Bethany Bullet - October 7, 2014

We Americans are well acquainted with the term: the separation of church and state.  Long before an elected official in America coined this phrase, the "elect apostle to the Jews" St. Peter (in his first epistle) articulated the concept of the distinction between church and state.

Church and state - both divine institutions, both gifts from God to man, and both institutions through which He is at work; yet distinct nonetheless.

In the church, God is at work for us as His grace and mercy rule and His forgiving love in Christ reigns.  In the state God is at work protecting and promoting good, prohibiting and punishing evil, and He does such work through leaders and citizens alike.  

As both Americans and Christians, therefore, we are called to take our citizenship seriously. When Christians support or promote issues that seek social justice, promote life, defend the unborn, stop human trafficking and the like they do so in the calling as citizens understanding the role of the state to protect and promote good and prohibit and punish evil.

-Pastor Kevin Kritzer