So on Friday, I pre-celebrated Canada Day by pointing out the ways God is a part of our national institutions. But does that mean that Canada is (or should be) a “Christian nation”?
No, and no, thank you.
“Christian nation” implies that there is only one religion and that everyone is governed by Biblical laws. Would we really want that? Would we really want to be in a country where
- People could be stoned to death for their sexual preferences
- Anything beyond accidental homicide would carry the death penalty
- A man could dispose of his wife with nothing more than a letter, or
- A partner in a dangerously abusive marriage would be forced to stay, because “God hates divorce”
- Marriage between ethnic groups would not be allowed (that ship sailed long ago, and I’m not just talking about groups you could differentiate by skin color: my great-x-3 grandparents would never have married, he being Austrian and she English)
What’s more, who would govern? Would it be a religious elder, like the judges of Israel? And what sect? Catholic? Anglican? Pentecostal? Presbyterian? Amish?
Above all, the concept implies that no one who wasn’t a Christian would be welcome. Of course, that goes against everything in the Bible about “entertaining strangers”, but non-Christians wouldn’t know about that, so wouldn’t get the chance to find out.
In other words, would we want Canada to become one giant religious silo?
That, in fact, is antithetical to being a Christian.
Coming to Jesus is not something that can be legislated. It’s a matter of personal choice: God wants us with Him, but because He is Love, He wants us to come to Him of our own accord, out of love for Him. Coming to Him by coercion is not love.
When Jesus tells us to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), He doesn’t mean to convert an entire nation at once, but to share the Gospel with individuals in all nations. Sharing is only done by developing personal relationships and establishing the trust required for someone to change their point of view. That’s especially true today, with so much mistrust and hostility directed towards Christians, and people hung up on their own “identity”.
To fulfill that Great Commission, we have to live it first, which involves welcoming people of all sorts into our country. Then, by our words and deeds, we can show them “a more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31). Through that patience that only comes when you accept that you may not see the fruit of the seed you sow, we can make our country something infinitely better than a “Christian nation”:
A NATION OF CHRISTIANS
Two Minutes for Cross-Checking! 