A Christian Nation—or a Nation Influenced by Christianity?

 *By Larry G. Truitt | Ramblings of a Country Preacher*

*An opinion and biblical reflection*

I often hear people say, “America was founded as a Christian nation.” When asked what they mean, they point to churches, the faith of early settlers, biblical language in public speeches, and the influence of Christian morality.

I acknowledge that influence. Christianity has helped shape American thought, institutions, and public life. But influence and obedience are different things. A nation can borrow Christianity's language while refusing Christ's commandments.

That is the distinction I believe we must face honestly. When I question whether America has ever been a Christian nation, I am questioning whether the name accurately describes our national conduct. I am not denying the faithful Christians who have lived here.

Jesus asked:

> “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
> —Luke 6:46, KJV

That question reaches beyond an individual profession. It challenges churches and every public claim made in His name.

 Christian influence deserves an honest definition

Christian influence can mean that biblical ideas helped shape moral convictions, that churches established ministries, or that believers worked to relieve suffering. Those influences deserve acknowledgment.

But Christianity's presence in a society does not establish that everything the society does is Christian. Neither does the faith of some founders make every institution they established an expression of obedience to Jesus.

The federal Constitution established no Christian church or Christian profession as the basis of national membership. Article VI prohibited religious tests for federal office, and the First Amendment protected religious exercise while prohibiting Congress from establishing religion. Early state arrangements differed, and some supported churches through taxation.[1]

That history matters. Yet my concern goes deeper than constitutional wording. Even an official declaration of Christianity would leave the question of obedience unanswered.

> “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”
> —1 John 2:3, KJV

 Religious persecution cannot be made Christian by religious language

Consider the Puritan authorities in Massachusetts. They sought to maintain a religious society, but denied liberty of conscience to those whose beliefs challenged their own. Quakers, Baptists, Catholics, and other dissenters faced exclusion. Four Quakers were executed between 1659 and 1661. Mary Dyer was hanged in 1660 after returning from banishment.[2]

These were colonial events, before the United States existed. Nevertheless, they belong to the history frequently invoked when people describe America's Christian beginnings.

How does hanging a religious dissenter demonstrate obedience to Jesus? How does punishing a Catholic or a Quaker for conscience fulfill the command to love our neighbors?

> “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.”
> —Matthew 5:44, KJV

Those who persecuted others may have sincerely believed they were defending truth. Sincerity did not make their methods faithful to Christ. Religious power became a means of coercion.

As a Friends pastor, I cannot celebrate the Christian character of colonial society without remembering the Friends who suffered under its authorities.

 A Bible in the hand did not justify slavery

Slavery presents another searching question. People could attend church, hear sermons, and speak of God's providence while claiming ownership of other human beings.

How could a person profess Christian love while treating another person's labor, body, and family as property?

Jesus gave a command plain enough for anyone willing to apply it:

> “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”
> —Matthew 7:12, KJV

Would the slaveholder willingly have exchanged places with the enslaved?

Christian abolitionists challenged that contradiction. Quaker Benjamin Lay condemned slavery among those claiming the Christian religion. We must also acknowledge that some Quakers owned slaves. Our own religious heritage must undergo the examination we apply to others.[3]

Faithful Christians who resisted slavery deserve remembrance. Their witness also shows why “Christian influence” cannot be treated as one undivided force: religious people appealed to Christianity both to defend an oppressive system and to demand its abolition.

The moral question must therefore reach beyond who quoted Scripture. It must ask how Scripture was interpreted and whether the resulting conduct obeyed Christ.

 Native peoples deserved the love we professed

The treatment of Native Americans also challenges comfortable stories about Christian America.

One documented example is the federal Indian boarding school system. Religious organizations participated in a system that sought to assimilate Native children, including through the suppression of their languages, religions, and cultural practices.[4]

Calling a program Christian education did not establish that its methods followed Jesus.

Having served among Native people, I take this question seriously: Did those who came speaking of Christ honor the people before them as neighbors? Did they recognize their dignity, listen to them, and treat their families with love?

The gospel gives us no permission to despise a person's ancestry or to confuse conversion to Christ with the destruction of a people's identity. Christian ministry must answer for its methods as well as its stated intentions.

 Religious language can become a covering for evil

This is my central concern: America has repeatedly wrapped wrongdoing in religious language.

