanwhile let's stand for what's right, and let's do what is right, and I know that the Lord will bless you for it!

Pastor Rick Bickelhaupt