Can a "good" Christian be a good American?

There are none good, no not one. Hey, what can I say? Does context count? :laugh:

 

One can be loyal to many causes.

As long as that loyalty is subservient to our commitment to the Lord.

 

Since the country was founded on christian principles, I don't see why not. Issues with war, swearing oaths, etc. are done from ignorance as Scripture supports them.

 

At one time, I would have said Yes to this question. No longer. This country is down the tubes.

Even so, Come, Lord Jesus.

 

"But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation." - James 5:12​

 

My Bible teaches me I am a stranger in a strange land. I am more worried about being the best Christian that I can be than a good American. If I am a good Christian then everything else will fall into place. I am glad that I live in America but that is not where my idenity comes from. I will alway be God's child first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Why did Jesus say "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God?" Do you actually believe this statement didn't include America?

 

==On this one I am going to agree with Webdog. From Jamestown to Plymouth, from Plymouth to Massachusetts Bay, from Massachusetts Bay to the Great Awakening, from the Great Awakening to the Revolution, from the Revolution to the Civil War, protestant Christianity has played a very important role in the founding and history of America. Having said that, it is true that during the American Revolution Christians took different sides on whether or not the revolution or war was Biblically justified. Mark Noll breaks these Christian groups up into four camps: Patriots, Reformers, Loyalists, and Pacifists. The Patriots and Reformers both supported the Revolution. The Patriots accepted Whig ideology totally and uncritically while the Reformers were more critical of Whig ideology. Often times the Reformers were very critical of some of the Patriots positions (slavery, etc). The Loyalists were loyal to Britain and the Pacifists were against war.

Personally I side with the Reformers. I believe the Revolution was justified and right, but I also don't accept "American thinking" uncritically. In other words I am patriotic, but if America does wrong I am not afraid or unwilling to point that out. War is sometimes a necessary evil in a fallen world, and sometimes "it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitles them".

The reference to Mark Noll is from his book "Christians In The American Revolution" (see Amazon.com).

As for swearing oaths: I don't do it. Others in this thread have pointed out why.

 

Depends on what your definition of a "good" Christian is and what your definition of a "good" American is. :thumbs:

It seems to me that Scripture is very plain that we are to obey the governments that are in place over us as long as they are not asking or commanding us to violate Scripture. Outside of that I don't see that we are to have any involvement with the government. So according to Scripture one would be considered a good American in that the don't violate the law, but they would not be a good American because they would not involve themselves in the politics of this world.

As one poster said we are to be strangers in a strange land. And I would add that we should be looking for our homeland and how to make sure that we get there on that day.

 

Who says that "peace" and "no war" are synonymous?

 

If you are a bad American eventually the authorities will know it.

 

I think that's what Webdog was referring to.

 

I was unsure, when I posted, exactly what he was referring to, I remain unsure and this is why I just posted the scripture without comment. It seemed to me that he was perhaps saying, that people who have issues with war, swearing oaths etc. are ignorant as scripture supports these things.

 

The problem comes when the authorities employ a frivolous definition of a "bad American". Something along the lines of "you're either with us or against us", and many others as well.