America: Love Him or leave it!

‘Merica! Love it or leave it!

How many times have you heard that one?

More specifically, how many times have you heard some version of that line in response to any serious biblical testing of America in light of Scripture, however reasonable and respectful said testing may be?

While there are definitely contexts in which a “leave it if you don’t like it” response may be in order, vigorously testing America and all things American in light of Scripture is not one of them.

Not even close.

Yet reflexive defense of America and its icons, symbols, and traditions from biblical critique has become the norm in America…which, in and of itself makes plain that we have become fairly glaring, rank idolaters. We have made an idol out of the American State.

Which is, of course, precisely what the American State would have us to do, and why it does everything it can to instill a State-centered, anti-Christ worldview in which the State is god in practice and Christianity is…well…something to be endured only as much as necessary until it can finally be “educated” out of the American citizenry altogether.

Clearly, we live at a time in which American pride, arrogance, unrepentance and open idolatry of all things red, white and blue has reached such a fevered pitch that even (and often especially) many self-identified conservative Christians are often the most incensed and imbalanced at the suggestion that America may have become not only something less than a shining pillar of virtue and goodness, but actually something quite evil in many fundamental ways and on a scale never before witnessed in human history.

For these folks, to love America is to embrace and adore it with little, if any, critical examination, and certainly not much in the way of biblical testing.

For these folks, to love the American State is to obey and conform to the will of the American State, only using the means sanctioned by the American State (like rigged economic and political systems) to correct or influence the American State.

This is what generations of American State-managed “education” has led us to be: Complaint, cowardly, subservient little drones.

Or, to put it even more bluntly: Slaves.

We’re slaves of the State, and we have been conditioned to love our bondage.

It’s in this context that I offer for your consideration an answer to the “Love it or leave it!” line, first noting a couple of telling presuppositions displayed in the way this question/challenge is usually issued:

1. The first assumption that needs to be recognized and tackled head on here is the notion that America belongs first to America or to “We the People”, and therefore good, patriotic, America-worshiping Americans are automatically entitled to the land and are also somehow entitled (or even required) to drive (or at least nudge) non-America-idolaters out of the land (if they cannot be nudged into joining in the America idolatry).
   .
   The precise opposite is true: America is owned by God and it is America-idolaters who should and eventually will be driven from His land.
   .
   Let that soak in deep, people.
   .
   It is not America-worshiping Americans who will inherit America. It is the people of God who will own it, live in it, cultivate it and enjoy it forever, all by God’s grace, all for His glory, and all to their eternal benefit.
   .
   Got it?
   .
   This land is His, and He is giving it to His people.
   .
   It is the proud, rebellious and unrepentant who will be swept away from America and every other strip of land in God’s creation.
   .
   The people of God inheriting the land is one of the most clear and pervasive themes of Scripture, and the land mass temporarily known as “America” is no exception to this rule. It’s high time we as Christians started championing this critical point in discussions on this and related topics.
   .

   The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof,
   the world and those who dwell therein

   ~ Psalm 24:1
   (repeated in 1 Corinthians 10:26)
   .

2. Second, while America idolaters define love of America in an inherently America-centered manner – first and foremost as something measured through an understanding and reverence of American icons, symbols, history, and tradition – a Christian understanding regarding how to truly and rightly love America centers on testing America in light of God’s Word and then calling America to repent, submit, and conform to the will of Christ in detail and in practice. So it is that true love certainly does not seek to shield America from biblical criticism and correction, but rather encourages it as the only path to reconciliation with Christ, who is the one and only Provider of true peace, strength, prosperity, and security.
   .

With these points noted, one seemingly viable answer to the “Love it or leave it!” line is this:

Those who love America more than Christ will ultimately be the ones leaving American land, and those who love Christ above America will be the ones ultimately owning this land.

Put another way: Love Him or leave it!

Put another ‘nother way: If you do not repent and submit to Christ as King in practice, be assured that you will be driven from His land and that land will ultimately be given to His faithful people.

You will love Christ as King.

Or you will be leaving His land.

I hope that this clarification is helpful.

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Stupid Elephant Tricks – The Other Progressive Party’s War on Christianity takes a painful but much needed look at how Christ-less “conservatism” has captivated Christians and co-opted them into helping march the culture ever deeper into darkness:

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The Beginning of Knowledge: Christ as Truth in Apologetics is an approachable, easy to read introduction to Christ-centered apologetics:

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Apathetic Christianity: The Zombie Religion of American Churchianity explores the tragic true horror story of all-American dead religion masquerading as Christianity:

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On Education is a compilation of some of the most provocative and compelling Fire Breathing Christian articles on the subject of children’s education:

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There Is No “God-Given Right” To Worship False Gods is a compilation of some of the most provocative Fire Breathing Christian articles on the subject of America’s embrace of a satanic approach to religious liberty:

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Fire Breathing Christians – The Common Believer’s Call to Reformation, Revival, and Revolution is the book that first presented the FBC mission to apply the Gospel-fueled Great Commission in every realm of God’s creation:

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What’s with that shark-fishie graphic thing?

Intro to Fire: The Power and Purpose of the Common Believer

When the Bible gets hairy. (Or: Is it right for men to have long hair?)

And especially this one: Never forget that apart from God’s grace you and I are complete morons.

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