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David Scudder
DaveBethel at gmail dot com Sr. Pastor of Bethel Chapel Church
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This has become a hot topic lately because in a recent statement President Obama said, “We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation . . .” Really? The polls consistently show that almost 90% of Americans call themselves Christian. Does that mean we are a Christian nation--just because so many of us call ourselves Christian? Whether or not we are a Christian nation depends on how we define that term. What is a “Christian nation”?
Some nations are controlled by a church or an organized religious system. That is not true of this country. In the Bill of Rights the first amendment to our Constitution clearly states that America should never have a religion established by the government: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This means that anyone is free to worship God or not worship God as they desire. In that respect we are NOT a Christian nation.
If by “Christian nation” someone means that most Americas are following the teachings of Jesus Christ then, again, I would say that we are NOT a Christian nation. We have become an immoral and un-Christian people. If you are new to this country, please don’t think that the attitudes and actions by the majority of the people who live here are Christian. They are not. For example, movies and television shows often portray adultery and homosexuality as accepted and normal behaviors. They may be accepted and considered normal by many. Sadly, many sins are accepted and considered normal, but they are still condemned in the Bible, the book sincere Christians follow.
If someone is saying that America is a “Christian nation” because it has a Christian heritage (or foundation), then on that basis, we can indeed clam to be a Christian nation. Our form of government was based on Christian principles, and it was established by many leaders who were openly Christian. Of that there can be no doubt. John Jay, a governor of New York and the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, said in 1816, “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty…of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” George Washington, our first President, wrote in 1752, “Let me live according to those holy rules which Thou this day prescribed in Thy holy word….Direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ the way, the truth, and the life. Bless, O Lord, all the people of this land.” He also said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” Andrew Jackson (our 7th President) said, “That Book (the Bible), sir, is the rock on which our republic rests.”
Because of that foundation, no nation in the history of the world has enjoyed more blessings than America, and the only thing that sets America apart from every other country in the world is our Christian heritage. Our government was based on Christian principles, and yet everyone is free to worship as they please. We have the most powerful military ever known to mankind, and yet we have never used it to conquer and keep other lands in subjection. America sends billions of dollars of aid to other countries every year. More people choose to move to America than to any other country. Yes, America has always had problems, but America has done more good in the world than any other country.
Why has our government worked so well for over 200 years? It's because our government was founded on the Christian belief that men tend to be evil—especially those who have power over others. This is why there are three branches in our government that are supposed to keep each other from getting too powerful. Our founding fathers agreed with what William Pitt said in 1770: "Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it." President Ronald Reagan warned us, “Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land, for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people.”
Government is not the only thing that works better when God's truth is acknowledged. Our individual lives work better, too, when we admit our own tendency to evil. Even the great Apostle Paul felt that way about himself: “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all” (1 Timothy 1:15). Realizing our own sinfulness shows us our need of a Savior. When we trust Christ's death on the cross as the total payment for our sin, we ourselves can be called a Christian—not because we belong to the right religious system, not even because we always act like Christians, but just because we are trusting in what Jesus did for us on Calvary. That makes us Christians, followers of Jesus Christ. I hope you have been set free from sin’s punishment and its hold on your life. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). At Bethel Chapel Church we celebrate that freedom every Sunday.
Some nations are controlled by a church or an organized religious system. That is not true of this country. In the Bill of Rights the first amendment to our Constitution clearly states that America should never have a religion established by the government: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This means that anyone is free to worship God or not worship God as they desire. In that respect we are NOT a Christian nation.
If by “Christian nation” someone means that most Americas are following the teachings of Jesus Christ then, again, I would say that we are NOT a Christian nation. We have become an immoral and un-Christian people. If you are new to this country, please don’t think that the attitudes and actions by the majority of the people who live here are Christian. They are not. For example, movies and television shows often portray adultery and homosexuality as accepted and normal behaviors. They may be accepted and considered normal by many. Sadly, many sins are accepted and considered normal, but they are still condemned in the Bible, the book sincere Christians follow.
If someone is saying that America is a “Christian nation” because it has a Christian heritage (or foundation), then on that basis, we can indeed clam to be a Christian nation. Our form of government was based on Christian principles, and it was established by many leaders who were openly Christian. Of that there can be no doubt. John Jay, a governor of New York and the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, said in 1816, “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty…of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” George Washington, our first President, wrote in 1752, “Let me live according to those holy rules which Thou this day prescribed in Thy holy word….Direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ the way, the truth, and the life. Bless, O Lord, all the people of this land.” He also said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” Andrew Jackson (our 7th President) said, “That Book (the Bible), sir, is the rock on which our republic rests.”
Because of that foundation, no nation in the history of the world has enjoyed more blessings than America, and the only thing that sets America apart from every other country in the world is our Christian heritage. Our government was based on Christian principles, and yet everyone is free to worship as they please. We have the most powerful military ever known to mankind, and yet we have never used it to conquer and keep other lands in subjection. America sends billions of dollars of aid to other countries every year. More people choose to move to America than to any other country. Yes, America has always had problems, but America has done more good in the world than any other country.
Why has our government worked so well for over 200 years? It's because our government was founded on the Christian belief that men tend to be evil—especially those who have power over others. This is why there are three branches in our government that are supposed to keep each other from getting too powerful. Our founding fathers agreed with what William Pitt said in 1770: "Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it." President Ronald Reagan warned us, “Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land, for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people.”
Government is not the only thing that works better when God's truth is acknowledged. Our individual lives work better, too, when we admit our own tendency to evil. Even the great Apostle Paul felt that way about himself: “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all” (1 Timothy 1:15). Realizing our own sinfulness shows us our need of a Savior. When we trust Christ's death on the cross as the total payment for our sin, we ourselves can be called a Christian—not because we belong to the right religious system, not even because we always act like Christians, but just because we are trusting in what Jesus did for us on Calvary. That makes us Christians, followers of Jesus Christ. I hope you have been set free from sin’s punishment and its hold on your life. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). At Bethel Chapel Church we celebrate that freedom every Sunday.
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