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06/18/2026

"Let Not Thy Mouth Cause Thy Flesh To Sin" (Explanation and Meaning)

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

This famous phrase comes from Ecclesiastes 5:6 in the Bible (King James Version).

It warns against making rash promises or excuses to God that you cannot keep.

The Core Meaning

The verse advises controlling your speech to avoid committing a sin.

The Context:

It specifically addresses the making of vows to God.

The text states it is better not to make a promise at all than to make one and fail to fulfill it.

The Warning:

When you speak hastily ("let not thy mouth cause thy flesh to sin"), you may find yourself trying to make excuses later (like telling the priest or temple messenger it was a "mistake").

The Consequence:

The passage warns that breaking promises and making excuses can provoke God's anger, potentially causing Him to "destroy the work of thine hands".

"Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin" is a famous proverb found in Ecclesiastes 5:6 (NKJV).

It warns against making reckless promises to God and then trying to excuse the mistake later, advising that careless words can lead to spiritual or personal ruin.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/18/2026

"Let Not Thy Mouth Cause Thy Flesh To Sin" (Explanation and Meaning)

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

This famous phrase comes from Ecclesiastes 5:6 in the Bible (King James Version).

It warns against making rash promises or excuses to God that you cannot keep.

The Core Meaning

The verse advises controlling your speech to avoid committing a sin.

The Context:

It specifically addresses the making of vows to God.

The text states it is better not to make a promise at all than to make one and fail to fulfill it.

The Warning:

When you speak hastily ("let not thy mouth cause thy flesh to sin"), you may find yourself trying to make excuses later (like telling the priest or temple messenger it was a "mistake").

The Consequence:

The passage warns that breaking promises and making excuses can provoke God's anger, potentially causing Him to "destroy the work of thine hands".

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/17/2026

What Is The Meaning Of “From Glory To Glory” In 2 Corinthians 3:18?

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18, KJV).

With those few words, “from glory to glory”, Apostle Paul sums up our entire Christian life, from redemption and sanctification on earth, to our glorious eternal welcome into heaven.

There is a great deal of content packed into those few words. It’s all so important that Apostle Paul labors at great length, from 2 Corinthians 2:14 through the end of chapter 5, to open his readers’ eyes to a great truth.

Let’s see why that truth matters so much.

The same Greek word for “glory” is used twice in the phrase from glory to glory, yet each usage refers to something different.

The first “glory” is that of the Old Covenant, the Law of Moses, while the second is that of the New Covenant, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Both have astonishing splendor.

The Old Covenant was given to Moses directly from God, written by God’s own finger (Exodus 31:18).

That root of our Christian faith is glorious indeed; it’s the glory we’re coming “from.”

Yet the New Covenant, the glory we’re going “to,” far surpasses that of the Old.

The transformation is from the glory of the Law.

Like the stone it was written on, the Law was inflexible and absolute, applying to all Israelites without much regard for individual circumstances (Hebrews 10:28).

Though holy, good, and righteous in itself (Romans 7:12), the Law was, for us sinners, the letter that kills us (2 Corinthians 3:6).

The Law was an external force to control behavior.

In addition, stone, despite its strength, is earthly and will eventually wear away.

The Law was merely a temporary guardian (Galatians 3:23–25) until something better came along.

The transformation is to the glory of the New Covenant, which far surpasses the Old in every way.

It forgives us of our sin and gives us sinners life (John 6:63).

It is written on believers’ hearts by the Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3), so our obedience to God springs up from within us by God-given desires rather than by threats of legal punishment.

In place of a cold set of writings as a guide for pleasing God, we now have Father, Son and Holy Spirit making their home with us, fellowshipping in loving intimacy, teaching us everything we must know and do (John 14:23; 16:13).

That position in Christ is as permanent, eternal, and spiritual as God Himself, rather than temporary and earthly.