That does not mean every expression of public faith is dishonest. It means that invoking God can become a way to avoid the moral scrutiny His commandments require.

Jeremiah confronted people who trusted their connection with the LORD's temple while continuing in injustice. In Jeremiah 7, God demanded changed conduct toward neighbors, strangers, the fatherless, and widows, and an end to shedding innocent blood.

The temple's presence did not excuse their behavior.

Neither can our church buildings, public prayers, or patriotic references to God excuse ours.

> “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him.”
> —Titus 1:16, KJV

Religious words become dangerous when they persuade us that our side no longer needs correction.

 Presidents must be measured by the same commandments

My concern about religious defenses of Donald Trump is this: whenever supporters claim God's approval for him, his conduct still must be examined by the commandments of Christ.

The same standard applies to every president and every political party.

Calling a leader God's instrument cannot excuse dishonesty, cruelty, pride, or injustice. Believing God permitted someone to hold office does not establish that God approves everything that person does.

We should examine specific words and actions honestly. Supporting a candidate does not mean endorsing every decision. But Christians are responsible for the wrongdoing they knowingly defend and the claims about God they make.

When we condemn misconduct in an opponent and excuse it in an ally, we surrender our moral credibility. When political victory becomes our evidence of God's approval, we risk mistaking power for righteousness.

The church must retain the freedom to call its own preferred leaders to repentance.

 Christian morality must reach the neighbor we would rather overlook

A nation influenced by Christian morality may recognize some Christian principles without consistently living by them. That influence can produce real good, but its reach must be examined.

Does our concern for truth extend to claims that help our political side? Does our defense of religious liberty extend to those whose doctrines we reject? Does our concern for innocent life extend across national borders? Does our love of neighbor include the poor, the stranger, and the person we fear?

Jesus did not give us permission to stop obeying when obedience became politically inconvenient.

> “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
> —John 13:35, KJV

We are saved by grace through faith. Obedience is the fruit of that faith, and persistent, defended disobedience calls our profession into question.

 The name must answer to the life

I love this country enough to believe it should tell the truth about itself.

America has experienced Christian influence. Faithful believers have served their neighbors, confronted injustice, and borne costly witness here. America has also permitted grave wrongs to be defended in Christian language.

Both belong in an honest account.

My objection is to treating Christian influence as proof of national righteousness. The history of persecution, slavery, and the mistreatment of Native peoples demands a more searching judgment.

A Bible in the courthouse does not excuse a whipping post outside it. A church steeple does not sanctify a slave market. Speaking the name of Jesus does not transform oppression into Christian love.

The question I want the church to ask is whether we are obeying the Christ whose name we claim.

> “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
> —James 1:22, KJV

When we have sinned, we need repentance. When we have harmed others, we need to seek justice and make things right. When we have used religion to excuse wrongdoing, we need the courage to confess it.

**Being called Christian must never take the place of living in obedience to Jesus Christ.**

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Historical sources

1. [National Archives: Constitution](https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript); [Bill of Rights](https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript); [Library of Congress: Religion and the State Governments](https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel05.html).
2. [Massachusetts Archives: Quakers in Massachusetts, 1656–1781](https://digitalarchives.sec.state.ma.us/quakers/); [Massachusetts Commonwealth Museum: Religious Intolerance](https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commonwealth-museum/exhibits/online/two-colonies/a-tale-of-two-colonies_15.htm).
3. [Library of Congress: Abolition and Anti-Slavery Movements](https://loc.gov/exhibits/african-american-odyssey/abolition.html).
4. [Department of the Interior: Federal Indian Boarding School Investigation](https://www.doi.gov/node/40661); [Bureau of Indian Affairs: Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative](https://www.bia.gov/service/federal-indian-boarding-school-initiative).

 

You Cannot Declare Peace While the Bombs Are Still Falling

 Just read an article that Trump did not wait until elections were over to attack Iran. He also declared the war over and said we won.

As a country preacher, I find this report deeply troubling. President Trump says there has been no fighting for months, while American officials describe continuing strikes against Iranian targets. Those accounts demand an honest explanation. The American people deserve a clear statement of what our military is doing and what risks our leaders are asking others to bear.

