Is Standing For the National Anthem Idolatry?

By David L. Miner and Glenn A. Griffis

Recently, we have been hearing reports of conservative Christians and even evangelical leaders, implying that patriotism, and especially the nationalism advocate by President Trump, is a polite and cleaned up version of idolatry.

In other words the question seems to be, can a Christian be loyal to his country, and support the countries dominance in world affairs without being idolatrous? Should we honor a government whose leaders may be corrupt, secular or with whom we disagree. Is loyalty to a secular, godless leader or country the equivalent of worship of that leader or country? After laughing a bit, and after realizing that these people are actually serious, we have decided to  rant about such a sincere but misled doctrinal viewpoint. So, to sincerely rebut this sincere position, we need to see what Scripture has to say about this.

First, in our view, is the command to submit to and support our political leaders is unequivocal. In Romans 13, Paul explains his command to the church. The issue that seems to need examination is the concept of submission, with all its connotative meanings. If we perform a word search within the English Standard Version of the Bible, we find twenty-four references for the word "submit," six references for the word "submission," and forty-two references for the word "subject." Of greater importance, however, are the Greek words used which have been translated into the English words “submission” or “subject:”

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. (Romans 13:1-5 ESV)

It makes no difference if we approved, endorsed, or voted for the person in the office, or whether they took the office through nefarious means, we are required by the Bible to support and and pray for the office of the President and all governing authorities God has placed over us.

It makes no difference if we approved, endorsed, or voted for the person in the office, or whether they took the office through nefarious means, we are required by the Bible to support and and pray for the office of the President and all governing authorities God has placed over us.

At first glance, it appears that those who resist America's federal (or any) government are outside the clearly established intentions of God. But to truly understand what Paul is telling us in this passage, we need to take a deeper look. English dictionaries tell us the word “submit” means to yield to governance or authority. The word “subject” means “to bring under (sometimes by force), or to make amenable to, the control, dominion or discipline of a superior." The word “authority” means power to influence or command thought, opinion or behavior, or a government agency or corporation to administer a revenue producing public enterprise. To get a more complete understanding of the words used here and there meanings, need to look beyond the common dictionaries of today and examine the actual Greek words used and what they meant to those reading the passages in the first century texts.

The Authorized Version (King James) uses the words "subject yourselves." The Greek word is "hupotasso," which means "to subordinate, be obedient to, put under, make subject to, to obey." These words and their definitions seem to leave little "wiggle room," but they seem to demand total and complete obedience. The submission to which the Bible calls believers is apparently unconditional.The passage itself the implies a call to submit to and to defend the authorities (the government) that God has established as authority. The implication is that God gives them civil authority to govern to secular rulers. These commands are spoken in the context of Christians living under pagan, secular Roman rule. Paul calls these despots “ God’s servant to do you good... [and] ...God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” Speaking to believers he says God has established the authority to control, to reward right, and to punish wrong in social situations. Believers are called upon to support and even defend that authority, assuming we want to be within the will of God and his clear, established direction.

At first glance, it appears that those who resist America's federal (or any) government are outside the clearly established intentions of God. But that may not be the complete understanding of Scripture. There appears to be no command for anyone to follow a tyrant regardless of whether they are right or wrong. To truly understand what Paul is telling us in this passage, we need to take a deeper look

The truth is, no matter what your religious or political beliefs, Christians are called to support, follow and honor the governing authority which God places above them. “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”(Romans 13: 8) Those who would call that idolatry are either misinformed or deluded. And, for the moment, God has placed Donald Trump in a position of authority, While we may disapprove of him personally and disagree with his policies we are to honor and support his role and responsibility. It is given to him by God.

Second, God commands his people to speak truth  and live for righteously, to establish justice and defend the oppressed in the public arena while respecting a government's appropriate use of authority.

God commands his people to speak truth  and live for righteously, to establish justice and defend the oppressed in the public arena while respecting a government's appropriate use of authority.

Jeremiah the prophet condemned the King of Judah for his reprobate rule (Jeremiah 21-22). Yet he spoke even stronger words to those prophets and priest who were reprobate (Jer 23 & 24). He spoke very harshly and directly to the king and prophets of the nation about their disobedience to God. He was at times brazen, belligerent and downright ornery in his attack on the politics of Judah. The kings and prophets he spoke to took umbrage at his message. The King was so angry with Jeremiah he had him thrown into a cistern and left for dead (Jer 38:6). Believers are not to be silent about unrighteousness, injustice or corrupt or reprobate behavior of their leaders, yet they are still to stand in respect of their authority and seek their prosperity and the good of the nation.

