Is patriotism Christian?

Mathias Bavay

2006-08-09
Abstract: One thing struck me with all the churches where I have been: the churches in the South of France, the churches in Georgia, the churches in Washington, the churches in New Mexico, in Arizona, in Idaho, all have different traditions, different ways of organizing the worship, but all of them, rural or urban, small or gigantic, gives me the same amazing feeling of being home, in a known and familiar place. All these people, who might have nothing in common besides that, are burning with the same faith in the same God. All these people, with their different traditions, vocabulary, denominations, reflect in some way Christ. No matter where I am, when I worship with other Christians, I am with brothers and sisters.

But once a year, on July 4th, I feel that I don't belong (which is not weird, since I technically don't belong)... That's why I decided to investigate the relationship between the biblical message and patriotism.

Contents

1  Definition of patriotism

[What is patriotism for you? Is it good or bad?]

Patriotism: 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. [webster 1913]

1.1  Precising the definition

Patriotism will be directed toward these three elements that constitute a country: The strongest might be about the nation and the land (the government and the institutions might be reformed, replaced, people loose office, etc). We can now widen the definition: it caries the idea of belonging to something bigger than self, putting the self outside of itself.

1.2  basis of patriotism

Patriotism is deeply connected to the idea of a nation. Without feeling some sense of belonging to a nation, I would not care changing "owner" and entering a new social contract when conquiered (cf feudal system).

2  The idea of a nation

[Tell me what defines the American (USA) nation and what defines the Hebrew nation]

Nation: (from Latin natio, race, origin, being born) A part, or division, of the people of the earth, distinguished from the rest by common descent, language, or institutions; a race; a stock. The body of inhabitants of a country, united under an independent government of their own.

2.1  the nation of Israel is a true nation

This nation is more an extended familly!

2.2  Modern nations

3  What does the Bible says about all of that?

First, nothing directly about patriotism: our idea of a nation did not exist at the time of writing! But the assumptions and the requirements of patriotism are of course covered by the Bible!

3.1  about the nation of Israel

3.2  about the kingdom to which we belong

3.3  about the godliness of nations

3.4  about our love

3.5  about our worship

3.6  about preferential treatment toward other people of the same nation

3.7  about how the world sees a Christian vision of the nations

3.8  about the unity of the Church

4  So, what is a Christian patriotism?

4.1  love

Do you love your country? But we must love God with all our heart. So, how much of my heart is left for my country? [How would you answer that question?]

4.2  service

You are in a covenant with your country. You owe things. [In your mind, what is the social contract that you have with your country?]

4.3  devotion, passion

Is anything besides God worthy of our devotion (Job 23:12, Rom 12:1, 1Th 2:12, 1Cor 6:19-20)? We should have only one God, and our passion should be Christ. Anybody calling you to more devotion for your country is in fAct calling you to get rid of your faith and to make an idol out of your country/nation. Since ALL nations are ennemies of God, under the dominion of Satan, this is not surprising that Satan tries to drive you away from the true faith by any means! Our lives don't belong to our nations anymore, but to Christ (Act 20:28, Rev 14:3-4 )! So, a sacrifice of our lives can only be made to Christ!

4.4  my country?

[How do you define what is your country?] Is it the place where I live? Is it the place where I was born? What if the land where I live changes "ownership" (war or diplomacy/sale)? Patriotism is not a biblical notion. Sometimes, what is patriotic is hard to figure out! (cf WWII occupied countries) If the institutions are corrupt, is it patriotic not to love them but to still love the nation and the land?

4.5  putting your country/nation above others

[Can it exists? How?] Yes, out of faithfulness and gratefulness, but as long as it does not prevent you from being fair (1Tim 2:1 : praying for the well being of ALL mankind, 1Tim 2:2 praying for ALL kings), righteous, humble (Is 40:17) and loving toward others (Mic 6:8)! ie: as long as it does not interfer with God's commands for your relationships with others, regardless of citizenship/ethinicity/gender/social condition/etc (which by the way does not exist anymore in Christ: Gal 3:28) Seek truth and justice more than the glory/wealth of your nation! (cf war in Algeria, WWII, etc). Putting God first also means that critisizing your own nation is right (and even commanded by God: cf all prophets, read Is 1) as long as this is in Truth, godly and in a loving manner (the prophets in the OT can be very harsh toward their rulers/country/nation. But this is the Word of God that their are transmitting, they are reacting to wrong doing, things that are against God. Not saying it, remaining silent would be sinful (cf Jonas) and complacent (cf false prophets & prophets of Baal)). If an OT prophet brought to your time would today offend you and appear unpatriotic, that means that your patriotism is ungodly! [How would you react if a prophet would come and declare that your country is proud, ungodly, mean, etc and as such will be destroyed?]