Officials say the Qeshm Island strikes followed Iranian fire against an American aircraft. That claim deserves examination. Protecting servicemen is a serious responsibility, but calling an operation “defensive” does not settle every question about the larger conflict. What mission placed those aircraft there? What are its limits? What diplomatic steps are being taken to stop the exchange of fire?

I am especially disturbed by the casual language surrounding another possible attack. To describe bombing a nuclear-related site as something that can be accomplished in an hour treats a grave decision far too lightly. An attack may take an hour; its consequences may burden families for generations.

The Bible says, “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health” (Proverbs 12:18, KJV). Leaders’ words can inflame a conflict or help prepare the way for peace. Boasting about our ability to destroy does little to establish the trust that negotiations require.

I do not excuse the Iranian government from accountability. Every government must answer for its actions. But our responsibility as Americans includes examining what is done in our name. As Christians, we must remember that Iranian families are our neighbors before God. Their children are precious, and so are the sons and daughters serving in our armed forces.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9, KJV). The church ought to take those words seriously enough to demand truth, restraint, and persistent diplomacy.

In my opinion, a nation shows wisdom when it uses its strength to end bloodshed. Let us pray for leaders who understand the weight of taking a life, who speak honestly to their people, and who pursue peace with the same determination they bring to preparing for war.

When Nations Forget That God Judges Righteously

 My opinion — Larry G. Truitt, Ramblings of a Country Preacher

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” — Psalm 9:17, KJV

I have watched the news from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, and I keep coming back to a question that ought to trouble every American Christian. How long can governments use their power to destroy lives, and how long can the people who put them in office excuse what they do, before the Lord calls them to account?

What changes when the leaders change?

When I listen to the political debate in Israel, I wonder how much would change for a Palestinian family in Gaza if a different leader took office. The question I want answered is whether those seeking power would end policies that destroy homes and uproot families, allow relief to reach those who need it, and recognize that Palestinians have a right to live in safety and dignity. A family that has lost its home has little reason to celebrate a change in leadership if the policy that cost them their home carries on.

This raises a hard question about voters' responsibility. A 2024 Pew survey found that about four in ten Israelis thought their country's military response against Hamas was about right, 34 percent thought it had gone too little, and 19 percent thought it had gone too far. That tells me there was substantial public support for the military response at the time. The survey measured views of that military response, and the differences among Israelis were real. The people who have spoken against the suffering in Gaza deserve to be heard.

Elected leaders bear responsibility for the orders they give. Voters bear responsibility for what they knowingly endorse and what they are willing to excuse. I apply that same rule here at home. If I keep rewarding a politician who defends a policy I know is wrong, I have a question of conscience to answer myself.

What are we doing in Syria?

I believe the Israeli government bears grave responsibility for its conduct in Gaza and for decisions that have widened conflict in the region. Other governments and armed groups must answer for their own deeds. My first duty as an American is to ask what our government is doing. What are we paying for, what are we arming, and what are we encouraging? When Washington backs military action, what does it do to protect civilians and end the fighting?

I have asked, What has Syria done to us? There is a distinction worth making. U.S. Central Command said its January 2026 strikes in Syria targeted ISIS following a deadly ISIS attack on U.S. and Syrian forces near Palmyra. American and Syrian forces were both attacked. That leaves Congress with questions it ought to answer in plain English. What is the scope of our mission in Syria? Under what authority does it continue? What would bring it to an end?

And when leaders speak of war with Iran, or justify further strikes in Lebanon, I want to hear what they have done to keep the fighting from spreading. The families who bury the dead will live with the consequences long after the men who made the decisions leave office.

What have we made of our Christian witness?

I am grieved when I hear American Christians defend almost anything the Israeli government does because they believe prophecy requires their support. The prophets of Scripture spoke plainly about the sins of their own rulers. Amos cried, “But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24). If we take the prophets seriously, we ought to be willing to ask the questions they asked about power, justice, and the treatment of the poor.

A Palestinian mother grieving her child deserves the same compassion as an Israeli mother grieving hers. A Lebanese family driven from home and an Iranian family afraid of the next strike are our neighbors in the sense Jesus taught. I cannot read the parable of the good Samaritan and imagine that the Lord expects me to check the wounded man's nationality before I stop to help him.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). I have preached that verse in times of peace. I had better be willing to preach it when people are cheering for war.

