Church & State

Introduction

July 20, 1801, devout Baptists in Cheshire, Massachusetts gathered in their Sunday finest with pails of curds for a day of worship and cheese pressing. Cheese wheel was four feet in diameter, thirteen feet in circumference, seventeen inches in height, and weighted 1,235 pounds. Transported to Washington DC, it arrived on December 29th, and was presented to him on New Year’s Day. It was sent as both a congratulations in his defeat of John Adams, but also as a plea to consider the idea of religious liberty. On that New Year’s Day, he wrote to them:

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & 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,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.

What was this wall? Was it, as some would propose, a wall to keep any form of religion away from the government? Considering that two days after he wrote this letter, on January 3rd, 1802, Jefferson attended a worship service on the very floor of the House of Representatives, probably not. Instead, the wall was to keep the government from interfering with the free exercise of religion, as promised in the First Amendment.

Jefferson, though misinformed in many ways on the truths of Scripture, understood the limitations of government and the need for both a higher power and a moral people for this country to thrive.

Paul understood this well as he interacted with the government officials based in Caesarea. He understood the call of Jesus to “render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s.”

This is an important concept to consider especially as more and more churches and pastors seek to position themselves with or as politicians.

Paul provides an example of how to live with a foot planted in both worlds.

Paul’s Interruptions

v. 24

Interruptions can be annoying…or they can be an opportunity for something else. #1 Okie. Taking orders.

Two interruptions occuring in this chapter.

First, a two year interruption to Paul’s missions endeavors. Arrested back in Acts 21. Held under Felix, who was absolutely cruel. Nero replaced him because of his cruelty with Festus. When Festus took his seat, Paul had been in prison for two years and the Jewish anti-Christian leaders from Jerusalem traveled to Caesarea to meet with him to ask for Paul to be executed.

The second interruption is within the trial that Festus is holding for Paul. The accusations have been made and now he and King Agrippa II were in attendance and listening to Paul’s defense.

As Paul has been sharing his testimony and pointing towards the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he is interrupted by Festus.

“You’re crazy!” Now, what we have here is what we call a logical fallacy. You may not know that term, but you’ve seen them. These are invalid or faulty reasonings which serve as tricks or illusions in debate. They are often used by politicians or political pundits. The particular one here is what is called an “ad hominem” where someone, rather than addressing the argument or position, makes a personal attack. This is done as a basic last resort when they simply can’t argue against the facts being presented and so all they can do is try to attack your character.

The basis of his rejection was the flesh. He couldn’t accept by faith what Paul was stating to him, despite the fact that Paul’s statements were true and reasoned.

This led to Paul’s desire, to use every interruption as an opportunity.

Your interruptions can be opportunities.

Times when people experience a crisis, an opportunity to love; Experience grief, an opportunity for compassion; Experience despair, an opportunity for the Gospel.

Paul’s Compliment

vv. 25-27

Typically, if someone calls us a name or disrespects us, our response is to bow-up or to get back at them.

Notice how Paul responds. He responds with a compliment, an honorary title, “most excellent.”

Shifts to King Agrippa II. Descendant of King Herod, so he was Jewish. One of the puppet kings set up by the Emperor and subservient to him.

This is why as Paul is describing the Gospel, he connects it to the Old Testament prophets. These are writings that Agrippa would be familiar with.

A reminder that

Scripture is authoritative.

Paul then makes this statement to Agrippa, “I know that you believe.” Everyone believes something. Everyone has faith.

Not everyone has saving faith.

It matters the content of your faith - Jesus.

And it matters the level of faith - not just knowing it or thinking it’s true, but giving your life to it. Life today and life eternal.

Belief in a chair.

Agrippa’s Retort

v. 28

“Persuade” or “convince”

In such a short time. A life changing decision.

Agrippa understood this...

Becoming a Christian is a life-changing decision.

Your life before and after Jesus are never the same.

Paul’s Desire

v. 29

Paul, after spending two years in prison for something he had not done, he could have used this opportunity to plead his case for innocence. It would have led to him being free and back to what he loved doing.

But, what was his desire? Paul, more than anything at this time, wanted to see the audience God had given him saved.

Rather than being a witness for his own defense, he chose to be a witness for Christ.

“He wanted the king’s salvation, not his favour.”

John Stott

Where does this change come from?

Paul has this understanding that to really bring about change, it has to be more than just an external change, but an internal change.

Laws are external.

Sanctification is internal.

Paul knew that true change worked from the inside to the outside.

This works for us as individuals.

This also works on a broader scale.

Conclusion

Relationship between the church and the state.

Neither exists without people.

Change the people - change the institution.

We don’t make long-term change by changing laws. Laws are ineffectual to change behavior.

To bring about effectual change we must change the hearts of the people.

If we are going to bring about true change in our nation, it starts with the people.

And as we take the opportunities, even if they are interruptions, to share the Gospel, we will see true change.