Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 30

This post is part 30 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which represent themes you'll find throughout the Bible and historic Christian teachings.

Today's reason why I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation:

Two words. King David. 

This summer, our church has followed the semi-continuous lectionary, which means some our Bible readings have been telling the story of the first few kings of Israel.

We've heard the story of Saul, the first king, who is anointed with oil as a sign of God's blessing, then loses that blessing almost immediately, then tries anything and everything--including murder and black magic--to try to get the blessing back. 

And we've heard the story of King David, who, with God's anointing, defeats the giant Goliath in combat, unites all twelve tribes of Israel, and establishes Jerusalem as a capital--only to turn around and commit adultery with Bathsheba and have her husband murdered. When Nathan, the prophet, tells a parable about a rich man, with many lambs of his own, who stole the lamb of his neighbor just because he could, David is enraged and says the man should be punished. Nathan replies, "you are the man!"

Both Saul and David are anointed kings of Israel. The Hebrew word for "anointed ruler" is usually translated in English as "Messiah" or "Christ." Christians believe that the last and definitive "anointed king" is Jesus, who still reigns in heaven. 

What does this have to do with our own country today? It means Christians enter into civic life knowing that rulers are imperfect. Saul, David, and a long, tragic line of other faithless kings showed us we need to trust in God alone. Christians in modern times don't anoint kings. We don't have Messiahs or Christs, except for Jesus. No human being should ever have our religious devotion. No political figure, no matter how much we agree with or like them, should ever be lifted up as "God's choice" or the "only choice" for people of faith. Jesus, our one and only king, has sent us the Holy Spirit, to guide us in making decisions for ourselves about how to care for one another in our public life. Let's leave the anointing for our baptism--through which we are ALL marked with the cross of our true Christ.  

For more background information read this statement from the ELCA's presiding bishop, or learn about Christians Against Christian Nationalism.   

 

Christian Citizenship (Biblical Reasons Why I Want to Be a Christian in a Multi-Faith Nation) Part 29

 

This post is part 29 of a series on Christian citizenship, and why I believe mixing Christian identity with American identity is bad for both. I hope to give you little bite-sized thoughts, which represent themes you'll find throughout the Bible and historic Christian teachings.

Today's reason why I want to live as a Christian in a multi-faith nation:

In 1520, a few years into the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther wrote a paper called On the Freedom of a Christian. His basic proposition was, 

"A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.

A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all."

Luther's premise is that our souls are set free only by the Gospel of Christ, which gives us saving faith. No rule imposed by any person can effect salvation the way the Gospel can. We still follow rules, but they can't save us. Spiritually, we are free from the constraints that human rules, even religious rules, can put on us. 

Therefore, spiritually speaking, we are subject to none but Christ.

On the other hand, the faith created by the Gospel gives us the desire to serve others as Christ first served us. 

Therefore, we are servants, subject to all. 

We are beholden to no one for our salvation, but we are committed to serving all people, following the example of Jesus. 

What does this have to do with living in a multi-faith nation? 

The freedoms which Luther described, which come from the Gospel, are grasped by faith alone--not by force. True faith can't be imposed on you by your family, your government, or your schools. It can only come from within. 

Christians are certainly free to choose parochial schools for their children, if that makes sense for their family. But trying to set up an environment where Christian schools have an advantage over public schools, or trying to force public schools to include Christian content in their curriculum, will not produce more faith. It will only show that we have abandoned our calling as dutiful servants of all. A servant does not compel their master to do what the servant thinks right.  

For more background information read this statement from the ELCA's presiding bishop, or learn about Christians Against Christian Nationalism.