Yes, we should desire a Christian nation. In fact, we should desire all nations to be Christian. This does not mean we desire any nation to force its citizens to worship Christ, since only God can grant faith and produce genuine worship in the heart of a person. Rather, a Christian nation is a nation whose leaders honor Christ and govern according to God's standard; whose laws and culture and customs are shaped by Christianity. This is how all nations are meant to function according to the teaching of Scripture, for the good of humanity and the glory of God.
We see the foundation of this teaching as early as the very first page of Scripture. When God created mankind he gave them the command to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion” (Gen. 1:28). Dominion means rule or governance. Dominion is the rule of mankind over the earth and under God. The goal of dominion is nothing less than the whole earth being “filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14), so that all of creation serves and glorifies its Maker. This is the mission God entrusted to mankind as his image-bearers.
God has established three institutions to oversee the work of dominion: the family, the church, and the state. Families are governed by parents, churches are governed by pastors/elders, and states/nations are governed by civil rulers. All of these institutions and their authorities were established to serve and glorify God as they carry out their particular duties related to dominion.
So every nation, along with its rulers and authorities, exist for Christ, to serve and glorify him. That is what Colossians 1:16 explicitly teaches:
“For by [Christ] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
Just as families and churches exist to serve and glorify Christ, nations and their rulers also exist to serve and glorify Christ. This is clear in Psalm 2:10-12,
"Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him."
Nations and rulers who do not fear the Lord and honor Christ will be judged by God because nations and rulers exist to serve and glorify Christ. We see Biblical examples of this reality in rulers like Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, and Belshazzar. This reality is implied by Jesus’ titles, “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15-16). All the kings and rulers of the earth are subject to King Jesus, since Jesus has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18). Jesus does not just have authority over heaven, but authority over earth as well, including the nations of the world and their rulers.
When Jesus commanded the Apostles to “make disciples of all nations,” this necessarily leads beyond individual conversions to building Christian families, establishing Christian churches, and developing Christian nations. This is the work of dominion that God entrusted to mankind from the beginning. In Matthew Henry’s commentary on this verse he says:
“Christianity should be twisted in with national constitutions, that the kingdoms of the world should become Christ's kingdoms, and their kings the church's nursing-fathers… do your utmost to make the nations Christian nations.”
—Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, Matthew 28:18-20
Charles Spurgeon made similar comments in his famous sermon, The Candle:
"I often hear it said, "Do not bring religion into politics." This is precisely where it ought to be brought, and set there in the face of all men as on a candlestick! I would have the Cabinet and the members of Parliament do the work of the nation as before the Lord, and I would have the nation, either in making war or peace, consider the matter by the light of righteousness."
Christianity is not meant to merely impact individuals, but society as a whole. We understand this intuitively. Imagine a missionary encountering a pagan people whose laws are extremely corrupt, unjust, and wicked (i.e. they permit child sacrifice, cannibalism, or rape). Should the missionary seek to lead these people to personal faith in Christ while leaving these unjust laws in place? Or should the missionary teach the people instead to make just laws based on God’s standard of good and evil, and order their society around the Bible’s vision of truth, goodness, and beauty? The answer is obvious.
“Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)
This is why the spread of Christianity to pagan cultures has historically been followed by the abolition of unjust laws in those places. Christianity necessarily impacts and influences culture, customs, laws, and leaders. Would a nation be better served by godless or pagan leaders, or by righteous leaders who fear the Lord? The answer is obvious:
“When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” (Proverbs 29:2)
A society whose rulers fear God and whose laws honor God’s standard is better than a society whose rulers despise God and whose laws reject God’s standard. The desire for a Christian nation is a Biblical desire that flows from a heart that loves God and neighbor, loves truth and justice, and longs to see all of creation serve and glorify its Maker.
We do not "trust in princes . . . in whom there is no salvation" (Ps. 146:3), looking to a political party or candidate to give us hope—our hope is in Christ alone. But we do desire to see the whole world, including our nation and its rulers, submit to and honor and serve and glorify Jesus Christ. We know that this is the appointed end of all creation, which Christ will bring about in fullness at his return, when “by [the light of the Lamb] will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory” (Rev. 12:24).
Until that day we labor in this direction with our prayers, our lives, and our votes, loving those who disagree with us or oppose us, and honoring and submitting to our governing authorities whether we voted for them or not.