The election and the judgment of God

I fear that this American election may hasten our downfall if we send men and women back to Washington with the understanding that they can widen wars and excuse the suffering of civilians and still count on our votes. I want to know where a candidate stands when loyalty to a party or an ally costs innocent lives. That question matters to me whether the candidate has a Republican or a Democratic name beside theirs.

I believe the course both the United States and Israel are taking bears the marks of what Scripture warns will bring nations into judgment. When rulers grow proud, when innocent blood becomes a matter of little consequence, and when religious people bless what they ought to rebuke, I hear the prophets' warnings. As I consider these events in light of end-time prophecy, the one thing I can say with certainty is that God sees what nations do and will judge righteously. The timing and manner of that judgment are in His hands.

Peter wrote that “judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). Before I point my finger at Jerusalem or Washington, I had better ask what I have excused, whose suffering I have overlooked, and whether I have prayed as earnestly for peace as I have argued about politics.

My prayer is that God will have mercy on the families caught in these wars, that He will give our leaders the courage to seek peace, and that He will give the church the courage to speak when those leaders do wrong. And may He start with me.

From the Back Porch to Songs of Praise By Larry G. Truitt

For more than twenty-five years, I have enjoyed singing and playing bluegrass music. For the past eleven years, I have had the privilege of being part of the Back Porch Pickers—a group of talented musicians who have brought me much enjoyment. These folks are more than fine pickers and singers. Several are gifted songwriters, and I have enjoyed listening as they shared songs they had written.

For a long time, I was content to sing and play what others had composed. Writing a song of my own had hardly crossed my mind. I appreciated a good song, but I had never given much thought to whether I might have something to say through one.

About two years ago, that began to change.

I decided to try writing a song I called "What a Wonderful Day." It took several attempts to bring the words together. I discovered that having something on your heart and putting it into verses and a chorus are two different things! But I kept working until I finally finished it.

That first effort stirred a desire to learn more. I began searching the internet for songwriting advice, reading suggestions, and ways to study how songs are put together. Little by little, I started writing more lyrics.

As a country preacher, I have spent many years sharing the gospel through sermons, Bible lessons, and the written word. Songwriting offered another way to express the truths that have sustained me: God's mercy, the forgiveness of sins, the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, and the hope we have in Him. Sometimes a song gives us words for something we have carried quietly in our hearts.

However, I soon ran into a difficulty. I could write the lyrics, but I did not know how to write a musical score. I had words I believed were ready for music, yet I couldn't seem to take that next step. I knew the feeling I wanted a song to convey, but putting the musical parts on paper was beyond my ability.

Then our oldest son told me about a program called SongGenerator.

That opened a door for me. For about two years now, I have been using SongGenerator to help bring my lyrics to life. I choose the musical style, mood, voices, tempo, and format. The program generates the musical arrangement and vocal performance according to the direction I provide.

The lyrics are my own, and SongGenerator arranges and performs the music. I hold licenses for the songs I produce through the program. This has given me a way to share words that might otherwise have remained on the pages of a notebook.

I especially enjoy the sound of a cappella country gospel. Something about voices blending in harmony suits the message I want to share. I want the words to be understood and the gospel message to reach the listener's heart.

These songs grow out of Scripture and my personal walk with Christ. Some speak of joy and thanksgiving. Others speak of trials, questions, weariness, and the grace that carries us through. Through them all runs the same testimony: the Lord has been faithful.

Psalm 40:3 says, "And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God."

After all these years of preaching, singing, and playing music, I am thankful to have another way to tell of His goodness. I still have a message to share, a reason to sing, and someone who may still need a word of encouragement.

My prayer is that these songs will encourage the weary, comfort the troubled, and point someone toward the Savior. If they help you remember a promise of God, lift your heart in praise, or find strength for another day, then I am grateful.

Thank you for listening and allowing me to share this part of my journey. I hope you enjoy the songs, but more than that, I hope you are blessed by the message.

There is still a song in this old country preacher's heart, and I am happy to share it. Find me at: https://www.youtube.com/@lgt1044

Or go to youtube.com and search for LARRY G TRUITT

Why Has God Permitted This Presidency?

I have been asked some serious questions: Why is Donald Trump in office? What purpose does he fulfill in the plan of God? What judgment might his actions bring upon America?

