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Politics

May 19, 2004 Print This Post

{ MOOD: 8.5 |ITUNES: “Precious Lord” – The Blind Boys of Alabama }

So I am teaching a government class tomorrow at Holt High School. They have asked me to share my position regarding the Separation of Church and State. I get the impression that they often have pastors come in and teach against it. I will be taking quite a different slant. Now, obviously I am not going to get into a big doctrinal treatice, but during my research, I have kind of made one. I thought I would share it.

A lot of the stuff in this outline comes from three outstanding sources, so I want to make sure I give them credit. I don’t always agree with these guys, but they help me think:

Ray Stedman
Miles Stanford
Norman L. Geisler (In fact, he has the best paper on this topic I have ever read and I am trying to find a pdf version for you all…search for “Geisler Norman A Premillennial View of Law and Government” and see if you can find it. Let me know if you have any luck.)

Anyhoo, here are my talking points for tomorrow. You’ll have to interpret where I am going on your own:

Talking Points

• Christians have an often negative reputation on this issue
• Christians often push for a return to the beliefs of “our forefathers”

Postmillennial Relation to Government

• Why do so many of their writings refer to USAmerica as being a Christian nation?
o Because they were largely Postmillennial in their beliefs
o In early American history, there was discrimination against those who chose not to be religious at all
ß Puritans persecuted them
ß Many states required public officials to hold some religious belief until the 1940s
o Belief that Christians should practice OT law today
o This is why we have this big push of the 10 Commandments being the foundation of civil law
ß If we follow this through to its logical conclusion, we should conclude two things:
• We should enforce all the law in civil government (including the death penalty for homosexuals, drunkards, and rebellious children)
• There can be no freedom of religion because the first Commandments is “You shall have no other God before me”
o Which would mandate a Judeo /; Christian worldview
• Postmillenarians / Covenant Theologians believe the church is obligated to usher in the kingdom
o To do this, they must “Christianize” the world

Premillennial / Dispensational Relation to Government

• Premillenarians / Dispensationalists believe there is a separation between the present kingdom and the one Jesus will bring in the future
o There is no heavy burden to “Christianize” government
o We are to be salt and light and do good to all men
o We are not to set up a Christian government
o We can be content with any government that allows us freedom to share the gospel
ß We only promote a good and just government, not a Christian one
• Not Christian laws, but fair ones
• Not superiority for Christians, but religious equality (which fits with the First Amendment)
o Government should not alter any religion
o Nor should religion alter government
• Old Testament Law is done away with
o We still have a moral law on our hearts and we see this in most people groups
ß Honesty
ß Justice
ß Truth
ß Gratitude
ß Goodness
ß Honor
o The power of government is preservation of natural and civil welfare, rights and properties of individuals

Civil Disobedience

• Only necessary when government usurps authority of God, for instance
o When it does not allow worship of God
o When it commands us to kill innocent lives
o When it commands people to worship idols
o When it commands people to worship people
o When it forbids sharing the Gospel
• Governments can permit evil, they just cannot command it
• Disobedience is not allowed because the government limits freedom, just when it negates it (All laws limit freedom)
• We can be insubmissive, but not insubordinate
o Even when we do not submit to the law, we must be willing to accept the consequence of that law
ß Peter, Daniel, SMA, MLK, etc.