"Whatever makes men good Christians makes them good citizens." -- Daniel Webster

There was a time when Christianity and patriotism were considered one in the same. An old British hymn eloquently expresses the destiny of a man to his nation and his nation to his God, which is every patriot’s dream:  

I vow to thee, my country—all earthly things above— Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love; The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best; The love that never falters, the love that pays the price, The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice. ¹

These words also describe what Christ did for His homeland, the nation of Israel, and what He has done for each of us and for our respective nations. The Oxford English dictionary defines “patriot” as:

paytri t, pat-/ ri-/ t • noun a person who vigorously supports his country and is prepared to defend it. — DERIVATIVES patriotic adjective patriotically adverb patriotism noun. ORIGIN Latin patriot a “fellow countryman”; from Greek patris “fatherland.”

Two striking concepts present themselves in the entomology of the word patriot. The first is the idea of belonging to a community, a fellow of others. The second is the idea of deriving one’s identity through fatherhood. Both of these ideas are foundational to the Christian faith. Jesus’ identity and life mission was entirely wrapped up in His Father’s plan for His nation and by that for the whole world! Jesus saw Himself as one upon whom the lives, well being and future of others were dependent. Jesus did not live unto Himself. He came as the Son of the Father to reveal the ideal man in right relationship to God. As He lived He lived unto the Father and the Father’s purpose toward others. When He died He died according to the Father’s will for the sake of others. Jesus began everything He thought, said and did with “What about God?” rather than “What about me?” He always first asked Himself, “What is my Father thinking, planning, doing, seeing and saying?” And thus Christ thought, did, planned, saw and said and so represented the Father to those around Him that they also might know God as He did.

No man is an island. “None of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone” (Romans 14:7). From the moment we are born to the moment we die, our life affects others. We cannot detach ourselves from this truth. This truth carries a responsibility. The book of Ephesians lays out the blueprint for Christians. It teaches that we were dead according to the course of this world and under Satan’s power, thinking and living according to our own desires. Then Jesus came. In Him we were made alive as a part of a whole spiritual family, and we have been made to sit in authority in spiritual places as God’s masterpiece. Ephesians goes on to teach that God has premeditated good works for each one to walk in during his or her life and that the blood of Christ has made us, who were once aliens and strangers to all of God’s promises and blessings, to become fellow citizens, members of God’s household, living stones, in the whole building being constructed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:1-22).

The overarching characteristic of the contemporary “civilized world” is excessive individualism. People look at themselves simply as individuals where everything revolves around “me”: What will I get out of this? What will this do for me? There is a great deception being promoted globally that says, “I will be fulfilled through ultimate self expression.” This attitude and the life choices it promotes is the antithesis of Christianity. In Christ, we see that a man who pleases God does not conduct his life from the “what about ME” point of view. Christ teaches us the reflection of God in a man is that he be willing to lay down his life for others. This is the foundation for Christian patriotism in every nation. The earliest examples of persons attempting to put personal desire and self expression before the good of their community and the interests of others brought disastrous results. Eve, Adam and Cain all chose “me” first. As a result the curse of sin entered the human race. Cain insolently asked God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The resounding answer is “Yes!” Ultimately God gave that answer in the death of His Son on a cross. The cross typifies the Christian life in horizontal and vertical-right relationship. The relationship between God—who is Himself an eternal community of Three in One—and man, and the relationship between man and man both intersect in you! The apostle Paul wrote of his calling to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ in order that all might see what is “the fellowship of the mystery” to the intent “that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:8-14). At Mars Hill, Paul declared that, “God, who made the world and everything in it… has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek and find the Lord” (Acts 17:22-27). Every person is part of a greater community whether or not he or she recognizes or lives in that way. We are joined to a spiritual community, past, present and future, which includes men from every tribe, nation, race and tongue who have made covenant with the God of Abraham in Christ. Moreover, “God sets the solitary in a homeland but the rebellious dwell in a dry land” (Psalm 68:66). We can never really fulfill God’s plan for us as individuals until we find and take our right place in the nation in which God has ordained that we should live. The complete spiritual destiny of every believer includes all aspects of his or her identity and weaves them into the whole counsel of God for eternity. In Christ an individual is not complete as long as he or she is detached from relationship with family, church, community and nation in which God has placed him. Every believer in Jesus is appointed as a force for good in the lives of others with whom he or she is related. Each one of us is a part of a whole. Community derives its identity from the Father in heaven through those who fellowship with Him by faith in Christ. Our “part” can only be fully understood or appreciated as we participate in the whole. Detachment from a relationship with others that has the other in mind is one reason so many Christians are without vision, depressed, discouraged and defeated. The duty of a Christian is to conduct himself as a contributing part of the family and community into which they have been born or brought by God. This includes the destiny of your nation. Christians’ lives and citizenship, by birth or by naturalization, are no accident. We are part of a divine plan that embraces all nations.

Apostle Paul wrote that God predetermined exactly when and where every person should live in order that the gospel might be revealed. Are you willing to believe God is that involved in the present circumstance of your life? As we take our place to do His will, men around us will seek and find the Lord. God commanded the father of our faith, Abram, to “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household…I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1-3). God’s purpose was much greater than blessing Abraham alone. Through Abraham’s obedience, a nation would be birthed and blessed and would become a source of blessing for the whole family of nations on earth. As Christians we realize that we have been grafted into a spiritual community which includes and transcends mortality. God has planted us in a family, in a community, and in a nation in relation to the world according to His purpose in Christ.

Christians are patriots as they understand, seek and do those things which bring the blessing of God upon the community around them. There are things which undermine a society. They include a broader perspective than just “personal sin.” The things that threaten every society include prejudice—the inability to see any good in somebody that represents another point of view; narrow self-interest—being absorbed by benefit to self regardless of the affect it will have on wider issues; wishful thinking—passive resignation as contrasted to the faith that leads to useful righteous action; and holding false values—agreeing with or promoting philosophies that exalt the individual or other gods than Christ. As you are committed to Christ, the qualities of His nature become reflected in you. Those qualities include a servant spirit, a positive attitude of faith, a lifestyle that makes you an effective contributor to the whole, a trustworthy history and a relatable disposition which means you are no longer just about being yourself. David asked, “Lord, who may dwell in Your sanctuary? Who may live on Your holy hill?” The Holy Spirit sings back to him the answer: One whose walk is blameless, who does what is right, who speaks the truth from his heart, who does not speak evil of others, who doesn’t harm his neighbors or denigrate a fellow man, who has no respect for vile persons, who respects persons who fear God, who keeps his promises even when it costs him, who lends without charging and is not able to be bribed. That is a pretty tall order but it fits the bill of a Christian and patriot. Such a person is unshakeable. Such a person is qualified to lead and influence others. Such a person will be invited to sit beside the Lord in fellowship reigning and ruling with Him!

1. Cecil Arthur Spring-Rice was the British Chargé d’Affairs in Tehran in 1900. He went on to serve in Egypt, Russia, Iraq, Sweden and the U.S.