Let’s back up and address one thing before moving on. A big question that needs to be addressed is “are we a Christian nation?” Or more appropriate: “where we a Christian nation?” I think most people would answer the first question with a resounding NO. But what about our beginnings? There is evidence that some of the founding fathers were strong believers in Christ.
On my book shelve there is a book of essays written by a Presbyterian pastor named John Witherspoon. In his book he writes on topics such as regeneration and justification. If you are a Christian you may recognize these terms in the theological sense, as being regenerated “in Christ” and being justified “before God”. The reason I bring him up is because if you look at the bottom of a copy (or the original if you go to D.C.) of the declaration of independence then you my notice a signature of a man named John Witherspoon. Same guy!
Also on my book shelve you will find a book on John Adams by David McCullough. John Adams also signed the declaration. The book contains letters Adams and his wife Abigail wrote to each other while John was off building a nation. In one particular one Abigail wrote about an epidemic that broke out in there home town, she suggested that it was because God was punishing them for allow slavery to take place in America. The book does a good job of pointing out the faith that John and Abigail shared in Christ.
And you can find other people who had a hand in forming this country with similar stories as Witherspoon and Adams. But I would like to interject this in the argument: it dose not matter about their faith, because when the helped form the nation they did not start a church or religious organization, they started a country. One based on freedom of religion I’ll grant you but not a church.
If you read about the reasons we went to war with England most will point back to taxes. There were other reasons but mainly it was because of “taxation without representation”. Which flies in the face of Romans 13:1-2: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities, resist what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment”. So the colonists were sinning against God by warring with England. And also contradicts Jesus in Matthew 22:21: “Therefore render to Caesar things that are Caesar’s”.
I know this is not popular to say in most circles, but any rebellion or revolution cannot be biblically justified, unless the rebellion is for the purposes of avoiding sin. And tax evasion I don’t think can be classified as avoiding sin.
But wait! Our money says “In God We Trust”. This is true. But what I would object with is it never says “in God the Father” we trust. Or “in Christ we trust”. In other words it’s an ambiguous, impersonal type of title for the creator of heaven and earth. It might as well say “in the Man upstairs we trust”.
So no, I would not say America was ever a Christian nation. It was formed from rebellion which is not a Christian teaching. But in light of my words and thoughts I love my county, I really do. I think it’s the best one going. Why do you think we have immigration issues? No body wants in to a lame party. God has really blessed us materially in a way I don’t think he has ever blessed any nation. And the Gospel can be talked about freely. But its not because we did any thing to incur these blessings, we deserve hell. He did it just because.
Next I think we should talk about CAN there be a Christian nation?
