How to be a Patriotic Christian

Today Americans celebrate the 235th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. It's a time for citizens to express our patriotism, our love for our country and its people.

Recognizing that many of my blog's readers live in different nations around the globe (some of which are hostile to the Christian faith), I have been thinking about how the Bible gives us some guidance in expressing our love for our countries and their people.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Pray. "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4). If we have a fair, decent, competent, and honest government, we are more likely to be able to live peaceful and quiet lives. We will be able to spread the good news of Christ with fewer obstacles in our way. Perhaps more people, even leaders within our governments, will be able to hear God's message more clearly. Perhaps they will respond favorably and join with us in following Jesus.

2. Submit. "Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities..." (Titus 3:1). "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God...for he is God's servant for your good" (Romans 13:1, 4). Generally, when we follow the rules, we help our societies to function better. Anarchy and rebellious attitudes can bring societies to ruin. Our neighbors could suffer harm when we are rebellious against authority.

3. Go Beyond the Legal Requirements in Order to Do Good to Others. "Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people" (Titus 3:1-2). A person can treat people horribly and not violate a single law in my country. The law tends to set minimal standards of behavior in a society. A Christian can stand out in a community by going beyond the requirements of the law, by being "ready for every good work," by refusing to slander others (especially the government's leaders), by avoiding quarrels (especially concerning relatively unimportant political preferences), and by being gentle and courteous toward everyone.

Whether a Christian lives in the USA, Russia, China, Nigeria, Iran, Brazil, or anywhere else on the planet, he can love his country and its people by adhering to these principles.

A World of Hurting Souls

Recently, our preacher, Ron Babbit, sent a question to one of his friends in another state who teaches high school students. He asked the teacher to pose this question to his students: "What is the most difficult thing you have had to deal with growing up?" These are the responses from those students:

Boy (10th grade): "If I said that I have not looked at pornography, it would be a lie. My mom and dad have blockers on the Internet, but I know how to get around them. I wouldn't say that I'm addicted to porn; I just enjoy watching it when I am in the mood."

Girl (12th grade): "I am unsure of my sexuality. Sometimes I feel that I like guys and sometimes I feel that I like girls. I am attracted to both, and I just need to figure out which sex I like more."

Girl (9th grade): "My dad tells me every day that I am not pretty. He asks me why I can't be pretty like the other girls my age. He won't buy me any make-up because he says it won't help me look any better. He says it's a waste of money. I just want my father to like me."

Boy (12th grade): "My mom and I don't have any money. My dad is gone and my mom and I barely get by. We have had to move over 6 times in the past year, because we cannot pay our rent. It is very embarrassing for me because my friends are always asking me why I move."

Girl (10th grade): "I was raped over the summer two years ago and my dad didn't believe me. He said that I probably asked for it. To make matters worse, I became pregnant. Once my dad found out that the rape resulted in a pregnancy he just accused me of being promiscuous and told my family that I made up the rape story so that I wouldn't get in trouble. I had to change schools for a semester, and my father made me abort the baby."

Girl (10th grade): "I cut my thighs all the time. Every time that I feel pain or any time that I feel disappointment, I cut myself for punishment. I have been cutting myself ever since my mom and dad split up. I should have done more to keep them together. My dad is gone now and I never get to see him. It has been over three years since I have last seen him. I feel that my mom resents me but I don't know."

Girl (10th grade): "I have grown up in the church my whole life, and my dad is even a deacon in the church, but I hate church. I just go through the motions. I have to go to all the church functions and I have to put on my church face at school because everyone expects me to be that girl. Honestly, I have times where I can't stand God. I haven't prayed in over two years. I feel bad about it sometimes, but that is just how I feel right now. I'm tired of God being pushed on me from every direction."

Boy (12th grade): "I never feel that I am good enough. No matter what I do, I feel that I could do a better job. I want to succeed but feel that I can never please anyone. I just want to be successful, go to college, and follow in my sister's footsteps so that my folks will be happy with me."

Girl (12th grade): "My mom is a drug addict. My brother and I have to stay with my papa and meme sometimes. My mom never comes to any of my games and, when she is home, is just worried about getting her next fix. She can't hold down a job and is embarrassing. I put on my happy face at school, but really I want to just cry."

