J4P – Identity Crisis: Who is Our Savior?

Guest Blogger: Eric Hasha

Being raised in the Deep South and listening to conservative talk radio, I often heard many an argument being made about the legitimacy of war, especially toward war in the Middle East. Because this nation is characterized as a Christian nation constituted on Christian beliefs, it is assumed that God affirms our use of war. After all, as we move into different seasons of life there are times for war, so Ecclesiastes 3:8b says. But what season are we in that requires a $450 billion American defense budget, where $9 billion is spent on the war weekly? Who is causing the season that we are in, God or man? And how does America live up to its reputation as a Christian nation?

Here in lies the dilemma for the church in America. On the one hand we want to believe in Christ as our personal savior and messiah to the world. Jesus gave a great alternative to what the world had to offer its inhabitants. Instead of power and oppression, Christ gave us grace and liberation. So in this world today we accept an all-loving Christ. But on the other hand we want to trust in the president and our government leaders to lead this nation. We trust in our leaders because our economy depends on it. Without a good economy our houses lose their worth, our bank accounts get smaller and our spending subsides. We trust in our governmental leaders because they are the ones who represent us as a nation. Other countries make their opinions of America as negative or positive based on the leaders who lead the country. This may be the reason why many Americans find it important to elect a candidate who claims to be a Christian, because somehow that means they will make better decisions. Claiborne and Haw ask this question: whom are we going to trust as the savior for this nation, Jesus or the president? Is it possible to trust in both?

Immediately after 9/11 there was an expectation to be patriotic for this nation. The definition of patriotism, it suggests giving total support for the country to the point of being prepared to defend it against our enemies. But when Jesus was living on this planet he spoke to his disciples about loving our enemies and forgiving their trespasses. What is a country to do when another country pokes the other in the eye? If other nations understand America as a Christian nation (based on its own classification) then how do other nations view and understand Christ? We seem to be living in an age where the line separating the words American and Christian are too close for comfort. It is evident that the church in America must make a decision of whom it is going to follow. The church can be persuaded by the enticing power that comes from a large military and its machines or it can fall back in love with Christ’s acceptance of all nations. This is not for the sake of the country but for the sake of the world’s understanding of an all-loving Christ. There is good news in the gospel; it does not cost 450 billion dollars for a savior. But coming back to the gospel message may cost us more than we are willing to make. So the book’s authors make a suggestion for a new exodus. Just as the Benedictines and Francis of Assisi left their lives of comfort for the desert to find God, we as Christians living in America must leave our comforts of living to once again hear the message of God. We are living in a pivotal time where understanding God’s message is essential for our future, but not so easy to hear due to our temptations of power and greed. What side is the church going to stand on in the future? Will the church continue preaching a message of prosperity and success as a result of Western power and greed or will it preach the message of grace and liberation in the midst of power and oppression? The choice is up to the church but even in our failures as a fallen creation, ultimately God will prevail.

Eric Hasha is married to a wonderful wife, Christy. He is a theological student at BTSR and can often be found serving at Tabernacle Baptist Church.