What is biblical Christian nationalism

Not all that is called Nationalism is Biblical or Concerned with the Ultimate Good of Our Nation.

I believe in a very rudimentary and basic form of Christian nationalism, and it’s this: the nation will be ruled by a god; I strongly prefer it to be the Christian God. The current god of our nation is secularism, which is anything but neutral, fair, objective, and detached from religion. In short, secularism is a lie. In reality, secularism is not the absence of religion. It is a rival religion. It has its own gods, its own priesthood, its own moral code, its own blasphemy laws, its own doctrine of sin, and its own vision of salvation. It does not eliminate religion from public life. It simply replaces Christianity with another ultimate authority.

Christian nationalism, rightly understood, is not the claim that the church should take over the state. It is not the belief that pastors should become governors, elders should become judges, or denominations should dictate civil policy. That is not the point. The point is that nations are not morally neutral. Governments are not religiously neutral. Laws are not religiously neutral. Every nation must answer the question: by what standard will we define justice, good, evil, liberty, marriage, family, punishment, education, and public order?

Against the lie of secularism, the only true answer is the lordship of Jesus Christ. A nation will either acknowledge Christ, or it will enthrone an idol. There is no third option. The modern secular state wants Christians to believe that public life can be built on neutrality. But neutrality is impossible. The state will always protect what it considers sacred. It will always punish what it considers evil. It will always catechize its citizens into some moral vision. The question is whether that moral vision comes from God’s revealed truth or from fallen man’s rebellion.

I believe Christian nationalism is simply the application of Christian truth to national life. It is the belief that Christ is not Lord only over the individual heart, the private prayer closet, or the Sunday worship service. He is Lord over all things. He is Lord over families. He is Lord over churches. He is Lord over schools. He is Lord over courts. He is Lord over presidents, kings, governors, magistrates, and nations. Psalm 2 does not tell kings to remain secular. It commands them to “kiss the Son.” That means civil rulers are obligated to honor Christ.

This does not mean forced conversion. The state cannot regenerate anyone. The sword cannot produce the new birth. Only the Spirit of God can do that through the gospel of Jesus Christ. But that does not mean the state has the right to rebel against God. A magistrate does not have to be a pastor in order to be accountable to Christ. A nation does not have to be the church in order to be under the authority of God. Civil government is a distinct sphere, but not an autonomous one. Like the family and the church, it exists under God’s design and judgment.

To avoid a clear danger, Christian nationalism must be distinguished from shallow patriotism. This is not merely waving an American flag, singing patriotic songs, and adding Bible verses to national pride. Biblical Christian nationalism must call the nation to repentance. A nation that murders the unborn, celebrates sexual confusion, redefines marriage, mocks God’s law, corrupts children, and exalts personal autonomy is not merely confused. It is guilty before God. Nations can sin. Nations can be judged. Nations can repent. Therefore, a Christian vision of the nation must be willing to say that public wickedness is public wickedness. America does not simply need better management. America needs repentance. America does not merely need more conservative politicians. America needs the fear of the Lord. America does not merely need a return to vague moral values. America needs to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Christian nationalism concerns the ordering of a particular nation under Christ. Christendom is the broader vision of many nations acknowledging Christ while remaining distinct peoples with distinct histories and customs. This matters because Christianity does not erase nations. God created nations. He appointed their boundaries. The Great Commission does not call the church to abolish nations but to disciple them. Christ commands His church to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey all that He has commanded. That command has public implications.

We must also acknowledge that no nation can guarantee regeneration. Israel itself contained believers and unbelievers. A Christian nation is one in which the public order formally acknowledges the true God and recognizes Christianity as the moral foundation of national life. It means the nation refuses to pretend that Christ is irrelevant to law, education, family, and justice. It means the nation does not treat blasphemy, child sacrifice, sexual anarchy, and rebellion as morally neutral.

At the heart of this issue is the question of authority. Who has the right to define reality? Who has the right to define justice? Who has the right to define marriage, manhood, womanhood, life, death, guilt, innocence, good, and evil? Secularism says man does. Christianity says God does. That is the conflict. If you’ve been reading me for any length of time….

Therefore, I believe Christian nationalism is fundamentally correct. It is not extremism. It is not fascism. It is not racism. It is not idolatrous nationalism. It is a rejection of secular neutrality and a confession that Jesus Christ is Lord over the nations. A nation will either submit to Christ or rebel against Him. It will either build on the rock of God’s truth or sink into the sand of human autonomy. Christian nationalism, rightly defined, is simply the insistence that nations must honor Christ, obey God’s moral order, and repent of public rebellion.

The secular age wants Christians to keep Jesus private. But the Bible knows nothing of a private Christ. The risen Lord has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. That includes the earth. That includes rulers. That includes nations. That includes America.