Girl (12th grade): "My uncle raped my sister and me when we were younger. We lived in Seattle and all of my other family lived here. We were raped over and over for a period of three years. Finally my aunt found out and got us help. My uncle is now in prison, and our family has no contact with my aunt. My father is in prison and my mom is dead. My sister and I now live with our aunt on the other side of our family. I struggle with trusting men. I actually hate men, all of them!"

Boy (9th grade): "My parents are divorced. It sucks...all my mom does is bad-mouth my dad and my dad just bad-mouths my mom. They don't even try."

Girl (10th grade): "My parents don't have any money. A lot of times, we don't even know where our next meal is going to come from. My dad can't even hold down a job. I guess that it's not all his fault though because he had some medical problems. My grandparents help out a lot but they can only do so much."

Girl (10th grade): "My dad just left mom for a younger girl. My sister and I caught him texting his girlfriend, and when he was sleeping, we stole his phone and showed my mom the texts. I don't get it. Why do men cheat? My mom cries a lot and now we live with my grandmother. I miss my dog the most. My dad won't let me bring my dog to my grandma's."

Boy (12th grade): "All I do is smoke weed. I love weed! My mom and dad know. They found out about four months ago. They were (angry) but I guess that they kind of got over it. My sister still gets me weed and we sometimes do it together. I don't think that it is bad. I just do it for fun and I don't feel that anyone is getting hurt from it. They actually say that weed is better for you than cigarettes. I don't know..."

These are the responses of kids in one small high school in another state, but it reflects life everywhere. We live in a world of hurting souls.

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience" (Colossians 3:12).

How a Gentle Soul Talks About Hell

"Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near" (Philippians 4:5, NASB).

Converted to Jesus Christ shortly after the Civil War, T. B. Larimore started preaching a few years later and did not stop until his death in the late 1920s. During that time, Mr. Larimore was instrumental in bringing thousands of people to the Lord.

Although T. B. Larimore was known as an eloquent speaker, he was even better known for his character. He was a careful Bible student, a devoted family man, and a man of integrity who obviously cared about people. In an era when religious debates were popular, he avoided arguments. (He only engaged in one debate, in which both participants treated each other with deep respect and courtesy.) Even when insulted from the audience by a potential opponent, T. B. would thank the antagonist for his comments and move on with his biblical message.

Several years ago, while reading In Step with the Spirit by Rubel Shelly, I came across this paragraph:

"A while back I was reading of a man who was led to Christ by a gentle soul named T. B. Larimore. The man in question had been to hundreds of church services and dozens of evangelistic meetings before Larimore came and preached in the town. So someone asked him, 'Why did you respond to the gospel under Brother Larimore's preaching when you hadn't before?' His answer is a rebuke to some of us and our methods. 'From other preachers I'd learned I was going to hell,' he said, 'but they seemed pleased that I was. From Larimore I learned I was going to hell, but I could tell it broke his heart to have to tell me so.'"

I would like to be like T. B. Larimore...faithful to the biblical message (even the hard parts) while caring about the people who hear it. I believe that was the key to his effectiveness. Obviously, the Spirit of Christ lived in T. B. Larimore.

Pure Religion

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (James 1:27).

James 1:27 is our family's latest memory verse.

As we have been working on memorizing it, we have had a few conversations about its meaning.

As I have looked at the Scripture, I have been struck by its first word: Religion. It refers to a devotion that ties one to God. James mentions that it can be pure and undefiled before God, implying that some religion can also be impure and defiled. It's been popular in recent decades to say, "Christianity isn't a religion. It's a relationship." I understand the sentiment, but I prefer James' way of looking at it. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he sees Christianity as a religion that can be pure and undefiled. He sees the Christian faith as something good and wholesome...something that connects us to the Father in a very positive way.

Then the verse focuses on what makes this religion pure and undefiled.

First, it asserts that pure and undefiled religion cares about people in need, especially orphans and widows who have no one to care for them. An impure and defiled religion would ignore or minimize the needs of people who are suffering. But Christianity, in its purest form, is a faith that takes the needs of people seriously. We follow Christ when we visit someone in the hospital, adopt an orphan, make a phone call to a widow, spend a day with a disabled man, read the Bible to a child whose parents do not believe, or sponsor a child in a poverty-stricken country. Pure religion prompts us to care about people who are suffering to the point that we will take action.

