In the conclusion to my series on understanding the land promise made to Israel, I made the claim that America is just another secular, pagan nation. I’m not too surprised that someone objected to my claim. The idea that America is a Christian nation is a very common idea, but it is still misguided.
Yes, some godly people were involved in the founding of America. Most of our founders at least acknowledged God. But when they founded the nation, they founded a run-of-the-mill, secular nation. God made no promise in His Word about the founding of our nation. Our nation granted freedom of religion to non-Christian religions. The laws of our nation are secular laws, they do not come out of the pages of Deuteronomy.
But wait, some would say, didn’t our laws derive from Biblical principles? That may be, but they were still secular laws for a secular people. Excommunication from the church is never dished out by the secular state, here.
We may truly be thankful for the Christian, godly influence in the founding of our society. That may have given us advantages and blessings. But it does not constitute our country as uniquely created by God. We have no claims for God’s special favor. Like every other nation of men, we are accountable to obey God’s laws. And God ultimately is responsible for the authority our leaders have (Rom. 13).
Since America is just another secular nation, it should not surprise us when our country follows the whims and desires of fallen man. Christians in the era of pre-Christian Rome had a far worse society to deal with than we have. Roman senators openly kept mistresses and/or homosexual boys, Christianity was directly persecuted, and Bibles were illegal. Yet one will not find the Christians of that era complaining about how bad things were and how hard it was to be a Christian.
Today, however, Christians complain about how bad things are, and they long for the good old days, when America was truly a Christian place. However, America never was a Christian place. Morality apart from Christ is as heinous to God as immorality apart from Christ. A day where everyone saves face and looks good, while still being rebellious to God in their hearts, is not an age I want to return to. And I am at a loss to see how preventing homosexual marriage, and laws of this nature, do anything to “reclaim America for Christ”. The law is powerless to save.
We as Christians need to realize that we will always be in a world that hates us and in an environment that makes it hard for us to live for Christ. Always, until Jesus comes, that is.
And while I’m all for efforts to impact our culture for Christ, focusing on politics and political reforms often diverts us from the cause of the Gospel. It also blurs the distinction of Christianity in the eyes of the world. Rather than being known as those who prize the Gospel and love Christ, we are viewed as those who aim to foist our morality on the general public through whatever means possible.
Christianity is not a political party, nor a social club. American Christians, can’t ignore their global brothers and sisters. God is for America just as much as He is for Pakistan, North Korea, and every other nation where members of Christ’s body live. I’m not against being patriotic, but we must not pretend God is. We are citizens of a heavenly country, and just “passing through” this world, whatever earthly country we may dwell in.
This is a wonderful post. I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that America never was a Christian nation. I fear that people who look backwards to the “good old days” are imagining a time, and culture, that never really existed.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the encouragement. It’s easier to look backwards, than focus on living for Christ now. This isn’t to imply that everyone who longs for yesteryear is looking for a cop-out, however. But the fact remains.
Thanks for stopping by.
Bob
Oh, yes. You are so correct.
Thanks Dave. And thanks for the link.
I find it interesting that people say that we were founded as a Christian nation when a lot of the founding fathers were Arians and completely denied Jesus’ divinity.
Sad.
But what I have found in today’s Christendom is that if you use the term “god” that people assume you are Christian. Just look at all the celebrities and presidents that use the term and people automatically assume that they are talking about the Trinitarian God of the Bible instead of the pagan gods that have run rampant since the garden.
A refreshingly honest and non-patriotic article! Christians have no obligation to any country or kingdom besides God’s, so that is intended a compliment!
Thanks, guys. You’re right about Arians, and also deists being among the founders. And some may have acknowledged the Biblical God but didn’t follow Him.
I get irritated when Christians rework history to make everyone of our patriotic heroes into a Bible-toting, evangelical. It’s not an honest treatment of history and so plainly biased. And it leaves “Christian educated” kids out to dry when faced with the cold hard facts later in life.
Good chatting with you all.
