“Christ loved the church and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5.25).

This website is dedicated to Him who is altogether lovely, the Lord Jesus Christ. To understand a little how lovely He is, click here to go to The Loveliness of Jesus.

This course is a systematic study of (1) Part I: the Bible Doctrines of Government, Church, Separation of Church and State; and (2) Part II: The American Application of those Doctrines

Contents  of this page:

Section I. The Biblical Doctrine of Government, links to each study segment
Section II: The Biblical Doctrine of the Church, links to each segment:
Section III. The Biblical Doctrine of Separation of Church and State, links to each segment:
Section IV-V. To be added in the future, Lord willing.
The interested student may access the study material for Section IV at the following link: “The History of the First Amendment.” The interested student may access the study material for Section V at the following link: “The Supreme Court Reinterprets the First Amendment and Removes God.”
Section VI. God Betrayed/Church Corporate 501(c)(3) Status: Union of Church and State

Section I. The Biblical Doctrine of Government, links to each study segment:

1a) Introduction 
1b) Self-test questions for “Introduction to the biblical doctrine of government”

2a) Biblical Teaching on Self-government
2b) Self-test questions on “Biblical teaching on self-government” 

3a) Biblical teaching on Family Government and Conscious 
3b) Self-test Questions on “Biblical Teaching on Family Government and Conscience”

4) Biblical Teaching on Civil Government
4a) Self-test Questions on “Biblical Teaching on Civil Government”

5) God Desires that Nations to Choose to Glorify Him
5a) Self-test Questions on “God Desires that Nations Choose to Glorify Him”

6) Israel – The Only Theocracy Ordained by God
6a) Self-test Questions on “Israel – The Only Theocracy Ordained by God”

7) God Is the God of Israel
7a) Self-test Questions on “God is the God of Israel”

8) God desires Gentile Nations To Glorify Him
8a) Self-test Questions on “God desires Gentile Nations to Glorify Him”

9) God Judges Nations
9a) Self-test Questions on “God Judges Nations”

10) Satan Orchestrates the World System
10a) Self-test Questions on “Satan Orchestrates the World System”

11) Conclusion to the Biblical Doctrine of Government
11a) Self-test questions on “Conclusion to the Biblical Doctrine of Government”

After the study course on the biblical doctrine of government is completed, the remaining five study sections will be added.

Section II: The Biblical Doctrine of the Church, links to each segment:

12) Introduction to the Biblical Doctrine of the Church
12a) Self-test Questions on “Introduction to the Biblical Doctrine of the Church”

13) Definition, Organization, and Purposes of a Church
13a) Self-test Questions on “Definition, Organization, and Purposes of a Church”

14) Christ, the Bridegroom/Husband/Head of His Churches
14a) Self-test Questions on “Christ, the Bridegroom/Husband/Head of His churches”

15) Heresy and Apostasy
15a) Self-test Questions on “Heresy and Apostasy”

16) Recent Accelerated Apostasy in the United States
16a) No Self-test questions on “Recent accelerated apostasy in the United States” but the interested student can read the chapter and do his own self-study.

17) Apostasy at the End of the Church Age
17a) Self-test Questions on “Apostasy at the End of the Church Age”

18) The Coming Universal Church Will Reign with the Lord
18a) Self-test Questions on “The Coming Universal Church Will Reign with the Lord”

19) Conclusion to the Biblical Doctrine of Church
19a) Self-test Questions on “Conclusion to the Biblical Doctrine of Church“

Section III. The Biblical Doctrine of Separation of Church and State, links to each segment:

20) Introduction to “The Biblical Doctrine of Separation of Church and State”
20a) Self-test questions on “The Biblical Doctrine of Separation of Church and State”

21) Definitions of “Separation of Church and State,” “Established Church,” and “Religious Freedom or Soul Liberty”
21a) Self-test questions on “Definitions”

22) Dispensational Theology versus Covenant Theology
22a) Self-test questions on “Dispensational Theology versus Covenant Theology”

23) Distinct Differences between Church and State Render Them Mutually Exclusive
23a) Self-test questions on “Distinct differences between church and state”

24) Let Every Soul Be Subject to the Higher Powers? Romans 13
24a) Self-test questions on Romans 13

25) Submit to Every Ordinance of Man? 1 Peter 2.13
25a) Self-test questions on 1 Peter 2.13

26) Render unto Caesar…? Luke 20.25, Matthew 22.21, Mark 112.17
26a) Self-test questions on “Render unto Caesar…?”