Second, the Scripture states that pure and undefiled religion motivates us to keep ourselves unstained from the world. We can do this in a number of ways:

~By accepting the word of God with humility (James 1:21)
~By eliminating our prejudice against the poor (James 2:1-13)
~By putting our faith into action (James 2:14-26)
~By controlling our words (James 3:1-12)
~By replacing envy and selfish ambition with a godly perspective of peacefulness, gentleness, reasonableness, mercy, impartiality, sincerity, humility, fairness, patience, and good conduct (James 3-5)

This kind of religion is not only pure and undefiled; it's compelling.

A Good Way to Relate to People Who Don't Share Your Christian Convictions

In addition to co-hosting the FamilyLife Today radio program, Bob Lepine serves as a pastor of Redeemer Community Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. Each week, he writes something for the church's blog (http://redeemerlr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=8&Itemid=50). This is a portion from his excellent post on March 31, 2010:

"After I had finished speaking last week at the TrueWoman10 conference in Chattanooga, I had a wife come up to me seeking counsel. It was obvious that God had been stirring in her own heart at this event. But as she contemplated going home, she was discouraged.

"Her husband, she said, professes faith in Christ, but his life doesn't match his profession. She finds herself conflicted between wanting to live a life that is wholly consecrated to Christ and a desire to live in oneness with her husband. What should she do?

"I gave her some general counsel about not compromising her faith, while seeking to win her husband without a word. Mary Ann and I prayed for her, and we were done.

"Later, I thought about what I wished I had told her.

"I wish I had told her that her holiness matters to God and she should seek to live a life that is righteous, morally upright and blameless. At the same time she should be careful not to parade her holiness before her husband. God cares about her obedience to Him. But her desire for holiness isn't what will make her walk with Christ attractive to her husband.

"Instead, it is as her life manifests the fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control--that her husband will see in her qualities that he desires to be true in his own life.

"God does indeed care about her moral convictions and standards, but her husband won't. He will not be impressed by the things she says 'no' to.

"But as she kindly, compassionately, humbly loves and serves him, looking for ways to bless him and support him and encourage him, he'll find himself being drawn to the Christ he sees in her.

"I believe that principle is true in all of our relationships with people who don't share our spiritual convictions. They won't be drawn to Christ primarily because our arguments for the Christian life make sense to them. And they won't be drawn to Christ because we live lives with a commitment to a higher moral standard than they do.

"Ultimately, the only thing that will draw them to Christ is the Spirit of God working through the word of God. Faith comes by hearing a message about Christ.

"But when we live lives marked by self-sacrifice and love for others, we show the power of Christ at work in our own lives. And that can help soften the soil of a human heart to make it more ready to receive the seed of God's word when it comes.

"Would the people who know you best--a spouse, your children, family members, co-workers--would they say that you are a person who radiates love? Joy? Peace? Patience? And all the rest?

"The same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in you. It is His power at work in you that makes it possible for you to live the kind of life that puts His glory and grace on display."

Stupid Arguments

"Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will" (2 Timothy 2:22-26).

One mark of maturity is the ability to avoid stupid arguments. I have seen (and been involved in) my share of stupid arguments, but lately I have seen the need to avoid them. They do not help me or those with whom I am tempted to argue.

I do not need to make enemies simply because I think the tax rate should be lower or higher than someone else does. I do not need to look down on others who prefer another valid translation of the Scriptures. I do not even need to have an opinion on many issues. I certainly do not need to spend my time arguing about the trivial.

When I argue, I need to make sure that it is an argument worthy of my time and energy.

Neither Jesus nor the apostles were against making arguments that were worthwhile. They launched stinging attacks against legalism. They were willing to stand strong in contending for the faith against theological and ethical liberalism. However, they did not look for petty quarrels. When arguments occurred, they kept their perspective and sought to honor God in their responses to their opponents.

I want to do the same. I want to avoid stupid arguments. I want to choose my battles wisely and engage in them in a Christ-honoring manner.

Confessions of a Fundamentalist

I liked Bob Lepine's blog entry on May 20 (http://redeemerlr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=8&Itemid=50). Here is a portion of his post:

"I have a shocking revelation to share with you this week. A confession of sorts.

"I hope you won't think less of me or hold it against me.

"I am a fundamentalist.

"There. I said it.

