kef1000blog

The United States is not, was not, and will never be a Christian nation. The only Christian nation that exists or will ever exist is the church.

While it is true that various leaders in our nation have appealed to Scripture and claimed God's support in order to enhance their standing among believers we should reject such posturing. For example, efforts to appropriate God were used by both sides in our civil war. Leaders are always eager to claim the endorsement of their people's gods. This requires no base motive on their part. They may be quite sincere---and quite mistaken. But patriotism must not be allowed to crowd out spirituality.

The New Testament was written to apply to individuals---not nations; and it applies equally to all---regardless of their nationality. As Christians we know that "...our citizenship is in heaven..." (Philippines 3:20)

Our standing is made clear in 1 Peter 2:9,10:"...you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation...Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God..."

Paul endorses our supra-national status in Ephesians 2:19 when he says, "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and-aliens but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household..." Additionally, in 2 Corinthians 6:l4-l6 Paul warns us, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." As Christians our real compatriots are fellow saints throughout the world—-not our non-Christian neighbors, coworkers and friends. Paul bluntly asks, "What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?"

As for the American Revolution I doubt that Peter would have participated in light of his comment in 1 Peter 2:11-17. "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires..."( such as claiming, contrary to Jesus, that as Americans we do not have to pay our taxes to the king that God has placed over us.) "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him..." (tar and feathering is not allowed.) "Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king!" These are not the words of a political revolutionary. In short, each of us has two independence days to celebrate no matter where we live: the birth of the church and our birth by baptism into that church. We rightly celebrate these the first day of every week.

# posted by kef1000 @ 11:13 AM