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John 17:16-18 – American Christianity
What is the most dangerous aspect of being an American Christian? Warning! This might be a trick question! But I’ll be nice and give you a hint. The trick is discovered by asking what is unique to being an American, not what is unique to being a Christian.
American Materialism? Possibly. We are a rich nation. The “American Church” is a rich Church. Many find it easier to give money than to give time. Many find it hard to give much money at all because of how much debt they are in. Some probably even observe the weekly “Passover” when the collection basket is passed because they just bought something new and unnecessary. Because the “American Church” possess so much wealth, many doctrinal issues have arisen due to the fact that we can afford to do what we want. Do you think many first century churches argued over how many new projects to begin right after praying for their daily bread? I don’t think so! Just think how many “issues” disturb the peace today that are directly related to money. Some churches simply don’t practice what others do, not out of conviction, but “If we could afford to, we would!” This materialism lends itself to becoming “soft” where luxuries become necessities. Think…would we find it hard to stand up to persecution if we can’t sit down on hard pews?! There is no doubt that materialism is dangerous…but materialism is not unique to the American experience:
1 Timothy 6:9-10 – But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. (10) For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
First century churches and Christians were not as rich as us, but it only takes a little to be greedy.
American Moral Decadence? With each passing generation, more and more degenerative behaviors become acceptable, become normal, so much so that to point them out brings derision. Today American Christians say things, dress ways, and entertain themselves that would make their grandparents blush. Unfortunately the past had its own moral failures such as racism, and man-made regulations like not playing cards especially on Sunday; all of which make our fathers less than worthy to be our perfect judges. Yes, American moral decadence is on the decline…but again, such moral lapses are not uncommon outside the American realm:
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – (9) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, (10) nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. (11) Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
You can be immoral and not be an American.
The American Mindset? Could what is best about America be the most dangerous aspect of being an American Christian? Our freedom, democracy and self-determination. America is indeed a special and unique place. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Visiting Epcot and touring the numerous “countries” I noticed a profound difference in the presentation of each nation. Most emphasized their natural wonders and glorious history. America emphasized its ideal of freedom and equality being worked out imperfectly with struggles of personal and national significance, all the while hoping for a better tomorrow because of our ideals, our uniqueness, our freedom, democracy and self-determination. Frankly, I was impressed and proud to be an American.
Christianity within America is stronger than in any other part of world – if only numbers are considered. I am in no place to judge spiritual strength around the world, nor even among my own nation. Christianity struggles, though, here as in any part of the world, due to the very nature that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world. The Christian life is a paradoxical life – in the world but not of the world:
John 17:16-18 – “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (17) “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (18) “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
Just as America’s ideal is imperfectly applied, so Christians struggle imperfectly, hoping for a better understanding of what it means to live the Christian life, especially the Christian life in America. Let’s look at what makes America great and see if it makes being an American Christian dangerous.
Democracy, or more accurately, republicanism, is not how the church is organized. While there are occasions of the entire church getting together to decide a matter (Acts 6); and while there are elders overseeing local churches (Acts 20:28); the church is ultimately a monarchy. Monarchs have absolute authority to where it can be treasonous to even question not only their authority but their exercise of said authority. After all, monarchs ruled by divine right! Or so they claimed. Jesus is our King. Are we willing to let Christ rule, set the rules, and us simply follow the rules without argumentation? Can our American mind even grasp, let alone accept, the real consequences of living in a monarchy? Read the Declaration of Independence. That wonderful document, testifying to self-evident truths, is also a listing of complaints against the king. Can we as American Christians understand the position of a king as we live with our three branches of government with checks and balances? Biblically we are to unquestioningly serve the King of kings and Lord of lords.
1 Timothy 1:17 – Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
I sat in a few business meetings. I know that Christ said, “if two or more are gathered in my name, I will be in their midst.” But I personally think Christ got disgusted and got up and walked out!
Working together, but not contradicting, the concept of majority rule is the equally American mind-set of individual rights, and the emphasis of the individual. Here in America the individual is more important than the society as a whole. We have laws protecting individual rights. In fact, the Bill of Rights was written to protect the individual from the government. Rarely (but becoming more common) will the Government set aside individual rights in order to serve the greater good of the society as a whole. And yet, I think this wonderful emphasis on individual rights had led to some American Christians becoming selfish and self-ruled. “You can’t tell me what to do, I know my rights!” Maybe even immaturity is an unintended consequence of emphasizing the individual. Go on the internet and read some blogs. Apparently many Americans think others are obsessed with knowing about them. And unfortunately, many Americans are – probably wishing others would be just as interested in their personal lives. But Christianity is not about individual rights, is it? It is about serving others, bending our will to theirs, even when not bending our conscience to another (1 Cor.8-9). We are to serve one another.
Galatians 5:13 – For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Freedom, self-rule, and rugged individualism are precious and essential American values and ideals. They are what make America special and unique, so much so that historians speak of our existence and philosophy as “The American Experiment.” No democracy has lasted as long as America. We are the freest nation not only on earth, but probably in history. These freedoms are gifts I would not want to live without. But can American freedom be dangerous to pure Christianity? In America, freedom means free to do as we please. That concept has wrongly crept into the Bible’s use of freedom, which doesn’t mean freedom to do as we please. In the Bible, freedom is freedom from sin, freedom from having to be perfect in order to enter heaven.
Romans 6:16-20 – Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? (17) But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, (18) and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. (19) I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. (20) For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
American freedom is also a freedom from being forced to do something against your will, where eventually such a loss of freedom leads often to a loss of will. In America, “You can’t make me” is true on many levels…and thankfully so. Even in our Bill of Rights, we are guaranteed the right of not being forced to house soldiers in our homes against our will. Freedom to not do can often lead to complacency. Complacency leads to laziness. Laziness leads to death spiritually.
How can we escape such dangers? Be a Christian first, and an American second. It is harder than it sounds.
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