Church and State Are Not Meant to be Separate | A.R. Bernard

About this sermon

The Church and State were not meant to be separated. It is wonderful to know that our nation has codified into law a day that the entire nation is called to prayer. You've got to appreciate and understand what that means because there are nations that would never do that. In fact, religion is under persecution. When you think of America's division of church and state or separation of church and state, do you all think that it's a separation or isolation from each other? No, it's simply a separation of authority, that the state should not have authority over the church and the church not have authority over the state. But there is to be a working relationship. So to be in a nation where we have a day that we set apart to honor prayer, I think it's very, very critical that we appreciate and understand that. I've had more time to travel, interact with government and other institutions in our society to bridge the relationship between church and state. Churches are not only the moral centers of our community, but the social services centers in many ways, bringing services to our community. The church is still, or houses of worship, is still the largest people base that people gather in community. It is the voice of the people on the ground where people are experiencing life in their various communities. So it's important that we understand those kind of relationships. There are those who feel that the church should be totally separate from the world, totally separate from government and all of these things. And those are the churches that end up turning the government for help in time of crisis. So you've got to make up your mind which way you're going to go with this. The reality is, and I love the model that's found, when Israel went into captivity, when they lost their kingdom, their nation, and they ended up in captivity in Babylon, what was Jeremiah the prophet's words to them? Settle down. Jeremiah 29: 5-7 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” In other words, position yourself within the society, and then these are the powerful words, and pray for the peace and prosperity of the city because if it prospers, you will prosper. In other words, he tied the prosperity of his own people with the prosperity of the environment that they were in that was in another place spiritually and religiously. So you've got to understand that there are times when we have relationships and positions of power for the sake of our people. Relationships is a network for life, and not everybody that God sends you to will be converted. But just maybe the purpose of that relationship is for the good, whether it's the common good of society at large, but specifically for those who are the people of God. Too often we think very narrow in a way that separates us from the very things that we need in order to get things accomplished within a society. So it is about Christ in culture. It is about Christ in the society effecting change. This is critical within the society and for the purpose of effecting change. So I appreciate your prayer, CCC. Our name is Christian Cultural Center. So we believe that Christianity brings a culture and places us within the larger culture to bring influence. Welcome to our Worship Experience How can we pray for you? Prayer Request: https://bit.ly/3bgzdZo Morning Prayer Line (M-F, 6am-6:30am/EST & F, 10pm-11pm) Call: (425) 436-6277 Access Code: 565636 - Ways to DONATE Online: https://bit.ly/3dNcVPX Text: Text “CCCINFO” to 77977 Phone: (833) 269-2652 Mail-in: Mail to: Christian Cultural Center - Po Box 1008 Smithtown, New York 11787 GIVE ONLINE Christian Cultural Center depends on the generosity of our members, friends and partners in ministry to maintain our beautiful campuses and facilities. Weekly, thousands receive hope, encouragement and growth in their faith. Especially important are the many lives that are shown the love and compassion of Christ through our missionary efforts at home and abroad. - Connect with CCC: CCC Brooklyn on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Gc1U9U CCC Long Island on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2KVKRwx CCC Brooklyn on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2jRLHhm CCC Long Island on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2rE1MLM CCC Brooklyn on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2KVVNde - Find Christian Cultural Center at https://bit.ly/33IirQh Find A.R. Bernard at https://bit.ly/33U6Uxz Find Jamaal Bernard at: https://bit.ly/39iEkqC

Topics

• Church & Fellowship
• The Church