Having received numerous inquiries about my post-election Facebook post, I realized that I had already scattered bits and pieces of relevant information across various forums. Much of what I’ve addressed falls under a common theme: an evaluation of Christian Nationalism. While I understand that this topic may not resonate with everyone, I’ve sought to compile my thoughts into a coherent and structured discussion for those interested.
Disclaimer: All scriptural references are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV).
Understanding Christian Nationalism
Christian Nationalism is a worldview that blends national identity with theological purpose, intertwining political causes and candidates with divine will. Though present since the Republic’s earliest days, this ideology has reached new prominence in recent years. Once simmering in the hearts and minds of the “silent majority,” its followers have become increasingly vocal and assertive in advocating their agenda.
Like any movement, the commitment, understanding, and application of Christian Nationalism vary among its adherents. However, its core tenets can be broadly summarized as follows:
- Belief in a Christian Nation: The view that the United States was originally a ‘Christian nation’, or was founded on ‘Christian principles’.
- Call to Political Action: Christians are urged to shape national laws and policies to align with Scripture—essentially, to “re-Christianize” the nation.
- A Special Role in God’s Plan: America is believed to have a unique, divinely-ordained role in bringing about positive change in the world.
- Protection of Israel: The U.S. is tasked with defending Israel, opposing its enemies, and, in doing so, hastening the Second Coming of Christ.
The Constitutional and Historical Critique
Many have argued against Christian Nationalism on the basis of the separation of Church and State, making a constitutional case, examples of which are easily found online. Others note that a number of the Founding Fathers were not Christians, stressing that the Constitution emerged from a diverse range of beliefs—arguments that, likewise, are readily available.
My aim, however, is to address Christian Nationalism chiefly through a biblical lens—the ultimate standard for all who call themselves Christians—and particularly from the historic Reformed perspective.
That said, before turning to Scripture, a few words are in order from the standpoint of those outside the faith..
To outsiders, the evangelical claim that the U.S. Constitution is a Christian document raises immediate—and understandable—concerns. A brief examination shows that such a notion overlooks glaring historical realities, none more striking than the Constitution’s explicit provisions for slavery (the Three-Fifths Clause and the Fugitive Slave Clause). These provisions stand in direct contradiction to the biblical commands of love for neighbor, justice, and human dignity. One need not be a Christian to see that.
Deflections such as, “The document, like all things, was imperfect,” are woefully inadequate—just as is the common fallback, “If not Christian, at least it is based on Christian principles.” You can read more theological points on the topic of slavery on this post: The (Biblical) Shame of American Slavery.
The Flawed Theology of Christian Nationalism
Beyond its tendency to minimize or excuse the offense of slavery, Christian Nationalism commits another theological error—one that, combined with its faulty historical reasoning, sets it on a dangerously wrong trajectory.
Proponents often appeal to the pious reflections of certain Founding Fathers, or to the Preamble and the Declaration of Independence, highlighting references to God as proof of the nation’s Christian origin. Such writings confirm what is well known—that Christianity was the dominant religious confession of the time. But they do not establish that the nation’s framework and laws rightly bear the title Christian—any more than a legal code drafted by a Christian jurist renders the law itself Christian.
Not without doing violence to the Scriptures, that is.
For everything that bears the name of Christ must be tested against the Word of Christ. And the Scriptures, I am afraid, neither teach nor sustain the notion of a Christian nation.
The Crux of the Error
At the heart of this problem lies a flawed understanding of the Apostolic writings and of the very nature of Christian “society.” Scripture recognizes only one Christian society: the Church—the universal assembly of all who follow Christ, Jew and Gentile alike. It is in the Church, not in nations or secular governments, that the Old Testament saints find their New Testament counterpart. Nor is it the mission of Christians to “Christianize” the physical nations to which they belong. We are called to preach the Gospel to every creature, not to weaponize political victories as if they were Kingdom advancements.
This truth is so plainly portrayed throughout the New Testament that it is difficult to fathom how it is so often overlooked. Excluding the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation, the New Testament contains twenty-one epistles—only four of which were written to individuals. The rest were written to churches or to groups of believers within emerging congregations. And the final book of the canon opens with Christ Himself addressing the seven churches—exhorting, correcting, and admonishing them according to their works. In short, the New Testament is overwhelmingly concerned with the life of the Church.