Apostle Paul is intent on directing Christians to focus on the spiritual glory of the New Covenant rather than physical glory of the Old, as many Jews in his day refused to do.

He compared the two types of glory by recalling how Moses absorbed and reflected God’s glory for a time after being in his presence (2 Corinthians 3:7–11, 13; cf. Exodus 34:29–35).

Though Moses’ glow had a spiritual cause, there was nothing spiritual about the effect, any person, regardless of his relationship with God, could see the glow on Moses’ face, which he covered with a veil.

Not so the glory of the New Covenant.

That can be seen only with a believer’s spiritual eyes, what Apostle Paul is doing his best to open, so that we discern the gospel’s glory.

So he writes, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

But, as we move from glory to glory, there’s something even more important about the glory of the New Covenant that Christians must understand:

It is supernatural power to transform us.

And that brings us to God’s ultimate purpose and destination for every believer, to transform us into the image of his own beloved Son (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:28–30; Philippians 3:20–21).

Before he finishes with the topic of being transformed from glory to glory, Apostle Paul presents yet one more astonishing claim:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This is the invitation the Lord makes to all Christians, to have our lives radically transformed here and now, by opening our eyes to see the glorious journey He is taking us on “from glory to glory.”

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/17/2026

What Is The Sin Nature?

The sin nature is that aspect in humanity that makes us rebellious against God.

When we speak of the sin nature, we refer to the fact that we have a natural inclination to sin; given the choice to do God’s will or our own, we will naturally choose to do our own thing.

Proof of the sin nature abounds.

No one has to teach a child to lie or be selfish; rather, we go to great lengths to teach children to tell the truth and put others first.

Sinful behavior comes naturally.

The news is filled with tragic examples of mankind acting badly.

Wherever people are, there is trouble.

Charles Spurgeon said, “As the salt flavors every drop in the Atlantic, so does sin affect every atom of our nature.

It is so sadly there, so abundantly there, that if you cannot detect it, you are deceived.”

The Bible explains the reason for the trouble.

Humanity is sinful, not just in theory or in practice but by nature.

Sin is part of the very fiber of our being.

The Bible speaks of “sinful flesh” in Romans 8:3.

It’s our “earthly nature” that produces the list of sins in Colossians 3:5.

And Romans 6:6 speaks of “the body ruled by sin.”

The flesh-and-blood existence we lead on this earth is shaped by our sinful, corrupt nature.

The sin nature is universal in humanity.

All of us have a sinful nature, and it affects every part of us.

This is the doctrine of total depravity, and it is biblical.

All of us have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6).

Apostle Paul admits that “the trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin” (Romans 7:14).

Apostle Paul was in his “sinful nature a slave to the law of sin” (Romans 7:25). Solomon concurs:

“Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, / no one who does what is right and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20).

The Apostle John perhaps puts it most bluntly:

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).

Even children have a sin nature. David rues the fact that he was born with sin already at work within him:

“Surely I was sinful at birth, / sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5).

Elsewhere, David states, “Even from birth the wicked go astray; / from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies” (Psalm 58:3).

Where did the sin nature come from?

Scripture says that God created humans good and without a sinful nature:

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

However, Genesis 3 records the disobedience of Adam and Eve.

By that one action, sin entered into their nature.

They were immediately stricken with a sense of shame and unfitness, and they hid from God’s presence (Genesis 3:8).

When they had children, Adam’s image and likeness was passed along to his offspring (Genesis 5:3).

The sin nature manifested itself early in the genealogy: the very first child born to Adam and Eve, Cain, became the very first murderer (Genesis 4:8).

From generation to generation, the sin nature was passed down to all of humanity:

“Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).

This verse also presents the unsettling truth that the sin nature leads inexorably to death (see also Romans 6:23 and Ephesians 2:1).

Other consequences of the sin nature are hostility toward God and ignorance of His truth.

Apostle Paul says, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7–8).