These questions deserve more than a political slogan. They call for an open Bible, an honest heart, and enough humility to admit that we do not know everything God is doing.

I do not write as someone who has received a private revelation concerning this president. I write as a country preacher who believes that rulers are accountable to God, that the church must speak truth, and that our confidence belongs in Jesus Christ.

I cannot tell you every reason God has permitted this presidency. I can tell you that no presidency releases the church from obedience to the Lord.

Winning does not prove God’s approval

At the human level, presidents come into office through elections, institutions, and the choices of voters. Those choices involve responsibility. We cannot make political decisions and then escape accountability by saying, “It must have been God’s will.”

Daniel declared:

“And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings.” —Daniel 2:21, KJV

God remains sovereign over human history. But sovereignty does not mean approval of everything a ruler says or does. Scripture records rulers who possessed authority while practicing conduct God condemned.

Hosea records this accusation against Israel:

“They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not.” —Hosea 8:4, KJV

These passages come from different circumstances, but together they caution us against a careless conclusion. A ruler’s possession of power does not establish the righteousness of his conduct.

Winning an election does not make a man holy. Political success cannot turn dishonesty into truth or vulgarity into virtue.

That standard applies to every president.

We must not pretend to know God’s secret counsel

Some Christians are quick to identify a favored politician as a modern Cyrus. Others are equally certain that a president they oppose must be Pharaoh or the Antichrist.

I believe we should exercise much greater care.

“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” —Deuteronomy 29:29, KJV

God has revealed enough for us to obey Him. He has not revealed every purpose behind every political event.

In Scripture, God used rulers to preserve life, restrain enemies, expose evil, and execute judgment. But the biblical text identifies those purposes. We do not possess the same authority to assign a prophetic identity to a modern president.

A comparison may illustrate a principle. It must not become a substitute for revelation.

I would rather confess that I do not know God’s entire purpose than speak confidently where He has not spoken.

Being used by God does not excuse wrongdoing

Even when God uses a ruler, that ruler remains morally accountable.

Isaiah 10 describes Assyria as an instrument of judgment. Yet the same chapter announces judgment upon the Assyrian king because of his pride:

“I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.” —Isaiah 10:12, KJV

The lesson is sobering. Serving a purpose within God’s providence does not give a ruler permission to practice arrogance, cruelty, or injustice.

We should remember that whenever someone says, “God is using him,” as though that ends every moral question.

God’s ability to work through human events never makes repentance unnecessary.

What this presidency may be revealing

Here is my opinion, offered as an interpretation rather than a prophecy: this presidency has become an occasion for exposing the loyalties of the American church.

It raises questions we cannot answer honestly with campaign slogans.

Do we believe character matters only when the president belongs to the opposing party? Do we condemn vulgarity in one man while laughing at it in another? Do we insist upon truth until a falsehood serves our political interests?

I remember the moral arguments made during Bill Clinton’s presidency. Many evangelical voices insisted that conduct mattered and that the example of a president influenced the nation’s children.

I believed character mattered then. I believe it matters now.

If Christians condemn misconduct in Clinton while excusing vulgarity in Trump, the inconsistency deserves examination. The issue is whether Scripture governs our judgment when applying it becomes politically inconvenient.

“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” —James 2:1, KJV

This does not describe every evangelical or every Trump voter. A ballot does not reveal every motive of the person who casts it. But wherever Christians defend wrongdoing because it benefits their side, the church’s witness suffers.

God can use that exposure to call us to repentance. We must decide whether we will receive the correction.

Judgment can begin with what we choose

When people ask what judgment America will suffer, they often imagine a sudden catastrophe.

I will not claim that a particular storm, disease, economic collapse, or military defeat is God’s punishment for this president. Scripture does not authorize me to make that prediction.

Jesus challenged the assumption that victims of tragedy were worse sinners than other people. He turned His hearers toward their own need for repentance:

“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” —Luke 13:3, KJV

That should restrain our willingness to explain someone else’s suffering as a divine sentence.

Nevertheless, wrongdoing has consequences.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” —Galatians 6:7, KJV

Paul addresses moral choices and their consequences. We should take that warning seriously in our personal lives and in the public conduct we encourage.

