In the current unhinged American political landscape, the question must arise for every disciple of Christ as to how they should view their earthly national citizenship in the United States.

Today we are going to take a brief flyover look at what exactly the United States was founded to be. After all, it is not possible to know what one’s view should be if one doesn’t know what their viewing

It is a mistake to reduce a Christian engagement with American politics to Democrat or Republican, or even liberal and conservative. For the child of God, the questions are ones of truth and falsehood. That is true which conforms to biblical principles and accurate history, and that is false which does not.

This piece will be focused on big-picture historical realities only. There are vast theological issues in play here which cannot be directly addressed or this would turn into a book rather quickly.

There are two primary definitions of what role slavery and related ethnic attitudes played in the founding and rise of the United States of America. These can only be treated in a concise fashion in an article of this nature as well.

First, we will mention the version proclaimed today by adherents of critical race theory which advances the idea that America was founded, defined, and governed from the very beginning by the societal desire to subjugate non-European peoples, largely for monetary gain. In this model, slavery was the engine that powered America, Politically, sociologically, financially, and even theologically.

The second would be the view that while slavery was a major component in America’s consciousness and the American economy, especially in the South, far from defining America, this aspect of American life was an inconsistent appendage to the principles and values set forth in her funding documents.

What matters to Christians is which of these versions of history is true.

God IS truth and he cannot lie.

There is no circumstance wherein a true believer in Jesus Christ can serve Him faithfully in the service of falsehood.

Large volumes have been written documenting the historical particulars of early America, the realities extant leading up to and, the conflagration of the civil war, and everything that has happened since

The honest student of history will unavoidably reach the conclusion that the latter option above most closely conforms to the truth. Not because that’s what they want to believe. Or because their “whiteness” deludes them into seeing things this way, but because accurate history actually is this way.

The scourge of chattel slavery and the systemic oppression that it entailed are not features of the United States. They are attacks upon it. That’s why they couldn’t long survive in institutionalized form and largely why 620,000 men died in that bloody civil war defeating them.

Please remember, we are only addressing here whether institutionalized systemic racial oppression was the defining principle of the United States. Not whether every vestige was eliminated. Only a fool would contend that the emancipation proclamation and the 13^th amendment saw the end of all racial trouble in the United States.

However, which view of history one accepts will necessarily dictate their Christ-centered engagement with current American Politics. Even in areas not directly related to race and ethnicity because in the minds of the apostles of critical race theory, EVERYthing is defined by race and ethnicity.

It is not so for the Bible-believing Christian for whom there is neither Jew, nor Greek, nor bond nor free, nor male nor female or barbarian or Scythian, but Christ is all and in all. (Galatians 3:28 and Colossians 3:11)

Saints, our commitment is not to parties or personalities, but to principles and policies. Principles and policies are defined by God’s holy Word, Not by what we think will make our life better in this world. In order to faithfully live this out, we need first to be experts in the scriptures and then to be truthfully informed regarding the history and circumstances to which we must apply them in Jesus’ name.

Our concern is not primarily the future of the United States, though it is certainly proper to be concerned about the country in which God’s providence has placed you. Our primary concern however should always be honoring and glorifying Him in all that we think, say, and do, and that is only possible when we know and act upon what is actually true. Both from history, and within the socio-political environment God’s perfect providence has currently placed us.