I am thankful to be an American, thankful to live in America. It is a true blessing, one of the greatest of my life. I celebrated with my family, and we thanked God for the freedom that we have here in America.
But I am concerned about a disturbing trend in America that has been around for some time and seems to be getting a stronger, deeper hold on too many Christians. People are looking to America to deliver what only God through His church can do. Too many people believe that loyalty to Christ means the same kind of loyalty to America. If we are not very aware and careful we get seduced by the words of politicians and the power of politics, believing this is the key to bringing hope and change instead of the words of Jesus and the power of His Spirit.
Is the United States a “Christian nation”? Some Americans think so. Christian nationalist activists and right-wing television preachers often claim that the United States was founded to be a Christian nation. Even some politicians agree. If the people who make this assertion are merely saying that most Americans are Christians by a religious choice to identify, they might have a small point. But in a 2021-‘23 survey, around 63% identified as Christian in belief, but over 50% of those said they seldom participated. Beyond that, those who argue that America is a Christian nation usually mean something more, insisting that the country should be officially Christian. They believe the very character of our country is at stake in the outcome of this debate.
The facts are different than many suppose. Jefferson’s and Madison’s viewpoint also carried the day when the Constitution, and later the Bill of Rights, was written. If the founders wanted an officially Christian nation, that concept would appear in the Constitution, and it does not. Instead, our nation’s governing document ensures religious freedom for everyone.
Some delegates to the Constitutional Convention argued for formal recognition of Christianity in the Constitution. Still, they did not adopt that view, and the Constitution did not give the government authority over religion. Article VI, which allows persons of all religious viewpoints to hold public office, was adopted unanimously. Through ratification of the First Amendment, observed Jefferson, the American people built a “wall of separation between church and state.” Pastors who did favor a church-state union were outraged. They preached that the United States would not be a successful nation because its Constitution did not give special treatment to Christianity. But many others welcomed and praised the Constitution and the First Amendment as true protectors of liberty.
The United States government has always been neutral on religious matters, leaving such decisions to individuals. This democratic and pluralistic system guarantees every individual American the right to determine his or her own spiritual direction or to ignore religion entirely. Because of this, Americans enjoy more religious freedom than any people in world history. We should be proud of this accomplishment and work to preserve the constitutional principle that made it possible.
Being proud and grateful to be an American is great, but as Christians, our citizenship is more than that. We are dual citizens of the Kingdom of God and the country in which we live. While we may love our American citizenship, our Kingdom citizenship and loyalty must always come first. In fact, we are ambassadors of God’s Kingdom. An ambassador’s job is to promote the welfare of the land to which they belong and act in the interests and priorities of the country they represent first of all. We Christians are to prioritize representing first the interests of the Kingdom of God while living in this land.
In short, I believe our love of God should surpass our love of country. All Christians would agree with this statement. But the difference between us most often lies in 1) not realizing how often our loyalty to our nation/political affiliation competes with our loyalty to God and 2) not knowing how to express our pride for being an American in a way that is loyal and true to the Kingdom of God.
America does not have a special relationship with God. We are not His chosen people. We did not replace the Jewish nation. The New Testament calls us to see ourselves as exiles in a foreign land, and that this world is not our home. God has through Jesus Christ opened the designation as “God’s people” to people from every nation of the world who desire reconciliation through Jesus. We are not citizens of this world. “In it but not of it,” Jesus said. Our land is heaven. We are missionaries here. Our King is Jesus, our allegiance is to the Kingdom of God.
We are called to be salt and light here. We, the Church, are God’s gift to the world. We are His representatives to broken people. We live out this reality in practical ways as we live in the tension of living in this place God has given us while we wait on the return of the King.
Let’s love our country but not make it an idol. Worship God alone. It’s good to love America, but we can’t morph the two into one. It’s not “God and country” first in our hearts. It is God alone.
I am grateful to be able to live in America and am forever in debt to all the ones who have paid and are paying the price for what I enjoy. But I never want anyone to be confused or wonder where my loyalty lies. My identity is that I am a follower of Jesus Christ, and my loyalty is first and always to Him alone.