Christian Nations by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 4, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 23.

Christian Nations

By Editor

“Christian Nations.”—The article in our Mission department from our bright young friend, Mr. Hasegawa, emphasizes anew the terrible wrong of calling any nations Christian nations. Absolutely there is not a Christian nation, as a nation, on the face of the earth. There are Christians in these nations, more in Great Britain and America doubtless than in any other two nations; but these nations are not Christian. The Christian religion is the most prominent of any religion in these nations, but the nation does not possess it. It requires more than imperial ukase, or kingly decree, or a legislative act to make a nation Christian. Christianity is the life of God brought down to men. It can be received only by personal, individual faith. That faith received will make men like Christ. It will abolish enmity, strife, hate, intrigue, dishonesty, drunkenness, vice, immorality, sin, war, murder. Just as long as any nations do these things, or countenance them in any way, they are not Christian, it matters not what men call them. They are as truly heathen as Japan or China ever was. The great wrong lies in telling the people of nations like Japan and China that America, and England, and Germany, etc., are Christian nations; and then when evil is manifest, as it is sure to be through representatives of these nations, the deceived ones charge it to Christianity. It is the business of the ambassadors of Christ to tell to every people that they are messengers of God, receiving their commission from Heaven not earth, from God not man, and to men of every land, American as well as Chinese, English as well as Japanese, that these men may receive Christ Jesus unto regeneration of life and character. The only hope of any people is for each one to receive Christ Jesus.