I Pledge Allegiance, revisited
I pledge allegiance to the flag and to the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with Liberty and Justice for all.
I remember citing this with my hand over my heart every day when I was in grade school. Later in high school, during the war in Vietnam, not so much. I was anti-war—more to be cool and identify with the hippies, than to take a political stand. When I got out of high school I joined the Navy in order to avoid being drafted into the Army. But being the drug user that I was, I only lasted six months before I was discharged. Later, the military stopped discharging people for drug abuse, instead putting them into a rehab program—they had to because of how prevalent drug abuse had become. It didn’t make for a good start in life. But, happily, the Lord got a hold of me, turned my life around and I’ve been pursuing His agenda ever since—over fifty years now.
The key element I want to focus on here is “allegiance,” and the pledging that takes place in the recitation. As we make this pledge we’re affirming our support of the country—the United States. The pledge says that the country is one nation, under God, indivisible, providing liberty and justice for all. Now at this point I could go in a lot of different directions with this post. Questions arise as this pledge is given: Are we under God? Are we one nation? Are we indivisible? Is there liberty and justice for all? It might be difficult to get a nod of affirmation from someone for all of those questions. And what they would affirm would depend on who the person is: how old they are, how religious they are, what race they are, and maybe how wealthy they are. The pledge is saying a lot about the country. It upholds basic freedoms within the context of our “democracy.” That term goes back to the classical period of ancient Greece and it refers to the power of the people: people power. We, the citizens, have the power to govern ourselves! And “there’s the rub.” (Sorry, I just can’t help myself when I have a chance to quote Shakespeare). Governing ourselves is not a simple prospect in a country of our size. It’s a lot easier to be a democracy in a small community—everybody can be heard in the decision-making process. But in a country of 350 million people everyone can’t be heard, at least not directly and individually. In order to make it work we had to establish a republic after the fashion of the ancient Romans. Representatives are elected to speak for the myriad of communities that make up our population, and then those representatives get together to decide how the country is to be governed.
The pledge declares our loyalty to the country and affirms some of the basic features of our republic that are exercised through the government. We are a united collection of states. We are united and indivisible; meaning the individual states cannot do anything they wish, they’re tethered together—to a certain extent. And, together, they provide “liberty and justice for all.” So what’s the problem? If you don’t know what I’m talking about then you’re simply not paying attention. There is more animosity at work in the public sphere today then I’ve seen since our involvement in the Vietnam War. But today’s animosity is not as uncommon as some might think. When Thomas Jefferson ran for President against John Adams the vehemence the opposing sides displayed for each other was pronounced. And the era of the Civil War and its aftermath was one of the most significant threats to our democratic republic in our history! But one of the most disturbing things about today’s contentions is the ignorance that is often displayed in the dialogues that are engaged. People don’t understand how our government works! They don’t appreciate the complex nature of this “republic”; and that’s a problem! Everybody, and I mean everybody, should take responsibility to be an informed citizen. But it’s too easy to shout at each other in ignorance, and to be influenced by the influencers who are running rampant; all being expressed through the hodgepodge of media that’s available with just a simple flick of a finger on a glass screen!
In order to respond to this dilemma, let me draw your attention to one facet of the pledge that we haven’t touched on. It’s the one element in the pledge that shouldn’t be ignored, not because it needs to be imposed on the country. It can’t be imposed, but it’s essential nonetheless. It says that we are affirming “one nation UNDER GOD!” The God being spoken of is the One and Only Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! That doesn’t mean an imposed belief system in the manner of the early Pilgrims. Rather it’s an acknowledgement that we need the Lord in all the affairs of life. However, we shouldn’t try to impose our values in an aggressive manner as if we’re engaged in a “crusade” of sorts. Rather we, as Christians, should seek to represent the Lord in our endeavor to impact public opinion, using whatever means we’re called to engage. As the Apostle Paul said, “we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:20) Our system can’t impose holiness in the name of Jesus, but it can, and does, allow us to represent the Lord to a lost and dying world; a world that “is passing away along with its lusts!” (1 John 2:17) The brazen truth is that a well-ordered world can’t save us, even one that’s influenced by the message of our Messiah. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be involved in the affairs of government; we must be! However, that involvement should include two important elements. First, it should be informed by a proper understanding of our government. As citizens of this country, we have an obligation to understand how our government works! We need to be an informed citizenry. That’s especially true for the community of believers. To take a stand confirming Christian values without understanding our government’s design will compromise our witness. We’ll be reduced to one of many voices that think that shouting matches and insults are the appropriate means for imposing our views on the wider community. Which points to the second feature required for an appropriate Christian involvement in the affairs of government: we need to represent our citizenship in the Kingdom of God as we engage in the public discourse regarding our government. Taking this posture can be viewed as a proper response to our government as indicated again by the Apostle Paul:
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (1Timothy 2:1-7)
Submission for the first century Christian meant recognizing the absolute authority of government within the purview of the Roman Empire. In our 21st century circumstance we are collectively the government “of the people and by the people.” However, if that’s true we need to understand the apparatus of our government as it’s laid out in the Constitution of the United States. We’re not meant to be a “free for all” of competing ideas that seek to out shout and out insult one another, stopping up our ears whenever someone else is talking. We need to know how our government works; but as Christians we can’t engage the process with the expectation that it’s the source of a “good life.” It’s not, not if we understand what actually entails a “good” life. Instead, we need to promote a proper understanding of our government as a means of maintaining an environment in which we can pursue the Lord’s agenda for ourselves and for those He’s called out of the world.
What I’m suggesting is that we need to take responsibility for our citizenship in this country while, at the same time, recognizing that it’s not the source for our wellbeing. The source of our wellbeing is our citizenship in the Kingdom of God! And that citizenship ultimately takes precedence. But both citizenships require a proper understanding. We need to be informed citizens of the United States, and informed citizens of the Kingdom of God. That requires work! Understanding ourselves as followers of the Messiah requires a proper handling of the Bible and an appreciation for applying it effectively to every area of our lives. We have to read it, study it, consider it, and discuss it with our fellow believers. We need to ask the questions needed for proper understanding; investigate the ideas that are presented to us, and commiserate with likeminded believers in order to properly apply the Word. In a similar, if less significant, fashion we need to study the nature of our government, appreciating its complexities and learning the nature of its features. In doing that we’re not looking to our government for any measure of “salvation.” It’s not there to save us! It’s there to provide an environment in which we can pursue the Lord’s agenda. It provides a platform from which we can seek the Lord and serve His purposes. Along the way we’ll have the opportunity to attest to the real truth regarding our existence, even to those who don’t share our faith. Pledging an allegiance to the United States as our provider of order and safety is appropriate, but the greatest benefit that we gain from this allegiance is the ability to exercise our faith in the One and Only God. Serving the Lord’s purposes is the ultimate benefit to be gained from our dual citizenship. Our citizenship in the Kingdom should enable us to engage our citizenship as Americans properly. We should recognize that the United States is part of a lost and dying world. And our citizenship allows us to engage this government, not only as citizens of America, but, more importantly as citizens of the Kingdom.
Amen and Amen!