To Live Is Christ

Hip hop can be used to glorify God!



To Live is Christ (Philippians)

Verse 1:
Brethren listen to this exposition
Paul wrote the Philippians some lessons for living (1:1)
Written to them but its real good text for Christians
So read it closely, I hope we can catch the vision
Chapter 1 he tells them he's blessed to get them
Co-laboring with him to serve the best who's risen (1:5, 7)
And that's he's confident the Lord will perfect in Christians
What He started and hearts will be corrected in them (1:6)
Listen, he was in prison now maybe never getting out
But all he could think about was the gospel getting out (1:12-14)
Some was even preaching Christ from selfish motives
Coming at Paul but dawg he shrugged his shoulders (1:15-18)
His focus was Christ the Messiah man (1:19)
And for Him "to live is Christ and to die was gain" (1:20,21)
Yeah, he was hard pressed, but to remain in the flesh
Was more necessary so they faith would progress (1:22-24)
He wanted them to strive together for the gospel
In one spirit, one mind, listen to the apostle (1:27)
Maintain the same love, uplift your brothers
Don't just look out for yourself, but for the interests of others (2:2-4)

Hook:
Our life is nothing, but Christ is all (1:21)
So conduct yourselves worthy of His righteous call (1:27)
(Repeat 4X)

Verse 2:
Chapter 2: Let's examine five through eleven
The blessed lamb who resided in the Heavens (2:6)
Said forget the wealth and emptied Himself
Came as a man and died for the brethren (2:7,8)
Ultimate obedience, he died on the cross and (2:8)
Through His humility Christ was exalted (2:9)
Glory to the Father (2:11), now we should have
That same attitude Christ Jesus had (2:5)
And on to verse twelve work out your salvation (2:12)
The Father works in us in this process of saving (2:13)
Avoid dispute and prove yourself blameless
Children of God in a perverse generation (2:14,15)
Cling to the bible, humility is vital
We see it in lives of Paul and his disciples (2:17-30)
Serving him like father (2:22), some fellow soldiers (2:25)
Let us rejoice, unite, and rep Jehovah

Hook

Verse 3:
Chapter 3: rejoice in the Lord we serve (3:1)
And forget about the flesh we nothing more than dirt (3:3)
Man if anyone could brag bout they status it was Paul
But to him it was trash it and he counted it as lost
For the sake of the Christ, 'cause He gave us life (3:4-7)
Not through anything we did but through faith in Christ (3:9)
We righteous in the eyes of the Lord's that's blessing
Conformed to His death and His resurrection (3:9-10)
Brethren, I don't claim to have attained perfection's
What he said but was reaching to what lies ahead (3:12-13)
And encouraged the Philippians to model what he said (3:15)
And not to walk in the flesh cause that walk is dead (3:17-19)
But we citizens of Heaven who eagerly wait for
The one that we rest in Jesus our Savior (3:20)
That's who the Lord is and He will surely
Transform our bodies in future glory (3:21)

Hook

Verse 4:
Chapter 4: he closes encouraging with words
In unity and harmony for those within the church (4:1-3)
Rejoice in the Lord, bro our hopes in Him first (4:4)
Let our thanks and our problems be known to Him first (4:6)
Embrace the peace of God, you can bet on that (4:7)
And whatever is good let your mind dwell on that (4:8)
Then he thanked them again, for they gifts and concern (4:10)
But no matter what to be content he had learned (4:11-12)
Plus he was sure that he could do all things
Through Him who gave strength and can do all things (4:13)
And he told them they did well sharing through all pain (4:14)
And made sure they knew he sure he wasn't trying to get more change (4:15-18)
God will supply all they needs he hoped they might see this
According to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (4:19)
The truth of Philippians I hope it hit you
And may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you (4:23)
I hope you like what you heard with me rapping these verses
But don't get it twisted, we just scratching the surface
There's more to be learned than this rap is saying
So read it, live it, learn it like the back of your hand