Nor is this a new idea. Hebrews 11–12 reminds us that New Testament believers share the same foundation as the saints of old. Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets are counted in the same lineage as the martyrs of the early Church, and together they form “so great a cloud of witnesses” urging us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:1–2). Other passages reinforce the same truth: in Christ, both Jew and Gentile are one people under the New Covenant (Galatians 3:26–29; Ephesians 2:11–19; 1 Peter 2:9–10).
If this is true, how should we assess the zeal of those who insist that the United States must become a Christian nation—again? Where in the New Testament do we find even a hint that Christians are called to reshape the laws of the nations in which they live? We don’t.
To conflate the Kingdom of God with an earthly kingdom is to ignore the plain warnings of Scripture:
“No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:4)
Few words could be more relevant to politics and to our attempts to legislate godliness. The Church—not the government—is the sphere where God calls us to apply the examples and teachings of His Word.
Christians and Politics
The idea of “Christianizing” nations is a misguided pursuit, born of shallow theology and the age-old impulse to turn what is spiritual into something tangible. It seeks to manifest spiritual truth through government institutions, laws, magistrates, and—of course—election results. In reality, such efforts usually yield a patchwork of conservative agendas propped up by superficial references to God and the Bible.
Do we find the Apostle Paul exhorting the churches he planted to engage in a political struggle to “Christianize” Rome? No—and his preaching the Gospel to some within Caesar’s household (Philippians 4:22) does not count as “Christianizing” Rome. His concern was singular: to preach the Gospel to every creature under heaven, building up the Church with sound doctrine so believers could withstand temptation—including the temptation to entangle themselves in political wrangling.
And so it must be for us. When our desires are rightly aligned—striving for purity in our churches and walking in peace and love toward our neighbors—we will, inevitably, influence the culture around us for good. But such change is the byproduct of our primary mission, not its focus. Our zeal should reflect that.
Our Conduct
This does not mean we should withdraw from the political process—by no means. The real issue is that we, as Christians, must not be defined by our political zeal. Our politics should never be the primary lens through which our neighbors see us. Yes, we have both the right and the duty to vote against issues that transcend political boundaries and violate God’s righteousness, and we should always vote our conscience. Yet we are also called to conduct ourselves differently from the world in all things—including our political engagement.
We are to engage in the political process with kindness and peacefulness, free from strife, bitterness, and revenge—or any sentiment that contradicts our Christian commitment to self-control and patience. This is the true test we must apply to all Christian-driven efforts for political change, as well as to our own zeal during election campaigns.
And yet, what do we witness? A frenzy of evangelical (Republican) supporters embracing Trump’s policies and persona, championing Christian Nationalism with reckless abandon. Setting aside for the moment the error of Christian Nationalism itself, the ease with which many stoop to the world’s tactics—political posturing, insults, provocation, division, and mocking the opposition—is nothing short of shameful. This lack of restraint exposes our churches—and our God—to slander and ridicule from non-believers. The guilt is ours.
This shallow theology confuses the earthly nation with the heavenly Church. Instead of producing mature disciples, it raises “cultural warriors” who mistake the fervor of their political convictions for the measure of their faith. The result is predictable: cultural battles, anger over rising unrighteousness, and the desire to force change by any means necessary—even at the cost of our Christian witness.
Even if that means supporting a man whose character is at odds with everything we claim to stand for. Even if that means alienating half the country—half our neighbors—the very people we claim we want to reach for Christ. A “strong” man, blatantly belligerent and openly sinful, is deemed acceptable as long as he fights our war.
But in the minds of onlookers, we become what we endorse: political zealots, mockers, scoffers, fueled by strife, vengeance, and misplaced triumph.
Like a bull in a china shop.
The Role of Israel in Christian Nationalism
Lastly, what of the belief that our nation holds a special role in God’s plan as Israel’s protector? This, too, is error of the same kind. We have already addressed the folly of applying promises given to the Church to a physical nation. All nations serve God’s purposes, but He needs none of them to accomplish His will. Too often it is our vanity that leads us to insert ourselves—or our country—where Scripture is silent.
