Dual Citizenship

Believers in Christ have the privilege of being citizens of two countries.  For me I am thankful that the Lord allowed me to be an American.  With all of our failures and flaws, I believe that we are in the greatest country in the world.  As we approach our country’s 250^th birthday I think we should reflect on the secrets of America’s greatness. 

Despite all that has been written in recent years to disparage it, America was founded upon the biblical principles of Judeo-Christianity.  Just examine the founding documents, personal correspondence, public statements, and the monuments inscribed with scripture quotations and you will see that our founders acknowledged God and His hand in the establishment of America.  Another factor in America’s greatness is our insistence on freedom and liberty.  That is why people desire to come to America so that they can be free.  Free to worship the way they want, speak what they want, and to think the way they want.  America’s greatness can also be tied to our pioneer spirit, our sense of optimism in adversity, and the opportunity to pursue one’s own dreams. Our system of government allows for the greatest number of people to improve their standard of living.  Another factor in our greatness is the ability to bounce back.  We have suffered through the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and two world wars.  The shame of slavery, our treatment of native Americans, and our internment of Japanese Americans were awful failures. We were hit by a depression in the 30’s, reconstruction after the Civil War, September 11, and the Covid outbreak.  But America has been resilient.

            I am proud to be an American. I love this country, but I have another citizenship that calls me to a greater love and a higher loyalty.  In Phil. 3:20 we who know Christ are told: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ”.  We are citizens of Christ’s kingdom, we are patriots to His cause, followers of His leadership, and students of His Word.  As we celebrate America’s 250^th birthday as a nation we believers proudly rejoice in our dual citizenship.