With the mid-term elections on Tuesday, the nation’s attention is on the possible outcomes. As a Christian, my attention is on whether or not Biblical principles will continue to have a positive influence on us. After all, “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a disgrace to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)

Jon Meacham, the managing editor for Newsweek, has just had a book published called American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation. A reviewer summarized Meacham’s conclusions in this way:

          The main Founders espoused a transcendent

          God, whom they typically described in distant,

          impersonal terms like “Creator”, “supreme judge

          of the world”, and “Beneficent ruler.” Yet their 

          God also was a God of providence who paid

          attention to the unfolding of human history. He

          expected to be worshiped, held humans

          accountable for the way they treated each 

          other, and esteemed cardinal virtues for

          individuals, such as honesty and kindness, and

          for societies, such as liberty and equality.

Whether recognized or not, this summary actually reflects the great influence the Bible had on some of our first leaders.

For example, in several Bible passages God is depicted as our Creator. (Genesis 1:1, 27; Ecclesiastes 12:1; Romans 1:25; 1 Peter 4:19) He is also our supreme judge (Genesis 18:25; Acts 17:31) and yet a beneficent ruler. (Psalm 103:6ff.; 1 Timothy 2:3-6) He also pays close attention to human history (Deuteronomy 32:8; Acts 17:26) and expects to be worshiped. (John 4:23-24) He also holds people accountable for how they treat one another and how they respond to Him. (Micah 6:8; Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Corinthians 5:10) Comparing these passages with what our early leaders thought about God and His activities, it’s easy to surmise that they were not only very acquainted with the Bible, but were also very influenced by it. However, unlike some of the “main Founders”, we should not view God as distant or impersonal. As Paul said, “He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27), especially Christians (Hebrews 13:5).  

Nevertheless, God does ask us to “be in subjection to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17) and to pray for “all who are in authority.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) My prayer is that Biblical principles will continue to have a positive influence in our nation.                                                                           

Ronaldo Ricardo Guzmán