Also, “the person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

There is only one Person in the history of the world who did not have a sin nature:

Jesus Christ.

His virgin birth allowed Him to enter our world while bypassing the curse passed down from Adam.

Jesus then lived a sinless life of absolute perfection.

He was “the Holy and Righteous One” (Acts 3:14) who “had no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

This allowed Jesus to be sacrificed on the cross as our perfect substitute, “a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19).

John Calvin puts it in perspective:

“For certainly, Christ is much more powerful to save than Adam was to ruin.”

It is through Christ that we are born again.

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).

When we are born of Adam, we inherit his sin nature; but when we are born again in Christ, we inherit a new nature:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:

The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We don’t lose our sin nature once we receive Christ.

The Bible says that sin remains in us and that a struggle with that old nature will continue as long as we are in this world.

Apostle Paul bemoaned his own personal struggle in Romans 7:15–25.

But we have help in the battle, divine help.

The Spirit of God takes up residence in each believer and supplies the power we need to overcome the pull of the sin nature within us.

“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9).

God’s ultimate plan for us is total sanctification when we see Christ (1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 John 3:2).

Through His finished work on the cross, Jesus satisfied God’s wrath against sin and provided believers with victory over their sin nature:

“‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24).

In His resurrection, Jesus offers life to everyone bound by corrupt flesh.

Those who are born again now have this command:

“Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11).

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/17/2026

What Does It Mean That God Is A God Of Justice?

Justice is a term used for what is right or “as it should be.”

Justice is one of God’s attributes and flows out of His holiness.

Justice and righteousness are often used synonymously in the Bible.

Since righteousness is the quality or character of being right or just, it is another attribute of God and incorporates both His justice and holiness.

We cannot begin to understand God’s justice unless we first understand sin.

Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4) and iniquity (Daniel 9:4-5; Micah 2:1; James 3:6).

It embodies everything contrary to God’s holy nature and is offensive to Him.

Thus, sin is a crime against God, and justice demands a penalty of death and separation from Him for it (Romans 1:18-32; 2:5; 3:23).

But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to pay that penalty for us (Romans 5:8-11; 6:23) and made salvation available to all who believe in His name (John 1:12; 3:15-17; 20:31).

God’s own righteousness is provided as a gift to sinners who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and is based upon His grace and mercy in response to our faith (Romans 3:23-26; Ephesians 2:3-7).

His mercy and grace are not in spite of His justice, but because of it.

He loved us so much that, despite the fact that our sin demands our death, He sent His Son to be our substitute upon the cross, thus demonstrating that His justice was not violated, but instead satisfied (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9).

Having been made in His image (Genesis 1:26-27), we humans long for moral justice to prevail upon the earth and are outraged when we see injustice happening around us.

Why do we seek justice for crimes?

It’s in our DNA.

King David’s outrage when the poor man’s lamb was taken away by the rich man resonates within us (2 Samuel 12:1-14).

That is why Nathan told the story to David in the first place because it revealed David’s own injustice in taking Uriah’s wife from him.

David’s immediate repentant prayer was effective because by admitting his sin against God, he acknowledged the righteousness of God.

The Lord told David through the prophet Nathan that even though his sin was forgiven, the child resulting from the adulterous affair would die, demonstrating the fact that his sin still had to be judged.

As for the future, the book of Revelation reveals the justice of God in all its glory during the end times.

When the saints watch the destruction of the earth, their song will be of God’s righteous judgment upon the inhabitants for their ultimate sin of rejecting Him (Revelation 11:16-18; 15:3-4; 16:7; 19:1-4).

And as 2 Peter 3:13 says, we are promised that someday, when Christ physically reigns on earth, God’s righteous justice will finally be on full display.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/17/2026

What Are Some Bible Verses About Justice?

Proverbs 21:15

When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.

Amos 5:24

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Micah 6:8

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Isaiah 30:18

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Romans 12:19

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Isaiah 61:8

For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Psalm 33:5

He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

Psalm 106:3

Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!

