A homeland whose God is the Lord

As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the beginning of our beloved United States of America, there is so much to be thankful for and to celebrate. In all human history, there has never been a country as great as the USA. I don’t say that in an arrogant or boastful way; every country is proud of its own unique identity and culture. I say it in reference to the values that gave birth to our country – the ones that came from a Judeo-Christian worldview and have sustained us over the past 250 years.

Specifically, I’m referring to the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). For most of our country’s history, the majority of society looked to the teachings of the Bible to define what was right and wrong, moral and immoral, and – in many cases – lawful and unlawful.

Some of our states got it terribly wrong when it came to slavery. Although slavery was a common practice around the world at the time, many Americans saw the evilness of it and how it was inconsistent with our founding principles. It took a civil war to end it. Then, it took an African American pastor from the South to advance the idea of equal rights for all, including minorities. Change – slowly but surely – came to our country.

Like equal opportunity, the free enterprise system, also a biblical concept, was another major reason America exploded onto the world scene. This nation adopted the defining idea that “wealth created from business” could and would produce a better quality of life for everyone.

My dad, AFA Founder Don Wildmon, often said that the free enterprise system – undergirded with Christian principles – is the best economic system ever created. It does the best for the most. When people are allowed to profit from their hard work and ingenuity, it results in a better way of life that benefits people at all levels – locally, statewide, and nationally. In fact, the entire economy of the world is strongly tied to the American economy.

However, wealth alone is of very little value if it is not used to support charities and the vulnerable. America has been the most charitable country in the history of the world.

Despite America’s reputation for generosity, the country is now lacking morally. Currently, the greatest threat to our country is the breakdown of common morality. For much of the country’s history, Christianity was used as the basis for common morality both personal and public, even among people who were not Christians. However, since the 1960s, there has been a move afoot to tear down Christianity and replace it with secular humanism – the idea that man is his own god and there is no need for divine authority. Scripture refers to this idea as the act of each person doing “what [is] right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Moral values are relative and subjective.

Unfortunately, this describes the trending way of thinking among many of our fellow citizens; it permeates almost all our pillars of societal influence, especially popular culture (the entertainment industry) and our educational system (specifically colleges and universities). If this worldview continues to gain momentum, it will be the demise of America as a beacon of light for the world. We will rot from within.

But there is still hope that God will hear the prayers of His people and honor the efforts of the remnant who proclaim biblical truth and righteousness.

That is why American Family Association (AFA) published this special issue of The Stand magazine. It reflects on America’s past while offering prayers for her future. Each prayer aligns with one of AFA’s six core values and introduces related articles written by notable historians, pastors, and thinkers.

As AFA seeks to move America toward a more perfect Union, may the Lord turn the hearts of Americans back to Him. May He save our great republic from self-destruction so that it can be a homeland whose God is the Lord – for our children and grandchildren, and for generations to come.