My topic today is loosely titled,
The Christian Foundation of America. And let me preface this by saying
that for the last, well, for a long time now, I have been
thinking so much about our country and where we are and the directions
that we're taking, the things that are being done, and quite
frankly, it worries me. It causes me to think about our
nation and where we have been, where we started, where we are
now, and where we're heading. And this kind of guides my thoughts
today. Let me offer a couple of scriptures
today as a base for this discussion, and then we'll run from there. The first that I would put before
you is Psalm 33, verse 12. And I realize this is isolated
from the rest of the passage. Take the verse as a standalone
and go from there. The verse says, blessed is the
nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen
as his heritage. A second verse I'll offer for
you again, this is a base to the discussion, will be the Proverb
14 verse 34. Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people. And as a following verse
to those, let me add Isaiah 1 verse 18 in part. Come, let us reason
together, says the Lord. That will be the scripture that
I will use as a base. Certainly we'll follow on some
more passages there. Again, as I mentioned, what's
driving this is the current state of America. And as The country
goes this direction or that direction. The commentary on the radio,
the TV, preachers, news commentators, anybody we listen to, there's
ample commentary about the state of the nation. Are we getting
better? Are we getting worse? Are glory days behind us? There is so much discussion.
Part of the discussion at this point then is that people say,
well, this is all so tragic. America is a Christian nation. It just shouldn't be in a Christian
nation. Well, all the discussion needs
to be defined in various aspects because any discussion without
context of history does not tell us really where we are or where
we may be heading. So it is with that in mind that
we take a quick look at America and some of the ideas that were
the basis, the foundation of what has become the American
nation and the American thought. First, let me address the question,
is America a Christian nation? Because we hear that a lot, so
much in the discussion, especially in church circles. Well, America
is a Christian nation. What does that mean? We have
to define even that term because that's vague enough to mean nothing
or be all-encompassing. So we have to somewhat define
what we mean by a Christian nation. If we mean by a Christian nation
that America, the United States of America, was specially separated
and directly built and guided by God, then I don't know that
we can make that case. I will not discount God's providence. We'll talk about that in a minute.
But let's compare it to a nation that we do know was a nation
of God, and that's Israel. Without question, the nation
of Israel was God's nation. It was a theocracy. It was founded
by God, directly led, and brought along by God. Israel had the
pillar of fire. Israel had the stone tablets.
Israel had the Ark of the Covenant. They were God's nation. The United States has none of
these things. So if we use Israel as the example
of what a true nation of God is, then we cannot say that America
ever was a nation of God or a Christian nation in the sense that God
had us in His hand and was directly speaking to us and leading us. We can't say that. Now that is
not to discount, ever discount, that God by His providence led
us as a nation through the people that were here and guided and
built us into a nation through His providence. No one can deny
that. And the founding fathers of our
country, as they wrote, recognized that and wrote about it, spoke
about it often, that God's providence was indeed guiding the nation. Now, a word of caution when we
start talking about providence, we can read too much into God's
providence if we try. And that may sound bad to say
that, but let me remind you also that the Soviet Union was a nation
that was guided by God's providence. In no way will I say that the
Soviet Union was a good nation, that Joseph Stalin was a good
leader, and that the death of 50 million people was a good
event. I can't say that. But I can tell you most assuredly
that it was all guided by God's providence. The wisdom behind
that is God's and God's alone. I can't explain that to you.
But it was nonetheless guided by God's providence. So let's
not read too much into God's providence. We must always recognize
it, and we must look for it, I think, to our encouragement,
but let's not read more into it than is ours to read into
it. But if we do mean that we are
a Christian nation because the majority of the people on the
continent at the time were, without apology and without any disregard,
they were Christians. The majority of the people in
the colonies were. They came here for religious reasons. To worship God, Christ, as they
saw fit. And the ones that were not Christians,
and people always point to Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin
as examples of those who were not Christians in the founding
period. Even those who were not Christians in the founding period
were profoundly influenced by Christian thought. That can't
be denied. If we mean we are a Christian
nation at our founding because Christian thought dominated,
then yes, we can make that case. There is nothing at all that
will stop us from making that case. But let's consider that
since every living generation determines the present character
of a nation, America may not be a Christian nation now. That's something to consider.
