God created all people and cultures equal in terms of their inherent, God-given value, but clearly, not all cultures are the same. Some have higher levels of freedom, justice, and prosperity, while others have far less and, instead, higher levels of poverty, crime, and corruption. How do we account for these differences? At the root, all cultural differences can be traced to differences in worship. At the center of culture is “cult” or religion. From these deep roots, cultural values are formed, and values drive differences in policies, laws, norms, and institutions. These, in turn, have consequences for the nation, for good, or for ill. When a nation worships the one true and living God, it shapes its values, norms, and institutions differently than a culture rooted in idolatry.

As followers of Jesus, we are to lovingly serve our nations in ways that contribute to good fruit. In short, we are to work for the blessing of our nations.