[OBW]

And tacking-on to my last post:

The message that I get from Cahn is not consistent with the teachings of Christ. Paul's are. Peter's are. John's are. James' are. Jude's are. Same for whoever wrote Hebrews.

But if we latch onto a phrase in isolation. Or put on blinders to the focus of the NT teaching, we can take a little bit here and a little bit there and create something that would scream for rejection if viewed back in the context of Christ. The premise of trying to make a secular nation into an "Israel-like covenant" nation seems to be in opposition to the idea that we are in the world but not of it. It makes us not only of the world, but it identifies us as the ones who are the world.

Some will declare "but it will be a Christian world." I seriously doubt that. Every other time someone tried to make Christianity into what governed the world, the results have been disastrous. Almost no acts of aggression in the western world have been without claims of God's providence or direction.

Look at the evidence that is provided to suggest that the "nation" has turned from God. Who is responsible for the things? The population of a secular nation. Not the people of God.

God's nation is only God's kingdom. From the time of Christ going forward, the church is not under the old covenant. A new covenant was declared. It is not bound to nations. It is bound to Christ and is an invisible nation that spans the whole globe, yet is not linked to any of it. It is linked to the people of God. And America has never been "the people of God."

In the mean time, there is a groundswell of Christians who have been blinded to think that they can "take back America." As if they ever had it.

Pray. Yes, pray. But what are you praying for? The kingdom of God, or the receiving of blessing? A variant on the prosperity gospel? If we can get open prayer that everyone has to listen to back in the schools. If we can get the government to reestablish religious shrines and markers that are exclusively Christian. If we can push the homosexuals back into the closet. If we can close the abortion clinics and jail anyone who performs an abortion. Then the blessings will return.

The ultimate cargo cult.

And a shame to the teachings of Christ. Who said we would be reviled and persecuted. Who blessed the meek. And the poor in spirit. Who are to be a doves in the world.

If this is wrong, and we are talking strictly about the Christians, then do you think that the Christians have abandoned God? That they need to return to God? Where is the shortage of prayer and righteousness among the Christians (other than to the extent that we will never be all that we think is the goal)?

And if that is the case, then how does our alleged return (under the assumption we have abandoned God) cause prayer to return to the schools? That will not change legislation. It will not melt the hearts of the secular supreme court. "Oh, those Christians have been returning to God, so let's allow their symbols back into the government square."

Yes. We used to be able to pray to our God openly in schools. The country was culturally Christian. But our borders have been opened to those of other religions. And not all of our historical population were truly Christian. And there is now less pressure to act as if they were.

It was an act. And there is no more act. We are now in the cherished place of true Christians throughout the world, and that is as a minority. Trying to get the nation back is like trying to get Constantine to return and make Christianity the favored religion again so that we can punish those who do not see things our way.

That may not be your goal. But it is for those who are leading the way.