That's something to consider. Another thing I'd like to mention
in this discussion is that people often talk about our Judeo-Christian
heritage. That America has Judeo-Christian
roots. And this is a term that is so
much misleading, so much misunderstood, and so much misapplied. And as
a Christian, in all honesty, let me say that I somewhat resent
that statement or that phrase, that wording, Judeo-Christian.
The Christian concepts, the things that make us uniquely Christian
are removed from Judaism. If you don't believe that, go
back and read the book of Acts. Go back and read the letters
of Paul. There was a separation, a distinction
made between Judaism and Christianity. And the two were not to mix. And unfortunately, as we use
the term Judeo-Christian, I understand the broad meaning that out of
Judaism came the Messiah, came our Christ, came Christianity. I do understand that link. But
I think oftentimes we use it to mean something much more all-encompassing
as if we have a real common culture with Judaism, and we don't. We
don't. So this is another part of the
muddying of the discussion when we start talking about the position
and the place of America right now. It's interesting to note
that as the Islamic influence in America grows, and it is growing,
we are now being told that we have an Abrahamic heritage. They say this because out of
Judaism came Christianity and out of the two came the correction
which is Islam, but it all comes from Abraham. So let's not talk
about a Judeo-Christian ethic or heritage anymore. Let's talk
about an Abrahamic heritage. Well, that's garbage too. That's
garbage too because certainly Christianity has nothing to do
with Islam. Nothing. America at its founding
was not a Judeo-Christian nation. America was founded upon uniquely
Christian ideals. This was not some Jewish-founded
nation. And I realize I sound anti-Semitic
when I say that, but I'm not talking about the people. I'm
talking about the ideas of Judaism here. And the founding of America
was built upon distinctly Christian concepts and there's a few that
I will key in on here I'd like to put before you and let's think
about these things because they're important to the American mindset. These ideas were common to most
Americans in the 1770s. They were, let's look at the
people, these people in the 1770s were Christians who left England
for the purpose of worshiping God and Christ as they saw fit,
not as dictated by the Church of England. It's a unique situation. These were majority Christian
people. So read into the beginning of
our nation a basis in Christianity. They didn't come here for more
economic opportunities. Some did, but I'm talking about
the majority. They didn't come here because
they just felt like taking a voyage across the ocean. They came here
for religious freedom, and that was to worship God and Christ
by the dictates of their conscience, free of the Church of England. The basis of American government,
and I'm talking about the ideological base, not the practical working
which we see in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution,
but the ideological base that built the country, is founded
in the Christian concept of ecclesia, the church, the assembly, the
body of Christ, and that's what I would like to discuss this
morning. America at its beginning was a secular version of the
church. I hope that doesn't shock anyone
to hear that said that way. But it was. There were some ideas
that were common to Americans. They held to, and when they united
to build a country, they built around a few base ideas. Let
me lay these out. The first and foremost was the
sovereignty of God. We'll talk about each of these
more in depth in just a minute. The first was the sovereignty
of God. The second concept was the equality of men. The third
was the priesthood of believers. And the fourth was forgiveness
and restoration. These are all built into the
American mindset. Or they were. They were at the
time. With these as our base, let's
look more specifically. First, the sovereignty of God. This is not a distinctly Christian
ideal. So I put this out here and mention
it It is a foundation of our country, but the sovereignty
of God as such is not a uniquely Christian ideal. Actually, the
people on earth today that hold most strongly to the sovereignty
of God, the absolute sovereignty of God, are the Islamics. They have absolutely no toleration
for anybody who will say that God is not sovereign. The Islamics
are the fiercest people on the earth when you start talking
about the supremacy, the sovereignty of God. But America was built
on that idea that God is sovereign, that God had made a place for
His people to worship and they believed that. And they based
it, of course, in the Scripture. Let's look at Proverbs 8 verses
14 through 17, where we're told at that place, I have counsel
and sound wisdom. I have insight. I have strength.
