One Nation Under God: July 4th, the PCA, and dealing with Racism

Dear New Life in Christ Church Family, 

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,  the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!”  — Psalm 33:12 

As we celebrate this 4th of July weekend, I want to give thanks to God for His providence in our national history and consider one part of understanding our identity as Christians living in America today. 

We have much to be thankful for. 

God’s providence in our history is unmistakable. From the Pilgrims’ prayers to the declaration that our rights come from our Creator, from the freedoms enshrined in our Constitution to the moral arguments of the abolitionists, we can trace God’s hand working in common grace in extraordinary ways. 

We rightly give thanks for religious liberty, for the ability to gather in worship without fear, and for a political system that has upheld values of justice, freedom, and responsibility. These blessings are not entitlements—they are gifts. And we thank God for them, even as we do our part to preserve them. 

This heritage flows, in large part, from the application of biblical principles to political life—truths about justice, human dignity, and moral law that were woven into the fabric of our nation’s founding. While not all the founders were Christians, many were deeply influenced by a Christian worldview that shaped our laws and institutions in ways that have borne good fruit for generations. 

And these values were not abstract. They were built upon the natural order God has established: families forming communities, communities forming nations, and nations pursuing the common good under the moral law of God. Nations are not random political inventions; they are part of God’s providential ordering of human life. At their best, they are places where shared language and faith foster trust, shored culture, neighborliness, and justice. A love for one’s nation—when grounded in humility and gratitude—is a godly and appropriate expression of stewardship. 

One of the best ways we serve our country, in fact, is by strengthening the foundations that make national life possible. Healthy nations begin with healthy families. Healthy nations have a strong foundation in Christian faith. Before nations rise or fall politically, they rise or fall spiritually—in homes, in marriages, and in churches. We serve our country best when we raise our children in the Lord, honor our parents, nurture godly households, gather in churches, practice our faith, and love our neighbors as ourselves. Nations do not begin with governments—they begin with households shaped by truth, sacrifice, and covenantal love. 

As Christians living in this moment, we should pause to express heartfelt gratitude, to pray for our leaders, and to engage faithfully as citizens under conviction. 

But while we celebrate God’s many blessings, it’s also important to speak clearly about what we don’t mean when we give thanks for our country. 

In recent years, a growing number of voices have attached themselves to what is often called “Christian Nationalism.” This phrase means different things to different people. Sometimes it simply reflects a desire for biblical values to influence public life—a desire that we can certainly affirm. But some proponents have been influenced by the world and expound racist and triumphalist sentiments that distort the gospel. 

That’s where we must draw a clear line. 

Scripture does not allow us to believe that God favors any one ethnic group. The gospel of Jesus Christ is for every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Revelation 5:9). The church of Jesus Christ is a new humanity in Him—not defined by political allegiance or ancestral heritage, but by faith in the risen Lord. 

Any group that places God’s blessing under a banner of cultural or ethnic superiority undermines the image of God in others and distort the mission of the church. These are not merely political errors—they are theological errors, and they must be resisted. 

At our recent PCA General Assembly—the annual meeting of our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America—the issue of Christian Nationalism was raised. Because the term is used in various ways (again, some with very negative connotations and others that reflect beliefs Christians may reasonably hold), our denomination wisely opted to form a study committee to examine the topic more closely and advise our churches in the years to come. 

But the Assembly also made a statement for today. It overwhelmingly passed Overture 48 which affirms our clear rejection of any racist forms of nationalism (such as kinism, or any teaching that exalts one ethnicity over others, like white supremacy). In that statement, the PCA joined with two of our sister Reformed denominations—the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America—in declaring: 

“That the 52nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America does hereby join with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (221st General Synod) and with the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America (193rd Synod) in condemning without distinction any theological or political teaching which posits a superiority of race or ethnic identity born of immutable human characteristics, and does call to repentance any who would promote or associate themselves with such teaching, either by commission or omission.” 

This statement affirms the biblical doctrine of the image of God, the spiritual equality of all people, and the universal call of the gospel. It names the danger of ideologies that deny these truths—whether they are theological or political. By affirming this overture, our denomination stated core principles of Christian conviction, protected the gospel witness, called the church to vigilance in these matters, and called us to humility and repentance wherever we’ve fallen short. 

We are right to celebrate the blessings of our national independence. Men fought and died for our freedom. Brilliant minds shaped our form of government. And faithful Christians influenced its values with truth from God’s Word. 

But behind all of that is the hand of God, who raised up the United States and blessed it as a providential means for His church to proclaim the gospel freely and send it to the ends of the earth. 

We must also remember that the mission of the church is not to build an earthly empire, but to proclaim a heavenly kingdom and disciple the nations in the way of Christ. Our unity is formed by faith. Even the beautiful moral vision given to Israel was never meant to be spread through conquest but offered through witness (Genesis 12:1-3). This remains true today. 

So we are not aiming to restore some golden age or export a political system to the world. We are aiming to live faithfully under the lordship of Jesus Christ and bear witness to His truth in every sphere of life. That is how nations are truly blessed. 

We are laboring to build a spiritual kingdom—one that will outlast every earthly kingdom and gather people from every nation into its gates. 

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,  and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.”  — Hebrews 12:28 

So as you celebrate this Independence Day, do it with joyful hearts—take time to thank God for His blessings, enjoy time with family and friends, and pray earnestly that God would bless our nation by bringing more and more people into His Kingdom. 

Faithfully yours,  Pastor Sean