Leviticus 19:15

You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.

Zechariah 7:9

Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,

Proverbs 28:5

Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.

Proverbs 21:3

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Ecclesiastes 3:17

I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.

Psalm 37:27-29

Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints.

They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.

Proverbs 24:24-25

Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,” will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations, but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them."

Jeremiah 22:3

Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed.

And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.

Deuteronomy 16:20

Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Psalm 82:3

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.

Proverbs 29:7

A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/16/2026

Taming The Tongue—Why Is It So Difficult?

The concept of taming the tongue is found in James 3 where God declares, through the Apostle James, that “no one can tame the tongue” (James 3:8).

The lengthy discussion about the tongue in this chapter is both convicting and illuminating.

Among the things this chapter reveals about the tongue: it is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts (verse 5); it is a fire and a world of evil that defiles the whole person (verse 6); it is set on fire by hell (verse 6); and it is an unrestrainable evil and full of deadly poison (verse 7).

Is it any wonder, then, that God declares that taming the tongue is impossible?

When Adam sinned, God imputed that sin to mankind, so, whether or not we want to believe it, every human being is born with a wicked heart and an evil sin nature (Romans 3:10–18).

Lurking within each of us are varying degrees of hatred, bitterness, jealousy, and pride, and the tongue takes hold of these and other destructive tendencies and strikes out, often with a push from Satan.

We see this every day among strangers, friends, siblings, and, worst of all, among husbands and wives, the very people who, next to their love for the Lord Jesus, should have the most love for each other (Ephesians 5:22–33).

What is to be done, then, to tame the tongue?

If God has declared that “no one” can tame the tongue, how can we even begin to do so?

While many people have quit smoking or drinking by the power of the human will, the problem of the heart and tongue cannot be solved by human will power.

It takes the power of the resurrected Christ within us to control the tongue, and that power is available only to those who turn their lives over to Him (Romans 8:10–14).

As with so many things in life, “with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

There is only One who can control the tongue.

Only by God’s Spirit living within us can we hope to gain control over our tongues.

He convicts us when we sin with our lips, and that conviction drives us to repent and pray for more filling of the Spirit so we can avoid further sin.

As we cling to Him and yield to Him in obedience, He controls us more and more, including our tongues.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/16/2026

Who Is God? (Answer and Explanation)

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

In the Bible, God is the eternal, supreme Creator and sustainer of the universe.

He is revealed as a singular, Holy Spirit who exists as one being in three distinct, co-equal persons:

God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.

The scriptures break down who He is through several defining characteristics and titles:

The TrinityGod the Father:

The ultimate source and Creator of all things, who orchestrates salvation and is the ultimate heavenly Father to believers.

God the Son (Jesus):

The Word of God made flesh. Jesus came to earth as fully human and fully divine, living a perfect life and sacrificing himself to save humanity from sin.

God the Holy Spirit:

The divine presence actively working in the world, convicting people of sin, guiding believers, and empowering them to live holy lives.

Essential Characteristics and Attributes

Personal:

God has a distinct personality, expressing emotions like love, joy, and compassion, and He desires an intimate relationship with humanity.

Eternal & Unchanging:

He has no beginning or end and exists outside of time.

All-Powerful & All-Knowing (Omnipotent and Omniscient):

God is sovereign over all creation; nothing can thwart His ultimate purposes.

Holy & Just:

God is completely separate from and opposed to evil, maintaining perfect moral justice.

Love and Grace:

The Bible's overarching message describes God's deep desire to forgive and save His creation, culminating in the ultimate expression of His love through Jesus Christ.

Key Names and Titles

Yahweh (or Jehovah):

God's personal, proper name.

When He spoke to Moses at the burning bush, He revealed His name as "I AM WHO I AM".

