Separation of Church and State Explained – Advice from the President

Have you heard that constitutionally, we have to keep Church and State separate? If you’re a history buff, you know that such a phrase is not found in the U.S. Constitution, or any official US document. The first amendment does not restrict Congress from acknowledging (or even participating) in a religion and it’s teaching.

Now, it’s true that we find in the Bill of Rights “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” but what’s the intent of this phrase? Does it mean that it should be illegal for State-Run schools to teach Biblical values? That they should ban Intelligent Design? Refuse Christian prayer? Does it mean that our government can’t promote Judeo-Christian values? Not at all. Long after the founding documents were written, we find that Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States had some advice. He said that:

“A thorough understanding of the Bible is better than a college education.”

Lest you say that he was making this statement out of ignorance of the higher-education system, Roosevelt graduated from Harvard with honors.

Speaking of America, he had some pretty strong words. He said that:

“It is necessary for the welfare of the Nation that men’s lives be based on the principles of the Bible. No man, educated or uneducated, can afford to be ignorant of the Bible.”

President Theodore Roosevelt

He also said that it would be literally impossible for us to figure out what life is about if the teachings of the Bible were removed.

Roosevelt is not here to witness it, but the Bible is indeed being removed from every aspect of America, and, just as he predicted, the welfare of the Nation is suffering. Teddy wasn’t an ultra-conservative by any means. Yet he still realized this! Political views aside, almost every Christian can agree that as the Bible is removed from the Nation, our well-being and morality has a tendency to go downhill.

Teddy was right. It is necessary for the welfare of the Nation that our lives be based on the principles of the Bible!

A look at history tells us that we can’t be ashamed to stand up for our Christian values, and if we love our country, we certainly cannot take these values out of the Government. No official document ever even suggested we do that, but we’ve allowed people to convince us that we have to take God out of schools. That we have to take the Ten Commandments (the ultimate guide for human morality) off of courthouses. And we’ve seen the tragedy it brings. When you tell my generation, and Gen-Z that we are nothing more than animals—accidents of the cosmos, then why are you surprised when we see teen suicide on the rise? Why does 22 Veteran Suicides every single day surprise us? Why do school shootings shock us? Animals live and die. The lion kills the gazelle without consequence. If we are just a highly developed animal, there is no higher purpose for life, so what’s the point of living? As a Christian, I know differently. We are wonderfully made in the image of God, and He wants you to be a part of His family for eternity.

A thorough reading and understanding of Scriptures—from the Creation account, through the life of the Messiah, to future prophesies—is key to our freedom, our future, and our life. The Bible is the instrumental, best-selling guide to a successful eternity.

I’m David Rives, truly the heavens declare the glory of God.