I’ve been a Christian for over 24 years, and all of those years I have spent defending the Christian faith among Muslims, whether it’s with family, friends, or strangers. Almost always, when I debate a Muslim, I hear the same thing: “Look at America and tell me why Christians behave the way they do.”
To that, I often have to explain that not everyone who calls themselves a Christian is actually living out the faith. I share how the Bible calls us to a sanctified life, how true Christianity is more than a label, it’s a way of life, so on and so forth. But unfortunately, most of the time, this doesn’t register. Why? Because people believe actions, not words. Leading by example is what truly changes people’s hearts and minds. That’s when they begin to consider what you’re preaching.
You can’t talk people into the Kingdom of God, you walk it with them. That’s what Jesus did. Every time He spoke, He used simple storytelling through parables, and then He went out and lived out what He was preaching. That’s what discipleship is. The older I get and the more I walk with Christ, the more I’m blown away by the fact that I get to be led by the only perfect leader. What an incredible example Jesus is for us to follow. What a true leader—strong yet gentle, kind and compassionate, emotionally intelligent and wise; meek yet bold, fearless, and full of joy with an incredible sense of humor.
He is everything a king should be, and so much more. While we’re witnessing the painful consequences of decades of poor leadership in both government and the Church, I find myself staying still. In the midst of all the noise Christians often create – arguing, dividing, and fighting to prove whose theology is “right,” I stop.
I look at Jesus. I see Him—relaxed, full of joy—smiling back at me, and suddenly, everything feels right in the world.
I don’t think I have ever seen America this divided. I have watched the divide unfold over the past 10 years, and the division has only intensified. It keeps shifting in all directions—politically, culturally, and religiously. And while that may be expected for a nation that’s still young, only 249 years old, it’s still concerning. The future feels uncertain. And as a type-A person who likes to know what’s ahead, I often find myself wondering what God has for this nation next.
Ever since President Trump got reelected, I believe God has been ushering in a new chapter—shaking foundations, exposing what’s hidden, and preparing His people for something unprecedented.
The MAGA movement is slowly crumbling. Republicans are divided. Evangelicals can’t make up their minds about the end times. And in the midst of it all, the marginalized communities—immigrants, Muslims, and others, are simply trying to survive.
It’s also a time when many Americans are searching for their identity as a nation, looking back at history and asking what principles this country was actually founded on.
Is America still a Christian nation? Was it ever a Christian nation? And if it was, what kind of Christian? What exactly did the Founding Fathers believe? I mean, slavery was legal not that long ago, for crying out loud. But human beings evolve, and so does their theology…
So, do I think America is a Christian nation?
Yes—and no.
Yes, in the sense that many devout Christians live here and America’s founding values of freedom and human dignity align with biblical principles. However, America is not as free and dignified as you think. It is only God that gives humans freedom and worth. No government can completely grant that. God doesn’t force Himself on anyone; salvation is a voluntary choice. Because He loves us, He wants us to choose Him freely. If God had wanted robots or slaves, He could’ve created them. Instead, He created sons and daughters who have inherent value and dignity.
While America may not be perfect, it uniquely reflects these godly values still more closely than most other nations.
For years, my immigrant experience mistakenly led me to believe America was a Christian nation simply because so many true followers of Christ live here. Now, when I’m asked if America is Christian, I pause: Is it in its fundamental structure, its guiding principles, or its collective lifestyle?
Absolutely not.
I believe the Founding Fathers understood that a thriving society needed to be secular. Forcing one religion on everyone isn’t Christian at all—in fact, it contradicts the Gospel. Has this secular framework created problems? Yes. But has it also made space for the Kingdom of God to grow and move? Absolutely.
That’s the paradox and the beauty of this world: sin and redemption tangled together. Coexisting. It’s like cosmic math:
(−sin) + grace = redemption
I often ask if America was born as a result of a spiritual awakening, or as a human response to oppression? I don’t fully know. But I do know this: God works through chaos. Sin is nothing but a marionette. And just like anywhere else in the world, America has sin issues—not political, not cultural.
The divide is always between what feels familiar and comfortable versus what doesn’t. And that’s exactly why the Gospel is revolutionary because Jesus nailed all of that division to the cross.
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:28-29
It is finished. Nations don’t become Christian, people become Christ-like.
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Fariza 