A society that rewards dishonesty weakens its ability to trust. A society that celebrates humiliation teaches its children to despise. A society that excuses corruption makes justice harder to obtain. Decisions that disregard human life bring grief into real homes.

These consequences may unfold through ordinary human decisions. They are reason enough to resist wrongdoing before its harvest arrives.

Romans 1 also describes God giving people over to desires they persistently embrace. That chapter does not name America or predict this presidency. But it warns us that judgment can involve being permitted to follow a destructive course we refuse to abandon.

We ought to tremble at the possibility that getting everything we demand could expose how badly we have chosen.

The president is not the only one accountable

A president bears responsibility for the authority he exercises. Advisers, lawmakers, religious leaders, and citizens bear responsibility for their own actions.

Those responsibilities are not identical. Neither can they all be transferred to one man.

If a pastor knowingly excuses wrongdoing, that pastor must answer for the excuse. If a citizen repeats a claim known to be false, the citizen bears responsibility for repeating it. If we applaud cruelty, we must examine our own pleasure in it.

The church cannot surrender its conscience to a political leader and later claim it had no choice.

“We ought to obey God rather than men.” —Acts 5:29, KJV

That confession has meaning when obeying God costs us something.

God’s concern for the vulnerable has not changed

Psalm 82 declares:

“Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.” —Psalm 82:3–4, KJV

Whatever conclusions we reach about the beings addressed in that psalm, God’s concern for justice is unmistakable.

Political power must not make us indifferent to suffering. The poor, the stranger, the child, and the civilian caught in war remain human beings whose lives matter before God.

As a Friends pastor, I cannot put away the teaching of Jesus whenever national anger rises.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” —Matthew 5:44, KJV

Loving our country does not cancel that command. Supporting a government does not remove our obligation to speak when its actions violate the principles we profess.

Judgment begins at the house of God

Before the church announces judgment upon everyone outside its doors, it should hear Peter:

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.” —1 Peter 4:17, KJV

Peter writes in the context of Christian suffering and God’s judgment. His words should sober us and direct us toward faithfulness.

Have we made national power more precious than Christian obedience? Have we become more eager to defend a president than to tell the truth? Have we allowed political enemies to become people whose suffering we enjoy?

Those questions belong before the Lord.

I must ask them of myself as well as others. There is no virtue in exposing another person’s pride while nourishing my own.

My prayer is for repentance

I do not want to see America destroyed. I do not want to see Donald Trump destroyed. I want him to repent of wrongdoing, receive wisdom, and govern justly. I want the same grace for every person in public office.

I want the church to recover its freedom to tell the truth.

We can pray for a president and hold him accountable. We can acknowledge a sound decision and rebuke shameful conduct. We can oppose injustice while praying for the salvation of those responsible.

Our task does not depend upon knowing every hidden purpose of God.

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” —Micah 6:8, KJV

That is where this country preacher must stand.

Whatever purpose God permits this presidency to serve, my duty is to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. The church must never become so committed to defending a ruler that it forgets to obey its Lord.

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When Nationalism Takes the Place of Christian Values

 

There is a troubling question the American church needs to answer: Why did so many evangelical voices insist that character mattered during Bill Clinton’s presidency, yet excuse or celebrate vulgarity when it comes from Donald Trump?

The question is not whether Clinton’s misconduct should have been condemned. It should have been. The question is why the same moral standard is not consistently applied to a leader whom those Christians support.

When the standard changes according to political allegiance, something has displaced the authority of Scripture.

James wrote:

“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” —James 2:1, KJV

We cannot faithfully preach one standard for our opponents and another for our allies. A Republican victory cannot make vulgarity wholesome. A Democratic failure cannot make dishonesty acceptable. God’s commandments do not change when the White House changes hands.

This does not describe every evangelical Christian. Many have resisted this double standard. But wherever Christians defend conduct they once condemned because the offender now serves their political interests, the church needs to honestly examine its loyalties.

Love of country can be honorable. We should care about our neighbors, pray for our leaders, and work for the good of our communities. Nationalism becomes a spiritual danger when the nation’s power, prestige, or political success becomes the highest good—and Christianity is enlisted to serve it.

At that point, the question quietly changes. Instead of asking, “Does this honor Jesus Christ?” people ask, “Will this help our side win?”