27) Doth Not Your Master Pay Tribute? Matthew 17.24-27
27a) Self-test questions on Matthew 17.24-27

28) Pray for All Rulers? 1 Timothy 2.1-6
28a) Self-test questions on 1 Timothy 2.1-6

29) Christ-Church, Husband-Wife, Bridegroom-Bride
29a) Self-test questions on “Christ-church, Husband-wife, Bridegroom-bride”

30) Conclusion to “The Biblical Doctrine of Separation of Church and State”
30a) Self-test questions on “The Biblical Doctrine of Separation of Church and State”

Section IV-V. To be added in the future, Lord willing.

The interested student may access the study material for Section IV at the following link: “The History of the First Amendment.”

The interested student may access the study material for Section V at the following link: “The Supreme Court Reinterprets the First Amendment and Removes God.”

Section VI. God Betrayed/Church Corporate 501(c)(3) Status: Union of Church and State

51) Introduction
51a) Self-test questions on “Introduction”

52) Spiritual versus Legal entities (Chapter 2 of Separation of Church and State. This is a summary of important information for one who has not read God Betrayed.)
52a) Self-test questions on “Spiritual versus Legal Entities”

53) Incorporation of Churches (Section VI, Chapter 2 of God Betrayed; Chapter 3 of Separation of Church and State)
53a) Self-test questions on “Incorporation of churches”

54) Incorporation of Churches in the Colones and the New Nation (Section VI, Chapter 3 of God Betrayed; Not included in Separation of Church and State)
54a) Self-test questions on Incorporation of churches in the colonies and the new nation”

55) Federal Government Control of Churches through 501(c)(3) Tax Exemption (Section VI, Chapter 4 of God Betrayed; Chapter 4 of Separation of Church and State)
55a) Self-test questions on “Federal government control of churches through 501(c)(3) tax exemption”

56) The Church Incorporation-501(c)(3) Control Scheme (Section VI, Chapter 5 of God Betrayed; Chapter 5 of Separation of Church and State)
56a) Self-test questions on “The church incorporation-501(c)(3) control scheme”

57) Spurious Rationale for Church Incorporation: Limited Liability/Incorporation Increases Liability of Church Members (Section VI, Chapter 6 of God Betrayed; Chapter 6 of Separation of Church and State)
57a) Self-test questions on “Spurious rationale for church incorporation: limited liability/incorporaton increases liability of church members”

58) Spurious Rationale for Church Incorporaton: To Hold Property (Section VI, Chapter 7 of God Betrayed; Chapter 7 of Separation of Church and State)
58a) Self-test questions on “Spurious rationale for church incorporation: to hold property”

59) Spurious Rationale for Church Incorporation: Tax Exemption and Tax Deductions for Contributions OR Tax Reasons Given for Church Corporate 501(c)(3) Status: A Biblical and Legal Analysis (Section VI, Chapter 8 of God Betrayed; Chapter 8 of Separation of Church and State)
59a) Self-test Questions on “Spurious Rationale for Church Incorporation: Tax Exemption and Tax Deductions for Contributions OR Tax Reasons Given for Church Corporate 501(c)(3) Status: A Biblical and Legal Analysis”

60) Spurious Rationale for Church Incorporation: One’s Convictions (Not included in God Betrayed or Separation of Church and State)
60a) Self-test Questions on “Spurious Rationale for Church Incorporation: One’s Convictions”

61) Spurious Rationale For Church Incorporation: Winning Souls Is More Important than Loving God/The Most Important Thing: Loving God and/or Winning Souls (Not included in either God Betrayed or Separation of Church and State)
61a) Self-test Questions on “Spurious Rationale for Church Incorporation: Winning Souls Is more Important than Loving God/The Most Important Thing: Loving God and/or Winning Souls”

62) The Results of Ignoring the Biblical Principle of Separation of Church and State (Section VI, Chapter 9 of God Betrayed; Chapter 3 of Separation of Church and State; Not included in Separation of Church and State)
62a) Self-test Questions on “The results of Ignoring the Biblical Principle of Separation of Church and State”

63) Conclusion to Separation of Church and State
63a) Self-test Questions on “Conclusion to Separation of Church and State“

64) Conclusion to Section VI, Chapter 10 of God Betrayed: Separation of Church and State/The Biblical Principles and the American Application
64a) Self-test Questions on “Conclusion to Section VI, Chapter 10 of God Betrayed: Separation of Church and State/The Biblical Principles and the American Application

This course will be presented so that the student may study at his own pace, chapter by chapter. The teacher, Jerald Finney (BAB (born-again believer), BBA, JD) will add the studies one chapter at a time. The first chapter is being added on April 9, 2010. Click here to go directly to the course outline.

