Separation of Church and State

Acts 18:14-15 KJV

And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.

I cannot say that Gallio was a good man or that he did his job justly but he was on the fringe of understanding the doctrine of separation of church and state. As the deputy of the region, Gallio was responsible to maintain civil government. He knew that and though he did not follow through on his responsibilities (verse 17; he allowed the beating of Sosthenes by the local Greeks) he did acknowledge having authority over such matters. 

But he also recognized that place where he had no authority; over matters of faith and spiritual ideas. Pilate came very near to the same comprehension though not quite as developed as Gallio. These men saw intrinsically that these spiritual matters were out of their hands. They did not respond properly to the pressure of the people but they did have some illumination into the differences in authority. 

Years of experience has demonstrated that

1. The separation of church and state is vital to the freedom of conscience all men seek

2. The nature of humanity nearly always prevents those in authority from grasping what they know in their heart must be true.

Despite the obvious truth of separation of church and state, men in power almost always apply state authority over spiritual matters. 

We must teach about urge on and expose even the slightest breech of such separation.