The Main Reason Why Abortion Is So Offensive To God

I have had the opportunity to be involved in protesting at a local abortion clinic the last few weeks with some other believers, and this has caused me to stop and do a little bit of reflection. It has caused me to wonder why it is that Christians are so opposed to abortions, and why they aren't willing to back down on this issue. I suppose that if you were to ask many different people within the pro-life movement, you might even get a lot of different answers. I suspect that some oppose abortion because it is murder; others might oppose it because they see it as a violation of inalienable human rights; still more might oppose it because they baby itself is never given the opportunity to choose life or death. Upon reflection, these all seem to me to be valid reasons, but they don't really get at the heart of the issue.

So why is abortion such a big issue? I want to tackle this issue by re-framing the discussion and by instead trying to answer the question "Why is abortion so offensive to God?" The Bible may not directly address this question, but it certainly gives us information to work with, and leaves us with a fair amount of confidence in knowing at least in part the mind of God in this matter.

To begin with, we need to recognize that the Bible describes God as creating human beings in His own image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1:26-27). This "image" and "likeness" is something that distinguishes humans from other parts of the creation. It also appears to be something which, though marred, persisted in human beings beyond the fall into sin (cf. Gen. 9:5-6, Jas. 3:9). As such, human beings inherently have dignity, value, and some sort of rights. Many people within the pro-life movement understand this, and they are right to use this as an argument against abortion.

If we leave the discussion here, however, we will be missing out on much of the depth and texture that the idea of the image of God contains. In the Bible, the idea of image is not only something that distinguishes or sets apart human beings. Image also conveys the idea of representation. We see this in Daniel 3 where Nebuchadnezzar made his own image-not a human being, but an image of gold. When the king set up this image, he made a portrayal of himself that was not like himself in every way (Nebuchadnezzar was not made out of gold, and he probably wasn't sixty cubits tall). Regardless, this image of Nebuchadnezzar functioned as a representation of the king himself, and it could even be said that it stood in the place of the king. As a result, when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down before the image, they were not simply dishonoring a piece of gold; they were dishonoring the king himself. I believe that this aspect of image also comes through when God speaks of creating human beings in His image, and it has significant implications for the abortion debate.

Taking this understanding of the image and applying it to the image of God, then, we discover something startling. Not only were human beings created as distinct from the rest of creation and given dignity and honor, but they were also created as God's representatives on the earth, ruling in the place of God Himself. As a result, any insult or injury made against another human being is in a sense being made against God Himself. This is why God is ultimately the one whom we have sinned against, and it is from Him that our forgiveness must come. This is also perhaps the reason why God is so opposed to any sort of graven idol, statue, or image-not because God is against representing Himself in some way, but because He already has (in humans).

So bringing this fuller understanding of the image of God back to the abortion debate, what do we learn? It is my conviction that the main reason why abortion is so offensive to God is because in the act of abortion, it is as though people are killing God in effigy. Sometimes you will see videos on the news of people burning a figure of a person made out of paper mache in order to demonstrate their hatred and contempt for that person; this is known as a "burning in effigy". Towards the end of his second term, a lot of people were burning George W. Bush in effigy. People do this because they can't get their hands on the real person, and so the next best thing that they can do is make a representation of that person and do their worst to it. I believe that it is the same way with abortion. Although people undoubtedly do not realize it, when they abort their unborn children, they are destroying something that God has created to be His representative upon the earth; a unique individual that He has created to declare something of His unspeakable glory, character, and nature to all of creation. When viewed from this perspective, then, you can see why abortion is such a heinous action, and why it must be incredibly offensive in the sight of a holy God.

So where do we go from here? I didn't write this blog post to incite you to hatred toward abortion doctors, those women who have had an abortion, or anyone else. Anyone who has been involved with this evil social structure has had their eyes blinded by Satan, and they cannot truly see the unspeakable evil that they are committing. Instead of growing angry, I suggest that we pray for them, asking God to remove the veil from their eyes, to allow them to see the glory of Christ, and to turn toward the cross in sincere repentance, genuine humility, and a reasonable trust.

