Is America a Christian Nation? In short…No. Why, because America is not in a covenant relationship with God. Many people in America know God in a real way and it is clear to see that he has chosen to bless this country in many ways, but we are not without our problems. So how should Christians think about patriotism?
Should we sing patriotic songs in church near the 4th of July? How loyal should we be to the Stars and Stripes?
There is nothing wrong with being proud of where you are from. There is nothing wrong with saying the Pledge of Allegiance, or with voting. There is nothing wrong with singing the National Anthem. But there is something wrong with loving your country more than you love God. When the country chooses to do things out of step with Christian belief, Christians should continue to do as the Lord says, just as Daniel and his friends chose to do in Babylon. When consequences are threatened against Christians by the government, Christians should be willing to face those consequences, because our first loyalty is to God.
One of the great things about America is that we believe in Religious Liberty. Religious Liberty is the belief that people can choose to worship however they please so long as it does not infringe upon the rights of others. This allows for Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Buddhists, Jews, and others to worship as they please. These freedoms also tend to make it unnecessary to regularly face suffering on account of one’s faith. As our rights are challenged, it is important for us to put our faith ahead of our governing authorities while at the same time, respecting those authorities and being good citizens.