4.6  Christian patriotism

patriotism is not a biblical requirement. But keeping a covenant (Jos 9:16-19, Ps 15:4), submitting to our rulers, rejoicing in God's blessings IS a requirement! (pride in our nation (cf Salomon counting his army and people) is a sin and usually God brings the offenders down sooner or later (cf Israel being deported to Babylon because the king boasted in its wealth)). Being grateful toward the nation that gives you so much is also required, but not at the cost of denying God!

5  Conclusion

See the truth, but love the miracle of seing some good: we live in a fallen world. Our nations are corrupt, fallen, evil. That biblical truth should help us to rejoice at every good thing we might see: however small it might be, goodness is a miracle, a blessing from God sent to a desolate world. Milan Kundera explained that exiled Eastern Europeans usually did not went back to their countries when the communist empire felt: they knew that the image they had of their country did not match the reality and they prefered not to face the sad reality. In a Christian way, be aware of the true face of our earthly nations, but rejoice in the good you might see and love that good with a heart filled of compassion, like Christ coming to save lost sinners and loving them despite knowing the true ugliness of sin. Know the truth, don't be deceived, don't make idols to yourself, but love God through your country and nation, be thankfull and gratefull to Him for the blessings, the peace, the freedom He gives you through your country. And keep God above all things!

A  Biblical references

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scriptures are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A.1  Definition of patriotism

A.2  The idea of a nation

A.3  What does the Bible says about all of that?

