“So there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus.”(Galatians 3:28 GNT)
Patriotism is the love of one’s country for what it does. Nationalism is the belief that one’s country is superior to other countries--no matter what it does. The latter promotes exclusion, intolerance, and violence. The New Testament teaches mercy and compassion, to love your neighbors and your enemies. I doubt that Jesus would condone bombing civilians in other countries, tearing apart immigrant families, or turning back refugees at man-made borders.
Unfortunately, our present ‘America First’ ideology has displaced God as the primary love of our lives. The idols of country, flag, anthems, political party affiliation, etc. can distract us from following Christ’s teachings. Why is this form of idolatry so widely accepted? It starts out subtly--a national flag in a church where people meet to worship God...perhaps a few patriotic songs as part of the worship service. After years of conflating love of God and love of country, it’s only natural that we hardly resist when the pulpit is turned into a political tool.
Nationalism adulterates faith. Those of us who claim to follow Christ cannot claim superiority, promote exclusivity, or endorse violence. This is a gross misrepresentation of the teachings of Jesus. Not only does it make all Christians look like hypocrites, it also blasphemes God.
“But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen!” (Revelation 2:4-5 NLT)
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