2 Cor. 4:3-4: "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."


2 Cor. 5:14-15: "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."


2 Cor. 5:20-21: "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Majestic

I've been listening to this song a lot lately...

35 Reasons Not To Sin

I came across this list of "35 Reasons Not To Sin" a few years ago, and I have always found it to be incredibly helpful in making sure my motivations are right in the ongoing fight against sin. Here they are:

35 Reasons Not To Sin

1. Because a little sin leads to more sin.
   
2. Because my sin invites the discipline of God.
   
3. Because the time spent in sin is forever wasted.
   
4. Because my sin never pleases but always grieves God who loves me.
   
5. Because my sin places a greater burden on my spiritual leaders.
   
6. Because in time my sin always brings heaviness to my heart.
   
7. Because I am doing what I do not have to do.
   
8. Because my sin always makes me less than what I could be.
   
9. Because others, including my family, suffer consequences due to my sin.
   
10. Because my sin saddens the godly.
    
11. Because my sin makes the enemies of God rejoice.
    
12. Because sin deceives me into believing I have gained when in reality I have lost.
    
13. Because sin may keep me from qualifying for spiritual leadership.
    
14. Because the supposed benefits of my sin will never outweigh the consequences of disobedience.
    
15. Because repenting of my sin is such a painful process, yet I must repent.
    
16. Because sin is a very brief pleasure for an eternal loss.
    
17. Because my sin may influence others to sin.
    
18. Because my sin may keep others from knowing Christ.
    
19. Because sin makes light of the cross, upon which Christ died for the very purpose of taking away my sin.
    
20. Because it is impossible to sin and follow the Spirit at the same time.
    
21. Because God chooses not to respect the prayers of those who cherish their sin.
    
22. Because sin steals my reputation and robs me of my testimony.
    
23. Because others once more earnest than I have been destroyed by just such sins.
    
24. Because the inhabitants of heaven and hell would all testify to the foolishness of this sin.
    
25. Because sin and guilt may harm both mind and body.
    
26. Because sins mixed with service make the things of God tasteless.
    
27. Because suffering for sin has no joy or reward, though suffering for righteousness has both.
    
28. Because my sin is adultery with the world.
    
29. Because, though forgiven, I will review this very sin at the Judgment Seat where loss and gain of eternal rewards are applied.
    
30. Because I can never really know ahead of time just how severe the discipline for my sin might be.
    
31. Because my sin may be an indication of a lost condition.
    
32. Because to sin is not to love Christ.
    
33. Because my unwillingness to reject this sin now grants it an authority over me greater than I wish to believe.
    
34. Because sin glorifies God only in His judgment of it and His turning of it to good use, never because it is worth anything on it's own.
    
35. Because I promised God he would be Lord of my life.
    

Relinquish Your Rights - Reject the Sin - Renew the Mind - Rely on God



Copyright © 1992 Jim Elliff
Christian Communicators Worldwide, Inc.
201 Main, Parkville, MO 64152 USA
www.CCWtoday.org
Permission granted for not-for-sale reproduction in exact form including copyright
Other uses require written permission. Write for additional materials.

You Put This Love In My Heart

I found it hard to believe
Someone like you cared for me
You put this love in my heart

I tried but could not refuse
You gave me no time to lose
You put this love in my heart

I want to know where the bad feelings go
When I'm depressed and I get down so low
And then I see you coming to me and it's alright

I want to tell you right now
I'm not afraid to say how
You put this love in my heart

There are sometimes when I doubt
But you always find me out
You put this love in my heart

Cause when I see all that you've done for me
It's hard to doubt, I just have to believe
Cause you followed and proved it all of your life

