“Christian Nation or Nation under God?”
By Kerry Lee Morgan

There is a debate today about America--Is it a Christian Nation or not? Since there is no one definition of how you can know a Christian Nation when you see one, the conclusion that we are or are not is somewhat ambiguous. One view holds that a Christian Nation is one in which the majority of the people are Christians, or at least believe in God.  Another view holds that a Christian Nation is one in which the government is the Defender of the Faith, such as in Great Britain, or in which a particular Christian sect is made the state established church.  Still another view holds that a Christian Nation is one in which its laws and constitution makes an explicit reference to Jesus Christ or to God Almighty, such as in America's Declaration of Independence. Finally, and by no means rounding out an exhaustive list, a Christian Nation is one in which its leaders and public officials are, by and large, Christians.

Many people, Christians and non-believing persons of good will, believe that if America is considered a Christian Nation by whatever definition or standard, then this is proof that God is on our side and that He will withhold his judgment even if we act badly as a nation.  A close reading of Ezekiel 14:12-19, however, does not bear out such optimism.  For therein, God promises that “if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its men and their animals, even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign LORD.”  It is not likely that any of us enjoy a superior standing to escape judgment, than God accorded these men.

The current debate over America as a Christian Nation, however, is not a debate over true foundational matters.  It is actually a debate which starts in the wrong place with the wrong question.  The first and foremost fundamental question would be:  “Why does God create nations?”  The answer in found in Jeremiah 18:1-10. Here Jeremiah relates that God's purpose for the nations is to be built up and planted firmly among the nations of men.  He says in relevant part:  “If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.”

God wants to do good for nations.  He wants to bless nations.  He is waiting to bless your nation and mine as well.  I cannot tell you what good he has purposed for your nation. You have to determine that as a nation.  If your religious assembly has never discussed what good God wants to do for your nation, then you must raise the question yourself.  Otherwise, your nation will be wandering in the dark while you hide the light.

Yet, it is equally clear that God will refuse to do good for any nation, if that nation does evil.  The nation which does evil is in danger of being uprooted, torn down and destroyed.  Returning to our discussion regarding a Christian nation, I would submit that a nation in which the majority of the people are Christians or at least believe in God, but who do evil and do not obey God, that Christian or not, God will judge that nation.  So too, any nation which does evil will be judged, even though its government is the Defender of the Faith or has a state established Christian church.  Likewise, a nation which does evil and does not obey God will be uprooted.  It makes no difference in the final analysis that its laws and constitution make explicit reference to Jesus Christ or to God Almighty.  Such reference are good, but in the final analysis they are insufficient protections to stave off God’s judgment.  Recall that Israel had perfect laws given by God himself through Moses.  This fact however, was insufficient to prevent the exile of the nation to Assyria.  See II Kings 17:1-23.  Finally, even if the leaders of a Nation are, by and large, Christian, this positive fact will not restrain the hand of God. 

Thus, the critical question is not if a Nation is a Christian one, though its laws, leaders and national assemblies would be well advised to mirror its virtues and respect its limitations imposed on civil governments generally (a topic too broad to discuss here).  Yet, the more searching inquiry is, what evils and acts of disobedience in particular will prompt God to abandon His work of  considering “the good I had intended to do for it” and rather incline Him to embark upon a path of warning, uprooting, tearing down, and finally and completely, of destroying that Nation.  I would think every citizen of every nation would want to know the evils that Nations commit which would trigger such a dreadful consequence.

As it turns out, an examination of God’s judgment of nations is spelled out for our benefit.  The attached PDF file reflects a series of studies done on this subject along with simplified charts.  The study examines the nations, attitudes, and events which have triggered God’s judgment in the past, both for his special or treasured nation Israel, and for non-Jewish nations as well.  God is not just the God of the Jews.  He is the maker and breaker of all nations.  All the nations are his possessions and he will do with them what He pleases.  The study examines the evil done in Israel that triggered judgment–evils related to worship, to shedding of innocent blood, related to the national covenant, evils related to the land defiled by sexual perversion, and to the administration of justice.  Judgment triggering events are also discussed for other nations.  It is a shorter list.  Evils related to false worship and idolatry, related to violence, related to defilement of the land by sexual perversion and related to the evil traits of the people themselves. 

It should be obvious that many of these matters, though not all, simply do not fall within the jurisdiction of the civil government to punish or remedy.  It goes without saying that some remedies lie with better laws where jurisdictionally appropriate.  Still others must concentrate on election or selection of faithful leaders and officials.  Yet, these are beyond the scope of our immediate discussion.  The bulk of the remedy is focused on how to induce God to relent.  As He says: “If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.”  And beyond this, to persuade God “to reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.” 

If this interests you, click on this link and download the study document. God’s judgment