Fidelity Month: Praising good instead of pride
According to God’s Word, earthly government exists “to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good” (1 Peter 2:14). For our sermon on God and Government, click here. Unfortunately, June has long been a month where the official government declaration and celebration has inverted that godly aim, championing evil and hoisting up its rainbow-coopting flag as though it were good.
We’ve previously discussed the many problems with “Pride Month” and even dubbed it Humility Month instead: this year, Christian advocacy in the civic sphere has finally generated some change, as 10% of U.S. States have officially opted out of praising pride to lift up something good instead. And we should take a moment to praise them and most especially to praise God for it.
This coordinated effort by state governments to officially rebrand June reached a major turning point in June 2026. While the grassroots ideas behind it have been brewing for a few years, 2026 marked the first time state governors and legislatures officially adopted them into law and executive decrees. These include:
Alabama ("Strong Families Month")
Indiana ("Nuclear Family Month")
Nebraska (Official family/traditional values proclamation)
Tennessee ("Nuclear Family Month")
Utah ("Fidelity Month")
Arkansas ("Fidelity Month")
Indiana’s declaration defines recognition of family as "one husband, one wife, and any biological, adopted, or fostered children," calling it "God's design" and "the foundation of society". Most striking is the joint statement of Utah and Arkansas, emphasizing that “Fidelity is a dedication to God, Family, Community, and Country". The proclamation urges citizens to return to "bedrock principles: faith, liberty, and patriotism, which ensure human flourishing and a well-ordered society".
Naturally, we desire far more than culture change; we desire everyone, including those of the LGBTQ+ community, to come to saving faith of Jesus Christ and to be transformed by the gospel. But one way to help get to that is to calm the churning seas of confusion that elevated sexual identity as America’s #1 idol, a pervasive distraction from the truth of God in both general and special revelation.
So while all six states have come up with great alternatives, actually praising what is good in the spirit of 1 Peter 2:14, Utah and Arkansas win with Fidelity Month. “Semper Fidelis” is the motto of the U.S. Marine Corps, meaning “always faithful”. And these various forms of fidelity— God’s framework for marriage, the faithfulness to love our neighbor and the nation where God has placed us—are mini-mirrors that should remind us of, and point us to, the ultimate and only perfect fidelity: God’s unfailing faithfulness to us, manifest most especially in the keeping of His promise to provide a Savior for faithless people who need His loving redemption.
“God is faithful; you were called by him into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 1:9
Amen.
Pastor James Harleman
For a great biblical summary of Human Sexuality, check out the Great Lakes Catechism on Marriage and Sexuality
