The Cultural Christian

I started to re-read Romans today, as the last time I read it through was quite a while ago. It really is a fantastic book, laden with different facts, ideas, etc. As I read today, this passage really stuck out to me...

For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. Whoever has this kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people.

-Romans 2:28-29, NLT

Now, I'd be willing to guess, if Paul were alive today, and writing his Epistle to the Americans, it might go something like this

For you are not a true Christian just because you were born of Christian parents or because you have gone through the Christian ceremony of baptism. No, a true Christian is one whose heart is right with God. And true baptism is not an immersion in water, but a change of heart produced by immersion in God's Spirit. Whoever has this kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people.

-American 2:28-29, speculative

I know I can be guilty of just assuming that if I call myself a Christian, that it works as a cover all for me and my life sometimes. Perhaps I need to check and make sure that my life, as well as my heart, are in line with God. I think this is good advice for a nation that calls itself Christian and goes to church because it is 'what we do.' Let us change our hearts...

The American Flag

I was watching the DNC a bit last night with some friends, and at some point, a prayer was being said and the American flag was being pictured, and I blurted something (probably louder in my head) about how the Christian Flag was showing. Isn't that just awful? The American Flag, and the phrase "God Bless America" have become so tied together that our nation is truly seen as Christian (despite our war hawk status), and these symbols as Christian probably by the world. I truly imagine a foreigner seeing the American flag and having them more and more associate it with Christianity, rather than the cross or many other long lasting symbols. What a bad circumstance that puts us as believers in, especially with a "Christian" president. All he can be seen as is a hypocrite who doesn't live to Christian standards, despite what may be in his heart. I also found it fascinating as of late that the phrase "God Bless America" has crept up everywhere, onto license plates in Alabama, bumper stickers, and other medium, and yet, there is not one spiritual reference on it. It has become our meaningless mantra. Please consider this as you live your day today as a Christian Patriot, and recall which Kingdom your first allegiance belongs to.