The Bible is full of references to Israel, and God’s promises to His people remain steadfast: “God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew” (Romans 11:2). But these promises were made to the Jewish people—not to the modern state of Israel as a political entity. This fact alone should temper the enthusiasm of those who defend Israel’s every action in God’s name. Their slogan should read more truthfully: “I stand with Israel when they do right.” Like every other nation, Israel’s deeds must be measured by righteousness and equity.
The deeper issue is the imbalance: many evangelicals once again seek a visible, national expression of God’s favor when Scripture points us to blessings that are spiritual and found in Christ.
“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
The “true” Israel today consists of all who believe in Christ, Jew and Gentile alike (Galatians 6:16). Paul labors this point:
- “So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham” (Galatians 3:9).
- “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made… to your Seed, who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16).
This leaves no doubt about the “new man” in Colossians 3:9–11 and Ephesians 2:15. While certain promises remain for ethnic Israel (Romans 11), all who trust in Christ belong to His flock (John 10:16). In Him, Jew and Gentile are one, and circumcision means nothing (Romans 3:29; Ephesians 2:13–15).
Therefore, the blessings of Abraham are not found in blind political allegiance to the modern nation of Israel, but in faith in the promised Messiah—Jesus Christ our Lord.
This is the message by which we should be known: the good news of Christ’s atoning work, sincere love, and charity toward all.
Not by loud and contentious political allegiances.
Objections and Responses on Israel
Objection 1: If Israel is just like any other nation, why then does Paul say,
“For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Romans 9:3)?
Answer: Paul also writes,
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1).
These verses express the Apostle’s deep love and burden for his own people, and we should all say Amen. But do they require every Christian to cultivate the same intensity of affection for the Jewish people in every age? After all, we are called to imitate God in all things “as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1), and God “shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11).
Rather than pressing Paul’s words into a universal command for all believers, we might ask whether there is a more natural way to understand them.
Might not a more thoughtful interpretation go like this: Paul’s zeal for Israel reflects the natural love every person should first have for their own people—the nation, culture, and heritage from which they came. Far from being exclusionary, this love naturally aids the spread of the Gospel, for we are most often called to minister first to those closest to us. The principle is clear even in worldly matters: if a man shows kindness to strangers but neglects his own family, no one would call him virtuous. Indeed, Scripture says, ‘If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever’ (1 Timothy 5:8). So Paul’s heart for Israel may perhaps be better understood as a model for our own devotion to minister first among our families, cultures, and nations — a task for which we are also naturally best equipped.
Objection 2: The birth of modern Israel in 1948 was clearly miraculous. Its survival against so many enemies proves the Lord’s favor.
Answer: If Israel’s re-emergence in 1948 is labeled a miracle, what then are we to make of the Holocaust just a few years earlier? Did millions of Jewish men, women, and children have to perish—unspeakably cruelly—for God to establish a state? Such reasoning borders on presumption. Yes, God does make “all things work together for good to those who love Him” in the lives of His saints — but to use the Holocaust to justify or even explain the emergence of a political entity? That belongs to an entirely different realm.
We must be very cautious. To declare divine intent behind world events without clear biblical warrant is dangerous, for it builds doctrine on shifting sand and, worse, may prove utterly displeasing and offensive to God. Israel’s continued survival has been studied extensively, with historians pointing to strategic, technological, and geopolitical explanations.
That said, Israel’s right to exist requires no biblical justification. Surrounded by nations that indoctrinate their children with hatred and clamor for its destruction, Israel has every right to defend itself. That much is plain without opening a Bible.
As for applying theology to the conflict, wisdom urges restraint. Many have misread the times before, and it is safer to temper our zeal lest we later be found zealous for the wrong thing (Galatians 4:18). Christ—not Israel, nor any earthly nation—is the focus of sound theology.
Final Thoughts
Put plainly, Christian Nationalism is a flawed ideology that conflates the spiritual and the worldly. It misapplies biblical principles to justify political agendas—often at the expense of our Christian witness. As believers, our mission is to proclaim the Gospel and build up the Church, not to “Christianize” nations or governments. Let us remember: our foremost allegiance is to Christ and His Kingdom, not to any political cause or national identity. And may our actions, our words, our engagements, and our zeal in every sphere of life reflect His priorities, His love, His grace, and His truth.
Pared To Truth 
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