Separation of church and state is a vital issue. From Israel's history, to the Roman empire, to the British empire, and Islamic theocracies such as Iran.
Jesus had the amazing simple answer as always:
"Give to Caeser what belongs to Caeser, and to God what belongs to God."
It's an issue in country's around the world, for many centuries.
Any thoughts on this? It's a very important issue for survival of humanity.
Act 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
No government, or nation can rule unless God allows it so to go against it is going against what God is allowing, but this does not mean they are following the God of Israel, or any god.
But the saints cannot go along with the government, or nation if they go against God's ways and impose them on other people for we are always to obey God no matter the power that goes against the operation of God.
A government or nation can embrace Christianity and have that as their only religion but they should not force the people to obey Christianity for that is not the way of Jesus who said if they do not want to hear Christianity walk away from them and do them no harm, for they are claiming to be Christians so they should act like it.
Which the Catholic Church, and the Holy Roman Empire, years ago made that mistake of persecuting people not showing the love of Jesus, as well as some Protestants.
America allows all religions to be practiced in their country which that is not freedom from God for to be right with God they should only embrace Christianity, and if the people do not obey they are accountable to God, but no punishment upon them, but America says all religions can be practiced there even Satanism, and the occult, and the new age religion that shall deceive the world, so the American government is not doing right, although they are blessed because they allow the preaching of the Gospel in their nation, and to preach in other countries.
Israel had to be right with God both governmental, priesthood, and religious, only going by the ways of God with no exception but only to obey, and if not punishment came upon them whether error with the king, priest, or person.
When Jesus came to fulfill the law He had to obey the law perfectly, and be sinless, and fulfill all the roles of Israel concerning their governmental aspect which is He is the perfect King, the priesthood aspect of it which He is the High Priest, and the person aspect of it which He is the perfect saint.
For there was no exception with Israel but only to obey.
A Gentile government or nation that claims to be Christian should not push the religion upon people for they are to show the love of Christ like all saints, and if someone embraces another religion and another belief there should be no punishment upon them, but if they get violent towards other people then the government should have the right to put them down.
But governments that do not claim Christianity or persecute it will be judged because of that, and governments that claim Christianity but allow other religions to be practiced will be judged because of that.
For the government is only right with God if it only embraces Christianity and no other religion, but do not force people to embrace it for that is not the Christian thing to do, but put people down that get violent with trying to physically harm people standing up for their false religion, and if Christians get violent towards them then they should be dealt with to keep the peace.
The government is only right with God if it embraces Christianity, although there may be people in the government that only embraces Christianity then they are right, like Daniel in Babylon, and Joseph in Egypt, who were in the government, but those that embrace all religions will be judged.
There should be a separation of Church and State that they should not force it on anyone, but the government should not say practice any religion you want if they want to be right with God, for embracing all religions is not of God for we are only to embrace Christianity to be right with God.