Editing Openai/6832f0af-8c5c-8008-9d41-f372934c76ec (section)

===== What it is: =====
Nationalism—especially Christian nationalism—happens when faith is merged with a specific country’s identity or political ideology. In this case, it’s the belief that America has a special covenant with God, and that to be a good Christian means to be a loyal American (usually with specific partisan overtones).

Why it matters:
This distorts the gospel by:
* Replacing Christ’s Kingdom with a political one
* Equating patriotism with righteousness
* Treating outsiders (immigrants, dissenters, other nations) with suspicion or hostility

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Relevance to Jesus’ message:
Jesus taught us to love our country—but worship God alone. When asked about Caesar, He drew a clear boundary:

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He would remind us that:
* His Kingdom includes every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 7:9)
* Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20)
* No political power can save, sanctify, or substitute for the gospel