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Is America a Christian Nation? (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

In the context of God's enduring promises, the 'I Will' commitments made to Abram stand as a testament to His faithfulness across millennia. These promises, encompassing a vast array of blessings, hinged on Abram having a son from his own body, a condition that seemed improbable until God reaffirmed His covenant. Through this covenant, God bound Himself to His word, ensuring that Abram and Sarah would bear a child. This act of divine fidelity resulted in a line of descendants that extends to the present day, numbering in the billions, demonstrating that Our God keeps His word over thousands of years. His steadfastness in fulfilling these 'I Will' promises to Abram underlines His reliability and the certainty of His commitments, forming a foundation for understanding His ongoing relationship with the Israelitish people and beyond.

Is America a Christian Nation? (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The promises to Abram contained within the I wills given in Genesis 12:1-3 laid the foundation for thousands of years of history. Involved in Genesis 12:1-3 the final promise of those seven promises states I will make you a blessing to all nations. The three major foundational revelations and their promises culminate in the birth then the work of Jesus Christ which has produced the church the true Israel of God which is also the spiritual Family of God. The judgment regarding the promised seed then the holy line then there are the I will promises to Abraham. The whole Bible revolves around these three promises of God. Jesus is the descendant of Abram who is the blessing to all nations and most of the Bible revolves around these three issues. The beginning of the spiritual effects of a major fulfillment of the Genesis 12:3 promise to Abram opened the door to the spiritual salvation of the Gentiles.

Is America a Christian Nation? (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

God has long been actively directing the course of human events according to His sovereign purposes, and the I will promises recorded in Genesis 12:3 stand at the center of that direction. When God declared to Abraham that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed, He established a commitment that would unfold through successive generations. This promise first required the preservation of a physical holy line descending from Adam and Eve through Seth, passing through Noah, Shem, Eber, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and onward to Mary, ensuring that the literal holy Seed, Jesus Christ, would be born without interruption. The birth and perfect work of that Seed brought the physical phase of the line to its intended close while simultaneously opening the way for the spiritual fulfillment of the I will promise. Through the ministry of Jesus Christ and the events recorded in Acts 10, God began extending the blessing beyond Israel to the Gentiles, demonstrating that the same promise now reaches every nation. The book of Ephesians develops this transition by showing that those once far off are brought near in Christ, reconciled into one body, and made fellow citizens in the household of God. All spiritual blessings flow from the Father through the holy Seed to those united with Him, confirming that the original I will commitment continues to govern God's dealings with both Israelitish peoples and the wider world. This ongoing fulfillment underscores that the Creator remains in control of national boundaries, populations, and historical outcomes, steadily advancing His plan toward its appointed conclusion.

Is America a Christian Nation? Summary (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The concept of God's "I will" promises appears as the foundational biblical principle against which the founding of America must be measured. These promises originate in Genesis 12:1-3, where the Lord speaks directly to Abram, declaring "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great... I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you." These covenant declarations constitute the essential ground upon which every true Christian must build his faith and obedience to God, since they represent promises God Himself initiated and guaranteed to Abraham, the father of the faithful and progenitor of the Israelitish peoples. The rejection of America as a Christian nation stems directly from the Founders' failure to accept and build upon these "I will" promises. Without acknowledging this covenant relationship, no nation—regardless of its moral character or biblical borrowings—can rightly be called Christian in the sense that God intends. The formation of the United States in the 1700s was not actually a new creation but rather a continuation of God's ongoing fulfillment of His "I will" promises to Abram, as descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had already formed nations throughout Europe—in France, England, the Netherlands, Germany, Scandinavia, Scotland, Ireland, and Denmark—before establishing themselves in America. God was simply positioning the Israelitish peoples according to His predetermined plan as He moved toward the eventual return of Jesus Christ. This principle of God's sovereign "I will" promises stands as the first and most important of seven points demonstrating that America never began as, nor became, a Christian nation. Unlike the other six points—which address the absence of divine manifestation, the lack of a Moses-like leader, the missing covenant ceremony, the absence of a singular commanded religion, the failure to establish binding covenant terms as Christ requires, and the practice of religious relativism akin to the era of the Judges—the "I will" promises represent the theological bedrock. A nation or individual cannot claim Christian identity while rejecting or remaining ignorant of this covenant God made with Abraham. Recognizing and embracing these promises requires substantial familiarity with biblical covenant language, which explains why many who identify as Christian fail to grasp this truth. The entire argument against America's Christian founding, therefore, rests upon this singular reality: without acceptance of God's "I will" covenant with Abraham, no subsequent religious or national framework—however sincere its architects—can constitute genuine biblical Christianity.

The Faith of Israel

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

Not only did Israel cross the Red Sea on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread, but it was also when Jericho's walls fell and when Jesus healed the lame man.

The Doctrine of Israel (Part One): Origins

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Because Abraham trusted God, his descendants have received unprecedented blessings. If the Israelites would have kept God's law, they would have served as a model.

Leadership and Covenants (Part Eighteen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

God based the promises He gave to His friend Abraham on the patriarch's proclivity to believe Him even when he had only partial (and disturbing) information.

Leadership and Covenants (Part Seventeen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Because the world is under the sway of the wicked one, if mankind were left to its own choices, the world would revert to the condition before the Flood.

Leadership and the Covenants (Part Twenty)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Abraham realized that his promised Descendant could not possibly be a mere human being, but the Creator Himself.

Abraham (Part Eight)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

If we surrender to God, allowing Him to shape character in us, He will enable us to live in hope, giving us direct access to Him, giving us a more abundant life.

Leadership and Covenants (Part Nineteen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The seven 'I will' promises Got made to Abraham were truly foundational promises, impacting the lives of multiple billions of people up to the present day.

Abraham (Part Four)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Abraham is the only biblical character singled out as a type of God the Father. He is also the only one to be called 'friend of God,' and is a good model.

Leadership and Covenants (Part Eleven): Signs

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Ever since the rainbow after the flood, God has been providing additional signs, particularly those that promise that He will provide a Savior and Redeemer.

God Works in Marvelous Ways (Part Three)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The Bible contains mysteries (God's invisible activities on our behalf)that have been hidden in plain sight, but made clear by revelation from God's Spirit.

God's Workmanship (Part 4)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Salvation is not a one time event, but a continuous process—not just immunity from death, but a total transformation of our nature into a new creation.