Separation of Church from the State

"Unto God the things that are God's."

The Lord Jesus Christ taught on earth in the midst of a despotic government that exercised dominion over all things pertaining to human life and destiny. There was no distinction between civil and religious affairs. None was made, because none was known.

Religion was simply a part of the state, and therefore subject to human law equally with war or commerce. The Savior, with unerring accuracy, exposed the falseness of this view.

The authority of the rulers over civil affairs he did not oppose. Concerning it he pronounced no opinion except to declare that they, at least, who recognized it in any matters pertaining to it should obey it in all.

In making this decision he drew for all coming time the line of separation between the state and religion. RENDER UNTO CAESAR THE THINGS THAT ARE CESAR'S, AND UNTO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S. And, in accordance with his own decision, he utterly disregarded Caesar’s claim to authority over things belonging to God.

He knew that it had no foundation except in assumption and was maintained only by force. Consequently, he did not go to the civil authority for permission or privilege nor would he plead before it when arraigned-concerning any things pertaining to his mission as a prophet from God.

On the contrary, he gathered the people around him and taught them, as a right which he of himself possessed, and to which they had an equal right to respond. He selected messengers also to proclaim his religion, and commanded them to make it known to every creature in the entire world.

By these acts he asserted that, with respect to religion, his disciples and mankind were of right independent of all civil government. Power to restrict and silence them he knew existed. It was everywhere around them. It always had its hand on them. It might arrest, imprison, scourge them, and put them to death.

Of this he warned them, yet gave them no sword for their own defense. On the contrary, he strictly forbade their using the sword.

Their own discretion, argument, flight, suffering and his mediatory care were all the resources he allowed them against the wildest fury of absolute power. But the right of the civil government to arrest or hinder them the Savior ignored as a nullity. They were to go forth everywhere, obedient to him as their sovereign Lord in religious things, and so far independent of men. And their right to do so was finally to prevail over all opposing power.

This separation of religion from civil government was contrary to the theory and practice of mankind at the time it was announced. The Savior was the only being on earth who then perfectly understood it. Against it human power, thought and prejudice were at once arrayed.

Religion was persecuted by hostile governments and corrupted almost to destruction by the foolish impious assumed authority of patronizing rulers. Every step of the advance of separation of church and state has been a victory won by endurance or bought with blood.

Christ proclaimed the independence of religion from civil authority. However, it has never been fully realized.