Are You an American or Christian First?

Bryan and Chasen talk about how we should never over-value our nationalistic pride, but instead, put God first in our lives. They compare this to how the early Jewish Christians had too much pride in their nationalistic heritage to include Gentiles in the early church. While having pride in our country can be a good thing, it should never lead to a feeling like we are better than anyone else.

Video Highlights:

• It’s good to be proud of your country and proud to be an American, but this should never be where you pledge your main allegiance. Our commitment should be to God and our faith in Jesus Christ first. It’s better to be a “Christian who happens to be an American” than an “American first who happens to be a Christian”.
• If we claim that the United States is the best country in the world, then we are saying that every other country is at most second best. If we “over-value America, than we devalue people in other countries”. While it is good to have national pride, it should never be to the extent of treating others as second-class citizens.
• America has slowly drifted away from a culture where God is at the center. While some American values are good, not all of them are biblical. Our commitment to biblical values must always come first, even before our allegiance to general American values.
• The book of Acts describes how the early Jewish Christians had a hard time accepting the fact that Gentiles could become Christians without becoming Jews first. Their nationalistic pride got in the way of seeing how Jesus died for everyone – both Jews and Gentiles. Paul explains to them in Galatians 3:26-29 how our common and most important identity is found in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:26-29 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

We do not make America great by simply believing that we are the best nation in the world. All this does is devalue other countries and make us feel superior toward others. The best way to help make our country become a better nation is by serving God first and other people second. Our main identity should be found in our faith in Jesus Christ, not in our nationalistic pride.