It is very true that America was founded with many Judeo-Christian ideas. However, those had permeated western culture long before America was founded. Having western/Judeo-Christian ideas embedded in the foundation of a country, however, is not the same as being a Christian nation. If we look at the history of western civilization, we see there are no “Christian” nations. Why is that? For the simple reason that no western nation (and indeed no other nation other than biblical Israel) was founded with the express intent of submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ and obeying His gospel.

America was, of course, founded with the idea of “religious freedom.” However, that means that I have the right to worship (or not worship) as I choose. This can hardly be considered the foundation of a “Christian” nation. There is no expressed intent in any of the nation’s founding documents to create a nation devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel. Further, when we consider that half of America’s Founding Fathers were deists, the idea of America as a Christian nation is further weakened.

In addition to its founding, we also have to consider the fruit of the past 250+ years. Jesus said that we will know true disciples by their fruit (Matt. 7:16-20). What kind of fruit has America produced? On the outside, America has looked healthy and a promoter of western “Christian” values. America has been seen as the land of opportunity with the development of “the American Dream”. Underneath all this, however, lies a stark reality.

American greatness came with oppression of indigenous people and Africans. One cannot rightly understand American history without understanding the undercurrents and results of expansionism and slavery. Truth be told, America has much blood on her hands. From the first laws in 1619 restricting the Africans who came here as servants to the Trail of Tears to the Jim Crow laws passed in the American South and the ugly laws in the 19th and 20th centuries, the history of America is one of the strong and wealthy profiting off the struggles and pain of others.

Not only that, but there has always been a general trend of pushing away “the Other”–however that term is defined. From the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, many cities in America passed so-called ugly laws, which prohibited people with visible disabilities from appearing in public, effectively criminalizing their existence. Though these laws were ultimately repealed (the last ones in 1974!), they were a precursor to attempts to marginalize the poor and disabled, restricting them from public spaces. Do we not continue to see this today?

Then there is the upswing in political violence and violent rhetoric. Contrary to some statements, such rhetoric and violence is coming from points along the spectrum. When Thomas Jefferson prepared to be inaugurated in 1801, the nation held its breath to see if it would be a peaceful transfer of power. Thankfully, it was. Now, that “peaceful” transfer of power is becoming more and more strained with each election. We’ve seen political figures assassinated (and multiple attempts at assassination). We’ve seen violence explode at every level.

If America has ever been–or has any hope of being–a Christian nation, then the proper response is for the nation to cry out in repentance, from the leadership to the average citizen. Yet, with a leader who has said he doesn’t think he needs to repent, the likelihood of that happening is very slim.

The truth is that America is not nor has been a Christian nation. America is a nation of self-promotion. Those Christians and churches who have latched on to American political power have allowed themselves and the gospel to be co-opted for worldly purposes. The culture of America is the polar opposite of the gospel of Jesus. Those who espouse Christian nationalism have a view of Scripture that is contrary to the gospel.

What must the church do? I suggest the American church must do a few things to reclaim her identity and calling:

First, repent. The church as a whole (and individual parts of the Body) must repent of straying from the gospel, seeking worldly power, and using worldly methods. We must repent of the fact that we have not done good to “the least of these.” We must repent of the fact that we have sought promotion, power, and profit at the expense of the poor, needy, and vulnerable. And the church as a whole must repent for taking part in the darker parts of American history, such as slavery, the treatment of Native Americans, and the treatment of the vulnerable. No, our generation is not responsible for what happened in the past, but we are responsible for breaking the cycle and moving forward in the light of the truth.

Second, cling to Jesus alone. The church must relinquish all hope in anything other than Jesus and His gospel. There is no real, lasting change except that which comes from the transformation in Jesus. Imposing so-called Christian laws on people (an external moral code) works about as well as the Old Testament worked to help people obey God. Political solutions, while part of societal change (i.e., the government helping the poor and marginalized) can never create the change that God requires.

Third, come out. It is time for the church to leave the politics to the politicians. In contrast to the post-milennial theology that seems to have infected much of American culture and American Christian thinking, Scripture says that things will continue to get worse and worse (2 Tim. 3:13; see also Matthew 24). While we are called to be salt and light, the American church has for too long been so entangled in the political realm that it has ceased to function as the church (and in truth often looks more like another political organization than the called-out ones of the Lord). The church must recover her prophetic voice and warn the nation of what is to come; she cannot do that while she is so tightly entangled in the American system. Paul makes this abundantly clear:

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:14–18)

What does it mean to “come out” from among them? In the context of America, it means the church must disassociate itself with political systems and focus on the gospel. I’d go so far as to say that the church needs to totally remove itself from entanglement in the government and politics, such as no longer receiving government funding, such as for church-run schools, for example. Even in states that are typically more “Christian-friendly”, taking money from the government places the church in a compromising position. Likewise, churches have no business forming political action committees. The church’s mission is to make disciples (Matt. 28:20), not see society changed by promoting political candidates.

The church is called to do good, protect the needy and vulnerable, and proclaim and live the gospel. We cannot do that effectively when we are so entangled in the American system that one cannot tell the difference between the church and the country.

There are, of course, many churches (and many individual believers) that strive to be faithful to the gospel, doing good to those around them, sharing the love of Jesus while calling others to repent and trust Him. To these, I believe the Lord would say, “Endure and remain faithful, even when it seems the whole world is crashing down.”

In the end, the gospel will be the only enduring thing. These societies we build here, the wealth, the technology, all will be swept away. All will bow to Jesus–not as to a political ruler, but as to the Lord of lords and King of kings.