God and Country

Who do you Pledge Your Allegiance to?

As we look at today’s churches and peer into the Christian circles, you’ll see a very close connection between God and country. We have many patriotic Christians who feel that when Jesus comes on His white horse, that Uncle Sam will be riding on that horse with Him. They feel that we must defend our country even if it means that we must go to war and invade other countries like Iraq or Iran. Of course all this is in the name of peace and safety; this is all in the name of doing what’s right for the future of our country. Is this really what the Bible says we should do? Have you honestly studied the scriptures to see what God says on this matter? If not, then please be patient and have an open heart and mind to understand what the Lord says on this subject because indeed it's covered well within the Scriptures.

From early on, you and I as children put our little hand over our heart and recited the Pledge of Allegiance as we started each school day. After all, there's nothing wrong with swearing our allegiance to the country that has given us so much is there? (Matt 5:34) “But I tell you, Do not swear (Greek - solemn promise) at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; (35) or by the earth, for it is his footstool or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. (36) And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. (37) Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No', anything beyond this comes from the evil one”. We have been taught to pledge / promise our allegiance to the flag and the United States of America, yet Jesus Himself says that we are not to make a promise or swear in any way, shape, or form. James also confirms what Jesus said, (James 5:12) But above all things, my brethren, swear not (Greek - solemn promise), neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under judgment. How can we as Christians pledge or swear our allegiance to America or anything else for that matter when the Bible strictly forbids it? As children, we didn’t know any better but now as adults we must learn what the Lord expects of His followers.

Many patriotic Christians have made the mistake of worshiping the created instead of the Creator. Just as in the past when God’s children “exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever (Romans 1:25). The Greek word for creature is “ktisis” which doesn’t just mean creature but creation too, it means something that was created or formed. Patriotism runs deep and many look at America (what God has created) and filter that love to America, as if America has given us what we have. Is it America who's given us peace, prosperity, freedom, and all the blessings we enjoy in this country, or is it God who’s given us these blessings? They are worshiping and giving honor to the created (America), they are pledging their allegiance to the created instead of the Creator! They are proud to be an American and would give their life for their country. The patriotic spirit runs very deep in America, but it is not a spirit from the Lord! Did you realize this is completely against what the Jesus of the Bible taught us? Satan tempted Jesus by offering Him the opportunity to be ruler over all the kingdoms of this world and Jesus turned him down; why? Because Jesus later said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John18:36).

According to Scripture, our Christian walk in life is to die to ourselves and live for Christ. We are to put to death our flesh so Jesus Christ can live in us. If we truly do that, then this world, and this country we call America are no longer ours. We now live in another kingdom. (Col 1:12,13) Giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; (13) who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son… If you're a born again believer then you're no longer a part of this worldly kingdom, you've been spiritually removed from this world where Satan rules in darkness (including America) and transferred into the kingdom of God. We must learn to see with our spiritual eyes; the eyes which the Lord looks through which is according to His Word. In God's eyes there are not 194 countries in the world, there's no America against Iran or against Russia. In the Lord's eyes there are only two kingdoms, God’s kingdom and the devils. (1John 4:4-6) You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (5) They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. (6) We are of God. He who knows God hears us he who is not of God does not hear us. You can see that John makes a clear distinction between those of this world and those who were of God. Jesus also makes a distinction between the world and His believers. (John 15:18) “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. (19) If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (20) Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. Jesus says if you were part of this world the world would love you. Look at yourself, and ask yourself if the world loves you. You can tell if it does because Jesus says if you are the world will love you and if you're not of this world you will be persecuted by the world. Are you persecuted for the cause of Christ?

If you see yourself as an American and as it being “us" against the rest of the world, then you’re not seeing what the Lord is showing us throughout His Word and you are "of the world". If you're truly a Christian, then you’re no longer a part of this world nor a part of the country of America, “But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (10) who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (11) Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul (12) having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles, that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:9-12). As a born again believer you now live in a world, and a country that is not your own. You are now a member of “a holy nation a people for God’s own possession”. You're a “people of God” and because of your transformation in Christ, you're now just sojourning or passing through this life and country that you’re in. You're just a pilgrim in what we call America and this world is just a place we're traveling through to get to our real home in heaven. The race you now belong to is not determined by the color of your skin or the geographical boundaries of your country, it's determined by your born again spirit, and if you’re a friend of this world and this country, you're now an enemy of God! (James 4:4) You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Like it or not America is part of this world, and a Christian is to have a different calling, we are not to blend in with the world but be separate from it. (2 Cor 6:14) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? (16) And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? If you haven't noticed lately, America is no longer a "Christian" nation and by pledging your allegiance to America you are yoking yourself unequally with many unbelievers. America is not our country anymore. Do you remember that you're supposed to have died? "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it (Matthew 10:38,39). You die to this world and its sinfulness and come out and be separate. The Lord will one day judge America and that’s why the Lord says for us to come out and be separate. (Rev. 4:18) And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: We are to come out of the world, we are now fellow heirs in Christ with believers all over the world, from every nation, every tongue, even the ones America considers her enemies. It’s now two kingdoms; every true believer in the kingdom of our Lord and Savior, everyone else is in the kingdom of the devil and under the control of the evil one. (1 John 5:19) We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one. If the whole world lies in the evil one, then you must include America too. The only ones in America that aren’t part of the devils kingdom are those who have been spiritually transferred into God’s kingdom. So going back to the Pledge of Allegiance, how can we pledge our allegiance to the flag of a country that we are no longer a part of and are forbidden to pledge to?