Elohim:

The plural majestic name used in the Old Testament, which points to the greatness and power of God as the Creator.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/16/2026

What Is Biblical Separation?

Biblical separation is the recognition that God has called believers out of the world and into a personal and corporate purity in the midst of sinful cultures.

Biblical separation is usually considered in two areas: personal and ecclesiastical.

Personal separation involves an individual’s commitment to a godly standard of behavior.

Daniel practiced personal separatism when he “resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine” (Daniel 1:8).

His was a biblical separatism because his standard was based on God’s revelation in the Mosaic law.

A modern example of personal separation could be the decision to decline invitations to parties where alcohol is served.

Such a decision might be made in order to circumvent temptation (Romans 13:14), to avoid “every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22), or simply to be consistent with a personal conviction (Romans 14:5).

The Bible clearly teaches that the child of God is to be separate from the world.

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.

For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?

Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?

What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?

For we are the temple of the living God.

As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’

Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17; see also 1 Peter 1:14-16).

Ecclesiastical separation involves the decisions of a church concerning its ties to other organizations, based on their theology or practices.

Separatism is implied in the very word “church,” which comes from the Greek word ekklesia meaning “a called-out assembly.”

In Jesus’ letter to the church of Pergamum, He warned against tolerating those who taught false doctrine (Revelation 2:14-15).

The church was to be separate, breaking ties with heresy.

A modern example of ecclesiastical separation could be a denomination’s stance against ecumenical alliances which would unite the church with apostates.

Biblical separation does not require Christians to have no contact with unbelievers.

Like Jesus, we should befriend the sinner without partaking of the sin (Luke 7:34).

Apostle Paul expresses a balanced view of separatism:

“I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people, not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters.

In that case you would have to leave this world” (1 Corinthians 5:9-10). In other words, we are in the world, but not of it.

We are to be light to the world without allowing the world to diminish our light.

“You are the light of the world.

A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/16/2026

What Does “Separation Of Church And State” Actually Mean?

“Separation of Church and State” is one of the most misunderstood phrases is modern political discourse.

Yet, it is also a phrase with deep roots in Baptist tradition and one that we, as Christians, should have a healthy understanding of as we seek to engage in the public sphere.

Origins of “Separation of Church and State”

The phrase “separation of Church and State” originates in a letter that our third president, Thomas Jefferson, wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut in 1802.

Understanding the background of this letter is key to understanding the meaning of this infamous phrase.

Despite fleeing to the New World to escape religious persecution in Europe and seek religious liberty, many of the settlers of the early colonies did not extend religious freedom to minority religions.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, it wasn’t uncommon for local governments to levy taxes on citizens to support local clergy.

In a society where there were many people of various religious persuasions (mostly Protestant denominations), the question then became, “Whose clergy will be funded through taxation?”

In the Congregationalist-dominated Northeast, it was usually a Congregationalist minister. In other parts of the country, the Church of England held sway.

Thus, minority denominations such as Baptists and Quakers were left being forced to pay taxes to support religious beliefs that they disagreed with.

Many who refused had their property confiscated or were beaten, hanged, or jailed.

Fast-forward to 1801, after the formation of the United States government and the ratification of our Constitution and the First Amendment.

Thomas Jefferson had won the election of 1800.

The Danbury Baptist Association was worried that the Constitution did not go far enough in protecting religious minorities from the overreaches of government.

They wrote a letter to Jefferson, urging that the same mistakes of the past not be made, that “no man ought to suffer in Name, person or effects on account of his religious Opinions, That the legitimate Power of civil Government extends no further than to punish the man who works ill to his neighbour.”

Jefferson wrote in response,

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

Jefferson, quoting the First Amendment to the Constitution, sought to reassure the Danbury Baptists that what was written was sufficient to protect their rights and that he was a friend to their cause.

Thus, it’s fair to say that Founders like Jefferson meant for some kind of separation between church and state to be present.

