Tues., 11/17/15 Devotion (1 Chron 9:22)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 Chronicles 9:22, where we read this:

"All those chosen as gatekeepers were two hundred and twelve. They were recorded by their genealogy, in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their trusted office."

David was the king of Israel. Samuel was the prophet of Israel. This verse re-minds us that the church and the state—though not one and the same—are certainly not to be enemies. Both are instituted by God. There is a proper no-tion of the "separation of church and state”—but not so as to put them in ten-sion with one another. They are distinct entities, but they are to work together for the glory of Christ, and the spread of the gospel.

The church is greater than the state (or the family, for that matter); and be-cause of this she is to serve them both, by gentle instruction, and godly ex-ample.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Where God has forgiven sin, such a one need not care for the censures of all the world and the reproaches they cast upon him.” —Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "Gospel Remission"]