Download WHY IS THE CHRISTIAN AMERICA VIEW DANGEROUS

Compass Life Adult Sunday School
April 2, 2017- Gregg Frazer
WHY IS THE CHRISTIAN AMERICA VIEW DANGEROUS?
Ecclesiastes 7:10
1. It is theologically wrong. In the church age, there is no such thing as a “Christian nation.” Earthly nations are
no longer the primary tools God is using for His work. Rather, the church is “a holy nation, a people for God’s
own possession.” (I Pet. 2:9)
2. It is historically inaccurate. Christians should base their arguments and positions on truth and
reality -- not on myths or history as we wish it had been.
3. It tarnishes/taints the Word of God. By designating a mixture of Christian and non-Christian influences as
simply “Christian,” “biblical,” or ”Judeo-Christian,” we attach the authority and reputation of the inerrant,
infallible Word of God to a hybrid/mixture of biblical and non-biblical influences.
4. It cheapens/corrupts the Gospel. Identifying merely “religious,” “decent, generous, moral,”
churchgoing people as Christians makes the gospel one of moral behavior and pronouncements rather than the
saving work of Christ and personal commitment to Him.
5. It exalts what God hates. Scripture clearly teaches that God hates generic, moralizing “religion” worse than a
lack of religion. While the Founders were “religious,” they were not (as a rule) distinctively Christian.
6.
It causes believers to confuse their cultural heritage with biblical Christianity. Many lose the ability to
distinguish what is truly biblical from what is merely American tradition. They, in fact, worship the “tribal
god” of America rather than the transcendent God of the Bible.
(Rom. 12:2)
7. It reduces the Bible to a mere tool or servant of a political agenda. According to the “Christian America”
view, proper use/interpretation of
Scripture is not important -- what is important is counting how many
times it is quoted.
8. It (sometimes idolatrously) places confidence in processes and institutions rather than the
sovereign God. Belief that the political system was originally Christian/biblical focuses or
directs efforts toward correcting the political system and misdirects the resources of the
church. “If we could just elect the right people ....”
9. It accelerates the process of secularization in society. When believers fail to maintain an
independent Scriptural position by which to judge and evaluate the culture, the most important
independent voice to stem the tide of secularization is co-opted and, thus, rendered impotent.
10. It obscures the principle of evaluating true Christianity by the fruit it produces -- rather than simply on the
basis of claims of piety.
11. It leads to national idolatry and national self-righteousness. The naturalistic political ideals of the nation
are treated as if they were on a par with Scriptural revelation.
12. It emphasizes redeeming the world system rather than redeeming people.
The key American Founders were theistic rationalists.
THEISTIC RATIONALISM
1. there is a creator God who is the author of nature and established the laws by which the universe functions
1b. the most we can know about God=s attributes is that he is rational and benevolent
2. there are many roads/paths leading to God
2b. it is wrong and arrogant to presume an exclusive way to God
3. the key factor in serving God and being acceptable to him is living a good/moral life
3b. the primary test of the value of a religion is whether it promotes morality
3c. the primary purpose of religion is to bolster society by promoting morality
4. God is active/involved in nature and human affairs
4b. because God is involved in human affairs, prayer is meaningful
5. there is a personal after-life in which the wicked will be temporarily punished and the good experience
happiness forever
6. Jesus should be revered as a great moral teacher, but was not God
7. God has revealed himself primarily through nature, but also some special revelation
8. while there is some special revelation which is complementary to reason, reason is the ultimate standard for
learning and evaluating truth
THEISTIC RATIONALISM VS. DEISM & CHRISTIANITY
1. there is a creator God who is the author of nature and established the laws by which the universe functions
[both agree]
1b. the most we can know about God=s attributes is that he is rational, powerful, and benevolent
[not Christianity]
2. there are many roads/paths leading to God
[not Christianity]
2b. it is wrong and arrogant to presume an exclusive way to God
[not Christianity]
3. the key factor in serving God and being acceptable to him is living a good/moral life
[not Christianity]
3b. the primary test of the value of a religion is whether it promotes morality
[not Christianity]
3c. the primary purpose of religion is to bolster society by promoting morality
[not Christianity]
4. God is active/involved in nature and human affairs
[not Deism]
4b. because God is involved in human affairs, prayer is meaningful
[not Deism]
5. there is a personal after-life in which the wicked will be temporarily punished and the good experience
happiness forever
[neither]
6. Jesus should be revered as a great moral teacher, but was not God
[neither]
7. God has revealed himself primarily through nature, but also some special revelation
[neither]
8. while there is some special revelation which is complementary to reason, reason is the ultimate standard for
learning and evaluating truth
[neither]