Bob
After ProdigalKnot’s comment, I want to make clear that my agreement with this post is emphatically not anti-patriotic. I believe the Bible does obligate me to this earthly kingdom, and that the American system (as the founders designed it, not as it is now) is unique among all others as being worthy of my loyal support — and that that is due to God’s providence.
I’m just not willing to pretend we are or were something we are not, or that our republic = the kingdom of God. The “Christian nation” propagandists do elevate patriotism to place only God can occupy.
I agree, David. We do have an obligation to our country. We aren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses, and we shouldn’t refuse to acknowledge our nation’s flag or respect its call to duty. We can, in our American government, find ways to influence our national policy through our votes, etc. We should be active in those ways. But we shouldn’t misplace the priorities of the church.
Right. in short, I salute the flag, but I don’t want to see it in church.
I guess I should have elaborated on my statement! By NON-patriotic, I meant to make clear I didn’t mean ANTI-patriotic.
I am thankful to be an American and enjoy the blessings I have as a result of my citizenship. However, I also acknowledge that being an American makes me more responsible to God, not less. “To whom much is given, much will be required”. I am a sojourner and a pilgrim and my debt is to God, not the U.S.A.
I dutifully salute the flag, stand for the National Anthem, etc., but will not excuse America for her wrongs or her sins against God. Politically, I excuse myself from feeling obligated to any party or candidate and voting if it a choice cannot be made that doesn’t go against my conscience.
Prodigal,
I figured you meant something like you stated here in comment #11. I’m with you on this. I just don’t want to make it seem like I’m so against America that I’m not thankful for my country, nor patriotic, or anything. I just have a greater allegiance to Christ’s church than any sovereign nation.
Blessings,
Bob
I was raised in a military family, my husband is retired military and I am an American patriot…but, I agree with David and Prodigal, It has always bothered me to see the American flag displayed in church…this is an inappropriate setting…the majority of the time.
Nancy,
Thanks for your thoughts here.
Blessings,
Bob
Great post. Amazing!
You are right, America was never ordained to be a christian nation.
I wrote something similar in my blog.
I am a Pagan, and I believe that ALL religions should remain out of politics. Hasn’t anyone learned anything from history? People of various religions killed others of different beliefs to “save them”. Pagans fed christians to the lions in Rome, christians burned us…
Politics and religion DO NOT MIX. Yet, do you hear any pagans complaining about how hard was to be a pagan? No, you hear us complaining about it now, because we are supposed to have “freedom of religion”, yet some (if not all) are still persecuted by many religions everyday.
America was founded by Freemasons. Not pagans or christians. As such, why do we say “one nation under god” in the pledge, if it was not founded under this “god”?
Watch Zeitgeist. You will learn MUCH.
I am a Pagan, and I believe that ALL religions should remain out of politics. Hasn’t anyone learned anything from history? People of various religions killed others of different beliefs to “save them”. Pagans fed christians to the lions in Rome, christians burned us…
Politics and religion DO NOT MIX. Yet, do you hear any pagans complaining about how hard was to be a pagan? No, you hear us complaining about it now, because we are supposed to have “freedom of religion”, yet some (if not all) are still persecuted by many religions everyday.
America was founded by Freemasons. Not pagans or christians. As such, why do we say “one nation under god” in the pledge, if it was not founded under this “god”?
Watch Zeitgeist. You will learn MUCH.
As a Freemason, I must object to the idea that Freemasons are not Christians. Let me state this very loudly, FREEMASONRY IS NOT A RELIGION! I have been in Lodge with good Masons who are Protestant Christians, Born-Again Christians, various other types of Christian, Catholics, Jews, Moslems, Hindus, Buddists and Wiccans. Freemasonry will accept a man of good character as long as he believes in a Supreme Being, without ever asking what religion he follows.
Al,
Thanks for providing some valuable context relating to freemasonry. The comments about it were made by a commenter here, not myself. I don’t know much about freemasonry and I’ll take you at your word.
Thanks again for interacting here.
Blessings in Christ,
Bob Hayton