Church and State by H. F. Phelps

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Mar 25, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 13.

Church and State.

By H. F. Phelps

Clear Distinction as to Fields and Duties.

THERE is a line of demarcation between the church and the state, their duties, their realms of activity, and their limitations, that is very clear; but not recognized by the masses. A little reflection, however, will make the matter plain to the most simple-minded, for it is one of the most simple of truths.

The Church Is of Divine Origin, being conceived in the mind of God. The state is a human organization, conceived in the mind of man. The church was organized of God, for a divine purpose. The state was organized by man, for a purely human purpose.

The purpose for which the church was organized was the salvation of the soul.

The purpose of the organization of the state was for the protection of the bodies and of the property of men in this present life.

The church is a spiritual organization, and deals with spiritual things, and uses spiritual weapons.

The State Is a Temporal Organization dealing with things of a civil nature, and uses carnal weapons.

The church, as all history teaches, can not use the weapons of the state, without endangering her own existence. The state can not maintain its own existence in the use of spiritual weapons.

The church must teach the lesson of repentance and forgiveness, not only seven times in a day, but "until seventy times seven."

The state can not forgive the criminal even once, except to put a premium on crime; while to forgive a criminal four hundred and ninety times a day would lead to the ruin of our civil authority.

It follows that the realms of the

Activities of the Church and State

are not the same, but that they are as far removed as spiritual and heavenly things are from those on earth; as far removed as are the interests of the souls of men and the bodies of men; as far removed as the things of time and sense, and the things of eternity. That this is so, we notice the following:

The church has a divine commission: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

This commission is from the great Head of the church, Jesus Christ. From this it is plain that the realm of the church is that of the mind. It presents the Gospel of salvation thru Christ to the minds of men. It reasons with the mind. It persuades the mind. For, "with the heart [mind] man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

This Is the Realm

in which the true church works. As long as the church remains true to God, true to her Author, she seeks no other realm. She asks for no other weapons than the spiritual weapons of a spiritual kingdom. And with the reward of souls saved to that spiritual kingdom she is satisfied. And enjoying the protection of the Head of the church, even of Jesus Christ, she asks no more.

The only proper realm of the state is in civil matters. As some men will not be civil, she enacts laws to compel them in their outward conduct. She uses the sword of civil power to compel due respect for the life, property, and character of her citizens. In this realm, and with these duties she is content. She protects the church in no other way than simply the protection of all citizens alike, in the exercise of their natural, God-given rights. And all history bears testimony to the fact that both church and state flourish best when in the performance of their respective duties, using each its own weapons of warfare, and remaining in the realm that lawfully belongs to it.

H. F. PHELPS.