Well I know
The loneliness I had before
Is gone now
I'll never feel it anymore

Cause your love has released me
From all that's in my past
And I know I can believe you
When you say I'll never be forsaken
Your love is gonna last

There's so much more I should say
If I could just find a way
You put this love in my heart

Is all this real or a dream
I feel so good I could scream
You put this love in my heart

I want to know where the bad feelings go
When I'm depressed and I get down so low
And then I see you coming to me and it's alright

You put this love in my heart

You put this love in my heart

You put this love in my heart

Some Thoughts On How To Simply And Effectively Refute Evolution

I was talking with a co-worker today, and somehow the topic of evolution came up in our conversation. This seems to happen pretty frequently, but the thing that was different was that this time I approached the issue of evolution from a very simple and straightforward perspective. Many people who believe in evolution believe it not so much because of biological or archaeological evidence, but instead because it's really the only thing they have been taught. So in challenging my co-worker's thinking, I wanted to keep the discussion at a fairly practical level rather than discussing DNA, nucleotides, etc.

In our conversation, I challenged my friend with this thought: when you are thinking to yourself in your head, how often do you use words? I don't mean audible words, I mean words spoken silently in your head, a running conversation with yourself of sorts. As far as I can tell, it is nearly impossible for me at least to think silently without processing what I am thinking in words. Sure, you can do some things without language, but these are all instinctual responses so far as I can tell. In order to think rationally and logically, however, you have to use language, and I simply can't see any way around this fact.

So here's where the problem comes in. If all of our rational and logical thinking proceeds on the basis of language, rationality and logic are necessarily dependent upon language for their existence. It makes no sense to think of the law of non-contradiction when you have no way to express such a concept. If this is truly the case-and I'm confident it is-then rational and logical thought cannot have predated human language. To put this another way, dogs, cats, apes, and orangutans are not logical creatures, they act instinctively. We may recognize that their instincts proceed along logical lines, but this is because such behaviors were "programmed" into them, not because they sat down, thought hard, and decided upon the best course of action.

With this in mind, let's grant those holding to evolution their perspective of human origins for the sake of argument. Let's suppose that over the past few million years, human beings have evolved from lower forms of anthropoids. What should we say developed first-rational thought and logic, or human communication through spoken language? I've already demonstrated that rational thought cannot exist apart from language, so that is out of the question; we are left with the option that human language existed first. But here is our problem-human language in every form known to us has always been organized along logical, rational, and principled premises. It makes no sense to organize words into strings of meaning which we call sentences if there isn't already an understanding of "meaning". When viewed from this perspective, then, human language cannot have existed before rationality, and rationality cannot have existed apart from human language.

Where does this leave us, then? As far as I can tell, the only logical solution to this problem is that human language and rationality must have come into existence at the same time. They each depend on the other for existence, and apart from the pair being joined it is inconceivable that either would have any substantive reality. People may try as hard as they like to explain away characteristics unique to human beings, but in the end they will never be able to get beyond necessary pairings such as these.

In hindsight, I realize that this might not have been as simple of an argument as I proposed at the beginning of this post, but it is an argument based less on biology and more on common sense nevertheless. There are many other arguments like this, some that I think make an even stronger case for creation than this one. Regardless, I hope that this example will get your mind working and developing new ways to defend what ought to be an incredible simple and apparent notion-our world is not a product of accident and chance, but rather design.

Preparing For Temptation Before It Comes

I have spoken with a number of Christian men recently who have shared with me that temptation-specifically temptation toward sexual sin-has been especially difficult for them lately. This is not incredibly surprising, because this sort of temptation is generally stronger during the summer than during other seasons for a number of reasons. Regardless, these conversations caused me to spend some time thinking about the importance of preparing to fight temptation before it comes. This conversation is not only for men, either, because I hear of more and more women being tempted and falling prey to sexual sins, and furthermore this conversation has application to any sort of temptation that leads to addiction.

