Patriotism and the Covenant community.

In honor of the fourth of July I have decided to write about patriotism. This is spurred on by the way people try to hold on to the U.S as a christian government, community, and nation. This belief had lead to irreverent practice in the "christian" community.

I hear it all the time on the radio, out of the mouth of friends, in our churches, and in our communities. What is it? The phrase "God and Country", this phrase undermines what I believe to be a key value in Christian Theology. It equates a devotion to both entities, Christ when talking about money in Matthew 6 says that: "No one can serve two masters" it is within the context of money, but the point is there is no split devotion.

In the Old Testament, under the old covenants you have a national Covenant community, Israel were God's people following God's covenant and at the same time were one nation. Under the new and current covenant there is not one nation as the covenant community neither will there be before God's throne only one nation. Revelation 7 makes clear the ones before God's throne are "from every nation, tribe, people, and language" this excludes in the latter covenants superiority on ethnic or geographical grounds. America is not God's new covenant community that he will bless because he is obligated because we follow him. People say "well we were based off christian principles" but I know historians who are professors and have doctorates that would debate that the founders were Deists (a god separate from his creation), there are some who will say that founders were christian, but it is definitely not a clear part of history. So there is nothing better about America before God than Mexico or Uganda, or Iraq. There is not a special relationship between God and the U.S.

Having said that is there a reason that Christians jump to be all about God and Country?

Perhaps we are afraid that if we aren't the most patriotic we will be sent to a communist nation. I wish that were so, so that the gospel could spread. Or maybe we will be locked away, or who knows what irrational things run through our heads.

First I don't think the government cares if we have God and Country sundays there dealing with oil spill and war PR. Second I don't think we should disrespect the government we are to give to Caesar's what is Caesar's, so do not use this as an excuse to circumvent the law, or the government. For the most part I urge you do not commit patriotic Idolatry!