Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
Listen - I love America. I really do. I deeply appreciate the fact that I live in this country, and having been to many other countries in the world (Canada, Mexico, Israel, England, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Yugoslavia -yes, I'm bragging) - I have come to realize that this really is a great place to live. However - it is imperative that this is a love-less relationship that I have with the US. Christ made it very clear that we are to "hate," or love-less, every person, every institution, every nation in comparison to our all-encompassing love for Him.
In Luke 14:26, Jesus is saying that we must be so into Him, that all other relationships must be placed beneath it. "Hate" in this sense means to "love-less" - not despise.
One of my favorite bands from the 80's was the Australian band Midnight Oil. Their song "Dead Heart," about the Aborigines right to the land, can also be aptly applied to the Christian and their relationship to the United States:
We don't serve your country
Don't serve your king
Know your custom don't speak your tongue
White man came took everyone
We don't serve your country
Don't serve your king
White man listen to the songs we sing
White man came took everything
We carry in our hearts the true country
And that cannot be stolen
We follow in the steps of our ancestry
And that cannot be broken
We don't need protection
Don't need your land
Keep your promise on where we stand
We will listen well understand
Don't serve your king
Know your custom don't speak your tongue
White man came took everyone
We don't serve your country
Don't serve your king
White man listen to the songs we sing
White man came took everything
We carry in our hearts the true country
And that cannot be stolen
We follow in the steps of our ancestry
And that cannot be broken
We don't need protection
Don't need your land
Keep your promise on where we stand
We will listen well understand
We carry in our hearts the true country, our citizenship is forever planted in heaven, and our freedom in the US should be used as a means to advance that kingdom. Too many US Christians see that freedom as the end - God's blessing upon them - so that they can live happily ever after. The riches He has given us should be seen as resources, not as rewards.
The American tongue is not the same as the Christian tongue. The American way is not the same as the Christian way. American goals are not the same as the goals of Jesus Christ. And no - the American Kingdom is not the same as the Kingdom of Christ.
We have a unique language of true freedom of the heart. We are not seeking our own or trying to protect our own. We are laying down our lives, but for others to live free in a spiritual way, not on earth.
Too many American Christians have adopted the language of this country instead of the language of God. It's a terrible mistake, fatal in fact. It is an immersion into a culture of the world - for like it or not, America is not a separate nation, it is a nation of the world, lumped together with all of others.
When we fail to recognize this fact, our true faith can be taken from us, as we begin to lean on the things of the world. But as Peter Garrett sings: "We carry in our heart the true country - and that cannot be stolen." From a non-Christian group, that's a pretty good Christian message for the American church.
Like I said, I have a love-less relationship with America. I really do love "her" - just not nearly as much as I love Christ.
2 comments:
this is a great topic. i cant say ive totally figured out my relationship with america from a christian perspective but i think that will come from a maturing faith. im grateful that this is a country where there is know serious persecution for our faith aside from sarcastic remarks or what ever else may hold us back from sharing our faith but how much of that stuff is really an actual hinderance to us anyways, right? i think some people might feel like they need to experience percecution kinda like Paul did or how the disciples did in order to make there faith more real or something but im very happy that i dont have to experience that because of the country i live in. our freedom allows our faith/relationship with God to grow in different ways.
figuring out my relationship with my country, my government is one of many aspects of my life im trying to get right according to God and to be honest its a bit overwhelming to think about all those things. its good though, its a step toward God . how ive been treating all of these thing lately, and its really helped is to stop looking at everything as a bunch of problems that have different answers but rather to approach each challenging aspect of my life in love. im starting to understand how important love is to god and the connection he as with love.
youre right, our relationship with god is first priority, and how can it not be if youve realized his presence in your life. so this needs to be above our love for our country but maybe throw our love for america, the people in it, and all that it stands for we could realize a deeper relationship with God if we love it how God would want us to love it.
those are some solid thoughts pete. tom and i, along with the small group, have dealt with this issue a few times and it is never easily answered.
our relationship to this world is very difficult topic, but it's great that you are willing to question it, rather than swallow the american pill.
tdags has some solid balance on this subject and should write more about it.
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