The American Flag or The Cross

I remember the sermon. I was a senior in college home for the weekend and we had a guest speaker at our church. I enjoyed his message, but there was an undercurrent of a belief system that was concerning to me. Although not explicitly said, there was an implicit sense of the end of the world being equivalent to the rapid moral decline of the United States. This was a sentiment that I have heard echoed in other messages, blog posts, social media rants, etc. If the United States should fall as a nation, the end of the world would be upon us.

Honestly this is very concerning to me. Here’s a few quick reasons why.

1. This belief is wholly inconsistent with history. The USA is not the first world power that has ever existed. Egypt, Rome, Babylon, Assyria. There is historical and Biblical proof of these nations’ rapid declines, and guess what, we’re still here.
2. This belief is way too narrow. It is statistically true that in the Western world the church is dead or dying. Europe is incredibly dark spiritually and we’re right behind them. That being said, the global church is exploding. People are coming to Christ in droves in Africa and Asia. We may be on the outskirts here in the USA, but the global church is thriving in the midst of suffering.
3. This belief is the result of putting our hope in the wrong thing. This is what this post is about. If you take a long look at the Old Testament, you will see that many of the prophetic oracles against the nations (including also the people of Israel) promised destruction because people were believing in their own government, specifically military, for hope and security. Take for instance Isaiah 31:1 – Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord. (see also 2 Chronicles 16:7)

I grew up believing that this was the best country on earth. We were the epicenter of morality, spirituality, and Christian missions. We sent people out to the nations who needed the gospel. We were a country that was all about Christian values. We were God’s country. The rose-colored glasses started to come off at OBU, and then were completely ripped off my eyes in Phoenix.

Phoenix was the darkest of places I’ve been to. A staggering 90%+ don’t having saving faith in Jesus Christ. A major metropolitan area right here in our country, an epicenter of sorts in its own right, and it is dark. This country is not my home. This country is not my hope.

I’ll be honest, my time in Phoenix frightened me. I’ve written about this experience in other blogs, how I came to quickly realize that the United States wasn’t my home. God walked me through fear and anxiety and brought me to the point through studying Scripture that I was able to realize that the United States of America is not a Christian country.

Honestly, there is really no such thing. There can be leaders and policies that support Christian morals and values, but there is no such thing as a Christian country.

There is however such thing as a Christian nation. However it is not a nation that is limited by geography, ethnicity, financial class, or culture. It is a nation of people who have put their trust, hope, and security not in mere men or governments, but instead in Jesus Christ.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. – 1 Peter 2:9-10

The decline of our country can be discombobulating. It can be devastating. It can be discouraging. However, if you remain in that space, that is likely a sign that your hope is in the wrong thing. Repent and believe in the good news of the gospel, that our Risen King sits enthroned in heaven and controls the world and the powers that ‘rule’ it.

It is easy to look at what’s happening and blame my generation for the moral chaos that seems to be swirling all around. It is harder to accept that we may have failed our children by teaching them to put their hope in our country, their security in the American Dream, and their peace in our military might. May we be people who teach our children to put their hope in their Risen Savior, their security in His sovereign hand, and their peace in His unfailing love.

We have an American flag in our sanctuary where I work, and I fear that it has become a symbol of where people are putting their hope. The cross is the symbol of that which we should be putting our hope in.

The American flag doesn’t bring me peace, security, or hope.

The cross of Christ and the empty tomb bring me peace, security, or hope.

MY HOPE IS NOT IN DONALD TRUMP MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. MY HOPE IS IN KING JESUS MAKING ALL THINGS NEW AGAIN.

I plead with you to live for Christ, to be allegiant to Him first and foremost. Be in the public sphere, vote, rally, protest when necessary, but be allegiant to Christ more than country.

In His Name,

Nate Roach

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