"I remember several years ago when my parents were attending a Sunday school class at the mainline denominational church they attended. The subject of the class was Understanding the Fundamentalists. During a phone conversation one afternoon, my mom told me about the class and I asked what they had learned in the class.

"'They're just explaining the things fundamentalists believe.' she told me.

"I answered, 'You mean things like the inerrancy of scripture, the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection, and His literal, physical coming again?'

"There was silence on the phone. Finally my mom stammered with horror in her voice, 'Are you a...a...fundamentalist?'

"Guilty as charged.

"The term fundamentalist was first used about 100 years ago. That's when liberal Bible scholars were beginning to undermine some of the things that the Bible teaches and that Christians throughout the centuries have always believed and affirmed. Things like the list I recited for my mom in our phone conversation...

"Flash forward 100 years, and the term fundamentalist has come to mean something very different than it did when the term was coined. Today a fundamentalist is used to refer to legalists who have added their list of theological preferences to the essential doctrines of the faith. These hyper-fundamentalists or neo-fundamentalists are angry, intolerant, lacking in grace or kindness or gentleness or love. In their minds, the only 'pure' church is the one where 'biblical absolutes' include things like reading only the King James version of the Bible, not going to movies, not drinking alcohol, the appropriate length of a woman's hemline and the appropriate length of a man's hair...

"The danger posed by the neo-fundamentalists and their legalism, rebuking, separating and arrogance is that they are giving those of us who stand firm on the fundamentals of the faith that were articulated a century ago by the original 'fundamentalists' and continue to be articulated by theological conservatives a bad name.

"I want my name back. I want to be able to call myself a fundamentalist without my mom thinking I've joined the dark side.

"It's probably not going to happen in my lifetime. So instead, I'll just call myself a theologically orthodox Christian. And if someone asks 'what does that mean?' then I'll have an opportunity to tell them. :)"

I was reminded of an incident from several years ago. Janet and I visited Tulsa Bible Church one Wednesday evening because the noted conservative Bible scholar John MacArthur was speaking. He explained that he used to be called a fundamentalist, but he had to change. He found that the term fundamentalist did not accurately describe him or the people with whom he was associated, because others saw fundamentalists as having too little fun, being too quick to damn, and being mentally deficient. So he started calling himself an evangelical instead.

I must admit that I fit the classic definition of a fundamentalist since I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, Christ's virgin birth, his deity, his substitutionary atonement, his bodily resurrection, and his literal physical coming again. If someone wants to call me a fundamentalist, I won't get too upset. I have been called much worse. I don't mind being called an evangelical or theologically orthodox Christian, either. However, I prefer to be called a Christian. It may be a little generic, but I still like it.

A More Accurate Image of Christ

This will conclude my 3-part series of posts about the willingness of Christians to stand firm for the faith.

Paul Coughlin has written, "I have a non-Christian friend who says he can spot Christians at Hollywood parties: 'They worship at the altar of other people's approval.' He's fascinated as to why Christians think Jesus was so wimpy and gentle, when even he can read that Jesus wasn't" (No More Christian Nice Guy: When Being Nice--Instead of Good--Hurts Men, Women, and Children, p. 45).

Sometimes we have an unbalanced view of Jesus. We see his kindness, compassion, and generosity. We see his willingness to touch the leper. We see his gentleness with the woman caught in adultery. We see his eagerness to embrace a child. We hear his words of love, forgiveness, and mercy.

However, we may be blind sometimes to Jesus' more rugged qualities, the characteristics that prompted men to call for his execution. He became angry with religious people who enforced their petty rules to the harm of needy people. He made a scene at the temple when vendors were distorting the temple's purpose. He stood his ground against conservative Pharisees, liberal Sadducees, and secular Herodians. He refused to entertain a corrupt politician who had no interest in his message. He launched into a blistering criticism of his opponents, because they were pretending to be holy while opposing God and taking advantage of people.

The Christian is destined "to be conformed to the likeness of (God's) Son" (Romans 8:29). In Christ, we see a man who acted with justice, loved mercy and kindness, and walked humbly with God (Micah 6:8). We are to embrace each characteristic of our Savior. We cannot ignore the need for justice, the need for mercy and kindness, or the need for humility as we walk with our God. He is calling us to live freely in the Spirit of the Son of God by becoming more like Jesus Christ in how we approach life. We cannot ignore any aspect of God's character as we develop toward our destiny as children of God.

Thanks for reading this series!