When the church was allied with the state; when Christianity became the religion of the court and of the fashionable classes, the church was not only impregnated with the errors of pagan philosophy, but it adopted many of the ceremonies and rituals of the pagan worship. The pagan practices were “Christianized” as an accommodation to the heathen, making it easier for them to adapt to the new religion. The church buildings became as imposing as the old temples of idolatry. Festivals became frequent and imposing. Veneration of martyrs ripened into the introduction of images, a future source of popular idolatry. Christianity was emblazoned with pompous ceremonies. Superstition exalted the mother of our Lord to practical deification, an object of veneration. Corruptions, heresies, abominable practices abounded. The teachings of Christ were forgotten, and the paganized teachings of the church put in their place. It became a sin to believe the truth, serve the living God, and walk in the spirit, yea, it was soon esteemed the worst of crimes to follow the Lord only and wholly. The humble and true saints were persecuted. In streams, yea! in rivers, their blood was shed, till the professing church became a ravenous, devouring beast “drunk” on the blood of His true disciples. Millions of martyrs fell under the sword, and even in the later days of the Protestant Reformation, at the word of men like Martin Luther and John Calvin, the sword still shed the blood of all who failed to submit to the beastly rule and were esteemed to be “heretics.” The Reformation Churches were one and all “State Churches” wielding not only the sword of the Spirit but also the carnal sword of human government. From that day to this, again and again, when autocratic government has realized that religion can be either an intransigent foe or a powerful ally, that government has almost always coveted the control of organized religion for the accomplishment of its sordid purposes. Even today, in the United States of America and African States, where we supposedly have a separation of church and state, religion is to some degree bridled and controlled by government charters and tax exemptions.
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 07:37:42 +0000
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