By me, kings reign and rulers decree what is just. By me, princes
rule and nobles, all who govern, govern justly. I love those who
love me, those who seek me diligently by me. This is a statement by
God of His sovereignty. Proverbs 21 and 2. The king's
heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns
it wherever he will. The founding fathers, the original
Americans, believed this. They wrote about it often. They
recognized as they wrote and prepared for the revolution and
even after the revolution that this nation could not exist and
would not stand without the favorable providence of God. Built into
the idea of America is that God is sovereign and if it pleases
Him, He will uphold our endeavors. You cannot read from the Founding
Fathers and walk away with any other opinion. The sovereignty
of God is a key American ideal, a principle upon which this country
is based. Second ideal that I put before
you is the equality of all men. And this one here, people will
tell you, well that comes from the classic Greek democracies
and the early Roman Republic. And yes and no. Yes and no. The American application is not
drawn from classic Greek or Roman. It is not. It comes from the
concept of the church that all All, without exception, within
the church, those in Christ, are equal. We see that in Romans
chapter 10, verses 11 through 13, Paul tells us, For the Scripture
says, Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord
is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
In Galatians, Paul again tells us, chapter 3, verse 27 and 28,
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free.
There is neither male or female. You are all one in Christ Jesus. Now, of course, understand that
this is not an equality of man based on every principle in the
world. This is honed in. It is focused in. It is in Christ. But the concept is the equality
of all men, regardless of your background. Regardless of your
background. In the church, in the church,
there is no distinction. Christians are Christians are
brothers and sisters. And that was a key American concept. You come here, you participate,
you be a part of America, and you are an American. You are
an American. You may have been German. You
may have been a German Lutheran. You may have been an English
Baptist. You may have been a French Catholic. But you come here,
you are an American. You're an American. Equality
of men based on a common, common identity. It comes from the church. The foundation of the American
experiment is the church of Christ. That is the ideological base.
Another concept that is key to the American experience is the
priesthood of the believer. This is a radical concept. to
say that every participant has the ability to participate, to
be an equal and participatory member in society. In the church,
we know that we are a royal priesthood, that each one of us in Christ
can go before the throne of God with confidence knowing that
we will be welcomed there. Again, the qualifier is in Christ. when we're talking about the
church. But the idea that every citizen in America can participate
draws directly from the priesthood of the believer in the church.
I don't have to crawl up the stairs of the Capitol building
in Washington, D.C. begging and pleading my case. As an American citizen,
I should be able to walk upright into the halls of Congress to
state my case. That's right as an American.
We as Christians can go boldly before the throne. We as Americans
in a nation modeled after the concept of the church can go
boldly before the halls of our government. And we can do so
with confidence. because we are Americans. Now, another overriding, or not
overriding, but foundational principle is that of forgiveness
and restoration. Americans are known throughout
the world for having a positive can-do attitude, a confidence,
which many in other nations consider arrogance. But typically, if
an American says he can get it done, It gets done. Americans,
for all the failings that we as a nation have had, have done
great things. When we fail, we fall back, we
regroup, and we go at it again. This is an American ideal and
it is firmly, firmly based in the Christian concept of forgiveness
and restoration. A brother falls. He's in error. The church confronts him. He
repents. He's restored. We don't throw
him out forever. We don't tell him he's no good
for anything. He's restored and he may go forth
again. And we see that in the American
experiment. Think of all the the rags to
riches stories that you know of in America. Made possible because Americans
with a strong Christian base, with a base ideology that preaches
and practices forgiveness and restoration. Because of that,
people can indeed fail. And they can go forward again
and achieve things they never thought possible. Philippians chapter 3, verse
12 through 14, we're told there, not that I have already obtained
this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own
because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not
consider that I have made it my own, One thing I do, forgetting what
lies behind and straining towards what lies ahead, I press on toward
the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus. And there is forgiveness and
restoration and the hopeful expectation that we can do better. As I said,
I consider these things to be foundational American ideals. and they draw from the church.
The practical outworking of these ideas was voiced for us in the
Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution of the United
States. Neither document says we believe in Jesus Christ and
His church. They don't say that. But without question, the principles
that we've talked about are built into them. And some other principles,
Christian principles, that we didn't talk about. Now, having
read these verses and said that the American nation is built
on Christian principles, let me say that the principles that
we discussed, that we looked at, the verses that we read,
only apply to Christians. Non-believers will not hear them.
