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SHOULD
CHURCH AND STATE BE SEPARATED?

The principle of separation of Church and State.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

The examples of David and Solomon are given in the Old Testament. Both were kings. Both wrote Scripture. Scripture, the word of God, is the beginning of the Church. Christ is the word of God. Solomon was the first to preach in the Temple of God in Jerusalem and offered sacrifices but did not officiate in the offerings.
THE POWER OF THE BIBLICAL CHURCH.
In Israel's later history king Uzziah did. " And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 2Ch 26:18 -19
So a king, Prime Minister or President is free to preach the word of God in or out of Church, as a lay preacher, as really anyone is who is appropriately gifted by the Holy Spirit. He is also free to use the word of God in Parliamentary debate or anywhere else. For the word of God is the ultimate authority and should be used in any controversy. The principle is set out by the Lord Jesus, when his disciples complain of someone honouring Christ but were not joined to the disciples. "Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.' Mr 9:39
But heads of government should not be heads of Churches. the Pope is head of a Church and head of a government. He in fact is crowned with the words, "Receive the power to appoint every king and prince of the earth." i.e. he claims world rulership.
This is what the principle of separation of Church and state is primarily for. People in Christian societies do not want the Papacy to exercise authority over the State, because of the history of bloodshed and tyranny that it has produced. But separation of Church and State does not mean that a government should not be subject to the word of God.
So the Church has authority over its own affairs
and is free to rebuke kings and warn them of the consequences of their behaviour. God always defends his word correctly preached. But the unbiblical church has no power before God and should have no power before men. The Roman Catholic Church has no power before God.

THE POWER OF THE STATE.
The State also has power to admonish or punish Church Leaders who do not correctly preach the word of God, or who break the civil law, that is in accord with the word of God. For all evil, either in the Church or civil society brings God's judgment upon the land.

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. “ Ro 13:1-7

WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH. Chapter XXIII
Of the Civil Magistrate
I. God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, has ordained civil magistrates, to be, under Him, over the people, for His own glory, and the public good: and, to this end, has armed them with the power of the sword, for the defence and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil doers.
II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto: in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth; so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war, upon just and necessary occasion.
III. Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; yet he has authority, and it is his duty, to take order that unity and peace be preserved in the Church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire, that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordainances of God duly settled, administrated, and observed. For the better effecting whereof, he has power to call synods, to be present at them and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God.

IV. It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honor their persons, to pay them tribute or other dues to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience' sake Infidelity, or difference in religion, does not make void the magistrates' just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to them: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted, much less has the Pope any power and jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and, least of all, to deprive them of their dominions, or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretence whatsoever.

WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH. Chapter XXV
Of the Church

I. The catholic or universal Church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of Him that fills all in all.

II. The visible Church, which is also catholic or universal under the Gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.
III. Unto this catholic visible Church Christ has given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world: and does, by His own presence and Spirit, according to His promise, make them effectual thereunto.

IV. This catholic Church has been sometimes more, sometimes less visible. And particular Churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the Gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.

V. The purest Churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated, as to become no Churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, there shall be always a Church on earth to worship God according to His will.
VI. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalts himself, in the Church, against Christ and all that is called God.

The purpose of separation of Church and State is to protect a nation from the control of Roman Catholicism, not to suppress Christianity, which is the aim of secularists.

Note: the word secular was coined by atheists to give atheism a respectable name. For the fool hath said in his heart, "There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." Ps 14.1
The secularist does not want to be seen as a fool.