Church - Separation of Church and State

 Separation of Church and State

In 1802, the Danbury Baptist Association expressed their concern in a letter to the newly elected president, Thomas Jefferson, that there were no protections in their state constitution for religious liberty. They feared that the government could exercise their power to establish a state religion. Jefferson’s response affirmed that he too believed in and supported that “religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions…” He further stated that the “legislature would ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation of Church and State.” It is out of his response letter that the oft used phrase “separation of church and state” was conceived.

Although this has become the rally cry for many institutional churches, the fact is that there exists now a different type of separation of church and state. A wall has been built that has caused more damage to Christianity than any government will ever be able to do. There is something far more serious than the government exercising any authority over the institutional church. There is something far more destructive than the government dictating the laws and practices of an institutional church. The decisions made by the Roman emperor Constantine did more damage to the Church than any of his predecessors. He was the emperor who, unlike his predecessors, promoted Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. Instead of suffering great persecution, the church was granted great freedom and afforded many privileges under Constantine. It became, for political reasons, the recognized church of the state. It was during his reign that the first modern church buildings were constructed. It was during this time that the church would begin to build the wall of separation between the church and state.

“State” by definition is the condition of a person or thing. It is the particular place, status, rank, or position in one’s life. This word is used by Paul to describe how he learned to be content in whatever state he was in, whether it was being abased or abounding, being full or being hungry. He was talking about his condition. The Proverb tells us to be diligent to know the state of thy flocks. At this time, the reality of the church is that it builds a wall of separation between the church and the actual state (condition) of man. Instead of being the Church as God intended, people now “go to church.”

I am not against assembling together with other believers. I am also not against those who continue to assemble together in some institution every Sunday and Wednesday. What I am against is how man has separated the very way he is at an institution once or twice a week from the way he truly is away from the institution. The way people talk, act, smile, prioritize, feel, etc. is all different than how they act in common, everyday life. If going to church had as much positive influence on a person as people say it does, then we would naturally see people more sensitive to sin and more eager to tell others about Christ while outside of the church walls. Instead, the church puts up a wall of separation and even goes further to provide an excuse for sin while keeping the truth of the gospel within. A “faithful Christian” is considered one who is a regular attendee at an institution. It matters little how he lives outside of the walls, as long as he remains faithful. Some who may be reading this post will automatically think or say “The church is what you make of it.” Sadly, this is even more accurate of a confession than they even understand. The church has become exactly that – what man has made of it. The church is guilty of the same sin of the Israelites regarding the Lord’s Passover. What began as the Lord’s, eventually became the Jew’s (see John 6:4 and Leviticus 23:5). Today, what began as the Lord’s, the Church, has fully become man’s church.

Christ’s Church is glorious, without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing. It is holy and without blemish. The Church is Christ’s body, his flesh, and his bones. How many times have I heard the statement, “There is no perfect church.” Their confession, although unintended, reveals that they are taking part in something that is absolutely unbiblical. Christ’s body is perfect! His Church is without spot, holy, without blemish!  Although I understand that they are talking about people, and people will sin, regarding the Church, the Body of Christ, it is Perfect! Yes, man will stumble and sin even after he joins the Church, but it still does not take away from the fact that the Church is perfect! It is just like everything else that comes from the hand of God. Furthermore, if we are commanded to be perfect, and attend an institution that claims to be imperfect, then why do we continue to reason that we go to church to help grow in our Christian life?

God’s standard for mankind was and is to be perfect. I have heard many preachers water down that standard by claiming the word perfect means “complete.” Unfortunately, they forget the fact that we are already complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10). No word of God’s is without effect or reason. There would be no effect or reason if God were commanding us to be “complete” if we already are complete in Him! The standard is perfection and holiness and we should strive for the same.

A wall of separation exists between the church and man. For 2-3 hours per week, man “acts” perfect. He smiles, gives, listens, sings, and is faithful. Some people are told that the church exists so that we can make it through the week. Like a tetanus shot, we need to go and get our spiritual shot. In case we step on any rusty nails, we can relax because we had our weekly shot. Just to be sure, we are told to come back on Wednesday for our booster shot. Instead of promoting a lifestyle that keeps one away from the rusty nails of sin, the church and its leaders encourage dependence upon an institution for when they will step on the rusty nail. Encouragement to keep holy, without spot or blemish has been replaced with the false remedy of church attendance. Believers are told that they will sin and have no choice in the matter. Defeat, disillusionment, and discouragement continue to drive people into the walls of an institution, rather than experiencing great victory in their life through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Others are told that they have to come to church to be fed. My question to those who go for this reason is, “Are you leaving hungry.” Consider this reason into the physical realm. If we were to only eat food on Sundays, and then a snack on Wednesdays, we may be able to live, but we would be extremely weak and feeble. We would fall prey to any germ and sickness and would suffer great harm to our bodies. A person that is daily nourishing his body, will have the strength to withstand the germs and sicknesses of this life (spiritual and physical). Sure the church verbally promotes daily Bible reading and prayer, but the very way the institutional church is set up festers the separation of the church from the state of man. The Spirit of God, they are told, will not go against the direction of the local church and its pastor. The church has drawn the focus away from a person living in and with the Holy Spirit to the necessity of going to church and relying on what the Spirit says to the pastor.

Not long ago I was teaching through a Sunday school lesson on the church. The pastor of the church and I met together each month to discuss upcoming events, to plan, and to strategize how to teach the upcoming lessons (a majority of which were copied from another’s church’s program). In the lesson on the church, the hypothetical situation was given about an unsaved husband who forbade his saved wife to attend church. The lesson said it is the wife’s duty to obey her husband in all things, including in this situation. The pastor of my church said that we needed to remove this part from what I taught as he believed the wife should disobey her husband in this instance. This same pastor officiated my wedding and had my wife repeat the words “to obey until death do us part.”

I had another disagreement with this pastor not long before regarding my family. I made the statement, “My relationship with my family is more important than my relationship with the church.” He told me to “be careful making statements like that because even Abraham was told by God to offer his son Isaac.” My response was, “Abraham was told to offer his son to prove his relationship with the Lord.” There was no church building anywhere near Abraham! The conversation ended there. What this pastor did and still does today is equate the institutional church building with God and promote the idea that one’s relationship with God is dependent upon its meetings. Any and all relationships with God begin here and continue here. Proof of this teaching can be found when someone quits the church. Many will say of those people, including some of those who quit themselves, that they quit on God. I can testify to the fact that when I left the institutional church setting, aided by my excommunication from a local church, my relationship with God began to flourish and take on greater meaning.

Two times in the book of Acts, we are told that the Lord dwelleth not in temples made with hands. While Christ was alive, He spoke of how He would destroy the temple (building), and in three days raise up a new temple (the body of Christ). Why then do people continue to believe that the church building is necessary for one to have a relationship with God?

I am not against going to church or those who do. A Christian loves other brothers and sisters in Christ and desires to be with them. A Christian desires to be provoked and to provoke others unto love and good works. A church building can provide for an atmosphere to allow for this exchange, but it is has been my experience that it happens rarely. It has become an experience very much like a movie theater where all the activity occurs on the stage and those in attendance are mere spectators. The answer is not to withdraw and lock yourself up in your home every day, but to realign your thoughts and ideas regarding the church to how God’s word explains the church. Find other likeminded believers who realize that they are the Church, and that can never be separated from their state.