They will not respect them. They don't care about them. The
good things that are mentioned are for Christians. They're in
Christ. In Christ. This verse in Philippians
we just read ends by saying, in Christ Jesus. The model for
the American experience is the church. But the failing of the
American experience is that you can't practice Christian principle
without Christ. Therein is the beginning of the
problems that we have today. Christian principles applied
without Christ are worthless principles. They are good ideas even in the
secular. Don't get me wrong. They are
the best ideas. But in the depraved hearts of
non-believers, they are worthless ideas. And this is the problem. This is the problem. We are attempting
to practice as a nation Christian principles without Christian people. And that can't happen. That can't
happen. And that is why we see with each
passing generation a watering down of the Christian principles
that were built into the founding of the nation. The idea of Christianity
has changed since 1776. We're talking about things in
churches now that in 1776 weren't even thinkable. I read an article
just yesterday on a news page on the internet that said there's
a church in North Carolina that will not perform marriages anymore
in their church. Their clergy will not perform
marriages until gay marriage is accepted by their church. We're talking about things even
in Christian circles now that are so unchristian as to just
shake your mind up. Unbelievable. And then on the
broad again, we're talking on the national level about practicing
basic Christian principles on people who are not Christians. And this is why the nation spins
out of control. It is an impossibility to practice
Christian principle without Christians. Doesn't work. Never will work. Never will work. That's why we
find ourselves in the mess we're in. The founding of the nation
was without question by majority Christians. The principles built
into the nation are distinctly Christian. But non-Christians
don't care. That kind of liberty means nothing
to them. They want to do what they want
to do. Well, all that leaves us at a very negative place,
I think. We think about this and we think
about where we were and where we are and how we've fallen,
and that sounds terribly negative. But let me say this as we wind
this up. We are Christians. We see all
that's going on around us, and it begs the question then, What
are we to do? What are we to do? The answer
to that question is as it was to Christians in the first century. It's the same answer, the same
question. What are we to do? May I remind us that Christians
in the first century were living under the most pagan and barbaric
empire that had existed in the world to that day, the Roman
Empire. They were pagan and they were brutal. The answer was, to Christians
of that day, when asked, what do we do? It was to tell others
about Jesus. Christ told the disciples on
his last day, go and make disciples of all nations. Baptizing in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. First century
Christians, what do we do? What do we do? Tell these people
about Jesus. What do we do? 2013 in America, what do we do?
We tell these people about Jesus. They cannot understand the basis,
the foundation of our country if they don't know Christ. Jesus
said, if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed. If they
don't know Christ, they cannot understand freedom. They can't. It's an impossibility. They're
too bound up in their own things to know what freedom is. So the
answer is that we tell them about Christ. And as they know Christ
by God's good grace, then they will know freedom. As they know
freedom, then they can understand America. In saying all this, I don't mean
to deify America. That's not my point. But I am
saying that we had a good foundation. And we can have a restoration.
that's built into the church by Jesus Christ. And it's built
into the American ideology if we but remember that. I would
pray as we end that God would grant us opportunities to talk
to other people. And I don't mean forced evangelism. I'm not by any means encouraging
anybody to grab up a bunch of pamphlets for spiritual laws
and start handing them out on street corners. Each one of us
talks to a lot of people over the course of a week. And I would
ask God, I hope that we would be attuned to opportunities He's
given us to recognize that we've got a conversation, a natural
conversation that may lead somewhere. Always remembering as we talk
to people that one plants, one waters, God brings forth the
harvest. You've got great opportunity
and you never know what word we speak might spark somebody. You don't know. That's God's
business. I've been very amazed over the
years of the conversations I've had with people, not expecting
any result, not knowing any result, and then later finding out that
there was a result. Pretty amazing. Well, on that,
I will leave us. I hope that this consideration
of our founding Give us some food for thought. We can think
back on it and remember the founding of our country, the people that
founded it, and some of the ideas, the ideals, the principles that
they held to and that they used to build a nation.