“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV)
“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. “These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.” (John 14:23-26 NASB)
“But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.” (1 John 2:27 NLT)
Recently the Lord has been giving me a deeper revelation (understanding) of my assignment as his disciple to share my faith (the Gospel) and impact the nation in which I live…
…As a disciple of Jesus I was not commissioned to convert people to Christianity. I was given the privilege and responsibility to “make disciples” of Jesus.
…As a disciple of Jesus I was not called to help turn America into a “Christian Nation.”
However…
…As a disciple of Jesus I was challenged to “make disciples of all nations” (for me that starts in America).
…As a disciple of Jesus, I was called to be an influence in seeing America fulfill its destiny to be a “Discipled Nation.”
There is a difference between being a “Christian Nation” and a “Discipled Nation”…
…A “Christian Nation” operates from the top down and relies on political means to accomplish spiritual objectives.
…A “Christian Nation” shifts the responsibilities of the “Church” (such as providing for the needy, feeding the hungry, caring for the widows and orphans, etc.) to the “Government.”
…A “Christian Nation” dictates morality through legislation beyond the basics of freedom, safety and security as originally intended by the Creator of human government.
However,
…A “Discipled Nation” operates from the bottom up as the people rely on spiritual means to fulfill spiritual objectives.
…A “Discipled Nation” places the responsibility on the “Church” to provide for society beyond the basics of “Government.”
…A “Discipled Nation” creates laws to create an environment in which people are able to live in freedom, safety, and security while reflecting the basic morality revealed by the Creator.
In a “Discipled Nation” the “Government” reflects the design and desire of the Creator as it flows upward through the citizens that it represents who in growing proportions are choosing of their own free will to become disciples of Christ.
I personally believe that “Government” was never intended to be “Godless,” however it was not designed to be “Religious.”
I further believe that trying to create a “Godly” nation through “Christian Nationalism” falls short of the desired goal of living in a “Discipled Nation.” “We the people…” was written by people who knew the difference between the two.
Let the Holy Spirit lead as you move on from…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 457: Something to ponder