Jesus Didn't Come to Save America!

Jesus did not come to save America!

Sorry Franklin Graham and Jerry Falwell, Jr., Jesus didn’t die to preserve American Democracy. He did not die in order to prop up either one of the two political parties in America. God is not interested in partisan politics or political agendas. 

Why should he be, he has his own Kingdom to run. 

America is not God’s chosen nation anymore than any other nation in the world is. Now this doesn’t mean that Americans can’t live as God’s people. They can, just as the Israelites in the Old Testament were chosen to live as God’s people, even though they often failed to honor this God given privilege.

It does imply, however, that God is not in the business of party politics. He’s not in the business of propping up nations or Empires over other Empires or nations. 

It would do us all some good to recognize that America is not God’s favored nation; at least it would help us be more humble. Nor is the Christian Church an arm or a servant of our government. In fact, the Church doesn’t need any government to legitimize or approve of its existence.

Jesus didn’t come to save America!

Yet to listen to some one would think that America is God’s favorite child, much like Isaac who favored Jacob over Esau or Jacob who favored Joseph over his other sons. Parents may play the favorite game but God does not.

In fact the Gospel of John is quite clear about this when it declares: 

“For God so loved the world . . .” 

When God looks at us he doesn’t see Americans but rather wonderfully made human beings created in his image.

This is true of all people from all nations.

In the book of Acts we read Peter proclaiming: 

“I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”

The Gospel is for everyone: every nation, every tribe, and every person. 

Quite frankly whenever Christianity and the Empire (nation) get too cozy with one another it is always Christianity that comes out on the short in of the stick. Whenever the Empire is successful with enticing the Church to endorse its political agenda Christianity slides down the integrity pole. 

It happened when Christianity was given political legitimacy by the Roman  Emperor Constantine and the cross of Jesus was then emblazoned on the shields of Roman soldiers (“Onward Christian soldiers, marching off to war.”).

It happened when the German Church was co-opted by the Nazi regime and became the religious arm of Hitler’s world conquering agenda. Thank God there was a remnant in Germany that became known as the “Confessing Church.” 

We need a Confessing Church in America more now than ever. A Confessing Church not beholding to any one political system or agenda. We need a Confessing Church beholding to God's Kingdom agenda only.

Whenever the Empire co-ops Christianity in its politics and wars the empire is always going to come out on top.

This is why unfettered patriotism (a.k.a., Jingoism) is a form of idolatry. idolatry being the most recognized sin in the Bible.

Christianity is a movement whose default setting is suffering love. 

The Empires or nations of this world will do what Empires and nations do best: resort to sacred violence (violence dressed up in sacred clothing) as a means to achieve their agenda and their goals. Just listen to the political rhetoric laced with violence today, it is frightening but true to form. 

We witness this whenever a nation tells its citizens that God is on their side in any given conflict or war and when Christians buy into this agenda it somehow diminishes the radical nature of faith.

Christians are called, says Jesus, to become leaven in whatever context they find themselves. Leaven does its best work hidden deep within the loaf of bread, quietly permeating the whole loaf with is marinating influence.

We would do well to remember that our true allegiance is to Christ the King and not to some political ideal or system or party or person. 

Remember, there are many Caesars but only one Christ!

We should pray for our nation instead of blindly worshiping her as if she was God’s favorite child.