The government could not establish a state-sponsored religion, but neither could it prohibit others from freely practicing their own religion.

However, it’s also fair to say that opponents of religion in the 20th and 21st centuries have misused this phrase to try and separate religion from the public sphere far beyond what was originally intended.

What does the Bible say?

Scripture also supports the principle of separation of church and state (properly understood).

It was these principles which informed early Baptist leaders such as John Leland and Isaac Backus and eventually lead to the passage of the First Amendment.

First, separation of church and state means that, at an institutional level, church and government are separate entities.

Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 22:21 when he said, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's,” thus making a clear delineation between the “things that are Caesar’s” (the government’s) and the “things that are God’s.”

Likewise, Jesus spoke of his Kingdom not being of this world (John 18:36) while simultaneously acknowledging through Apostle Paul that earthly government is established by God for our good.(Romans 13:1-7).

Jesus remains sovereign over both institutions (Matthew 28:18) until such time that he returns to rule and reign in the eschaton (Rev. 11:15).

In the meantime, he gives both church and government differing tasks.

The key difference we see between the function of the church and the state comes through the use of the power of the sword.

God has given government the power of the sword to punish the wrongdoer in civil matters (Romans 13:4).

The church does not have such authority (Matt. 26:51-56).

On the other hand, the church can exercise church discipline in judging matters of doctrine and heresy but not the state (1 Cor. 5:1-13).

Thus, there exists a healthy separation of church and state, both institutionally and functionally.

This is crucial to the mission of the church, which is the preaching of the gospel.

We cannot bring about conversion through the power of the sword vested in the state.

Only through the power of God’s Spirit can someone be brought unto saving faith in Jesus Christ.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” (2 Cor. 10:3-4)

Practically, this works out much as it is articulated in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

No religious institution is privileged above another, neither is religion privileged above non-religion.

Similarly, the government does not prohibit the free exercise of someone’s faith.

What it doesn’t mean

Though we see that separation of church and state is a valid concept, our modern secular society has come to incorrectly understand this phrase to mean either a separation of morality from lawmaking or a separation of religiously informed opinion from the lawmaker.

Both of these are mistaken.

As people of faith, let us seek to engage the public square in a way which is winsome and accords with God’s Word, being mindful of the boundaries which God has established between church and state.

First, separation of church and state does not mean a separation of moral reasoning from public policy.

Such a goal would be futile.

The process of lawmaking is moral by its very nature.

A law is instituted because of an ought.

This ought to be done because of such and such, or this ought not to be done.

The government’s use of coercion would lack any justification without a moral foundation behind the laws which it enforces.

Second, separation of church and state does not mean a separation of religiously informed moral reasoning from public policy.

It’s often said that religious people who run for office need to check their religion at the door before they make policy.

Historically, this would have made no sense to our Founders, most of whom were religious.

Philosophically, this also faces issues.

Whether secular or religious, everyone brings moral presuppositions to the table.

Religious people should not be told to check their beliefs at the door simply because they are religiously based.

This smacks of an arrogance which most would not want to be accused of.

Everyone, whether religious or secular, should have the freedom to publicly or privately make the case for laws which they believe should be passed.

As Christians, we understand that government ought to be secular in the sense that it does not favor one religion over another.

Nor should it favor religion above nonreligion (or vice versa).

Yet, a government that seeks to use secular moral reasoning alone will soon find itself adrift amid the sea of ever-changing public opinion.

A transcendent moral law is needed which can ground the human and political rights that we cherish today.

This is, ultimately, the reason why we allow our political conscience to be properly informed by our faith.

Separation of church and state, properly understood, is a foundational principle which secures the rights and privileges of all citizens under a government and ensures that both government and church function according to their God-given roles.

As people of faith, let us seek to engage the public square in a way which is winsome and accords with God’s Word, being mindful of the boundaries which God has established between church and state.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

Discovered Being Ministry Incorporated

06/18/2026

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