One helpful and effective way that I have found to be prepared to fight temptation is simply to be aware of when the enemy likes to strike. If you were in a battle, you would obviously want to be prepared as a unit with weapons in hand at the moment when you know that your enemy will strike (if you have this knowledge in advance). In the same way, by recognizing when we are most likely to be assaulted by temptation, we will be (potentially) equipping ourselves to counteract the strategies of the devil in positive, constructive, and God-honoring ways.

Along these lines, one good way of remembering when to be especially vigilant is summarized by the acronym "HALT". This acronym is used heavily in various 12-Step programs, and while I don't endorse everything that these groups teach, this tool is excellent. So when should you be especially vigilant against temptation? When you are:


Let's consider each of these situations one at a time, and see if there is any support for these ideas in the Bible.

Hungry: One time that the enemy likes to attack us with temptations is when we are hungry. I'm not spiritualizing things here, I'm talking about physical hunger. Because human beings are created with both material and immaterial parts that work in close connection with one another, we cannot expect that denying our physical bodies the nutrients they need to survive and operate well will have no impact on our spirits. With this in mind, it begins to make sense why Elijah was led to doubt the purposes and promises of God when he was extremely hungry, and why the Lord Jesus Himself was tested after going forty days without food (cf. 1 Kings 19:1-8, Matt. 4:1-11).

Angry: Another situation in which we can expect temptation is when we are angry about some circumstance or upset with another person. There is certainly a "righteous" form of anger, but anger (whether it is righteous or not), provides a context in which sin is not far away. In Ephesians 4:26-27 we read, "Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity." Why is it that anger and giving the devil an opportunity are so closely linked here? I believe this close connection is due to the fact that anger, when improperly managed, provides a context in which the devil can easily work to accomplish things in our life that we would otherwise be more vigilant against.

Lonely: A third situation to be especially watchful during is times of loneliness. Going back to our first biblical examples, we see that both Elijah and the Lord Jesus were alone in their times of trial, and thus it is not an accident that one of God's means of grace to both of them was through the ministry of angels (cf. 1 Kings 19:1-8, Matt. 4:1-11). Beyond this, we also discover that when Christ went through His time of testing and trial in Gethsemane, He longed for His inner circle of three disciples to be near Him, and their lack of watchfulness merited His rebuke (cf. Matt. 26:36-46; it is also interesting to note that in Luke's parallel version of this event (Luk. 22:39-46), he noted that "an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.").

Tired: A fourth and final situation to be on guard against sin in is during times of tiredness. Once again, we see that this was the case for Elijah, Jesus, and certainly many more men and women of God recorded in Scripture. Not only is this so, but temptation can be especially strong after times of significant ministry and physical expenditure for the cause of the gospel.

So if it is true that temptation is especially strong when we are hungry, angry, lonely, and tired, what should we do? It is not particularly my goal to exhaustively answer this question right now. Suffice it to say, however, that in the battle against sin and temptation, awareness is half the battle. If we know when the enemy will strike, we can prepare ourselves emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally, so that when it does come, we will not be taken unaware. May God give us the grace to walk with the foresight appropriate to the children of God, so that when we are tempted, we will always find the way of escape which He has promised to all those who love Him.

Does The Church Really Matter?

Among people my age (20's-30's), spirituality is becoming incredibly popular. Whereas the generation of our parents seemed to witness an increasing emphasis on secularization and materialism, there is a subtle yet real trend among those born in the 1970's and 1980's to embrace spirituality (and of a kind which embraces the entirety of one's being, nonetheless). How should we view this-as a good thing or as a bad thing?

In my experience, this openness toward spirituality has been both a blessing and a curse. It has been a blessing in that it makes earning an initial opportunity to share the gospel so much easier. People all over the place are interested in hearing about your spiritual experience, hoping that they can glean something from it to use in their own journey. This has also been a curse, however, because people who are broadly-spiritual also have an incredibly difficult time understanding and embracing the uniqueness of Christianity and the exclusivist claims of Christ. Spirituality is good from this perspective, but good as long as it only makes claims on the personal level ("Buddhism works for me, but I would never impose it on you," etc.).

