That this nation was founded on Christian principles is not only arguable, it is somewhat questionable! There is no doubt that certain of our founders were good Christians, as far as that went, and that the two most important ( traditionally anyway ) documents assembled to birth and govern this fledgling nation were influenced by Christianity, but the whole concept of America as a Christian nation is faulty, at the very least!
God, Guns, Guts, and Country
Most Americans are probably overly familiar with this phrase, or at least with one like it, such as, 'God, Guns, and Guts are what made America free'. Take note that the opposite is also becoming more and more true, 'Gutless, gunless, and God-less Americans are what is imprisoning America': more to the point, though; it is idolatrous, gun-less and gut-less Christians who will be the death of this nation!
American Christians seem to have gotten their religions mixed up, somewhat like the nation of Israel, in Daniel's prophecy ( Daniel 2 ) thought they would gain by mixing with Roman power, but only became more brittle, 'like iron mixed with clay'. We seem to have forgotten what Empire we belong to, and thus Whom we seve! In a very real sense, it was 'God, Guns and Guts' that made this country great, but anymore, it seems that most Americans, maybe even some Christians included, seem to have glossed over the fact that it was God Who gave greatness to this country, and have focused their worship and praise instead on man's part in the struggle, 'guns and guts'. This is not to detract from man's part in the struggle, but wrong empirical thought seems to have pervaded America in general, and American Christianity in particular!
Christians have forgotten Whom we serve and Whose Empire we are to be concerned with; we are not here to make this nation great, or even to live the American dream. Rather, we are here, in the greatness of God, to shine forth His goodness and mercy, to prove the greatness of His Love in His empirical Kingdom! Jesus said that 'you cannot serve God and mammon', but American Christianity has been engaged in this idolatry for years. This saying could well be rephrased to say, 'you cannot serve God's Empire and the empire of man'. We cannot build the American Empire and the Empire of God!
This is not to say that one cannot be Christian and inhabit and even promote life in these United States, but we must keep in mind that, just as Jesus also said, 'seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you', we are not seek our own, or even the advancement of the American Empire: it is for the advancement of the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, His empirical City, that we are to seek, and to concern ourselves with.
As we go about our day to day business, let us remember always that, even though it is always wise to seek the peace of the nation or city, geographically speaking, in which God has graciously placed us, it is more importantly where we dwell spiritually, and what, or Whose end we serve that may make the difference in whether we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, or whether we idolatrously continue to adhere to Americanism!
Serving the True Emperor in His Empire,
Charles Haddon Shank
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