On May 17 thousands of US citizens gathered on the National Mall to rededicate themselves as One Nation Under God in preparation for our nation’s 250th birthday. That raises the important question: What makes one nation under God?

I submit to you three things that are essential.

Fundamentally its citizens, including its leaders recognize the reality of God in heaven who is the creator of all that exists. One nation under God recognizes God’s authority over all and acknowledges that all are accountable to him.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, learned this the hard way when God humbled him so that he would know “that the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever He wishes.” (Daniel 4:25)

The historical fact is that not all of our founding fathers were evangelical Protestants or Roman Catholics. And yet most, if not all, were at the very least either deists or theistic rationalists, meaning they acknowledged the reality of God who created all things. This is evident in our founding documents. In the preamble to the Declaration of Independence our founding fathers declared:

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

And they continued:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

And in the conclusion they declared:

“We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States… And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.:

Notice their mention of “Nature’s God,” and “self-evident” truths that all men are created (equal) and they are endowed by their Creator certain “unalienable rights.” Notice also they appealed to the “Supreme Judge” of the world as they declared their firm reliance of the protection of “divine Providence.” All of this demonstrates their recognition of the reality of God and our accountability to him.

Benjamin Franklin, who had a hand in crafting that declaration, famously noted at the Constitutional Convention: “the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth — that God governs in the Affairs of Men.”

Furthermore, and because of this, one nation under God has laws based in that reality and rooted in God’s own law. The rationale for our constitutional separation of powers, both within the federal government with its three separate but co-equal branches, and between the federal and the state governments, is rooted in the Biblical revelation of the depravity of man.

As Lord Acton observed, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Also, the jurisprudence concept of innocent until proven guilty, with the requirement that witnesses be cross-examined is rooted in God’s law.

Finally though, while these things are basic and necessary, for one nation to be truly under God there is one more factor that is absolutely necessary. Its citizens must repent and embrace Jesus Christ, trusting him as their savior and following him as their lord. God himself declares that repentance begins with the household of God.

It is time for judgment to begin with the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17

In the Revelation, which Jesus gave through John, he made it clear that even in the first century church there were some characterized by complacency, and some by compromise. Both were called to repent by their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When the church, the body of Christ here on earth, has repented the Spirit of God will be free to work powerfully in drawing men and women, boys and girls to faith in Jesus Christ, unrestrained by the rebellion of believers.

So let me conclude by appealing to you to examine yourselves. Where do you stand with regard to Jesus? Have you trusted in him as your Savior? Are you faithfully following him as your Lord? If not, will you?

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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week’s column comes from Pastor Doug Packard of First Baptist Church, Lock Haven.