If this modern trend toward spirituality ended here, I would feel no need to write this blog post. Unfortunately, this individualizing movement in spirituality has deeply infected the church, and is at least partially to blame for many different problems we find in our congregations. At one point, it even affected me.

Several years ago when I was pursuing my undergraduate studies at Multnomah University (formerly Multnomah Bible College), I became incredibly disillusioned with the church. This was partly due to negative experiences I had gone through in the past, partly due to some books I had been reading put out by "emerging church" leaders, and partly due to stubbornness in my own heart. Regardless of the source, this disillusionment was real, and instead of addressing the problem directly, I chose instead to focus on my own individual spirituality. I became very content simply to focus on my own relationship with Jesus, and in the process I withdrew from fellowship opportunities, largely stopped serving in my local church, and I even was tempted to stop attending worship gatherings from time to time. I was drifting and I knew it, but I did not know where to turn.

In this difficult time of my life, the solution to my problems came in one of the last ways I would imagine: a new vision, understanding, and passion for the church (both in its' universal and local forms). All around the same time, God placed teachers, mentors, pastors, and friends into my life who were incredibly passionate about the church of Jesus Christ, and this passion proved contagious. I also began to read with fresh eyes and a new perspective how the Bible speaks of the church:

Acts 20:28: "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."

Ephesians 5:25-27: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless."

Revelation 19:7-8: "“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints."

As I read these verses, I realized that I was wrong to see my own relationship with Jesus as the ultimate goal of my life (although it must be the foundation and starting point). To the contrary, God's purpose in gifting the church with certain individuals is corporate:

Ephesians 4:13: "...until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ."

I am prepared to vigorously defend that the "mature man" mentioned in this passage is not talking about me as an individual mature man; rather, it is speaking once again in metaphorical terms: the church is a body, and as such, God's goal is that as all the parts work together in unity, the entire whole will become mature. In other words, the church as a body is the mature man! As a result, I found that God's purpose in blessing me and working in my life is done with the intention that I should go and strengthen my brothers and sisters in Christ.

So what difference should this discussion make? In my life, I found that I did not value the church nearly enough, and the joy and delight that God takes in His church is so far beyond mine that it puts me to shame. I found that God's purposes in this world are being accomplished primarily through His church. And I found that my attempt to focus on my own spiritual growth to the neglect of others not only hurt myself, but it was in effect an attempt to fight against God.

How about you? The Bible is clear that the church really does matter. But does it matter to you? Does the way that you invest your time, energy, resources, and talents suggest to the world that you deeply value and treasure the church of Jesus Christ? Or does your neglect of involvement and constant criticism toward the church suggest that the church is a hindrance rather than a benefit to your spiritual growth? Ask God to help you honestly answer this question; and if you find that your priorities are wrong, seek His grace to repent, so that your heart will be in the things that truly matter to the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise Adonai

For your encouragement and edification this week...

Who is like Him
The Lion and the Lamb
Seated on the throne
Mountains bow down
Every ocean roars
To the Lord of hosts

Praise Adonai
From the rising of the sun
‘Til the end of every day
Praise Adonai
All the nations of the earth
All the angels and the saints
Sing Praise

Who is like Him
The Lion and the Lamb
Seated on the throne
Mountains bow down
Every ocean roars
To the Lord of hosts

Praise Adonai
From the rising of the sun
‘Til the end of every day
Praise Adonai
All the nations of the earth
All the angels and the saints
Sing Praise

Praise Adonai
From the rising of the sun
‘Til the end of every day
Praise Adonai
All the nations of the earth
All the angels and the saints
Sing
Praise Adonai
From the rising of the sun
‘Til the end of every day
Praise Adonai
All the nations of the earth
All the angels and the saints
Sing Praise

What Is The Role Of Patriotism In The Life Of A Christian?

