Where is
this nation, this United States of America, going? Well, only God knows the future
for certain. But, based on current events, contentious election results,
continuing advances of the sexual revolution, and the amazing and perplexing
power of the supporters of these phenomena, it seems clear that our nation is
going “left” and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Some of
these issues are social, some are economic, and some are moral. For the
Christian, this begs the question of what should be our role, or perhaps a
better word, our response, to this leftward movement. Of course, “left” can have
various meanings. Typically, it signifies “liberal”, at least in our culture
and governmental system. It carries many thoughts, such as “non-traditional”, “tolerance”,
amoral (or immoral from a Christian [read, Biblical] worldview) …and,
socialistic.
Often
Evangelical Christian beliefs get stirred into the mixture, as well they should
in many of the issues. But all too often, a Christian worldview is equated with
conservative views in all the areas. There is a caution to be sounded. It’s not
new, but it does need to be restated. Patriotism and Christianity are not equal.
The recent
alarming activities in Washington, D.C., exemplify the convoluted mixing of
worldviews that has become all too prominent in our country. There seemed to be
some sort of “Christian” element in some of the slogans, banners, and demands.
It was as if a political position, personified by a politician, was raised to
the status of a Christian requirement.
Albert Mohler,
President of Southern Baptist Seminary, stated it well in his “Daily Briefing”
of news from a Christian Worldview: When you're looking at the danger of
nationalism from a Christian perspective, the greatest danger is that the
nation, rather than the church, becomes the vessel of God's providential plan
and His promise of covenantal blessings. To put the matter just as bluntly and
simply as we can for Christians, even as we celebrate a proper patriotism, even
as we are very thankful for the United States of America, even as we are
eagerly and actively involved citizens of the United States, and even as we see
a singular identity for the United States even amongst other nations, we do
understand that our ultimate identity is not national. It is indeed not even
patriotic. Our ultimate allegiance, our ultimate identity is in Christ to whom,
by faith, we have been united, and under whose Lordship, we gladly serve, and
that includes, most importantly, our identity within the church of the Lord,
Jesus Christ….It is about the church, not any nation that Jesus said,
"Upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it." There is no such promise to any nation, and as a
matter of fact, the Christian biblical worldview makes very clear that every
earthly nation is eventually going to disappear. Every single empire will fall.
Everything that is not part of the church of the Lord, Jesus Christ and a part
of the new creation in Christ is that which will burn and that which will be
consumed.
So,
with that is a very important clarification. Our identity is, first of all, in
the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our ultimate allegiance is always to
Christ. Our ultimate citizenship is in heaven.
