Today's Devotional

December 9, 2004

Subject:  America Is Not A Religion

Acts 10:34-35 - "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

"I'm a liberal who happens to believe in God and you're a liberal who happens not to believe in God, but we're both Americans and that's what's important."  

Those were the words uttered by a TV commentator last night on a news program about a school who forbade the reading of the Declaration of Independence because of its references to God.  If that's what he wants to believe that's okay, but the truth is that your belief in the principles of the society or culture you were born into mean nothing when compared with a belief that will ultimately determine your eternal destiny.  

During the recent presidential election, if you listened, you continually heard each candidate make appeals on the basis that they were speaking for the people of America.  They would say that honest people can disagree, but we all want what's best for the country.  That's a great political answer, but it just doesn't wash with the truth as we know it.  See, believers can live among non-believers, work with non-believers, have various associations and affiliations with non-believers, but we simply can not and will not ever cede our right as believers to reject the viewpoint of "great Americans" who reject the God we serve.  They don't gain acceptance in our community of faith simply because they "love America."  And they definitely don't gain acceptance with God that way.  As the verse above says, "in every nation..." acceptance is based on how you relate to Him.  Do you fear Him? Work righteousness?  That's how acceptance is gained.  

Therefore, I say to believers and non-believers, what you believe determines how you live out your entire life on this earth and your eternal existence as well.  But if you think that the answer is wrapped up in some principles or doctrines of (y)our great country; you'd better think again.  America is not a religion.  You'd better believe in God.    

Carlen