Did you realize that in the difficult times ahead, you’ll be hated by all nations including the country you love so much? Yes you'll be hated of all nations including America! (Matthew 24:9) Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. If you’re a follower of Christ you will, I repeat you WILL be hated by all nations which includes your own country that you now pledge your allegiance to. After all, wasn’t Jesus hated by His own nation, didn’t He come to save His own people and yet it was they who crucified Him? He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not (John 1:11). Won’t we as Christians be hated by all nations including our own for the name of Jesus?

One of the things we see with this "God and country" patriotic spirit is the distraction from learning the teachings of Christ to learning the ways of the world. Many Christians are caught up into the politics of this world; voting the right people into office and thinking that they must "do something" for the kingdom of God here on earth. They feel that we must put Christians into office or we’ll be in trouble. They don’t understand that it’s God Himself who puts whoever He wants into office. (Daniel 4:17) The Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men. It’s God who rules, it’s God who brings one leader in for His purposes and it’s God who brings another down. Man thinks that he's the one putting leaders into office but in reality it’s God who is doing it in the hearts of men. (Daniel 4:35) All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What have you done"? How can we as mere mortals think that we know what God's will is? How do we know who God wants in for His leader? If you are choosing sides as Republican or Democrat, then you are choosing to become involved in this world and have become an enemy of God (James 4:4). Even though Satan has been given ruler ship of this world, God is still in charge and puts in who He wants to. Did you even realize that you may be fighting against God? (Romans 13:1) There is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. If you're fighting for a certain political party or candidate you may just find yourself fight against the will of God. You're getting caught up in the world which we are forbidden to do.

The kingdom of God is not the kingdom of this world; just look what Jesus said about the kingdom of God. “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there! "For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20,21). God’s kingdom, the one you are a part of, is within you and King Jesus is sitting on the throne! Yet, most Christians are trying to set up God’s kingdom here on earth. The “Religious Right”, feel they must help God out and set up His kingdom now, but that’s not what the true believer does. The true believer submits to King Jesus and follows His Word instead of mans. We must follow the example of Jesus and and His followers; were they patriotic, and part of the political process of their day? No, they were all about God's kingdom and not mans. Because of this, they were persecuted and killed by their own country, their own people.

Has this “God and country” patriotic spirit ever happened before? Yes, it happened in Jesus’ day when you had a sect of Jews that were called “zealots”. Today they would be called “patriots”, back then they were zealots. Strong’s concordance defines a zealot as a person who was “partisan for Jewish political independence”. They were "God's people" proud of their Jewish heritage and wanted independence from the oppressive Roman government. When they heard that the promised Messiah may have come, they were expecting Jesus to set up His kingdom at that time in Jerusalem. They expected this Messiah to free God’s people now, and rule and reign on the throne in God’s temple. Many zealots followed Jesus with this anticipation but later fell away as they were waiting for Him to take over as king. He never did, so they reached a point where they no longer believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah, so they quit following Him. (John 6:60-70)Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” (61) When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? (62) What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? (63) It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (64) But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. (65) And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” (66) From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. (67) Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” (68) But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (69) Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”(70) Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (71) He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve. How many disciples were with Jesus, following Him and wondering if He was the Messiah or not? The Bible doesn’t say for sure but we do know from earlier in His ministry that Jesus sent out 70 to preach in every town that He was about to go, casting out demons and healing the sick. (Luke 10:1) After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go...(17) Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name”. Yet everyone of them stopped following Him except the twelve, and when we research Judas who betrayed our Lord, we find that he too was a patriot, a zealot who when Jesus didn’t fit the mold of their Messiah, an earthly king who would free the Jews here and now setting up His kingdom, he betrayed the Lord for thirty pieces of silver. Let's read the account when Judas finally realized that this couldn't really be the Messiah because Jesus talked about His soon death. (Matthew 26:12) For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial...(14) Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests (15) and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” It was at that moment which Judas realized that Jesus didn't fit what his idea of who the Messiah would be, so he turns our Savior over believing Him to be just a regular man and not the Son of God.

