Are Christians called to be patriotic? As Americans celebrate the 250th of America, it seems to be a good question to ask. Now, I am not for the proposition that every nation should be celebrated, even though I believe people should celebrate their common heritage, as much as it aligns with that which is good, according to scripture. Not every nation has been good, is good, or, based on their leadership, will ever be good. In America, evil has been done by Americans. But our difference isn’t only our heritage or culture; it’s our celebration of “the laws of nature and the law of nature’s God”. Therefore, Christian Patriotism, as shown in America, is scriptural and should be celebrated. That’s what I’d like to talk about in this post. The Declaration of Independence is one of the governing documents of our nation. Yet, it has often been overlooked as a legal document. In fact, one of the “conservative” sitting Justices, Amy Coney Barrett, made the audacious statement that the Declaration of Independence wasn’t a legal document at her confirmation hearing. Yes, we should have known at that time something was amiss in her understanding of the law and legal precedent. But no one paid attention. Now, it’s recognized she isn’t as “conservative” as it was believed she was. Her error, which has plagued numerous conservatives, including Robert Bork, show the dark side of our legal community: many attorneys, law professors, and even Supreme Court judges, are illiterate, as pertaining to the law. Sad!Yet, most Americans don’t know it.
Christian patriotism is the love of one's nation that remains subordinate to the lordship of Jesus Christ and seeks the nation's good according to God's righteous standards.
Common sense has gone out the window. The law has become lawless. The truth obfuscated. And we, like ancient Israel, wonder why “judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.” Isaiah 59:14. Surely, if there are prophets today, which I believe there are, they would speak out against this kind of situation. As Dr. King stated, “No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” His statement appealing to a higher authority for justice mirrors that of America’s second president, President John Adams, “Fiat justitia, ruat caelum”, which is Latin for “Let justice be done though the heavens may fall”.
As those men, and many other men and women show us through their lives, Christian Patriotism is necessary. We need Christ involved in our current government in America. How can we, the Church, allow America to go to hell by believing a lie that’s taken out of context from a former president, America’s third president, President Thomas Jefferson, regarding “building a wall of separation between Church & State.” Jefferson would have never sought to Christianity out of government. Rather, he would have and did promote it. Yet, in many Christian circles when it comes to Christian Patriotism, they’ve taken his words about building a wall of separation between the Church and State as gospel.
What Jefferson believed about a wall of separation between Church and State is contrary to what Jesus commanded us to do: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20, ESV. Notice, there is a royal command to Go. As we go, we teach. As we teach, we disciple, which means, completely immersing nations in the commands of Christ. That’s what Christ expects of His Church. Yet often, that’s contrary to what we do.
Today, we offer worship not discipleship. And in that worship we offer, it’s music and singing for ourselves not a life prostrate before God. We don’t give God our best. Rather, we give Him our leftovers. We teach what Jesus taught up to a point. We offer the world Jesus’s suggestions not His commands. We offer entertainment and fun and games not service and commitment and sacrifice. We avoid the teaching of Christ on our cross while we glory in His cross. But Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24, NLT. We cannot teach about His cross unless and until we are willing to take up our cross.
Following Christ means “selling out”. Jesus told His Apostles (and us), “Sell your possessions and give to those in need.” Luke 12:33, NLT. Then, He went further, “Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.” Luke 12:33, NIV. Yes, beyond your 401k, your pension, your Social Security check, your Crypto wallet, your gold and silver in your Safety Deposit box, your country’s currency, and even the cash in your pocket, there’s a wallet or purse available to you that you can open in Heaven. Opening deposit: Everything you have on earth. Gulp! Yep! That’s what Jesus taught. Why did Christ teach that? “Your heart will always be where your treasure is.” Matthew 6:21, CEV.
Are we willing to give our all to Christ for sacrifice and service in Christ’s kingdom? That’s what Jesus asks of us — everything! Many are willing to die to preserve the freedoms we have in America, and rightly so, for defending freedom always requires sacrifice. As Thomas Jefferson said, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Similarly, the cross of Christ and the teaching and preaching of the cross of Christ demands sacrifice. As Herman Melville, writer of Moby Dick, said, “the pulpit leads the world”. And so it should.
Christian Patriotism defends the tree of liberty and the cross of Christ. Yes, it brings its all to Christ’s feet and, in Christ’s stead, offers its all to defend its nation’s freedoms. For as long as the world remains as it is, and as long as there are enemies of freedom and the cross, we must be willing to sacrifice all we have to defend both. Contrary to popular belief, the freedom we have in America is not free. No, it came at the highest of costs — the lives and loves of the ones willing to offer it to us. We received their gift. We should celebrate what they offered us — on July 4th and every day of our lives. We do that by giving our lives to the cause of Christ and country. That’s what our founding fathers understood and did. And each generation must renew itself in that founding vision.
As the fortieth president, President Ronald Reagan said, “It's the American vision of creating a new nation of free people, a country that would be a light unto the nations, and a shining city upon a hill. It is that vision that brought each one of us here to Washington, and I know that you each will keep faith with that great American dream that burns within our souls and within the soul of every American.” That’s what Christian Patriotism is and why it’s vital to the future of America and the world. Further, there can only be freedom in America as long as we have, and to the degree that we have, both Christ’s cross and our cross that we are willing to carry. Deny or drop either, and freedom will cease to exist in this nation and the world itself, for Satan (and the world) only makes slaves, to tyranny, torture, and tyrants.
In defending the idea of Christian Patriotism, I am defending my country, its freedom, and the Savior’s sacrifice on the cross to give us both. America was born in prayer and bathed in blood for the freedom we take for granted. No other nation can claim what America has, for no other nation has been willing to do what Americans have done. None! Yes, Patriots, especially Christian Patriots, of all stripes have given their lives in defense of both country and cross, even if they didn’t know they were doing the latter.
Today, we have Christian preachers preaching a purer gospel than in any other place in the world. Yes, I know there are issues with what we preach. There always have been issues since Jesus left us and ascended into heaven. No gospel preacher is preaching a gospel purer than His gospel. He was and always will be the purest gospel preacher to walk this earth. Jesus was a patriot for His nation, Israel. What?!!! Yes, as Caiaphas prophesied, “it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.” John 11:50-52.
Jesus died for His nation, Israel, not only the world. How can we think He doesn’t love His own nation and His own people? He does! He always has! And He always will! It’s foolish to think anything else. So, yes, Christ offers Himself as our example, even in defending our own nation by being patriotic to our nation, even to the point of death, even the worst death possible, the death of the cross. Yes, to all of my Jewish friends, even those who deny Him as Messiah, Jesus died for Israel. The Bible teaches that. Jesus was patriotic for His nation. And we should be patriotic to our nation, as long as and to the degree that it aligns with Him and His kingdom.
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