Isa 44:28
who says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd,and he shall fulfill all my purpose;saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built,and of the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.
Ex 12:25
And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service.
Rom 4:13
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
Gen 15:18
On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,
Jer 9:23–24
Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.
1Kgs 3:6
And Solomon said, You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.
1Kgs 11:9–13
And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.
1Kgs 8:9
There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
Lk 10:33
But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
Lk 17:16
and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.
Ez 6:7–10
And the slain shall fall in your midst, and you shall know that I am the Lord. Yet I will leave some of you alive. When you have among the nations some who escape the sword, and when you are scattered through the countries, then those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they are carried captive, how I have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me and over their eyes that go whoring after their idols. And they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils that they have committed, for all their abominations. And they shall know that I am the Lord. I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them.
Is 60:12
For the nation and kingdomthat will not serve you shall perish;those nations shall be utterly laid waste.
Gen 22:18
and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.
1Sam 27:1–29
Then David said in his heart, Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand. So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow. And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him. Then David said to Achish, If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you? So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months. Now David and his men went up and made raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt. And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish. When Achish asked, Where have you made a raid today? David would say, Against the Negeb of Judah, or, Against the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites, or, Against the Negeb of the Kenites. And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, Lest they should tell about us and say, So David has done. Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines. And Achish trusted David, thinking, He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant. In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army. David said to Achish, Very well, you shall know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life. Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a medium at En-dor. So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you. The woman said to him, Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death? But Saul swore to her by the Lord, As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing. Then the woman said, Whom shall I bring up for you? He said, Bring up Samuel for me. When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, Why have you deceived me? You are Saul. The king said to her, Do not be afraid. What do you see? And the woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth. He said to her, What is his appearance? And she said, An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe. And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage. Then Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? Saul answered, I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do. And Samuel said, Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.
Dan 6:28
So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Lk 6:26–27
Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
Rom 12:17–21
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Jn 4:9–40
The Samaritan woman said to him, How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. The woman said to him, Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock. Jesus said to her, Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water. Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband, and come here. The woman answered him, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, You are right in saying, I have no husband; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true. The woman said to him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship. Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. The woman said to him, I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things. Jesus said to her, I who speak to you am he. Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, What do you seek? or, Why are you talking with her? So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ? They went out of the town and were coming to him. Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, Rabbi, eat. But he said to them, I have food to eat that you do not know about. So the disciples said to one another, Has anyone brought him something to eat? Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, There are yet four months, then comes the harvest? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, One sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor. Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, He told me all that I ever did. So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.
Mt 5:43
You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
Rom 9:4
They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
Gal 3:14
so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Mat 23:13
But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
Ph 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Jn 18:36
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.
Is 8:6–14
Because this people have refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel. Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered;give ear, all you far countries;strap on your armor and be shattered;strap on your armor and be shattered. Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing;speak a word, but it will not stand,for God is with us. For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall regard as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Mt 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Rev 18:3
For all nations have drunkthe wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her,and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.
Rev 14:8
Another angel, a second, followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.
Rev 11:18
The nations raged,but your wrath came,and the time for the dead to be judged,and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,and those who fear your name,both small and great,and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.
Is 34:2
For the Lord is enraged against all the nations,and furious against all their host;he has devoted them to destruction, has given them over for slaughter.
Is 13:4
The sound of a tumult is on the mountainsas of a great multitude!The sound of an uproar of kingdoms,of nations gathering together!The Lord of hosts is musteringa host for battle.
Is 40:15
Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,and are accounted as the dust on the scales;behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.
Zeph 3:8
Therefore wait for me, declares the Lord,for the day when I rise up to seize the prey.For my decision is to gather nations,to assemble kingdoms,to pour out upon them my indignation,all my burning anger;for in the fire of my jealousyall the earth shall be consumed.
Ps 2:1–9
Why do the nations rageand the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves,and the rulers take counsel together,against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, Let us burst their bonds apartand cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens laughs;the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath,and terrify them in his fury, saying, As for me, I have set my Kingon Zion, my holy hill. I will tell of the decree:The Lord said to me, You are my Son;today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of ironand dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Rev 20:7
And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison
Eph 2:2
in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
Is 14:12
How you are fallen from heaven,O Day Star, son of Dawn!How you are cut down to the ground,you who laid the nations low!
Lk 4:5–7
And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.
Jn 12:31
Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
Jn 14:30
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,
2Cor 4:3
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.
Rom 1:29
They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
Rom 3:10
as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one;
Is 41:26
Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know,and beforehand, that we might say, He is right?There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed,none who heard your words.
Is 41:26
Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know,and beforehand, that we might say, He is right?There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed,none who heard your words.
2Cor 11:14
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
1Jn 2:15–17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Rom 12:2–9
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
Jer 9:23–24
Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.
Ps 20:8–9
They collapse and fall,but we rise and stand upright. O Lord, save the king!May he answer us when we call.
Lk 24:26–27
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
Mt 21:42
Jesus said to them, Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone;this was the Lord's doing,and it is marvelous in our eyes?
Mk 12:24–27
Jesus said to them, Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.
Rom 11:25
Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Lk 10:25–37
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said to him, What is written in the Law? How do you read it? And he answered, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. And he said to him, You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live. But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor? Jesus replied, A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back. Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers? He said, The one who showed him mercy. And Jesus said to him, You go, and do likewise.
Mt 22:39
And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Gen 18:19
For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.
Ex 23:2
You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice,
1Kgs 3:11
And God said to him, Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right,
Joh 14:17
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
1Cor 13:6
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Pr 23:23
Buy truth, and do not sell it;buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
Ps 11:7
For the Lord is righteous;he loves righteous deeds;the upright shall behold his face.
Heb 1:9
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;therefore God, your God, has anointed youwith the oil of gladness beyond your companions.
Is 11:5
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
Is 59:16–17
He saw that there was no man,and wondered that there was no one to intercede;then his own arm brought him salvation,and his righteousness upheld him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate,and a helmet of salvation on his head;he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.
Mt 3:15
But Jesus answered him, Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he consented.
Is 5:7
For the vineyard of the Lord of hostsis the house of Israel,and the men of Judahare his pleasant planting;and he looked for justice,but behold, bloodshed;for righteousness,but behold, an outcry!
Mt 27:16
And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
Mk 15:7
And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas.
Lk 23:18
But they all cried out together, Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas—
Jn 18:40
They cried out again, Not this man, but Barabbas! Now Barabbas was a robber.
Mt 12:14
But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
Mt 16:6
Jesus said to them, Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Mt 16:1
And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
Mt 22:15
Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his talk.
Is 36:18
Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying, The Lord will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
Is 45:22
Turn to me and be saved,all the ends of the earth!For I am God, and there is no other.
Rom 12:5
so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
1Cor 15:24
Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
Col 1:13
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
Rev 1:6
and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Gal 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
1Cor 12:13
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
Gal 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Rom 1:13
I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.
Gal 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
1 Pe 2:9–10
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

A.4  So what is a Christian patriotism?

Heb 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Mt 17:24–27
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, Does your teacher not pay the tax? He said, Yes. And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others? And when he said, From others, Jesus said to him, Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.
Dan 1:8–16
But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king. Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see. So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
1Sam 24:1–8
When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said to him, Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe. And afterward David's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. He said to his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed. So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, My lord the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage.
Job 23:12
I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
Rom 12:1
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
1Th 2:12
we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
1Cor 6:19–20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Act 20:28
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Rev 14:3–4
and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.] It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,
1Tim 2:1
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
1Tim 2:2
for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
Is 40:17
All the nations are as nothing before him,they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
Mic 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good;and what does the Lord require of youbut to do justice, and to love kindness,and to walk humbly with your God?
Gal 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Jos 9:16–19
At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them. And the people of Israel set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders. But all the leaders said to all the congregation, We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them.
Ps 15:4
in whose eyes a vile person is despised,but who honors those who fear the Lord;who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
This document was translated from LATEX by HEVEA.