Sunday School Lesson

1. 1 Samuel 12:1-25
Samuel’s Farewell Address:
A lesson in Separation of Church and State
July 3, 2016
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
What’s the number one thing?
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The glory of God!
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1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
July Memory Verse
1 Peter 2:16
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but
living as servants of God.

2. July 3, 2016 at 10:30
References
• ESV (English Standard Version) Study Bible (Wheaton, IL, 2008).
• MacArthur, John, Think Biblically, (Wheaton, IL, Crossway Books, 2003).
• Sproul, R.C., Now, That’s A Good Question, (Wheaton, IL, Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc., 1996).
Themes in 1 Samuel
1. Leadership – Examples of Eli and Samuel in leading the Israelites.
2. Lordship – Yahweh possesses absolute authority over every aspect of
nature and history.
Introduction to 1 Samuel 12
1 Samuel 8:5b-7
5b Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations." 6 But the thing
displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel
prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people
in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected
me from being king over them.
• 1 Samuel 9 & 10 – Samuel anoints Saul as king.
• 1 Samuel 11 – Saul rescues the City of Jabesh from the Ammonites and
King Nahash.
• 1 Samuel 11:15
15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before
the Lord in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord,
and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
1 Samuel 12:1-2
1 And Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you
have said to me and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king
walks before you, and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I
have walked before you from my youth until this day.

3. Summary of 1 Samuel 12:3-11
• Samuel affirms that he has dealt honestly with people.
• Samuel reminds the Israelites that God had delivered them from their
enemies when obedient.
1 Samuel 12:12-18
12 And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you,
you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the Lord your God was
your king. 13 And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you
have asked; behold, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you will fear the Lord
and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of
the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord
your God, it will be well. 15 But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel
against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against
you and your king. 16 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the
Lord will do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the
Lord, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your
wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for
yourselves a king." 18 So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder
and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
What was the point of sending rain to destroy the harvest?
• God was demonstrating that He is still in control of nature and sovereign
over the creation.
• God still has the power to destroy you for disobedience even though you
have an earthly king.
1 Samuel 12:19-25
19 And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the Lord your
God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for
ourselves a king." 20 And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have
done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord
with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit
or deliver, for they are empty. 22 For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his
great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for
himself. 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord
by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
24 Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what
great things he has done for you. 25 But if you still do wickedly, you shall be
swept away, both you and your king."

4. “the Lord has set a king over you.”
• Israel has moved from a Theocracy to a Monarchy.
• For the 1st time in Israel’s history, there is a separation of functions of the
church (Judges, Priests, Prophets) and the state.
• The concept of “separation of church and state” begins here.
What are the functions of the king?
1 Samuel 12:12
12 And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you,
you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the Lord your God was
your king.
• The function of the king was to preserve order internally and to protect the
nation from foreign invasion.
• The king’s function was the provision of what is called common grace
(rule over good and bad citizens).
What are the duties of the priests, judges and prophets (church)?
1 Samuel 12:23
23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by
ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
• Pray for the people.
• Instruct the people in the ways of God.
• Represent the nation before God.
How serious was God about the separation of functions of the church and state?
• In 1 Samuel 13 – The story of Saul acting like a priest and presenting a
burnt offering before a battle because Samuel (Priest) was delayed in
arrival.
• This was great disobedience to God’s command.
• In 1 Samuel 13 - God removes the lineage of kings from Saul (your
kingdom will not endure) for this disobedience.
Another example of disobedience of a king taking on a priestly role (King
Uzziah).
2 Chronicles 26:16
16 But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was
unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense
on the altar of incense.
• God strikes him with leprosy as he stands in the temple arguing with the
priests.
• King Uzziah lived the rest of his life in isolation.

5. Does this model of separation of church and state carry over to the 1st Century
Church?
Matthew 22:17, 21
17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"
21 … then he said to them, "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are
Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
• Jesus confirmed that we have separate obligations to the church and to
the state.
The Apostle Paul addressed the believer’s role in government.
Romans 13:1-7
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no
authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and
those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct,
but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what
is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good.
But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is
the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for
the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the
authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is
owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is
owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Observations from Romans 13 on civil government.
1. God has ordained civil government on earth.
2. The purpose of it is for His glory and our good.
3. The power of the sword has been given to it.
4. Christians may lawfully hold civil office and exercise the power of the
sword as necessary.
5. Christians are required by God to honor the government and to pray for it
and its leaders.
Submit to Authority.
1 Peter 2:13-17
13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the
emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do
evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing
good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people
who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants
of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
• July Memory Verse 1 Peter 2:16

6. What do Baptists believe about the proper relationship between church and
state?
References:
• The Baptist Faith and Message, A Statement Adopted by the Southern
Baptist Convention on June 14, 2000, Article XVIII, Religious Liberty.
• Blount, D. and Wooddell, J., Baptist Faith and Message 2000: Critical Issues
in America’s Largest Protestant Denomination (Lanham, MD, Rowman &
Littlefield Publishers, 2007).
Religious Liberty Means God Alone Is Lord Of The Conscious.
1. God alone is the lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the
doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or
not contained in it.
• True religion is about a personal relationship with God and the state has
no role in the matters of the soul, the spirit or the conscience.
• Early Christians refused to say, “Caesar is Lord.”
Religious Liberty Means No State Church and No Church State.
2. Church and state should be separate.
• In no sense should the state operate or govern the affairs of the church.
• An example where church and state are still united is the fact that the
papacy has never relinquished its claim to authority over both church
and state.
Religious Liberty Means The State Has Obligations To The Church.
3. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit
of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group
or denomination should be favored by the state more than others.
• The church should expect from the state no funding nor endorsement
of its message.
• The state owes the church the protection of religious liberty, including
the individual’s right to religious expression.
Religious Liberty Means The Church Has Obligations To The State.
4. Civil government being ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to
render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed
will of God.
• Exception is:
Acts 5:29
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than
men.”
• The revealed will of God is the Great Commission – Multiply disciples to
live like Jesus.

7. Religious Liberty Is A Distinctive Of Baptists.
5. The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work.
6. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of
its ends.
7. The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any
kind.
8. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of
religion.
Religious Liberty Is A Cause Yet To Be Fully Realized.
9. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right
of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right
to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without
interference by civil power.
Scripture References for Baptist Faith & Message for Religious Liberty.
Genesis 1:27; 2:7; Matthew 6:6-7, 24; 16:26; 22:21; John 8:36; Acts 4:19-20;
Romans 6:1-2; 13:1-7; Galatians 5:1, 13; Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; James
4:12; 1 Peter 2:12-17; 3:11-17; 4:12-19.
Does separation of church and state mean that the state is not accountable to
God?
• NO.
• The Bible teaches that God is sovereign over everything He creates.
• He created the church for one function and the state for another function –
both accountable to Him.
• Separation of church and state does not mean separation of state and
God!
Closing Quote From Corrie Ten Boom.
If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed.
If you look within, you’ll be depressed.
If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.
Happy Independence Day!!!

8. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me.”
Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a
23a For the wages of sin is death,
 Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
 Even Jesus, the one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to pay the
penalty for our sins.
 The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death explained in
Revelation 21:8.
Revelation 21:8
8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the
lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Romans 5:8
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.
Romans 6:23b
23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7
7 "The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will
be my son.”
 Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be conquerors.
Romans 10:9-10
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart
one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

9. Romans 10:13
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If you have questions or would like to know more, please, contact First Baptist
Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/