Most of us have heard quite a bit on the ever-present issue concerning the "separation of church and state."  On the one side, many of those who claim an allegiance to Jesus Christ decry all attempts at removing religion from the public venue as attacks on the divinity of Christ Himself.  Secularists, on the other hand claim Christians seek only to convert the entirety of the free world to a theocracy akin to that of Old Testament Judaism.  Though certainly there are those who fit either of those bills, neither accurately reflects the majority of believers on the other side.

So what about this whole "church and state" thing?  If by that phrase we mean that the leadership and organization of the government should be independent of the leadership and organization of the church we are certainly correct!  Who would want such a thing?  If by that, however, we mean that one's religious convictions and character have no bearing on their role in the civic (I hate the word political) world, we are entirely off base.

Answer me this:  does an atheist govern as if there is no God?  Certainly!  Is the athiest then not guided in his/her civic approach by an essentially religious worldview?  Of course!  Why then should a Christian (who believes there is a personal God) not relate to his government in a way that is consistent with his religious beliefs?  The complaint of secularists here is not that someone's religious influences affect their civic goals, but that its not their own postmodern skepticism that does the influencing.

Since the Christian is, then, to relate to his government, he should certainly do so in accordance with what has been revealed to us in the Word of God.  Let's begin with the concept of authority (In case you don't have a Bible handy, simply copy the verses listed below and paste them at www.BibleGateway.com using the NKJV, NASB or ESV).

1. All authority has been given to Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 2:34-36).
   
2. Some authority has been delegated further by Christ Himself to human institutions (in a sundry of matters; Romans 13:1-7 and John 19:8-11), elders (overseeing spiritual matters, Acts 20:28-31) and husbands and wives (concerning the household; Ephesians 5:22-6:4).
   
3. Where man's laws require disobedience to God's will it is to be disobeyed (Acts 5:29).
   
4. Where man's laws require something neither forbidden nor stated Biblically, man's law is to be followed (1 Peter 2:13-14).

Most of those who believe in the inspiration of the Bible would agree with these clear truths.  However, throughout the Bible there is another principle which is just as essential when considering the answer to our question:  seek to achieve God's will in a manner that honors man's due process.



The clearest execution of this principle is found in the book of Esther.  Therein, God's people are in a sore position.  Haman has plotted to destroy them using a decree of the king to proclaim a day of slaughter (ch 3).  Having uncovered this plot Mordecai and Esther seek to save the Jews from ensuing destruction, having "come to the kingdom for such a time as this" (4:14).  Once the king has been notified of this plot and the motives behind it, he grants Mordecai and Esther the authority to rectify the matter and bring about the salvation of the Jews (8:1-8).



So how does Mordecai (a scribe learned in Persian law) seek to achieve God's goals?  He knows that no decree of the king may be altered (1:19) or revoked (8:8) so instead of performing an illegal/unconstitutional act under Persian law by revoking the decree (doing away completely with the day of slaughter) or altering it, he writes a new law (neither altering nor revoking the original law) allowing the Jews to fight back on that day (8:9-17; later extended a day in 9:13-14).

Mordecai's method was essentially this:

1. Know God's ends
   
2. Know man's laws
   
3. Glorify God by meeting his ends
   
4. Honor man by achieving these ends within the framework of the human law

God has made His will known to mankind in a way that can be known and understood (Ephesians 5:17 and John 8:32 & 17:17). Part of that will is stated in Romans 13:1-7,

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.  Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.  For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.  Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority?  Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good.  But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain.  For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.  Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.  For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.  Pay to all what is owed to them:  taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (ESV)

Honor is to be given where honor is due.  But where is our honor due as citizens of these United States?

This Constitution, and the Laws of the Unites States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.  (Article VI, Clause 2, Constitution of the United States, http://www.law.emory.edu/FEDERAL/usconst/art-6.html emphasis added)

To whom/what is it that our highest office holder swears his allegiance?

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.  (Article II, Section 1, Clause 8, Constitution of the United States, http://www.law.emory.edu/FEDERAL/usconst/art-2.html#sec-4 emphasis added)

To whom/what is it that our armed forces are sworn to defend?

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies both foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same... (from http://www.dcmilitary.com/army/standard/6_20/commentary/10864-1.html emphasis added)