That shift shows how Christian values can be pushed aside without anyone announcing they have abandoned them. The Bible remains on the pulpit, but political loyalty begins deciding which passages to apply and which offenses to overlook.

Jesus said:

“My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.” —John 18:36, KJV

Christ’s kingdom does not depend upon the dominance of an American political party. Its King has never needed His followers to excuse sin to preserve His throne.

Fear helps make this exchange possible. Christians are told that their country is being taken away, their faith will disappear, and only a powerful leader can protect them. Once that fear takes hold, almost any compromise can seem necessary.

Cruelty becomes toughness. Humiliation becomes courage. Vulgarity becomes plain speaking. Accountability becomes betrayal.

But Scripture says:

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” —2 Timothy 1:7, KJV

We should be especially careful when someone asks us to sacrifice Christian obedience in exchange for political protection. The promise of protection does not give a leader ownership of the Christian conscience.

Some will say, “We elected a president, not a pastor.” Certainly, public office and pastoral ministry are different callings. Christians may face difficult electoral choices, and voting for a candidate does not necessarily mean approving everything that candidate does.

But a vote does not require applause for wrongdoing.

A Christian can support a policy and rebuke the president who advances it. A Christian can acknowledge a political accomplishment and still call degrading speech shameful. When supporters lose that freedom, their loyalty has become spiritually dangerous.

Paul wrote:

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying.” —Ephesians 4:29, KJV

That teaching makes no exception for a politician who promises to appoint favorable judges, secure borders, or defend religious liberty.

The Clinton–Trump comparison exposes the problem. If character was essential when judging Clinton, Christians must explain why it becomes secondary when judging Trump. Otherwise, the public has reason to question whether the original concern was righteousness or partisan advantage.

Our children notice these contradictions. They hear us teach respect for women, then watch how we respond when a favored leader speaks about a woman in a degrading way. They hear us condemn lying, then listen as we manufacture excuses for someone on our own side.

What lesson are they learning? That Christian morality binds everyone equally—or that powerful friends receive exemptions?

Nationalism also narrows our understanding of whom we must love. The gospel commands us to love our neighbors and our enemies. Political tribalism pressures us to reserve compassion for people in our group.

Yet Jesus said:

“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.” —Matthew 5:44, KJV

A nation may distinguish citizens from noncitizens for government purposes. The church must still recognize the humanity and God-given worth of every person. National interest cannot erase our obligation to truth, mercy, and justice.

We must apply that same discipline when criticizing political Christians. We cannot expose contempt by practicing contempt ourselves. We should challenge their reasoning, name the double standard, and call them to repentance without pretending we know every voter’s heart.

The purpose is to recover a faithful witness.

Peter declared:

“We ought to obey God rather than men.” —Acts 5:29, KJV

That confession must remain true when obeying God costs us influence with our preferred party.

As a country preacher, I believe the church needs to recover the courage to tell its political friends the truth. Condemning the opposition requires little courage. Rebuking someone who offers us power, access, and protection tests whom we actually serve.

We may love America, but America is not our Savior. We may participate in elections, but an election cannot establish righteousness in the human heart. We may appreciate a president’s decisions, but no president deserves our unconditional devotion.

When national victory becomes more important than obedience to Jesus, nationalism takes the place that belongs to Christ.

The church’s calling remains:

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” —Micah 6:8, KJV

When Exposing Sin Becomes More Important Than Saving the Sinner

 Over the years, I have watched people justify their contempt for those they believe have compromised the church's standards. I have seen Christians take sides over someone's failure until the argument became more important than the person. Somewhere in the discussion, the lost soul disappeared behind the sin everybody was talking about.

Exposing sin became more important than saving the sinner.

Now, this country preacher believes in preaching against sin. We have no authority to call what God has called evil good. Repentance belongs in our preaching, and holiness belongs in our living. But I wonder whether we sometimes become so determined to prove someone wrong that we forget why we are preaching in the first place.

Do we want that person restored, or do we want everybody to know we were right about them?

The Lord knows which desire is ruling our hearts.

Consider Jonah. God sent him to Nineveh with a warning of judgment. Jonah went the other direction. Later, he explained his resistance:

"Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil." —Jonah 4:2, KJV.

Jonah knew something about God's character. He knew that repentance could bring mercy, and he did not want mercy extended to Nineveh.

