“Separation of Church and State”

“Separation of church and State” is a phrase used by Thomas Jefferson and others expressing an understanding of the intent and function of the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ….” This was intended to create a virtual wall between the Christian Church and the secular Government.

The need for the separation of Church and state has never been clearer than it is today. With the onset of State sanctioned homosexuality and same-sex marriage, the Christian Church’s voice for holiness and Christian morality has been dwarfed by the government’s amoral policies on sexuality and its redefinition of marriage and family.  The government has effectively rejected God and His Word.  The government’s voice for sin seems to be greater and louder than the Church’s voice against sin.

Good Christian folks are being persecuted, criticized and sometimes ostracized because of their biblical and morally justified stand against the abominable sin of homosexuality.

The children of God are openly being ridiculed and labeled as “haters” by the media and those in powerful and influential positions within society. Christians who do not acquiesce to the antichristian policies and  immoralities of society may find themselves being characterized as homophobic or sanctimonious.  Many Christians dare not voice their true beliefs against homosexuality for fear of reprisals. Many Christian politicians dare not voice their true opinion on the subject of gay marriage for fear of losing voters. There are even a few pastors who avoid the subject altogether for fear of losing their mega church status and enormous incomes. There are some of us who are reading this article who have been cowardly disloyal to God’s stand against homosexuality. We have accepted and approved of homosexuality either by our silence, our indifference or our fellowship with homosexuals.

There are countless arguments for homosexuality. The world and her children have embraced it.  The god of this world has promoted it and rewarded its proponents with wealth, fame, prestige and power.

However, regardless of how one may color it, the world is wicked, homosexuality is evil and those who advocate for its right to be openly expressed, socially embraced, politically and legally recognized as an acceptable sexual orientation are going to hell.

²⁰ Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

REPENT!

"Father To Son"

On Salvation

The Jackie Robinson Story / Celebrating Black History

Happy 94th Birthday Mr. Robinson

Jakie Robinson

Walking in the Spirit

 

Bishop O.W. Prince Bible Commentary: Walking In the Spirit.

Question:
“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out…So I find it to be a la...w that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand…waging war…and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rm. 7:18-25)

Scriptural Answer:
God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. –Gal 3:27) For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do – Sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in [for] us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Holy Spirit).

…For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

If in deed we’ve been BORN AGAIN, put on the mind of Christ…

Since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. Live according to God in the spirit. Glorify God in Your flesh.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you...therefore, glorify God in your body. Amen!

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Can you identify the scriptures used in this post? See how many that you can identify and list them in your comment.  The person with the most accurate list will be awarded a digital certificate of Award.

 

God's Sovereignty

by John W. Ritenbaugh
Edited for Re-post by Bishop O.W. Prince

Romans 13:1-7

(1) Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. (3) For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. (4) For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. (5) Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. (6) For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. (7) Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Once we understand God's sovereignty over the nations, it is not difficult to understand where Paul bases his instructions in these verses. Thus we can understand why Moses so quickly and surely considers the actions of Korah and his group as rebellion against God rather than merely against himself (Numbers 16). When Israel rejects Samuel as judge over them because they want a king, God reveals to the prophet that the people are really rejecting the rule of God Himself (I Samuel 8:7). It does not matter whether a Christian considers his nation's government to be unlawful. What matters is whether God permits it. If He permits it, this One, who is aware of even sparrows falling, has allowed it or has directly brought it to pass because of the purpose He is working out. That is all that matters. God is ruling His creation, and this is what we are here to learn and trust.

Jesus lived His entire life under an unlawful civil government. The Roman government ruled over Judea as a result of military conquest. Moreover, at times even the ecclesiastical government was not in the proper hands because corrupt Roman officials discovered that just-as-corrupt Jews were willing to pay bribes to "buy" the high priesthood. But the Scriptures repeatedly show Jesus subject to them, though He called both, especially the ecclesiastical one, into account. Matthew 17:24-27 is a clear example:

When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?" He said, "Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?" Peter said to Him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."

The Temple tax was one-half shekel per year for every Jew over 20. Since Jesus Christ was Lord and Owner of the Temple, He and His "children" should have been free of taxation. Jesus orders Peter to pay it anyway for both of them to avoid a bitter and offensive debate on the merits of His claim. By doing this, Jesus sets the right example looking by faith beyond a legal technicality to the True Ruler, the Father. God likely brought this episode to pass for our instruction.

Perhaps a brief statement of Solomonic wisdom will summarize Christian understanding of God's sovereignty over the governments of men: "There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the LORD " (Proverbs 21:30-31). His meaning becomes clearer in other translations. The Living Bible renders it, "No one, regardless of how shrewd or well-advised he is, can stand against the Lord. Go ahead and prepare for the conflict, but victory comes from God." The Revised English Bible translates it as, "Face to face with the Lord, wisdom, understanding, counsel avail nothing. A horse may be made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord."

It may seem a remote possibility, even strange, that we would fight against the Lord, yet because human nature remains in us, we do. The apostle Paul complains in Romans 7:14-23 that what he did not want to do he did anyway because a law of enmity against God worked within him. Proverbs 21:30-31 tells us that human wisdom, insight, and counsel must be in conformity with God's will to be successful. God's children must understand His sovereignty over everything and conduct their lives knowing that nothing avails against God and nothing without Him.

The Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. (Daniel 4:25)

To rebel against leadership and power is to rebellion against the sovereignty of God. For it is The Most High God who assigns position and power to whomever He desires to accomplish His will. ~ owp