The Flag, the Cross, and a Kingdom Not of This World
There is nothing wrong with loving your country—the people you share your very existence with. There is nothing shameful about loyalty to one’s homeland, praying for its prosperity, or hoping it becomes a more righteous, more just place. So ignore the hand-wringing of the David Frenches and Russell Moores… Being “pro-America” or “America first” is not a sin. In fact, it’s our national duty.
But the minute you start confusing the stars and stripes with the cross and crown, you haven’t just made a category error—you’ve committed a theological offense.
Just to put it bluntly, America is not the elect of God, nor is the United States the bride of Christ. The Constitution is not divinely inspired Scripture. And no matter how many bald eagles screech in the background while the choir sings the Battle Hymn of the Republic, no amount of fireworks and flag-waving can sanctify a secular nation into the Kingdom of God.
What, or whom, has God chosen as His own? The Church. A people called out, set apart, and purchased—not by military might or democratic ideals—but by the blood of a crucified and risen Savior. America may at times pass laws that echo biblical morality, and when it does, that’s the mercy of God that we should be thankful for. But the nation itself has no salvific privilege, covenantal standing, or divine guarantee of preservation.
We can and should strive for laws that mirror the justice and righteousness revealed in Scripture. That’s noble. That’s wise. That’s what any God-fearing people should want. But wanting our laws to reflect God's character is not the same as believing our nation has been grafted into His eternal kingdom. That kind of presumption isn’t just arrogant—it’s blasphemous.
Has God blessed America? Sure, He has. America is the greatest, most powerful, stable, and secure nation in the history of the world, though those days are fading quickly. But God never promised to bless America, and he owes us nothing. We are not in covenant with Him as a nation.
He did promise to bless those who are in Christ.