Episode 147: What is Christian Patriotism in America?

God, Government, Liberty of Conscience, and the American ExperimentWhat does it mean to be a Christian patriot in the United States?Is Christian patriotism about the flag?Is it about political parties?Is it about electing Christian politicians?Is it about making America a Christian nation?Or is Christian patriotism something much deeper?Today, we will explore a theme that reaches from the Bible to the founding of the United States— to the constitutional principles of religious liberty.Here is the central idea:A Christian patriot loves his country by defending the principles of liberty that allow every person to answer directly to God according to conscience.That means something very important.Christian patriotism is not the same thing as using government to impose Christianity.In fact, genuine Christian patriotism may require Christians to defend the religious liberty of people whose beliefs they profoundly disagree with.Why?Because Christianity teaches that there is a realm of life that belongs exclusively to God.And government has a legitimate—but limited—sphere of authority.The question is:Where is the boundary?What belongs to God?What belongs to Caesar?And what happens when Caesar tries to take what belongs to God?THE FIRST COMMANDMENT ESTABLISHES THE FIRST DUTYLet's begin with Jesus.In Mark 12, Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest.Jesus answered:“The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’”Mark 12:29–30.Notice something extraordinary.Jesus identifies the first and greatest human obligation:Our duty is to God.Not to government.Not to the state.Not to political leaders.Not to a political party.Our first allegiance is to the Creator.And that immediately raises a question about government.If my first duty belongs to God, can government take possession of that duty?Can government tell me what I must believe?Can government tell me whom I must worship?Can government determine how I must worship?Can government require me to violate my conscience?The biblical answer is no.Because my relationship with God belongs to God.JESUS AND CAESARJesus made this distinction remarkably clear.In Matthew 22, the Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus with a question about taxation.Jesus asked for a Roman coin.Then He said:“Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”Matthew 22:21.Think about those words.Jesus recognized that Caesar has legitimate claims.But He also recognized that there are things that belong to God that do not belong to Caesar.That is the biblical foundation for limited government.There is a sphere belonging to Caesar.There is a sphere belonging to God.And the Christian must never confuse the two.Government has legitimate authority.But government is not God.The state is not God.The president is not God.Congress is not God.The Supreme Court is not God.And the majority is not God.There is something above government.The Creator.GOD IS THE SOURCE OF HUMAN RIGHTSThe Declaration of Independence begins with precisely this idea.It speaks of:“the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God.”It declares that human beings are:“endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”That word is critical:Creator.The Declaration did not say that government creates our rights.It said our rights come from our Creator.And then it says governments are instituted to secure those rights.This is remarkably consistent with the biblical understanding of human beings.Acts 17:24–25 says:“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth...”God is the Creator.He is Lord over humanity.Government is therefore not the ultimate source of human dignity.God is.And if rights come from God, government does not have unlimited authority to take them away.THE POWER OF GOVERNMENT IS LIMITEDThe Declaration then makes the revolutionary statement:Governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed.”But follow the logic.If government's legitimate powers come from the people, what powers can the people delegate?Only powers that legitimately belong within the civil sphere.I can authorize government to protect my property.I can authorize government to maintain courts.I can authorize government to punish murder.I can authorize government to protect public order.But can I delegate my relationship with God?Can I give Congress my conscience?Can I authorize a legislature to worship God for me?Can I transfer my duty to my Creator to another human being?No.And that is precisely where A. T. Jones' argument becomes so powerful.A.T. Jones asked the question:“What Is Patriotism in the United States?”Jones reasoned from the Declaration's statement that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed.If government receives its authority from the people, then people can delegate only authority that they themselves possess.But religious duty is different.My duty to God is not something I received from government.It is something I received from God.Therefore I cannot delegate it.And if I cannot delegate it, government cannot legitimately receive it.This is the critical distinction:Civil authority can govern civil conduct.It cannot govern the conscience.That principle is not hostile to Christianity.It is rooted in Christianity.THE BIBLE'S TEACHING ABOUT CIVIL GOVERNMENTBut someone might ask:Doesn't the Bible command Christians to obey government?Absolutely.Romans 13 is very clear.Paul writes:“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.”Romans 13:1.And:“For there is no authority except from God.”Romans 13:1.Government has legitimate authority.Paul continues:“For he is God’s minister to you for good.”Romans 13:4.Government therefore has an important God-given role.It is supposed to restrain evil.Protect society.Maintain justice.Punish wrongdoing.Preserve civil order.Peter makes a similar point:“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.”1 Peter 2:13.And why?“For the Lord’s sake.”But there is an important biblical qualification.Government authority is not unlimited.WHEN GOVERNMENT CROSSES THE LINEThe apostles were ordered by civil authorities to stop preaching about Jesus.What did they do?They answered:“We ought to obey God rather than men.”Acts 5:29.There is the boundary.Government has authority.But God has greater authority.When government commands something that violates God's explicit command, the Christian must obey God.This principle appears throughout Scripture.Daniel was ordered not to pray.He prayed anyway.Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were commanded to worship the image.They refused.The Hebrew midwives were commanded to kill Hebrew male infants.They refused.The apostles were commanded to stop preaching Christ.They refused.The biblical pattern is consistent:Respect legitimate civil authority—but never give government the place that belongs to God.DANIEL AND THE ISSUE OF WORSHIPConsider Daniel 6.The king issued a decree that effectively regulated prayer.Daniel knew the decree.He understood the consequences.And yet Daniel went to his room, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, and prayed as he had done before.Why?Because prayer belonged to God.The king could control certain civil matters.But he could not legitimately claim Daniel's conscience.This is the same principle that emerges in the American understanding of religious liberty.Government may govern the citizen's civil behavior.But it cannot legitimately become lord of the conscience.THE THREE HEBREWS AND WORSHIPDaniel 3 provides another example.Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone to bow before the image.The three Hebrews refused.Notice something important.They did not lead a rebellion against the Babylonian government.They did not deny that Nebuchadnezzar possessed civil authority.They simply refused to worship the image.TheirSend us your questions to be featured on the next podcast!Thank you for being part of the AskGod365 podcast community.We value you and appreciate greatly the time you are spending with us today.Please share your comments and questions at AskGod365.comListen. 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