4th of July Celebrations

Weekly Update – July 4th, 2024

Today is Independence Day. Many of us will celebrate it with cookouts, family get togethers, and fireworks. It was almost 250 years ago that the United States broke off from England, yet that revolutionary spirit still characterizes our country. As with those from other nations, many of us are proud of what our country stands for when it comes to freedom, liberty and the pursuit of whatever it is you want to become.  At the same time, we are Christians. This means that we are not only citizens of the United States, but we are citizens of another kingdom, the kingdom of God as well.  How then should we think of this dual citizenship today on July 4^th?

Let’s first think consider our heavenly citizenship in the kingdom of God.  Our citizenship here didn’t come through natural birth.  No, it was something that we had to be placed into. We might think of John 3:8 which says that “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  Or perhaps Colossians 1:13, with God who “transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.”  This is the crux of our salvation. We are rescued from the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2) to obtain an inheritance (Eph. 1:11) through hearing the word of truth, believing in Jesus Christ and being sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13).  That means that now, Christ is our king (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 1:5-6, 17:14) and first and foremost, our allegiance belongs to him (Matt. 10:37). 

At the same time, we are citizens of this world, and more specifically of the United States. Many of us became citizens by birth, but you can also become one through what is called, naturalization. In other words, if you are not born in the U.S., you can apply for citizenship. With being a member of this nation, there are certain laws that you must uphold, you must pay taxes and give allegiance to this country first, over other nations.  At the same time, you have the right to vote and you are protected by this nation who promises to uphold your rights and guard your freedoms. 

How do we put these two realities together?

Let me briefly share a story with you. On July 4^th, 2004, I was serving overseas in Thailand. It was a Sunday, when myself and the other missionaries with us went to church, worshipped with our brothers and sisters from that country, and united together as citizens of the kingdom of God. Now that evening, many of us from the United States did meet up and have dinner together, but overall, the day was spent worshipping our true king, Jesus Christ.  That is the joy we can have as heavenly citizens.  In any nation, at any time, we can join with and fellow kingdom heirs and rejoice in our king, not as outsiders, but as those who identify with Jesus Christ. This is the beauty of the church.  We don’t come together to celebrate any specific nation of this world, but we come to unite based upon our citizenship in the kingdom of heaven, hearing from our God who has called us his own, as we gather around his table, declaring ourselves one body in Jesus Christ. Therefore, as the church, we gather to affirm our allegiance to Christ our king as we celebrate his sacrifice which makes us his kingdom citizens.

What then does this mean for July 4^th? Celebrate it like you always do. Set off fireworks, fire up the grill, get together with friends and family members and hang up the American flag. The Lord has truly blessed us to allow us to live in this nation with the freedoms and obligations that we have.  Yet, as you celebrate Independence Day, do so remembering where your true allegiance lies. Our hope does not ultimately rest in a nation. For with brothers and sisters from all over the world, we are longing for “a better country, that is, a heavenly one,” (Heb. 11:16) where the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever and ever! (Rev. 11:15).

Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson