[Part VIII]
[Part IX]
[Part X]
[Part XI]
[Part XII]
[Part XIII]
[Part XIV]
[Addendum]
Under the Cyrus anointing, the Holy Spirit works—as we have seen—not only on His people, but also on heathen kings and nations for purposes affecting His people. We’ve carefully examined the difference between anointing and identity—showing that God’s anointing on a nation-beast does not convert it into the Body of Christ.
Under the Cyrus anointing, the Holy Spirit works—as we have seen—not only on His people, but also on heathen kings and nations for purposes affecting His people. We’ve carefully examined the difference between anointing and identity—showing that God’s anointing on a nation-beast does not convert it into the Body of Christ.
Nevertheless, we also saw how most Christians seem unable to discern between the church’s unique identity and the anointing’s influence on surrounding nations—an influence often due to her own presence in their midst. The stronger God’s anointed taming of beasts, the greater the Body’s inability to distinguish her heavenly identity from them. Central to this identity confusion is the universally unscrutinized term, “Christian nation.”
For 1600 years, since a Roman emperor first looked with favor on the church, the Body of Christ has used the loosely undefined term Christian nation to assign Christ’s identity to human nations based on the evidences of Christ’s influence on them. In the last 400 years, the Body has supremely accorded this appellation to the United States, the most highly anointed of all national beasts in the New Testament era.
But can the church rightly call any beast a “Christian nation?” What does the New Testament have to say about this concept, if anything?
What a Christian Nation is Not
In order to answer this, we must first understand the meaning of the word “Christian” as used by the apostles.
The term “Christian” appears three times in Scripture. In each appearance, it describes the intrinsic (“organic”) spiritual identity of people who have put their faith in Christ. It is never used either of people or things based on exposure to Christ’s life in others, association with the church’s worship, or influence under the Spirit’s anointing. Such use is a human extension of meaning that came later and has clouded our understanding ever since.
From the authentic perspective, there is no such thing as a “Christian” building, a “Christian” bookstore, or a “Christian” business—all of which use the word to describe an association. Similarly, there is no such thing as a “Christian” culture or nation merely by association. Think about it. If we can’t justly call an individual a Christian just because he attends church, how much less can we rightly call a nation “Christian” just because it is closely associated with the church?
To discover then if the Bible teaches such a thing as a Christian nation, we must define the term in keeping with the apostles’ use of the word. We must look for intrinsic identity in a people, not evidences of influence on them. By Christian nation, we want to know, “Does the New Testament teach such a thing as an organic Nation of Christ—a nation that can bear His Name because it possesses His Life?”
The Lord’s Description of the Organic Christian Nation
“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.”
Mt. 21:43
Without using the exact term, the New Covenant does teach such a thing as a Christian nation. But it is described to us in only three places, and in none of them can it possibly refer to a people of fleshly identity and descent.
Let’s start with the Lord’s own description of what could be called the Christian nation. In a kingdom parable about wicked vineyard keepers, Jesus tells the pharisees that God’s kingdom will be taken from them (i.e., Israel), and will be given to “a nation producing the fruits thereof.”
Interestingly, this is Jesus’ only statement regarding a nation bearing His qualities and characteristics in the age to follow Him. Thus it’s the only basis we have from His own words for understanding and identifying Christian nationality. So if we’re going to speak of a Christian nation as God sees it, this is where we have to start.
Note three things about this Christian nation. First, Jesus assigns stewardship of God’s earthly kingdom to the Christian nation. This stewardship is derived from God’s original kingdom commission to Israel, including its unique priestly element (Exodus 19:6):
“‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
Jesus is actually transferring Israel’s entire original national commission over to the Christian nation to follow—the centerpiece of which is worship. This means the Christian nation exists specifically for the purpose of worshipping the Lord and its constitution must say so.
Second, there is only one such nation. As the kingdom was originally given to the one nation of Israel, so was it to be transferred to only one nation. Thus there is only one Christian nation.
