Episode Details

God, Government, Liberty of Conscience, and the American Experiment

What 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 DUTY

Let'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 CAESAR

Jesus 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 RIGHTS

The 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 Declarat