When the people repented, and God spared the city, Scripture says:

"But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry." —Jonah 4:1, KJV

What a terrible place for a preacher to find himself—angry because people responded to his preaching and escaped destruction.

Yet Jonah's spirit can settle into a church pew just as easily as it settled into that prophet's heart. We can speak about judgment with conviction and speak about mercy with suspicion. We can insist that sinners need to repent, then question their sincerity when they do.

We ought to ask ourselves whether we would rejoice if the person we most strongly condemn came to Christ.

Would we welcome the evidence of a changed life? Would we thank God for His mercy? Or would we keep bringing up the past because we had grown accustomed to holding it against them?

God asked Jonah:

"Doest thou well to be angry?" —Jonah 4:4, KJV

That question still deserves an answer.

I have also noticed how selective we can become about sin. Some sins are treated as though they place a person almost beyond the reach of grace. Other sins are allowed to sit comfortably among us.

An obvious moral failure may bring public outrage, while gossip passes from one church member to another under the heading of concern. We condemn someone's conduct while overlooking our own pride, bitterness, dishonesty, or unforgiving spirit.

The Bible does not teach that every sin has identical earthly consequences. Some actions cause profound harm and require serious accountability. But none of us has permission to excuse the sins we prefer while treating another person as beyond redemption.

James writes:

"For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." —James 2:13, KJV.

Before we speak as though grace belongs to us and judgment belongs to everyone else, we need to remember where the Lord found us.

Paul told the Corinthians:

"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." —1 Corinthians 6:11, KJV

"And such were some of you."

Every church needs to remember those words. We are people who needed washing. We needed forgiveness. We needed the Holy Spirit's transforming work. Whatever righteousness we now possess gives us reason to thank God, not permission to despise our neighbor.

God has already declared His judgment against sin. We do not have to persuade Him that wickedness is wicked. The sinner, however, needs to hear that Jesus Christ offers forgiveness and a new life. Until that person repents, the danger is real. That is precisely why our concern should be urgent and compassionate.

Jesus said:

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." —Luke 19:10, KJV.

If we claim to carry His message, His purpose ought to shape our attitude.

Sometimes sin must be exposed. Hidden abuse must be brought into the light. Vulnerable people must be protected. A church must never use forgiveness to conceal wrongdoing or pressure those harmed into silence. Repentance does not erase every earthly consequence, and restored fellowship does not automatically mean restored leadership or immediate trust.

But even necessary correction must be governed by the Word of God:

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." —Galatians 6:1, KJV

Notice the command: "restore such an one."

Notice the spirit: "meekness."

Notice the warning: "considering thyself."

There is no room there for enjoying another person's disgrace. Spiritual maturity should make us better able to help a fallen person, more careful about our own weakness, and more faithful in protecting those affected by sin.

When Christians take sides, we should stop and ask what we are trying to accomplish. Are we seeking truth? Are we protecting those who have been harmed? Are we calling the guilty to repentance? Or are we feeding an argument that gives us somebody to dislike?

The armor of God does not authorize contempt toward people. Paul tells us:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." —Ephesians 6:12, KJV

People remain responsible for their choices. Yet our spiritual battle must never become an excuse to surrender our hearts to hatred. We cannot overcome evil by letting it govern our conduct.

Paul describes the servant of the Lord this way:

"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." —2 Timothy 2:24–25, KJV

Gentleness does not weaken the truth. It helps us deliver the truth with the purpose God has given us.

I cannot change another person's heart. That is the work of God. But I can examine my own. I can refuse to spread a story merely because it damages someone I dislike. I can speak honestly without speaking cruelly. I can pray for repentance, willing to rejoice when it comes.

And I can remember that the person standing before me is more than their worst act.

Jonah cared deeply about the plant that sheltered him. God directed his attention toward the people of Nineveh:

"And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?" —Jonah 4:11, KJV

I wonder whether we sometimes care more about protecting our comfort and reputation than reaching the people God has placed before us.

The church must preach repentance. It must practice holiness. It must protect the vulnerable and deal honestly with wrongdoing. Through it all, it must remember the mercy of the Savior it represents.

This old country preacher has needed too much grace to begrudge it to somebody else.

May the Lord give us eyes that recognize sin, hearts that grieve over its harm, and a love that longs to see the sinner saved.