Our church is going through a series called The Truth Project. It was produced by Focus on the Family. While most of it has been somewhat interesting and informative, this last week angered me and made me realize that this entire series is just more psuedo-christian propaganda on saving America.
The video starts out by looking at what the Founding Fathers have said. Quotes abound with references to church, morality, and religion. Ok, that ‘s cool but what does this have to do with living as a Christian today in a post-modern culture. Over and over we are reminded of great Christian past we have had and how far we have fallen.
“America…a city on a hill.”
“America is a bright light in a world of darkness and sin.”
It is bothersome to me that so many Christians make the leap of equating America with the Christian faith. There was even a couple Bible verses torn out of context in reference to America. In the book of Revelation, Jesus is speaking to one of the churches and tells them to return to their first love or He will remove their lampstand….our video teacher applies this verse to America. Another passage found in the Hebrew text of Isaiah quotes God as saying “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, I will hear from Heaven and heal their land.” That is a great verse, unfortunately it applied to the nation of Israel and NOT to the United States of America. Finally, at the end of the video there is a quote, that sadly I cannot remember accurately that tells us basically that the devil as won if the believer does not have a passion for his/her country. Question………..where is that found in the Scripture?
We are NOT told to save America, for too long this has been the focus of the Evangelical church in America but all that it has done is to create a “us against them” mentality and has turned the church into a political special interest group. A far cry from what God has truly called us too. Let me end here with that command…….
LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR BEING…….LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF
I think it is time to live that out…..
Peace, grace, and love,
Mark Lee
Musings of a "not so good" Christian 
Amen again, Mark! The Church needs to read II Chronicles and see that Israel was judged because of their syncretism. They mixed their religion with the practices and cultures of the surrounding nations. Instead of letting faith in YAHWEH to shape their culture, they let their culture shape their faith. Unfortunately this is exactly what the American church has done. We have become a voice piece for America instead of God. We have equated America with Zion and the Kingdom of God instead bringing the Kingdom to America.
It drives me crazy every time there is a quote like “America . . . the light that shines in the darkeness.” No. That was and is Jesus. America is not was not and never will be Jesus. And neither will any other country.
All I can say is that I am in total agreement with you on this one. The question remains why do so few people see this truth? Thanks Drew for a great comment.
To me, it seems like many Christians in America have an attitude of arrogance about them, especially when it comes to “saving America”. I have heard people mention that America is some sort of chosen land or something, and it’s just ridiculous.
It just confuses me and upsets me that Christians think we’re special for living in the U.S. Where are they getting this view?
Hey Steve great thoughts. I think that the idea that we are special comes from people who think that because we had a “religious past” God is blessing us and setting us apart as a light unto the world. This of course is false. God Has set His church apart to be a light and a beacon to lead people to the grace and love of God found in Christ. Any blessing that this nation or any other nation has received is purely out of His abundant grace, not our merit.
When we went to visit a church in Argentina 10 years ago, I began to recognize that I had had this very ethnocentric view I of God. Somehow I had thought he had a special affinity towards my culture and was humbled when I recognized that I had no more of a superior claim to God or holiness than the wonderful Argentinians we met.
It diminishes God and his message when we view our nation’s founders as apostolic and the constitution as biblical. Furthermore, we limit our ability to view God working through nations, cultures, and faiths. We cannot and must not attempt to contain God within a myopic religion of nationalism.
I am in full agreement, we should be very careful not to add offense to the gospel. many people equate conservitive republicans with christianity. our job is to share the gospel of Christ without polluting it with our personal political views.
Mark, buddy…methinks you need to change the title of your blog. Try this on…”Musings of a guy that hates church.” Now, I agree with you and the other comments, HOWEVER…why shouldn’t the church in America be concerned about America and quasi-rescuing it. Now, I know, we as people don’t rescue anything, our Lord will do that, but we can be a conduit. Don’t you think that the church today is a bi-product of the screwed up of churches of our childhood? My church annoys the crap out of me, but you know, we’re imperfect people with imperfect world-views. If nothing else, I can shake my head at a sermon or a Sunday-school lesson and then make an effort to engage my pastor or whoever in a conversation. I thank God for this country, not because we are a chosen nation necessarily, but because I have liberties, freedoms, and a great quality of life…the Founding Fathers were not perfect (they didn’t want the poor to have land, theinstitution of slavery, etc), but God used them to start something great…anyways…when are we getting together for some brew? I miss you.
Ah, Jason my dear friend. Recently we had a discussion on the whole America/Church thing and we do not see eye to eye. I am fine with that, but I do need to correct something…..this particular “musing” was not about the church per se but the unholy alliance between Christianity and patriotism. The Church of Christ has no allegiance to any nation, our allegiance is to the Head of the Church, Jesus. When the unsaved world begins to see Christianity through a political lens then it is we the church, that has done something wrong.
We are NOT called to save America, in fact we not NOT called to allign ourselves with any political movement. If I am wrong on this point please correct me.
I do not hate the church, I realize that it is full of redeemed sinners, with myself being one of the worse. I weep for the church that we have moved so far from the gospel of grace so in my passion for the church I may sound caustic and harsh but it is only because I want to see people in the church set free from what it has become.
peace and grace to you……and we will get together soon
Jay, there is nothing wrong with the church being interested in rescuing America, if its people you’re talking about. There is something wrong with marrying the Gospel with patriotism. There is something wrong whenever you add something, good or bad, to Jesus’ message of grace. When we do that we negate or diminish His message. And according to Paul we create a different gospel which is false and powerless. I’m grateful for my country, and those who served and died for it, so I could live in relative freedom and security, this is the place I want to live out my earthly life! But it saddens me to hear leaders talk as if Jesus were a white, middle class conservative republican, who’s chief concern is primarily to bless America and American church culture. There is only one reason God has, does, and will bless this country in the future, pure unmerited grace, the very same reason He blesses individuals!
Thanks Lou,
Your comments as usual are well said and so much better than I could have put it. I particularly like the point that God blesses nations and individuals based on His grace and not the merit of any individual or country. This idea has been lost in the evangelical church as of late.
The question which arises for me is “are we to rescue America or rescue people?” In Revelation, the redeemed are referred to as “those who have been called out from every tribe and nation.” I love my country but I have to love God and neighbor more. Perhaps that is being too picky about our language. Just a thought tho.