When Judah was conquered by the Babylonians they found themselves under the rule of an even more thoroughly pagan, godless and reprobate kingdom than their own had been. Yet God told them to respect the Babylonian authority and to seek the country's prosperity, economic and political advancement:

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:4-7, ESV)

God told  the Jews who had been delivered into an oppressive, reprobate nation to go about their daily lives, and seek the welfare of the that godless nation. The citizens of Israel were to assimilate and support and be a positive influences, good and honorable citizens in their new country:

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. (Daniel 1:2-4 ESV)

Honoring a national legacy and respecting authority in no way means that we are to acquiesce to anything our government or leaders demand. Believers are to defend righteousness and truth no matter who is in power, and yes some will be called to dissent, while others will serve God and some will even serve in unrighteous administrations to be God's voice in a dark realm. The prophet Obadiah was a trusted servant of the despot Ahab and his evil queen Jezebel. His presence in their court gave voice to the Word of God and served to protected the prophets living among them. Obadiah's contemporary Elijah actively defied the reprobate King Ahab. (1 King 18: 7-19) Christians like Dietrich Bonhoeffer actively resisted NAZI oppression in German in 1930 and 1940, and Doctor Martin Luther King used his ministry platform to resist racism in the United States. When the Apostles were ordered to cease and desist in the proclamation of the Gospel they responded that God was a higher authority than Caesar (Acts 5:29) Christians have actively served in nearly every government administration on earth. We now know there was a small Christian resistance working with Hitler's government to preserve some modicum of righteousness within the nation.

So can one be Patriotic toward his country even when his country is unrighteous and its leader reprobate? Patriotism is defined as “love for or devotion to one's country.” ⁱ Is love for one's country, seeking its advancement among the nations, and honoring its heritage through or singing it's national anthem at sports events idolatrous?

Is love for one's country, seeking its advancement among the nations, and honoring its heritage through or singing it's national anthem at sports events idolatrous? 

We may not like our leaders and may vigorously disagree with their policies. We may even resist them or in some cases disobey. Yet, we are to support our government and give honor to its heritage and culture. We are to be subject to the law of the land and honor it's leaders and its heritage. 

The election of 2016 was the most difficult election cycle for Christians in our life times. For the first time since 1964 none of the three major nominees (Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Gary Johnson) professed or practiced a life that represented and evangelical world view. All three had personal histories and polices most of evangelicals found reprehensible. In articles and blog post across the spectrum evangelicals defended their choice as the only right choice. Recognizing that none of the candidates were people of character that would have qualified them for leadership in any of their churches each believer had to decidewhose issues were most likely to advance the cause of righteousness. These authors supported Donald J. Trump once he secured the Republican nomination. Many in the evangelical church are divided over some of the positions and policies of our President Donald J. Trump, as they are about every President and as the they would have been had Clinton or Johnson won. Some Christians are frankly repulsed by his personal history and reputation. Any one of the three who would have been elected to the Presidency would have been a secular person being used by God. 

God place leaders and nations in authority for his purposes. ⁱⁱChristians will of necessity have differing stances regarding the policies of President Trump, as they have with every President in history. Yet Christians are called to love and support that which is good about our country. While our country has many problems, and while there are those who are disadvantaged or disenfranchise unfairly, our nation is still a beacon to the world for liberty and justice under the rule of law, and that is appropriate to celebrate. Christians are called to obey it's laws, to pay taxes, and, yes, to give honor and respect to its leaders, even Obama and Trump. We are to submit to and support the office and authority of president regardless of their party or policies.

Let's be clear: love of country, assimilating into it's culture, supporting its traditions and values that are righteous is commendable; it is how we are commanded to live. Patriotism does not mean that we must agree with every position and action our government takes. Nor does it mean that we are to countenance unrighteous or oppressive acts of our government. Nor does it make those who dishonor the nation, deface it symbols, and disrupt its civility commendable. Standing at a sports even, where people from all background as walks of life come together to enjoy the liberty we have, placing the hand over the heart and showing respect for the the "national anthem is hardly worship. Flying a flag of saying the pledge of allegiance in not a political statement; it is an appropriate recognition of God's authority in our lives. 

While Patriotism is clearly not idolatry, neither is there godliness in resistance. While our values at times may come into conflict with governing authorities even to the point where we must resist or undergo persecution, there is no honor in demonstrations, or resistance. Those who equate Patriotism and support for America's success with idolatry are themselves teaching false doctrine. When we honor our country for it's values and heritage or when we speak truth to righteousness we are honoring God.

iMerriam Webster Dictionary on line, copyright 2007 by Merriam-Webster Incorporated, accessed June 14, 2017 at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patriotism

iiActs 17: 26 & 27 (English Standard Version)