Since the fourth of July is almost upon us, I have been thinking more and more about what this holiday is all about. We have barbeques, enjoy time together with family and friends, and set off fireworks, but just what is the point of it all? If you ask the average American, I suspect that they would tell you that we celebrate the fourth of July as a country to celebrate our freedoms as Americans and perhaps to remember the sacrifices that brave men and women have made in defending those freedoms. While it is not my intention to be disrespectful toward those who have defended this country or tear down the freedoms upon which it is based, I think that a good evaluation of the role of patriotism in the life of the Christian is in order.

To begin with, let's look at the definition of "patriotism". Webster's Dictionary defines patriotism as "Love of country; devotion to the welfare of one's country; the virtues and actions of a patriot; the passion which inspires one to serve one's country." This seems to be a pretty good definition, so let's stick with it for now. The main thing to notice here is that patriotism involves more than obeying the law and being a responsible citizen (which we are commanded to do-cf. Romans 13:1-8, 1 Peter 2:13-17), it involves the affections-specifically love, devotion, and passion. These are the things which set patriotism apart from being an obedient citizen, and which make the fourth of July the very special day that it is.

With this in mind, let's examine the role of patriotism in the life of the Christian. I already noted that it is good and right for the Christian to obey the government and be a good citizen; no one seriously questions this point. But what about the affections-where should our hearts be in this whole process of obedience and submission? Perhaps the best way to address this question is for me to share my own personal story of my journey into-and out of-patriotism.

Growing up as a more or less "average" American kid, I was exposed to numerous sources (family, friends, public school, television) which taught me not only to obey our government, but also to take pride in the uniqueness and outstanding character of our country. I accepted this easily enough, and while it could have remained there, I subconsciously began to believe on the basis of these influences that perhaps our country is somehow superior to other countries in terms of resourcefulness, a "divine" origin of sorts, our ingenuity, and even our way of life. Now notice, no one specifically taught me to think along these lines, but the influences I had been exposed to did nothing to guard me from this next step. As a result, each fourth of July I would beam with pride in our nation, being confident that our nation would always excel, come hell or high water.

With this as my patriotic background, now let me share with you how things slowly changed. When I was fifteen years old, God radically intervened in my life, revealed my sinfulness and wickedness to me, and made it clear to me that I had to make a decision to surrender my life to Him or continue down my own path. I received Christ as my Savior at that time, and although many things changed quickly, other tendencies from the past held on. To be specific, I continued in my patriotism, being convinced that as the United States, it was obviously acceptable for us to invade and overthrow any other nation which might be a potential security risk to us (even though Christian "Just-War Theory" has never traditionally embraced the idea of preemptive war). At the same time, I kept studying my Bible, and little by little I began to see that some of the more extreme forms of patriotism in my mind were out of step with the spirit of the Bible. For instance, in Hebrews 11:13-17 I read:

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

And again, I discovered in 1 Peter 2:11-12:

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

How could I make these passages square up with what I had previously believed? I realized that I couldn't. I had taken something that was legitimate (a humble pride in one's country), and expanded it into something tremendously bigger that, to put it bluntly, flew directly in the face of the Bible. I found that I was very, very wrong on a number of issues, and slowly, over time, my perspective began to change regarding the relationship of Christians to political nation-states.

So what difference does any of this discussion make? Let me state very plainly that my intention is not to destroy any sense of anticipation you have for the fourth of July or to make you feel guilty for taking pride in our country. Our nation has accomplished many outstanding feats, and for this we can be thankful. This discussion is relevant, however, because in our fallenness and brokenness, it is all too easy for us to take something that is ordained by God and good in itself and turn it into an object of worship. So as you celebrate the fourth of July this year, be thankful for the good things that God has given you, but remember even more that this nation is not ultimately your home, and that God calls you to conduct yourself here as a pilgrim and a stranger, looking forward to that Great City whose builder and chief architect is God.