This series is meant to provide a systematic study for the Bible student who wishes to understand what the Bible teaches about the issue of authority, a must for a believer who wishes to walk in the spirit as a soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ in this world. In order to understand what the Word of God teaches about authority, a believer must understand the biblical doctrines of government, church, and separation of church and state. After one understands those matters, he will be able to correctly apply the doctrines in the real world. In other words, he will be able to understand correct New Testament organization of a church, the responsibility of the believer and the church as to submission to civil government (For example, he will be able to understand and explain what Romans 13 teaches about the responsibility of a believer and a church to submit to civil government), etc. This study will allow one to read, study and analyze, one chapter at a time, the treatise God Betrayed/Separation of Church and State: The Biblical Principles and the American Application and the much more limited treatises Render unto God the Things that Are His: A Systematic Study of Romans 13 and Related Verses and Separation of Church and State/God’s Churches: Spiritual or Legal Entities.

A self-test series of questions is presented at the end of each study segment.

A motivated believer can master these studies. Pastor Jason Cooley, Pastor of Old Paths Baptist Church has no higher degrees in secular or “Christian” institutions, but has achieved a “graduate” level of understanding of the issues addressed in Jerald Finney’s teachings through self-study. On the other hand, many allegedly born-again men who have graduate or higher degrees from religious and/or secular educational institutions are blind to the truth about these matters.

This series of teachings will be of great help to the believer who wishes to understand the biblical doctrine of authority. To understand that doctrine, one must delve into the doctrines of government, church, and separation of church and state. These teachings can be approached in various ways:

(1) A believer can be as a high school student whose head is full of mush and simply accepts what he is being taught as truth. The author and teacher, attorney Jerald Finney is convinced of the truth of the biblical teachings presented, the facts presented, and the legal concepts presented. He will be editing what was presented in God Betrayed where further study has shed new light.
(2) A believer can, in his studies, walk in Christ, “Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein in thanksgiving.”
(3) A believer can base his assessment of the teachings on “philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

This course is not for the unbeliever:  “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Co. 2:14-16).

On the other hand, as to the believer, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Co. 2:9-12).

A believer may go to the following link to understand more about the responsibility of the believer to grow in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding: After Salvation.

Observations for the student’s consideration:

“[M]ost, even of sincere believers, soon retire from any serious effort to master the content of the sacred writings. The reason is not far to seek. It is found in the fact that no particular portion of Scripture is to be intelligently comprehended apart from some conception of its place in the whole. For the Bible story and message is like a picture wrought out in mosaics: each book, chapter, verse, and even word forms a necessary part, and has its own appointed place. It is, therefore, indispensable to any interesting and fruitful study of the Bible that a general knowledge of it be gained…. From beginning to end the Bible has one great theme—the person and work of the Christ” (1917 Scofield Reference Edition, p. i.).

Some mature Christians will already know the information presented in many of these lessons. However, do you, the individual reader, know how all these articles fit together to explain not only the biblical principles of government, church, and separation of church and state, but also how these principles correlate and converge at Christ?

Can you make a practical application of these principles to law and actions of churches in the real world? Do you know about and understand the theologies (one correct and one incorrect) that competed in the colonies and continue to strive or control in America today? Do you know how America has applied and/or misapplied these principles? More importantly, do you know how churches have applied these principles? Have you or can you understand church incorporation and Internal Revenue Code § 501(c)(3) status and whether such status grieves our Lord and why or why not? Do you know that a historical Baptist church in America can organize according to biblical principles and also according to civil law? Do you see how God’s prophecies for the last days are unfolding before our very eyes as revealed in the heresies and apostasy of many churches?

These articles all converge at Christ and His feelings concerning His churches. Nothing is more important. Nothing leads to more successful (in God’s eyes) soul winning and maturing of those who have taken the first spiritual step of being born-again. This blog is dedicated to a systematic study of biblical principles concerning government, church, separation of church and state, and the practical application of those principles in America.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” (Ho. 4.6.). And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge….  ” (2 Pe. 1.5, ). “[f] ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (2 Pe. 1.10).