Think about it. If Jesus cited the existence of only one Christian nation, and that nation was to be a fleshly people like Israel had been, then two things are true:
a) Only one of the hundreds of gentile beasts these last 2000 years could rightly claim title to being the Christian nation, and
b) Only those fortunate enough to live in the time and location of that one nation could be counted as part of God’s kingdom since the New Covenant.
Third, Jesus describes that unique Christian nation as one that “brings forth the fruit” of God’s kingdom. Now think about this: virtually everywhere the concept of fruit is used in the New Covenant, it is used in spiritual terms. It’s talking about spiritual fruit.
We know that what is of the flesh cannot produce spiritual fruit. Jesus said, “the flesh profits nothing.” The whole New Covenant revolves around this fact.
All told then, according to Jesus, the Christian nation is one nation only, is specifically commissioned to offer New Covenant worship and is able to produce the spiritual fruit of God’s authority in the earth. As such it can only be a spiritual nation.
(This only makes further sense when we realize that Jesus said His kingdom “is not of this world.” Israel had just finished proving for 1500 years that a fleshly nation was incapable of stewarding God’s priestly kingdom! In light of the New Covenant, would it make sense for God to commit His kingdom into the care of yet another fleshly nation? )
Peter’s Description of the Christian Nation
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
I Pt. 2:9Peter provides us the second New Testament statement usable to define the Christian nation. His description agrees with the conditions attending the Lord’s as derived from Exodus.
In context of his entire letter, Peter teaches that we who comprise the Lord’s Body are that one chosen, holy nation—”chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood” (1:1-2).
A holy nation is a separated nation. Separated from what? In Peter’s mind, the Christian nation can only be contrasted against all other fleshly nations lying in spiritual darkness, being the “kingdoms of this world.” (See in light of Col. 1:13; Eph. 6:12 and I Jn. 5:19.)
To Peter, the Christian nation is a spiritual one. His statement is a virtual requote of the original Exodus commission. By applying this commission directly to the spiritual believers in Christ without reference to any fleshly lineage, Peter confirms that the church is indeed that “one nation” of which Jesus spoke when He said His priestly kingdom first entrusted to Israel would be transferred to another nation bearing its fruits.
Testimony of the Elders
“For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
Rev. 5:9-10
At the end, we discover the elders of Revelation witnessing to what Peter and Jesus both testify concerning the Christian nation. From their heavenly vantage, echoing the very words of the Exodus Commission, they too claim identity in that royal priesthood, hence that one holy nation—that one spiritual—Christian—nation.
Having no gender beyond the veil, the elders expressly declare their called out status from all other human national identities. They fulfil the word that “in Christ, there is no [adamic nationality]” (Gal 3:28). As claimants to identity in the Christian nation, they are claiming to be part of a nation that transcends-by-abolition all adamic nationality.
Not only this, but they also say they don’t yet have territorial rule. This is important, because Hebrews says those in earth and heaven receive their land at the same time (Heb. 11:40). If the heavenly quadrant of the Christian nation hasn’t received their territory, then neither has the earthly quadrant. This means the Christian nation is unidentifiable by any present territory!
Here in Revelation then, we clearly see the Christian nation, the Body of Christ, as one nation in heaven and earth, distinguished from all presently visible fleshly territorial nation-kingdoms, kingdoms which—even if anointed—remain kingdoms of darkness and lie in wickedness.
In Conclusion
We’ve proven in this brief study that the New Testament applies the concept of the Christian nation organically and exclusively to the spiritual Body of Christ in earth and heaven. On these terms, no national adamic beast can qualify to be called a Christian nation.
Nevertheless, due to the misleading effects of the Cyrus anointing on certain beast nations, the Body has created its own definition of a Christian nation “by association.” She has misperceived what the apostles teach about Christian nationhood, and romanticized the otherwise plainly carnal realities permeating so-called “Christian” countries.
Beginning with Part IV and for the next three sections, we will specifically uncover and lay the ax to the 400-year-old religious mythology that has grown up pertaining to the perceived Christian identity of the American beast. We will ask and answer this simple question, “Can an eagle be born again?”
Chris Anderson
New Meadow Neck, Rhode Island
First Love Ministry
- a ministry of Anglemar Fellowship
http://www.firstloveministry.org9/03
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