“I pledge allegiance to the flag of
the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one
nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
My
response to why the pledge of allegiance is not only acceptable but necessary
for an American:
In
recent days I have seen many people post about why they will not pledge allegiance
to the flag of the United States, citing that it is contradictory to God’s
laws. Two wonderful things about being
both a Christian and an American is that in both cases, you have free will and
a conscience, you should use both to live your life. Subsequently these are my thoughts, which you
may choose to accept or reject. I
personally view the pledge of to be an act of worship. By that I mean my pledge is to the concept of
a republic, formed with the idea that God has given and blessed us with an
incredible rights, and with that blessing comes responsibility. We are to treat each other equally (Romans
2:11), we are to be kind, love justice and walk with humility both as Americans
and as the children of God (Micah 6:8).
While it is inaccurate to state that America was formed as a Christian
nation, it IS accurate to state we were formed on Christian principles. Romans 13:1-7 and Titus 3:1-2 discuss our responsibilities
as citizens. Therefore when I pledge allegiance
to the flag, my oath is not to the men and women who serve in Washington or the
state capital. Rather, to the ideas and values upon which this Republic was
formed. America is a land of the people,
it is our responsibility as Christians to ensure that our nation is continually
making strides to follow the principles set forth in Micah 6:8, when we value
kindness, justice and humility our nation continues to receive the favor of
heaven, as well as bless God with our service of Him. Singing “patriotic” songs should not just be
a once a year event, the adoration that we express to God for the magnificent
gift of this nation, is one that we must express and become more aware of.