Many back then were for “God and country”, they were very proud of their nation and looked for God to set up His kingdom here on earth. Take a closer look and you'll find that today "God's people", the CHRISTIANS are doing the same thing today. They're looking to "Christianize" the world and set up a Godly kingdom here on earth. Is that what we were commanded to do? No, we were to make disciples and follow everything Jesus had taught. (Matthew 28:19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age”. Jesus didn't teach us to fight and legislate "Christian morals" throughout the world, He commanded us preach the Gospel and teach what He taught. Not to fight and get caught up in worldly political issues, He taught us to turn the other cheek and to love our enemies, not fight them. Jesus didn't even pray for the world but only those who were His in this world. (John 17:9) "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours". Why didn't Jesus pray for the world? Why did He only pray for those who were the Father's? Because the rest are of this world are of the evil one! (John 8:23) And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world... (44) You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.

Are you proud to be an American? Do you feel that we as Americans are superior to those in other countries? Maybe you feel that we as Americans are special in God’s eyes. (Acts 10:34) And Peter opened his mouth and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons (35) but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. God does not hold America in any higher esteem than any other nation, if God is not a respecter of persons and we are, is that a good thing? (James 2:9) But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. The spirit of patriotism is not of God and if you have that spirit and worship America in any way, if you are a respecter of persons simply repent, turn from your ways and obey the Word of God. Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate what God has given us and the freedoms we enjoy in America, but I see that America (the created) did not give me this blessing and this freedom, God (the Creator) did. Why would we give any reverence to something God created and not God only. Why would we pledge our allegiance to any other than God?

A big part of today’s patriotic “God and country” mentality is that of fighting for the Lord and fighting for what’s “right”. You even hear many Pastors preaching that we should attack Iran before they get a nuclear bomb. They preach that we should protect our country from terrorism in any way we can, including killing our enemies. You hear Christians say that we must do something in the Middle East to protect Israel, but what does the Bible say? Should God’s people really go to war, should God’s people kill and fight for our country or any other reason? (Matt 26:51) And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. (52) But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. (53) Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? “All who take the sword will perish by the sword”, our Lord can’t get any clearer than this. Nowhere in our New Testament covenant do we see Jesus or His disciples teaching God’s people to kill, use force, or return evil for evil in any way. Instead, this is what you hear preached by our Lord and Savior: (Matt 5:39) But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (44) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. So far it looks like Jesus is a little light on the fighting and heavy on loving our enemies. Let’s look at scripture in the New Testament where it says we are supposed to fight with our enemies… sorry but there are none. So let’s quickly take some excerpts of some of the New Testament scriptures on what we’re supposed to do as Christians. “Avenge not yourselves”, “Overcome evil with good”; and “If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink”. The kingdom of God is one of peace and love while the kingdom of the world is fighting and war. Under our New Covenant with Jesus Christ you cannot physically fight in the name of God. Any spirit that rises up within you to fight for what you believe to be right is not the spirit of God! (James 4:1) Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you?...(2) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain ye fight and war… (4) Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. The kingdom of this world is steeped in killings and wars; they do all this in the name of religion and with a patriotic spirit. If the born again believers of this world truly understood what kingdom they really belonged to, they’d never take part in what we call patriotism today. They would realize that we as Christians are to battle spiritually against the devil and not physically. (Ephesians 6:12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly place. Even in the end times when persecution is at its greatest the Lord warns us about fighting against our enemies. “If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth" if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints (Rev.13:10). Before you say that it’s OK to fight for God, please read this again, it's a promise from the Word of God that if you fight you will be killed! What is God's solution? (Proverbs 16:7) When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. If our ways in America pleased the Lord, He would have our enemies at peace with us. God will bring our enemies against us until we repent and follow Him completely. Only when we are pleasing to the Lord will we have peace. Right now we don't have peace but you can be assured that God is getting the attention of America. No amount of your effort or getting involved in the worldly affairs of politics will make a difference because God's will is to bring His people to a place of repentance and anything you do to stop this, is just fighting against God. His will is to bring many tribulations on His people until they repent and follow Him fully. Instead getting caught up in the things of this world, you should focus your time on the Word of God and what it says for you to do in order to enter that very narrow gate.

As we conclude this study, I hope you can put aside your deep rooted patriotic feelings and submit to God’s Word. That’s the only way that I was able to overcome my deep feelings of patriotism and of being a proud American. As Christians, we must obey the Word of God before all else; we must obey the Word in spite of our fellow patriotic friends, our family and even our pastors if they’re preaching a patriotic and fight for your country doctrine. We’ll end this study with scripture that says what it takes to see the Lord, and indeed it’s as Jesus said, a very narrow road that only a few find. (Matthew 7:14) For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it. So what does it take to see the Lord? It takes peace and holiness. (Hebrews 12:14) Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

May the Lord bless you,

Mark, a servant in the Lord –www.heavenshelpers.org

Questions/Feedback - email me: mark@heavenshelpers.org