It has become increasingly popular for politicians and pundits to tell their hard core followers that they represent the 'real America', and that those who have opposing viewpoints are conversely not 'real Americans'. That this attitude is inherently dangerous, divisive, and ultimately a precursor to violence toward the group of people now labeled as un-American, even anti-American, history has attempted to teach us. Once a group of people, defined by whatever parameter, have been deemed to be the 'other', it is a short road to convincing those who have drunk the Kool-Aid that 'they' should be incarcerated, expelled, or eliminated.
On the other hand, I have often referred to some people as 'self-professed Christians' or even 'so-called Christians'. That such labels have been used in the past (on the wrong basis), for example during the Thirty Years War, to foment persecution and violence, is horrifyingly true, yet the need to have a proper definition of what a genuine follower of Jesus Christ looks/acts like, and call out those who fail to live up to it, remains. Why?
1. An earthly human kingdom vs. a divinely created spiritual kingdom
The United States of America is a human construct. Like all governments it derives its legitimacy from God's delegated sovereignty (Romans 13:1-2), but it is no more divinely created than the hundreds of other nations that exist in our world today, or the nations or kingdoms that existed in years past. As such, notions of citizenship in this nation have changed (mostly for the better) over the years, and are subject to changing laws and even constitutional amendments such as the 13th-15th Amendments that sought to remedy the original Constitution's flawed acceptance of the notion that Blacks were not citizens, or the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote. Citizenship in America has always been a work in progress, it has always had ways in which our government and our people failed to live up to our ideals.
Christian citizenship is different in many ways. It was instituted by Jesus himself (Matthew 16:18
NIV And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.), populated not with any group of people, or based in on any geographic boundaries, but with individuals called out from amongst all peoples (Revelation 7:9 NIV After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.), and also defined by a standard that does not change and cannot be amended (John 14:6 NIV Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.)
Given those differences, the United States of America can, will, and should change in an effort to "form a more perfect Union", and it can be torn asunder by division. The Church, which is the body that comprises the individuals who have been called by the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus, must maintain its original calling and purpose, uphold its given mission and parameters, and is incapable of effective division (Ephesians 4:5-6 NIV one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.) even if it has been split in two for a thousand years, and in three for the past five hundred. What those who claim to follow Jesus, whether they be genuine or not, cannot do is split his Church. America, however, has no such guarantees. We survived one Civil War, and the tumult of the 60's, but have no promise that if we continue to sow division we will survive the next conflagration.
2. E pluribus unum vs. the Mind of Christ
The people who comprise human kingdoms and nations are never of one mind. Attempts to force uniformity have resulted in some of history's most horrific abuses and genocides: the Spanish Inquisition, Indian Education Program in 19th century America, Mao's Cultural Revolution from 1966-76 which cost the lives of untold millions, or the ongoing Uighur genocide in China today. In fact, differing viewpoints are a strength of human institutions, preventing them from becoming stale or blind to reality. The generation of the Founding Fathers famously disagreed on the direction that the new nation should take on a host of issues (ask Alexander Hamilton), with some preferring the vision of Madison and others that of Jefferson. If those who disagree, about any particular issue, are not 'real Americans', the ability of our democracy to continue to function decreases.
The Church is likewise made up of people with differing viewpoints, often contentiously, but with one key distinction that separates it from America: We are all heading in the same direction, learning from the tutor, and seeking to emulate the same hero (John 14:26 NIV But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Philippians 2:2 NIV then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.). Thus while those within the Church can, healthily, disagree on the secondary issues, we are united, for more strongly than any nation, on the foundational ones.
3. Law abiding citizens vs. the Law of Love
Once a person becomes an American citizen, either by birth or naturalization, that person remains a citizen for the rest of his/her days (short of committing actual acts of treason, or renouncing one's citizenship). Each citizen is as much a 'real American' as the next. Given that we enjoy the protections of the Bill of Rights in America, as long as people don't break the law (or aren't unjustly convicted of breaking the law), there is no legal grounds to value the beliefs and hopes of one citizen over that of another {providing that they aren't advocating for anarchy or gross immorality}. Our representative republic helps transfer that mass of opinions and beliefs into something approximating a functioning government, but those who hold minority opinions are not less American than those who happen to currently be in the majority. In addition, what was once majority opinion can find itself in the span of a generation, or less, to be a minority view. That being said, you can love America, and be a fully patriotic citizen of this nation, and still hold any number of political/economic/cultural viewpoints. I know that many partisans, especially those sold on the Culture Wars, would strongly disagree here, but if we are to have a United future, ever increasing venom against the 'enemies of the people' cannot prevail.
It is not the same in the Church. In order to be a real/genuine Christian, there must be concrete evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the form of what is known as the Fruit of the Spirit. This term is derived from Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. If these qualities are not present, whatever the person in question might claim to believe, he/she cannot be a true follower of Jesus. This is not in any way a partisan viewpoint, it isn't a liberal or conservative one, but a Truth derived from the very nature of the Church itself and everything we know and understand about what it means to be washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb.
Matthew 7:22-23 NIV Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
James 2:14-19 NIV What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
1 John 2:6 NIV Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
1 John 3:16-18 NIV This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
The verses above but scratch the surface on how many times the New Testament addresses this topic, each time affirming the absolute need for heart conversion, not just head knowledge or mouth proclamations. This then is why we must distinguish between 'so-called' or 'self-professed' Christians and the genuine article. God chose to make it abundantly clear in his Word that checking a box on a survey, voting a certain way, or wearing a cross on a necklace isn't good enough. Outward appearances and empty words are not good enough. Unless true life changing Fruit of the Spirit is present, on an ongoing basis, there is no reason to belief that such a person is a Christian. Conversely, if evil is present, tolerated and habitual, there is also ample reason to doubt the sincerity of any profession of faith.
This is actually not a change from the Old Covenant to the New. The prophets of old wrestled with a people who believed that having Abraham as an ancestor was good enough, that it would guarantee their position before God, regardless of their conduct. That lack of genuine faith led inexorably to the destruction of the Temple and the Exile in Babylon. Unfortunately, Jesus found that same shallow attitude present in his own day, and reacted very strongly against it: Matthew 3:8-10 NIV Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
It is far easier to be a good citizen of the United States than it is to be a genuine Christian. At the same time, the United States is a far more fragile vessel than the Church of Jesus Christ, and while divisions sown in either will bear harmful fruit, we know that the Church will endure, America has no such promise.
So, the next time you hear a politician, pundit, or regular person spouting off on social media about how 'we' are the REAL Americans and 'they' are not, don't be fooled, that road leads to self-destruction. Likewise, the next time you hear someone proclaiming their bona fides as a Christian while still embracing hate, lust, greed or the like, and/or while not exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control, don't believe it, fruit-less Christians don't exist.
