The Jubilee Singers sang a special song before Pastor Bob Sorensen brought a message he called, “One nation under God.”
The use of the phrase, “under God,” in the Pledge of Allegiance is under attack. On September 11, 2001, we were stunned when terrorists flew airplanes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. We knew immediately that America was under attack. But that terrorist attack did not kill our country. A more effective way to kill a country, a church, or a home is from the inside. If we take God out of a country, or church, or home, there is nothing left to hold it together.
Why should we be concerned about whether we use the two words, “under God” in our Pledge. Because we are under God’s authority. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Psalm 24:1 says, “ The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.” The Creator has authority over his creation.
We are under God’s authority and we enjoy his protection. He is our refuge, our salvation, our strength, and our deliverer. When the nation Israel was led by men like Moses who trusted the Lord for everything, the Lord delivered them through many miracles, when they turned away from God, they suffered many needless sorrows. God has blessed America many times in many ways. It is not wise to exclude God from public recognition. Unbelievers who deny the authority of God will someday stand before the Supreme Judge and will find that he is the one they have been trying to exclude.
We are under God’s majesty. He is worthy of our worship. He should be foremost in our hearts, because although we deserved hell, he paid the ultimate price for our redemption. Having paid for our redemption, God has the right of authority over us. We who accepted that payment for our sins are “bought with a price.” He has a right to do with us as he pleases.
We are under God’s grace. While we are under this grace we do have freedom. Even unbelievers benefit from the grace of God. We have seen blessings on America and we have seen some of God’s chastisement, but we have not yet seen the wrath of God unleashed on America. The Bible speaks of the “day of the Lord” when his wrath will be revealed. God’s season of grace may soon be over.
All unbelievers who do not accept Jesus Christ will be under God’s wrath. John 3:18 says that they are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Any one who wants to be “under God,” can be. There is no need to suffer the wrath of God.
