Who Is Your Allegiance To...A Country or Jesus?

Once upon a time I cherished the opportunity to stand up and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I proudly placed my right hand across my heart and recited the pledge. After all I loved my country and what it stood for (at least the original intent of the Founding Fathers). My home is decorated with patriotic prints and I have patriotic shirts and ties, so why wouldn't I recite the pledge?

But as I've spiritually matured in Christ and His Word, the more I became conflicted about reciting the pledge. Why did I become conflicted? Simple:

Jesus says "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, my servants would have fought." -John 18:36. I am a servant and slave for Christ and no one or nothing else.
As a follower of Christ, like my Lord, my kingdom "is not of this world", my kingdom is of the kingdom of heaven and thereby my allegiance is to Jesus Christ and His kingdom and no other.
When my allegiance is with a flag or a country, I automatically become an enemy or foe of others in this world...others that may be part of the Body of Christ, others that need the gospel not guns.
When I pledge allegiance to the flag or a country, I am putting the flag or the country ahead of Christ and that is a violation of the 1^st Commandment "You shall have no other gods before Me."
When I make a pledge and recite the pledge I am making a vow or oath. Jesus in the Sermon On The Mount warns about swearing oaths and making pledges. He says "But I say to you, Do not swear at all, neither by Heaven, because it is God's throne; nor by the earth, because it is the footstool of His feet; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. But let your word be Yes, yes; No, no. For the excess of these is from evil."

My life (or my life should be) is about Jesus Christ, not a flag, not a country. I must take up my cross and follow Him. I am not to take up the flag and follow a secular and unrighteous government, president, general or constitution that violates the Word of God.

I've also come to find that the pledge is not only unbiblical, it is unconstitutional. Check out this article from Israel Wayne about the Pledge and hear him on Kevin Swanson's Generations Radio discussing the Pledge. And consider the definitions of the words contained in the pledge.

Coming to this realization has been heart wrenching because the love that I've had for my country. But I know I must obey and follow Christ and reciting and following the pledge is unbiblical for a disciple of Christ to do.

I: Ego, self

Pledge: A bailment of a chattel as security for a debt or other obligation without involving transfer of title b: the chattel so delivered c: the contract incidental to such a bailment.

Allegiance: The obligation of a feudal vassal to his liege lord b (1): the fidelity owed by a subject or citizen to a sovereign or government (2): the obligation of an alien to the government under which the alien resides.

Flag: A usually rectangular piece of fabric of distinctive design that is used as a symbol (as of a nation), as a signaling device, or as a decoration.

United States : A federation of states especially when forming a nation in a usually specified territory.

America : Country North America bordering on Atlantic, Pacific, & Arctic oceans; a federal republic ∗ Washington area 3,619,969 square miles (9,375,720 square kilometers), population 281,421,906.

Republic: A political unit (as a nation) having such a form of government b (1) : a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law.

Stands: To take up or maintain a specified position or posture.

One: Being a single unit or thing.

Nation: A community of people composed of one or more nationalities and possessing a more or less defined territory and government.

Under: In or into a condition of subjection, subordination.

God: The supreme or ultimate reality: as a: the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe.

Indivisible: Not divisible, unable or illegal to divide, separate or secede.

Liberty : The quality or state of being free: a: the power to do as one pleases b: freedom from physical restraint c: freedom from arbitrary or despotic control d: the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges e: the power of choice.

Justice: The maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishment b: conformity to truth, fact, or reason.

For All: Right given to every member or individual component regardless of sex, color, religion, status, or ability.

Chris Prang
Christopher Prang

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