Trust in God has been a foundational principle of the United States since the days of colonial settlement.
The phrase "In God We Trust" has been an official statement of national faith since the Civil War and the official motto of the United States since 1956.
It remains just as essential today as the United States faces cultural upheaval with numerous signs that faith is waning, Pastor Jesse Bradley of Grace Community Church in Auburn, Washington, near Seattle, told Fox News Digital this week.
"Abiding with God goes beyond and is more valuable than money, technology and entertainment," said Pastor Bradley, in a series of thoughtful comments when asked to tackle the state of America’s relationship with God.
"The soul of a nation is the core, the essence and the deepest part of a country," he said. "Closeness with God is reflected and expressed in our relationships, the laws of the land, and morality. Real trust is essential in a vibrant relationship with the living God, not merely lip service."
Survey after survey, however, along with countless anecdotal examples, paint an unmistakable picture of an America growing less religious and more secular.
The United States, it appears, no longer trusts God.
Many Americans and faith leaders believe the corresponding social decay, breakdowns of family, education, national heritage and basic science are the inevitable outfall of a society that’s lost its guiding light.
Trust in God in recent decades appears to have been replaced by false idols of celebrity, technology and government.
"We have forsaken living water and created idols that can’t even hold water," said Pastor Bradley.
"America needs to come to her senses and realize the goodness of God."
There are numerous signs that individual welfare and social cohesion suffer as God becomes a part-time or non-existent guide in our lives and our nation.
"We can't compartmentalize God into one day, hour or place," said Pastor Bradley. "This relationship with our Maker is 24-7, as God is the source of our strength, love, security and hope."
"In God We Trust" is not a uniquely Judeo-Christian American concept. Some form of it has been expressed by other cultures, nations and faiths throughout history.
The motto traces its roots to the Old Testament, the foundational text of Western Civilization.
"In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me," states Psalm 56:11. A substantially similar phrase appears in the Quran.
However, trust in God became encoded in both America's foundational spirit and foundational documents.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," reads the first principal listed in the Declaration of Independence.
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Faith in God in the United States was not just a statement of religous faith, but a declaration of national identity and human equality.
God, the Creator in this case, was non-denominational — which itself became essential the principal of religious freedom in the United States.
"The motto doesn't nullify the freedom to choose faith. Nothing is forced," said the pastor.
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"We are all equal before God. Religion does not make someone better than another person."
The Founding Fathers paved the way for a society that enjoyed both faith in a Creator and religious freedom.
Trust in God, as the source of individual liberty and a defense against abuses of man, were bedrock beliefs among the Founding Fathers, regardless of individual philosophies.
Some reports indicate that the phrase "In God We Trust" was used by Pennsylvania troops in the American Revolution and again by the state’s soldiers in the Civil War.
"Then conquer we must/when our cause is just/and this be our motto/in God is our trust," Francis Scott Key wrote in the now largely unknown final stanza of the poem that became the National Anthem.
The phrase first appeared on coins from the U.S. Mint in 1865 at the end of the Civil War.
"In God We Trust" was added to paper currency in 1957, after it was made the official national motto.
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"In God We Trust" on currency has been deemed constitutional in numerous rulings by the Supreme Court and lower courts.
The U.S. Congress voted to reaffirm "In God We Trust" as the national motto by a bote of 396-6 in 2011.
But faith in God today clearly faces challenges — with society at large likely suffering.
"I believe we are at a crossroads spiritually," said Pastor Bradley.
"God knows us completely and loves us perfectly. It’s good to have trust written on our currency, but what really matters is that it is written on our hearts."
"We have wandered away from God in countless ways, including idolatry, materialism, pride and hatred."
He added, "May God have mercy on us in spite of our rebellion."
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