Have you ever observed that, virtually all over the place you flip, the time period “Christian nationalism” is within the information? On March 3, The Christian Submit said: “John MacArthur denounces Christian nationalism as ‘defective viewpoint’ linked to postmillennialism.” On March 7, USA Right this moment introduced: “As Trump help merges with Christian nationalism, specialists warn of extremist dangers.” Related headlines may very well be multiplied by the lots of. However what, precisely, is Christian nationalism? And is it actually a menace to democracy? Does it imply various things to totally different individuals?

Are you a Christian nationalist in case you love Jesus and your nation? Are you a Christian nationalist in case you consider that America was based on Christian rules and that, the extra we adhere to them, the extra our nation can be blessed? Have been the Founding Fathers Christian nationalists?

Or are you a Christian nationalist in case you consider that our nation must be dominated by Christian rules? Or that the one ones who’ve the fitting to manipulate America are Christians? Or that the present authorities must be overthrown as a result of it’s anti-Christian?

Of their ebook Christian Nationalism: A Biblical Information to Taking Dominion and Discipling Nations, Gab CEO Andrew Torba and Andrew Isker write,

Christian Nationalism is loving your neighbor. Who’s our neighbor? Our fellow residents and particularly our brothers and sisters in Christ. Loving them means defending them from overseas pursuits, alien worldviews, and hostile invaders. Christian Nationalism means inserting the pursuits of your neighbor and your private home above the pursuits of foreigners in overseas nations. This doesn’t imply we neglect overseas nations or don’t lengthen like to them, however relatively that we place the pursuits and worldview of our dwelling above overseas ones.

They proceed, “Whereas we acknowledge that Christ’s Kingdom is just not of this world, we additionally notice the very fact stays that He has all authority on earth as properly and has commanded us to disciple all nations.”

On the identical time, they make it clear that if “we’re going to construct a Christian motion it should be completely Christian and we are able to’t be afraid to say that out loud.” Meaning no Jews or individuals of different faiths on the nation’s helm, together with no atheists or “pretend Christians-in-name-only.”

Is that what it means to be a Christian nationalist?

Relatively than giving my very own definition of Christian nationalism, which I actually can’t do, because it means various things to totally different individuals, let me cite the ultimate two sections of the NAR and Christian Nationalism Assertion, which I cowrote with theologian Joseph Mattera two years in the past.

After noting “that for some, this merely refers to a wholesome type of Christian patriotism, of loving God and loving one’s nation,” we added:

BUT WE SEE IT AS SPIRITUALLY DANGEROUS IF/WHEN…

1. We wrap the gospel within the American flag (or any nationwide or state flag).
2. We equate our nation with the Kingdom of God.
3. We confuse patriotism with spirituality.
4. We compromise our ethics to maintain our get together (or chief) in energy.
5. Our church/denomination/ministry turns into an appendage of a political get together.
6. We put extra belief in earthly strategies than in religious strategies.
7. We marry the reason for Christ to the reason for a political get together (or chief) as in the event that they have been one and the identical.
8. We grow to be as vulgar and impolite because the candidates we observe.
9. We glance to the White Home or any department of presidency in any nation greater than to God.
10. We make a human being right into a political savior.
11. We equate loyalty to God (which must be unconditional) with loyalty to a celebration or political chief (which must be conditional).
12. Our prayers and our prophecies grow to be politically partisan.

FINALLY, WE CONCLUDE BY CONTRASTING THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITH EXTREME NATIONALISM:

• The Kingdom of God prioritizes the development of the Gospel. Excessive nationalism prioritizes the development of its ideology even on the expense of the Gospel.
• The Kingdom of God produces loyalty to Christ above all else. Excessive nationalism produces loyalty to 1’s nation above all else.
• The Kingdom of God raises the banner of Jesus above all else. Excessive nationalism raises the nationwide flag above all else.
• The Kingdom of God promotes the pursuits of God above the world. Excessive nationalism promotes the pursuits of 1’s nation above the Kingdom.
• The Kingdom of God views the world by way of a biblical lens. Excessive nationalism views the world solely by way of a geopolitical lens.
• The Kingdom of God depends upon neither an earthly kingdom nor an earthly ruler however upon Jesus because the King of kings (Revelation 19:16). Excessive nationalism depends upon each the ideology of an earthly nation and its ruler.
• Followers of the Kingdom of God are passionate a couple of Christ-centered world awakening. Adherents of excessive nationalism are centered totally on a political/ideological awakening.
• Christ-followers are primarily recognized with the Kingdom of God. Excessive nationalists derive their major id from their nation.
• Christ-followers derive their major worth from being kids of their Heavenly Father (Romans 8:14-17). Excessive nationalists derive their major worth from being residents of their nation.

I counsel that, relatively than debating the which means of Christian nationalism, we should always lay out what we do and don’t consider, affirming what is correct and rejecting what’s flawed. Then, to the extent that our convictions are biblically based mostly, we search to stay out these rules for the nice of the nation, with out coercion, power — or, God forbid, violence.

Let’s honor Jesus in our personal lives whereas we work for the betterment of the nation as an entire.

Dr. Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fireplace radio program. He’s the writer of greater than 40 books, together with Can You be Homosexual and Christian?; Our Arms Are Stained With Blood; and Seize the Second: The way to Gasoline the Fires of Revival. You may join with him on Fb, X, or YouTube.

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